Riedell Custom Skate ideas?

[Sam_Bryant]

Hello!

Ive been tossing around thd idea of ordering a custom designed pair of Riedell figure skates. I want something unique and elegant but Im having a hard time coming up with good ideas/Color choices. I believe I want the boot itself to still be white but beyond that Im unsure.

Any ideas anyone?

Thanks!!

[LunarSkater]

Is there a specific reason you need custom boots aside from aesthetics? Do you have major fit issues with your current ones that some modifications to off-shelf boots can't fix? I had to order custom because my feet are shaped weird. Custom boots are expensive, far more than off-shelf. They aren't a whim purchase.

Are you looking for something to stand out a bit? One of the girls at my rink has swarovski crystals on the bottom of hers in her initials. I've seen a picture of an ice dancer with the bottom soles completely covered in them. If you have leather, possibly design and paint something using leather paint? There are options out there to customize boots without spending hundreds of dollars.

[Query]

Of course custom skates may be harder to resell. Depending on store and/or manufacturer policies, if you don't like them, they may be harder to return - though some bootmakers will accept exchanges if you just don't like the fit. I don't know Riedell's current policies.

That said, done right, custom boots can fit a lot better. (It is very important that the pre-manufacture fit and the post-manufacture adjustments be made by a very good fitter, otherwise the advantages of a custom fit disappear. I personally consider that far more important than aesthetic issues. But that's just me.)

Some people like painted blades. I don't know if Riedell would do this, but I think that blades that would flash as you spin because they are gold color on one side, silver on the other, would look kind of neat. Maybe you could paint boots that way too, or get sparkles embedded in the polish.

If you want to a custom appearance, and have the money, it may be worth it to YOU.

One person told me that her brother had had $5000 custom skate boots made, that used superior quality leather materials and construction. That could make them stronger and/or lighter, for a given stiffness level. That's a little extreme, and you probably don't need it, but if money is no object you could contact Riedell to ask if that is possible.

Lot's of things are "whim" purchases - e.g., a lot of people buy an expensive impractical car or house or custom clothing purely because they like the way it looks, or they like the high status associated with luxury, and often spend more than the cost of custom skates on these things. A lot of people buy computers that way too, or get expensive, inefficient and hard-to-use software because they like the look of the icons and screen effects. E.g., Macs, Windows 10, or most multi-media streaming devices.

It's like figure skating. You don't have to do it. It can be ridiculously expensive and time consuming, and you can get hurt. One hopes you do it because you want to.

[Ethereal Ice]

I think there are so many ways to customize regular boots with crystals and emblems etc. I cannot imagine paying custom boot prices just for decoration. My husband had to get customs because of extra wide feet and it was a lot of money. There are plenty of stories of people who paid lots of money for custom skates and they still were not happy with the fit, so we were understandably nervous, luckily they fit him very well. He did add custom designs on the sides but they are subtle. I consider myself lucky to not have to pay through the nose for customs. While I just prefer the very subtle crystals on the top part of my laces, there are numerous people at my rink who have added all kinds of bling and other decor to Jacksons, Riedells etc. If your skates fit you, I say stay with a stock boot.and decorate as you wish.

[tothepointe]

Riedell does special makeup boots which are only about an extra $69 if you wanted to change the color only. To me, that's a reasonable upcharge. If you needed a special split sizing as well its $100 for up to 3 changes to a stock boot so again a reasonable cost if you wanted to throw in a color change.

https://ice.riedellskates.com/custom