New Jackson Premiere width sizing

[icepixie]

Does anyone have experience with the new "A/B" or C/D" widths on Jackson Premieres, especially as compared to the old A, B, C, D widths they used to have for that model?  Are the options pretty much just A-and-a-half and C-and-a-half?  (If I go with Premieres next, it may be immaterial for me because I'd likely do a split width, which hopefully they could still do on the old width sizing...I had 5B's that were okay, but I really needed one width bigger at the ball and one smaller at the heel.  Perhaps I would do an "A/B" heel and a "C/D" ball...)

On a somewhat related note, I've gotten the impression that GAM skates are pretty much Jacksons for people with higher insteps.  Does anyone that has experience with both brands think that's accurate?  If so, I'd switch in a hot second.  I assume the Podium is the equivalent to the Premiere?  (Although it looks like it doesn't have the lower-cut back that Premieres do...?)  Someone at my rink used to wear GAMs, and I think she might be close enough in size to me that trying hers on would give me some information, but if not I'll have to rely on gleanings from the interwebs, as a trip to a pro shop that sells them is not in the cards at the moment.

(For those of you following my boot saga, yes, this means I'm giving up on my SP Teri customs.  It's been three months since I got the redone boots back, and I still can't skate for more than 10-15 minutes without excruciating pain or complete numbness.  My coach/sales rep and I have stretched and punched them six ways from Sunday, I've heat molded them at least 15 times, I've skated with and without arch supports, ankle sleeves, insoles, and assorted lacing tricks, and I cannot make them work.  Whenever I get in my car to go to the rink, I've started thinking, "Wow, I really don't want to skate and I wish I weren't doing this," so I'm done with these boots if they're going to make me feel like that.  At least with all the missed ice time while I was waiting for them to be re-done, and missed lessons because I sure wasn't learning anything when I couldn't stay in my skates for more than 10 minutes, I've saved more than enough for a pair of stock boots.)

[Query]

I hope you have called SP Teri, not just the seller and fitter! SP Teri may make good on the misfit custom boots.

[Loops]

Yes, what Query says.  You probably dropped quite a bit on those boots.  SP Teri needs to make it right.  Not that its necessarily a bad idea to get a back up pair for while SP teri is sorting out their mess, but what you're experiencing is not OK.

[icepixie]

Yes, I am going to call SP Teri and see what they can do or at least if they can give me some of my money back, but their last attempt at fixing the problem...didn't fix it.  I don't even know how to describe the problem I'm having, like even where in the boot is wrong, so I'm not sure if they can do anything at this point when all I can tell them is, "My whole foot hurts, I don't know why."  I suppose they could take a mold of my feet and try again rather than just going off measurements.  (George actually did the measuring himself at the PSA conference, so I was reasonably confident that was enough...apparently not.)  But yeah, I need boots either to just replace these totally or for while SP Teri is attempting to fix their mess.

[tstop4me]

Does anyone have experience with the new "A/B" or C/D" widths on Jackson Premieres, especially as compared to the old A, B, C, D widths they used to have for that model?  Are the options pretty much just A-and-a-half and C-and-a-half?  (If I go with Premieres next, it may be immaterial for me because I'd likely do a split width, which hopefully they could still do on the old width sizing...I had 5B's that were okay, but I really needed one width bigger at the ball and one smaller at the heel.  Perhaps I would do an "A/B" heel and a "C/D" ball...)

If you want the current Premieres, looks like you may be too late, or have to act quickly.  I noticed that the women's model has just disappeared from the Jackson website; men's model still listed for now.  I checked Kinzie's Closet website:  women's Premiere is on clearance sale as a discontinued model; men's still listed as standard stock.  My guess is that a new synthetic equivalent of Premiere will be released soon.

Rather than deal with this transition, you might want to consider the Elite 5200 instead; women's available in AA, A, B, C, and D widths.  And remember, Jackson boots formed on the Elite last (which includes some non-Elite models) automatically come stock in split widths with heel one size narrower than ball; if you need more than one width difference, you'll need semi-customs.

Sorry to hear that your SP-Teri saga so far has an unhappy ending.  Hope they make it right, or at least refund your money.  Please keep us posted.  I'm interested in how companies respond when there's a screw-up.

[icepixie]

Oh, geez.  They must have just put them on clearance at Kinzie's, because they were priced normally last night.  I'm curious what the revamp will look like.

I believe the Premieres were on the Elite last, at least when I got mine, so yeah, I think they already had the split width...but I need even more of a split (like a C ball and an AA heel), so I would be going semi-custom.  I think an actual Elite would be too stiff for me.  My original Premieres started out just about the right stiffness for me, although they did break down quicker than I anticipated.  I haven't improved in skills enough to warrant moving up a stiffness level (still working on loop jumps, for example).

The person I was thinking of at my rink who has GAMs was happy to let me try them on and will bring them next week.  (She skates in Edeas now.)  She got them used and isn't sure what size they are, but thought they might be a 6 or 7, which would be too big for me but might give me some idea of how the fit is different from Jackson.

I'll keep you posted on the SP-Teri saga.  I'm waiting for everyone to get back from Nationals before I make calls.  I'd really rather they refund even part of my money rather than try to fix the boots, because their last attempt at fixing them was so terrible and they made such a big deal about it.  (Oh, we can't possibly make it shorter without also making it narrower...yeah, I think that's exactly the definition of custom boots, so I think you can.  Nope, they were definitely narrower everywhere but the heel when I got them back.  Of course, the heel was what I wanted to be narrower.)

[Sibelius]

I had an email exchange with them about a different boot that went on clearance at midnight, ''tis the season I guess.

[ChristyRN]

If you want the current Premieres, looks like you may be too late, or have to act quickly.  I noticed that the women's model has just disappeared from the Jackson website; men's model still listed for now.  I checked Kinzie's Closet website:  women's Premiere is on clearance sale as a discontinued model; men's still listed as standard stock.  My guess is that a new synthetic equivalent of Premiere will be released soon.

Hmmm. I just ordered split width Premieres. Off to email my fitter to find out what the scoop is. . .

[Meli]

Eek. My guy was supposed to order split width premieres for me back in October. Hoping he got that in before they discontinued.

I did try the new version with the new sizing. Unfortunately, they were A/B and C/D, and I'm B/C+. It just didn't work out.

[icepixie]

Meli, when you say you're B/C+, are you referring to the difference between heel and ball, or saying that you fell into the middle between the two widths now offered?

[Meli]

B- heel (not really a full B), C+ ball (basically need stretching). Last shop sold me the A/B  because I'm really on the smaller side of a B heel, and figured they could stretch the ball. Nope. No bueno. Additional fit issues beyond heel/ball. But the C heel would be too big, and the D ball is a little too much. So I really don't fall in their new sizing. My current boots are the old C, and my heels slip, so we're trying to find a better option without going custom.

[skatemom189]

Consider Risport.  Their toes are pretty wide, and heels narrow.  Not sure about model for you, based on stiffness, but perhaps Royal Pro....?

[icepixie]

Alas, I have tried on Risports.  They have this place along the back of the boot that goes in, and it feels like a rock is digging into my Achilles tendon.