Which boot manufacturer is closing? | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Which boot manufacturer is closing?

Sibelius

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 28, 2017
Hey Sibelius, in another posted you mentioned seeing Golden Horse boots at SP Teri, as they worked with that company.
Maybe they will partner or merge.

Gosh, although I'm a Harlick girl, I'd sure hate to see SP Teri go out. However, both companies are challenged by the new boot competitors.

Not likely, they were just displaying them as a courtesy. We did have a long discussion about the new boot companies though. Sp-Teri (and Harlick) are at an extreme cost disadvantage. You can get top Edeas in Europe for $450 euros, which means they cost what, $200 to make? Materials alone probably cost the custom shops more.

I do know that at our rink Edea has taken over almost completely from top elites to bottom beginners. Still a fair number in Sp-Teri (not as many Harlick), but it seems once they need a new pair it's off to Edea. They've lost quite a few high level customers to the freebie market, which drives the "wannabes". They must work for some though. I guess for us it's back to Harlick, or find a custom Jackson fitter if it's true. If I find anything out I'll let everyone know. My skaters' coach who's known them for her entire career hasn't heard anything.
 

Sam L

Medalist
Joined
Mar 23, 2014

Look I think a lot of it is due to that but I want to go more into the economics and logistics. I’ve read some places only stock Edea and I can believe that. It seems it’s an easier product to make and flood the market and easier to find a fit for everyone.
 

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Country
Olympics
Look I think a lot of it is due to that but I want to go more into the economics and logistics. I’ve read some places only stock Edea and I can believe that. It seems it’s an easier product to make and flood the market and easier to find a fit for everyone.

No that's not true. Some places may be brainwashed to only carry that brand, but the brand doesn't make it easier to find a fit for everyone, no ONE boot manufacturer fits almost everyone. That is fact.

Again, much is hype. They can market the crap out of their boots and people are going to want them (and more expensive high end models they don't need) because they want to wear the same boot as their fave skater. *barf*:rolleye:
 

sandraskates

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 31, 2006
Country
United-States
Not likely, they were just displaying them as a courtesy. We did have a long discussion about the new boot companies though. Sp-Teri (and Harlick) are at an extreme cost disadvantage. You can get top Edeas in Europe for $450 euros, which means they cost what, $200 to make? Materials alone probably cost the custom shops more.

I do know that at our rink Edea has taken over almost completely from top elites to bottom beginners. Still a fair number in Sp-Teri (not as many Harlick), but it seems once they need a new pair it's off to Edea. They've lost quite a few high level customers to the freebie market, which drives the "wannabes". They must work for some though. I guess for us it's back to Harlick, or find a custom Jackson fitter if it's true. If I find anything out I'll let everyone know. My skaters' coach who's known them for her entire career hasn't heard anything.

When I was last fitted at Harlick - about 2 years ago - they mentioned that they split some materials cost with Sp-Teri (factories are not far apart). If Sp-Teri folds, I'm thinking that won't bode well for Harlick or price will go up dramatically. Harlick already does not have the number of staff they had 20 years ago and it takes longer for remaining staff to fulfill the orders.

At last year's PSA conference, the Edea booth consistently had swarms of people. They actually brought stock with them to sell. The rest of the boot manufacturers - not nearly as many people in the booths. IIRC the next manufacture with a lot of lookers was Jackson. While I like Jackson's basic boot / blade combo option for beginning skaters, their boots did not work for me.
 

Sibelius

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 28, 2017
At last year's PSA conference, the Edea booth consistently had swarms of people. They actually brought stock with them to sell. The rest of the boot manufacturers - not nearly as many people in the booths. IIRC the next manufacture with a lot of lookers was Jackson. While I like Jackson's basic boot / blade combo option for beginning skaters, their boots did not work for me.

Same at U.S. Nationals here last year. And guess what, they didn't have to pay for that stock (from what I was told). They only have to pay for what they sell through. How great is that to have your inventory carrying costs nil? They can bring enough sizes to fit everyone, no worries about width, one fits all right!
 

khi

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 15, 2018
Look I think a lot of it is due to that but I want to go more into the economics and logistics. I’ve read some places only stock Edea and I can believe that. It seems it’s an easier product to make and flood the market and easier to find a fit for everyone.

