Harlick X-Line Stock Boots

[AgnesNitt]

Anyone try these yet? They may be the answer to my wide forefoot / narrow heel issue. And they're STOCK!

[sarahspins]

They might work for you as long as you can get the right width combination for your heel and ball - a split width stock boot is still considered stock, not custom.  There may be a fee associated with the split width, but it's nowhere near what customs would run these days.

I've tried some of the x-line boots on.. and let me tell you they could be VERY tempting for me if I could be fit well in them (I haven't yet tried).  As it stands, I'm not clear on whether Jackson has discontinued the model of boot that I have that I *love*, but if they have, I might be inclined to try Harlicks since once I pay for modified tongues (I can't have latex foam on the tongues) and split width, I'm in a price range that should have me looking at customs from any brand, and I know from recent experience that the SP Teri heel contour just doesn't fit me well any more.  I need to think about ordering something in the next couple of months, so it's on my mind.  I need to get with the coach who fits Harlick at my rink and talk to her and see what she has to suggest for me.

[AgnesNitt]

What's up with the SP-Teri heel counter?

[sarahspins]

It just doesn't match the shape of my heel very well - when I tried out a pair a couple of years ago I got a lot of pressure at the "top" of my heel, and it would have been bad if I had tried to skate in those longer than I did (I only gave it a few weeks), I just need a different shape, which Jackson seems to match fairly well, and could probably be accommodated with custom boots from SP Teri, but I don't exactly have a custom budget to work with these days

[AgnesNitt]

Well, after visiting with my fitter, it looks like it's probably going to be Harlick X-line in Stock. The X-line comes in split-width as a stock number. I'm looking at the Classic, which is a figures boot, with an ankle notch.

Harlick's is sending a sample pair out to see if they fit.  The notch is one of those semi-custom things that makes it a special order, but not custom.

My fitter is a rep for Jackson, but this is the second time around with him recommending Harlicks to me.  My first time was a disaster with customs, so that's why we're doing the sample pair.

[Loops]

Good luck!  I'm very curious to see how this turns out.  I'm happy with the skates I have, but think I'd be even happier in something that is split....

Keep us posted!

And as an fyi- I'd totally follow your blog (thereby expanding your Continental European readership!!!), but I don't have/want a google account!  Anyway to do it via a plain 'ol email?

[AgnesNitt]

And as an fyi- I'd totally follow your blog (thereby expanding your Continental European readership!!!), but I don't have/want a google account!  Anyway to do it via a plain 'ol email?

No there's no way to follow using email. But you can follow using twitter or Yahoo. You can create completely fake names for those accounts if you're worried about privacy. For example, my blog identity is completely fake and on Yahool. 
Scroll down until you see the "My reading List" title. To the right of that is a button that says "Join This Site" Select that and follow the instructions.

[accordion]

No there's no way to follow using email. But you can follow using twitter or Yahoo. You can create completely fake names for those accounts if you're worried about privacy. For example, my blog identity is completely fake and on Yahool. 
Scroll down until you see the "My reading List" title. To the right of that is a button that says "Join This Site" Select that and follow the instructions.

NOOOOOOOOO! Babette is not real?? 

I made the assumption that AgnesNitt was also a pseudonym. (You don't need to confirm/deny, I'm not a stickybeak) I like both names. As an aside, my almost 14 yr daughter LOVES your blog and identifies with much of it. Her highest praise - "this lady must be pretty cool".

Another way to follow blogs is to use the Bloglovin program - www.bloglovin.com

[AgnesNitt]

NOOOOOOOOO! Babette is not real?? 

Only in the Raggedy Ann and Andy Universe That's her in the center.

[FigureSpins]

No there's no way to follow using email.

You can also set up a Google Alert for anything new on "site:icedoesntcare.blogspot.com"  It only asks for your email.

[Loops]

You can also set up a Google Alert for anything new on "site:icedoesntcare.blogspot.com"  It only asks for your email.

That's bril and possibly the best solution- I like to get the new blog posts in my inbox for the various ones I follow.  Otherwise I forget to check them.  But does it help Agnes' readership count? 

[FigureSpins]

I don't know what it will do to Agnes' readership counter.  I would think that the Google crawl would up the counter by one, but I don't know if it executes the search for every user who sets up an alert, or if it crawls the site once and uses those results for everyone with an alert.

[Loops]

So, to unhijack this thread (sorry  bout that...)

That's fantastic that Harlick will send out samples for you to try.  Hopefully they'll arrive soon!

[slcbelle]

Hi Agnes.  I tried the X Line in person because I have the same issue.  Duck feet!  They didn't work for me.  The second I put them on they HURT.  There wasn't enough heel padding at all for me.  I've had trouble with my narrow heels rubbing and causing Haglund's deformity and the X Lines were so hard in the heel cup that I thought I'd die.  My Jackson boots were the one's that caused the Haglund's in the first place.  I ditched those for Riedell 375 Gold Stars (have your tried Riedell?  Those fit me better than the X Lines but still aggravated my heels.)  But, after less than I year,  I ended up with custom Harlick's with the Heel Hugger padding option (among other things). 

[AgnesNitt]

Thanks for the info sicbelle. Mine are going to need to be semi-custom anyway (ankle notch) so heel huggers may not be a problem to add.

[slcbelle]

Thanks for the info sicbelle. Mine are going to need to be semi-custom anyway (ankle notch) so heel huggers may not be a problem to add.

I highly recommend them.  They are so much softer.  Good luck!

[sarahspins]

Thanks for the info sicbelle. Mine are going to need to be semi-custom anyway (ankle notch) so heel huggers may not be a problem to add.

You can definitely add those to a semi-custom and I'd definitely recommend it too

[AgnesNitt]

My sample X-line Competitors are at the shop for me to try on next Sunday. Could have gone this sunday, but still coughing.
As soon as I try the sample on, I'll send in a report.

[Loops]

I am eagerly awaiting your reaction to them!

[AgnesNitt]

So I tried on Stock Harlicks X-line 6 1/2 C  Competitor boots today. I thought they'd be too stiff, but they were about right.

Fit very nicely, except I still needed a bunga sleeve over the right heel, and the boot didn't have ankle notches.

Phil from Harlicks is going to be in my area in the next couple of months, so my fitter told me to go see him at a local comp and deal with him directly for the fitting.

I think with heel huggers, and ankle notches, the boots will be fine. My Jackson's still have some wear in them, but the heel drives me nutty.

[AgnesNitt]

I met Phil from Harlicks today at a roller skating competition for a second fitting.

So the the size is what my fitter recommended, but Phil reccommended also adding some extra width to the shaft of the boot to give me more coverage over my leg. (I have cankles) plus I specified ankle notch and heel hugger in one boot.

So, looks like it's going to be custom after all.

[Loops]

Exciting!!!  Hope it all goes well and they arrive soon and you can try them out.