Jim Skibin at the Ice House is BRILLIANT!!!!

[rd350]

Okay so we did not decide on new skates - yet.  He's ordering Riedell GoldStars and Jackson 4500's in my size for me to try.  BUT, Jim fixed my old skates!!!!

I knew my skates were generally in great shape (not broken down too much) but they weren't fitting right and I was having control issues and my heal on the right was moving a lot.

Well.... I have new insoles - there were none and either they were missing or it's how they made them then??  We're not 100% sure.  Then he sharpened my skates and wanted me to test them out.  The only ice of the 4 rinks at that moment that was open was ELITE ice (Olypmian/Nationals/Worlds level skaters.  I held my own, didn't get hurt or get in anyone's way LOL.  Triples and Quads left and right....

I diverge.... he had me test the the skates out for alignment, kind of like you do with a car and on my right - the side I always have issues with on outside edges, it was completely off.  He was on the fence about sharpening and wanted me to try 7/16  R.O.H. first, which didn't feel good stopping so he brought it to 1/2" and moved my right blade and when I went back out it was great!  He also had me tie them up a very specific way.  All around it was 1000% better than when I came in!  He thought I could forego new skates if I wanted to try these a while and said he could tweak the right heal with some padding so my heal doesn't move at, which btw has decreased by about 90% from before.

I am most likely still going to get new skates.  I'd like to have another pair and they could fit better.

So that was my experience with Jim.  He was truly amazing and REALLY understands feet AND skates.  I have a PT background and everything he said about my feet was right on 100%.

[skategeek]

Fantastic!!!  (And good for me to know for the future... I'm in northern NJ and will undoubtably need new skates someday.  )

[AgnesNitt]

Pictures of the lacing please. Always eager to learn.

[rd350]

I was going to video tape Jim lacing my skates but I had video'd some Elite skaters and ran out of memory!!

Maybe I'll video myself doing it - but I need practice.  He's much better.

[rd350]

@skategeek isn't Hackensack Northern NJ?  North for me I guess, considering I am on the lower east side in Manhattan!

Yes I would highly recommend Jim and the energy at that rink is awesome!  There are 4 rinks.

[skategeek]

Yep, I think it's about 30-45 min from me.  I'll have to check it out sometime.  (with two rinks within 15 minutes I haven't had much reason to so far...)

[rd350]

It's about 45 minutes from me too.  If it weren't for the tolls I would try the coaching there, then practice closer.

I like great energy in a rink!  The place I practice is fine but even SkyRink has such a different vibe.

[FigureSpins]

Told you so!

[rd350]

Ya!!!!

He thought I might like my current boots more than new ones - not quite made like they used to.  Although the padding is better, the leather vs. mixed materials, etc....

I need to find Harlicks and SP Teri's to try on somewhere.  He doesn't carry them but could order.  I can't find anywhere in NYC.

[rd350]

BTW, he did not recommend Revolution or parabolic blades.

[icedancer]

Ya!!!!

He thought I might like my current boots more than new ones - not quite made like they used to.  Although the padding is better, the leather vs. mixed materials, etc....

He is probably right - a LOT of skaters I know who had boots of your vintage deplore the new boots.  The padding is nice but it is way bulkier than what we are used to - the tongue is differet - the boots don't hug your foot as well in the upper -

I long for my old boots and I have been in "New" SP Teri for 8 years now!!

Just talked to another skater who hates her new boots.  Doesn't know quite what to do.

I have also had a few friends who went to Harlick and said they wanted them to make the old style boots and they did and they are happy.

Glad you had such a great experience with the fitter!

[rd350]

Yeah very interesting.  My coach said the same thing.  Jim said he could get the older style GoldStars.  My issue is the tongue, open cell foam, like I have now.  I think it's easy to tear.  I ripped a piece off the day I decided to get new skates!  After 20 years!  I am thinking of calling him tomorrow and having him hold off on the GoldStars.

I think Jackson's fit me much better (he did too) but I have some aversion to them for no good reason at all.  Although I know 2 people with Premieres (I wouldn't be getting those) that are both having a lot of problems.

I need a very stiff boot.  That is part of the issue.  He's not sure GoldStars will even hold up long for me.

Oh so many decisions!