There are places in my country that only sell Edeas, for sure, and they heavily market them as the be-all-and-end-all of skates for everyone because of their easy heat customisation and comfy fit. I owned a pair briefly and they weren't for me though. I have skinny ankles and they gave me no lateral support no matter how tightly I tied them, and despite heat moulding. It is interesting to me that just about every high-level skater is in Edeas though!

I'll be gutted if SP-Teri goes under. I had no luck finding skates that fit my feet from the Jackson and Edea offerings (the only brands easily available here), I was lucky enough to acquire a pair of nearly-new SP-Teris from an American friend with the same size feet, and they're by FAR the best fitting boots I've ever worn for my heels/ankles. Just something to do with the shape around the heel/ankle area. I was instantly sold on the brand (for my specific feet)
 

Sibelius

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 28, 2017
Again, much is hype. They can market the crap out of their boots and people are going to want them (and more expensive high end models they don't need) because they want to wear the same boot as their fave skater. *barf*:rolleye:

Here is my question. Edea's website says >50% of skaters at the World's were in their boots. Why are the elite's wearing them? Are they the same boots I can buy, or is it like NASCAR racing "Fords" and "Toyotas" in name only? Do they get specially fitted (I know they're free) but is there a different pipeline for elite skaters wearing Edea? These are their careers at stake in these boots, so there must be something to them one would think.

An anecdote: A lovely young skater we see every morning competed at U.S. Nationals last year as an Intermediate in Sp-Teri's. This year she stepped up to Novice and didn't get past Sectionals. The very next Monday she was at the rink in Ice Fly's. Is it a mind game? Looking for the edge that maybe lay in those boots ALL the others are wearing?

Another anecdote: A couple of weeks ago I saw one skater (2A, 3Lz level) pull her boots off. Her feet were an absolute mess of blister bandages, gel pads, sleeves and wraps. It sure didn't seem like her Ice Fly's fit her feet very well from the looks of them. Is that the norm with skaters at that level, or is it a bad fit? Mine gets a blister every now and then, but nothing more than that. Then again she's not anywhere close to this girls' level.

It's all neither here nor there for my skater, she's got a double combination width that from what I've been told would never fit into an Edea anyway. She's a Jackson girl for at least a little while longer I suppose.
 

DanseMacabre

Final Flight
Joined
May 27, 2018
Country
Iceland
Why is everyone in Edeas?

They were the only boot that fit my feet comfortably and securely without having to shell out money (and an extended wait time) for customs. There is an awful lot of hype around Edeas but for a lot of people (especially some of us with difficult to fit feet), they've been a godsend.

Same at U.S. Nationals here last year. And guess what, they didn't have to pay for that stock (from what I was told). They only have to pay for what they sell through. How great is that to have your inventory carrying costs nil? They can bring enough sizes to fit everyone, no worries about width, one fits all right!

Edea carries several widths so it's definitely not one size fits all. I'm in a B which is narrow, but they do make an an extra narrow A (though last I heard it needs to be specially ordered from Italy) and extra wide E. The 'standard' width, C, is most common, but B, C, and D at least are readily available in the States.

That being said, I really hope SP Teri isn't going under. That would be a crying shame.
 

tothepointe

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 4, 2018
Avanta was my first thought too. Can't say I'd be terribly surprised.

Not Avanta. Just got back my boots after they kindly reworked them to be suitable for artistic roller skating since Ive changed passions. They are a very small company with just the master boot and a few craftsmen so they are about the size they for the amount of business that is reasonably out there for custom boots nowadays.

I'd suspect SP Teri because they haven't really kept up with the times with dated social media and websites etc. Their products are a little old fashioned looking too and I'm sure a majority of their revenue did depend on stock boots which are not quite so popular.
 

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Country
Olympics
And you know this for sure? Just because they just sent your boots back today for roller, doesn't mean they aren't going under completely or at least their figure skating end isn't.

Just because they are a smaller business doesn't mean they aren't on the chopping block.

The staff of Avanta used to be Klingbeil IIRC and they went under and were a small business. I know this for a fact because in my early custom days I used to wear Klingbeil.
 

khi

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 15, 2018
I love the look of the SP-Teri boots (I am partial to the old-fashioned look though) but I agree their social media presence is... lacking, the other major boot manufacturers are quite active on Instagram etc. It's a shame. I've noticed Jackson and Harlick are especially active and responsive on IG which is pretty cool, and pretty important. SP-Teri wasn't really a company I thought of at all for a long time in my boot hunt, they're a little under the radar. :/
 

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Country
Olympics
Here is my question. Edea's website says >50% of skaters at the World's were in their boots. Why are the elite's wearing them? Are they the same boots I can buy, or is it like NASCAR racing "Fords" and "Toyotas" in name only? Do they get specially fitted (I know they're free) but is there a different pipeline for elite skaters wearing Edea? These are their careers at stake in these boots, so there must be something to them one would think.

An anecdote: A lovely young skater we see every morning competed at U.S. Nationals last year as an Intermediate in Sp-Teri's. This year she stepped up to Novice and didn't get past Sectionals. The very next Monday she was at the rink in Ice Fly's. Is it a mind game? Looking for the edge that maybe lay in those boots ALL the others are wearing?

Another anecdote: A couple of weeks ago I saw one skater (2A, 3Lz level) pull her boots off. Her feet were an absolute mess of blister bandages, gel pads, sleeves and wraps. It sure didn't seem like her Ice Fly's fit her feet very well from the looks of them. Is that the norm with skaters at that level, or is it a bad fit? Mine gets a blister every now and then, but nothing more than that. Then again she's not anywhere close to this girls' level.

It's all neither here nor there for my skater, she's got a double combination width that from what I've been told would never fit into an Edea anyway. She's a Jackson girl for at least a little while longer I suppose.

Yes, some of the elite skaters wear stock edea. If you want to fork out, you can have the "same" boots. Many get custom though, so it's going to fit their foot.

Many times a brand like Edea will give the skater a pair of boots if they can get them to switch and then endorse them to get others to buy them.
 

Sibelius

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 28, 2017
I love the look of the SP-Teri boots (I am partial to the old-fashioned look though) but I agree their social media presence is... lacking, the other major boot manufacturers are quite active on Instagram etc. It's a shame. I've noticed Jackson and Harlick are especially active and responsive on IG which is pretty cool, and pretty important. SP-Teri wasn't really a company I thought of at all for a long time in my boot hunt, they're a little under the radar. :/

When I first read your comments I was like, hmmm, social media, really? But a little reflection and I think that's part of it. Sp-Teri is pretty hidebound (no pun...). I went to Harlick's FB page to see the original comment and yeah, they've got quite the presence. Lots of Elite skater endorsements (influencers I think is the current social media title), some pretty fancy (and some pretty garish) artwork, cutouts etc. So, they've got most of the market for the "custom flash" and Edea has the "faddish, and I want it NOW, not in 8 weeks". Sp-Teri is still pretty basic and concentrating on an old business model; solid product, great service, but little "flash", and it seems that it's the flash and fad that sells in the current market. They can do any kind of boot you can dream up, but really focus on the basics. Kind of the "Stride Rite" of skating boots, solid and functional. Guess there's not much market for that anymore.

One additional detail that I can add. We were asking about light weight boots on our last visit and they are very much against that trend. I know Edeas are coveted because they are light, and when we visited Harlick they have carbon sole and lightweight modifications they can do. So, another way they're swimming against the tide. I know they are making boots that they think are in the best interest of the skater, but if you run a business you have to keep up with what the customer wants, even if it's a little garish...
 

bunnybarista

If I risk it all, could you break my fall?~
On the Ice
Joined
May 27, 2018
When I first read your comments I was like, hmmm, social media, really? But a little reflection and I think that's part of it. Sp-Teri is pretty hidebound (no pun...). I went to Harlick's FB page to see the original comment and yeah, they've got quite the presence. Lots of Elite skater endorsements (influencers I think is the current social media title), some pretty fancy (and some pretty garish) artwork, cutouts etc. So, they've got most of the market for the "custom flash" and Edea has the "faddish, and I want it NOW, not in 8 weeks". Sp-Teri is still pretty basic and concentrating on an old business model; solid product, great service, but little "flash", and it seems that it's the flash and fad that sells in the current market. They can do any kind of boot you can dream up, but really focus on the basics. Kind of the "Stride Rite" of skating boots, solid and functional. Guess there's not much market for that anymore.