[twinskaters]

Wow, what a great outcome! I'm glad you didn't go to Dan Dan the Mystery Man out here! :-)

[rd350]

LOL!  Yeah!

[sarahspins]

I need a very stiff boot.  That is part of the issue.  He's not sure GoldStars will even hold up long for me.

If it reassures you at all, the Jackson 4500's should be plenty stiff but still have relatively easy forward ankle bend right off the bat - that was my experience with the now discontinued 3900's (I was 100% comfortable doing anything on the ice within a couple of sessions) that I had and it was my impression of the 4500's as well when I had a chance to see a pair in person a few months ago (they also share the double flex notches).   If you get fit correctly for both the length of your foot and the correct ball/heel width, you will avoid "most" of the problems you will see reported about Jacksons.

I have worn SP Teri in the past, and I'm currently in custom Harlicks, and I have nothing against Jackson - I loved my old boots, they were the best fitting and most comfortable skates I've ever owned (and the easiest to break in), but I am allergic to that open cell foam (it is latex based) and Jackson no longer makes a high level boot with a fully lined tongue, and getting the split width I need *and* an alternate tongue lining is somewhat cost prohibitive compared to some other options, which is why I opted to try Harlick.  If Jackson's lineup changes in the future I may switch back, but so far I am happy with my Harlicks, so it's not exactly an immediate concern.  Plus my old Jacksons are still usable, they're not completely broken down yet like the pair I had before those.

[rd350]

The 4500's have that perforated leather type tongues.  Not sure if that would be an issue for you.  Harlicks - I would really like to try them.  There is nowhere that carries even stock ones that I have found here.  Maybe one place.  I have to call them tomorrow.  I'd do custom, or split width.  I just want to check them out first.

Everyone seems to love their Harlicks!

[rd350]

@AgnesNitt I'm uploading the video to YouTube.  It's taking forever but I'll post it when it's done.  It says it's 5 minutes!  Could it take me 5 minutes to lace up one boot?  Maybe it was the play by play....

I should probably upload it somewhere else too.  What would be a good forum for it?

[rd350]

Here's the video on lacing.

http://youtu.be/Txe53I2KB20

[littlerain]

Thanks for sharing that video! I may just try that out in a minute.

I'm so so glad it turned out so well. I can't wait to see what happens next!

[rd350]

Yeah still don't know about boots.  I'm trying to find somewhere to try Harlicks on (though I know they won't end up being stock) but no luck so far.

Let me know how you do with the lacing!

[irenar5]

Thanks for posting the video! 
This method of lacing really makes my arches cramp.  I have to have the first 3 holes tighter, then looser over the instep (I have to be able to move laces back and forth when laced).  I then lace VERY tightly at the first two hooks (and not before) and the last two hooks less tightly. When I have to tighten laces during a session, I only do it at the hooks and leave the instep lacing alone.

[rd350]

Ha, yeah goes to show how individual we all are and our skates probably as well!  My arches were cramping/aching like crazy before but not with this method!

In follow up to my prior post, I found stock Harlicks to try on tomorrow just to see how I like their brand!

[Query]

HMy arches were cramping/aching like crazy before but not with this method!

If an arch is in pain, there may be a mis-match between the shape or tilt of the top of your insole with the shape/tilt of the bottom of your foot. You can fix that by strategically taping parts of the bottoms of your insoles until the pressure on the bottom of your feet is uniform everywhere.

On the other hand, you might just have a boot that is too narrow for some part of your foot, which might be helped slightly by leaving the bottoms loose, as you are doing, but would also be helped by "punching" (stretching) the boot in the appropriate place, which your boot fitter can possibly do. For example, the comfort of loose bottom laces suggests that your toes are too side for the unstretched boots.

If this lacing scheme makes you happy, go for it!

[rd350]

Hi yes the lacing works pretty well but I am going to have the boots tweaked some more.  Jim didn't have time to do both a fitting and fix the old boots (unless I left them but it's my only pair right now) so I was more than thrilled he got to do what he did.  I am going to have him punch out that area and I also need a little tweaking on the alignment on the right, although it's much better than it was.

I just skated on a crowded, poor ice public session but there was still a difference in my outside edge, especially on the right.

Overall huge improvement!  Oh and Jim is also going to help with the minor heel movement I have now.  Getting there.