One additional detail that I can add. We were asking about light weight boots on our last visit and they are very much against that trend. I know Edeas are coveted because they are light, and when we visited Harlick they have carbon sole and lightweight modifications they can do. So, another way they're swimming against the tide. I know they are making boots that they think are in the best interest of the skater, but if you run a business you have to keep up with what the customer wants, even if it's a little garish...

Yes, I've noticed how Sp-Teri is basically non-existent on social media and honestly that is such a shame. In today's day and age it is key to staying afloat! And even on their website, they could at the very least have a page featuring elite-level skaters wearing their boots... any takers to be a social media intern for them?!

I love what Harlick is doing on their instagram, especially videos/behind-the-scenes showing how they make the boots. If SP-Teri had done similar videos and interacted with followers... I don't know. Hard to speculate, and I don't want to say that this is all because of not being active on social media.

Re: lightweight, interesting that they would say that, because I'm pretty sure Sp-Teri does offer several "lightweight" modifications on stock/custom boots last time I checked their website. (But of course a Sp-Teri "lightweight" boot is still much heavier than an Edea. But for a good reason: quality / natural materials.)
 

Seren

Wakabond Forever
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 21, 2014
No that's not true. Some places may be brainwashed to only carry that brand, but the brand doesn't make it easier to find a fit for everyone, no ONE boot manufacturer fits almost everyone. That is fact.

Again, much is hype. They can market the crap out of their boots and people are going to want them (and more expensive high end models they don't need) because they want to wear the same boot as their fave skater. *barf*:rolleye:

Preach!
 

SmallAminal

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2016
. I know they are making boots that they think are in the best interest of the skater, but if you run a business you have to keep up with what the customer wants, even if it's a little garish...

I do think that is part of the problem. Right now, Edea and Jackson have huge production and marketing machines behind them, so it is hard for a little manufacturer to compete unless they really try to put themselves out there. Their product might be great, but we all know that great product isn't enough. I noticed how Riedell jumped on the lightweight/synthetic bandwagon with the Elara/Vega skates - I'm sure they were responding to what they saw in the market.

I do hope that this isn't the beginning of the end of the "independents". I think variety is good - everyone's preferences and feet are different. I know that my skater is very limited in what works for them and doesn't like the Jackson and Edea fits.
 

Sibelius

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 28, 2017
I do think that is part of the problem. Right now, Edea and Jackson have huge production and marketing machines behind them, so it is hard for a little manufacturer to compete unless they really try to put themselves out there. Their product might be great, but we all know that great product isn't enough. I noticed how Riedell jumped on the lightweight/synthetic bandwagon with the Elara/Vega skates - I'm sure they were responding to what they saw in the market.

I do hope that this isn't the beginning of the end of the "independents". I think variety is good - everyone's preferences and feet are different. I know that my skater is very limited in what works for them and doesn't like the Jackson and Edea fits.

Yeah, but a small niche market and a labor intensive product is a really tough business. I'm also curious, at least as far as the younger skaters, how much the parents see the elites in Edea and say that's what I want for my little budding Olympian (sarcasm font). The only coaches at our rink wearing them are younger dance coaches. All the others are in Harlick, Sp-Teri, Risport and Jackson. I think there's one Avanta, and my daughters' former coach still wears her Klingbeils, as beaten up as they are. Anybody out there see coaches wearing Edea?
 

bunnybarista

If I risk it all, could you break my fall?~
On the Ice
Joined
May 27, 2018
The only coaches at our rink wearing them are younger dance coaches. All the others are in Harlick, Sp-Teri, Risport and Jackson. I think there's one Avanta, and my daughters' former coach still wears her Klingbeils, as beaten up as they are. Anybody out there see coaches wearing Edea?

There is one middle-aged freestyle coach at my rink who wears Edeas but otherwise I'd say almost all the coaches are outspoken in their dislike for Edeas. A fair amount of our coaches are in Sp-Teris and Harlicks, sticking to the classics.
 
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