Marchese Racing – custom skates and mostly for top skaters, and expensive (mar-KAY-zee)
>> If you buy directly from any of these makers, then you must go strictly by shoe size. Some might have you send a tracing of your feet. You should only buy directly if you have never had problems buying shoes for yourself online. The other way is to buy in person, which I have to do to avoid boots that don’t fit well even though they are the right size. Here is my top pick for buying in person. All other skate shops are listed below but they are only in Canada.
SkateNow– buy online or in person (appt. required – best to call in advance). I have purchased all my own skates here since 2005, more than a half dozen pairs, and I purchased an entire inventory of skates for a former club here. With a personal appointment, you would be meeting in this couple Eric and Kimberly’s home in the Salt Lake City area. They also sell complete skate packages, meaning boots with blades. They carry nearly everything else (gloves, helmets, other protective gear, accessories, etc.). SkateNow features both Bont and SD/Best Feel skates.
BLADES – SHORT TRACK!
(Don’t buy long track blades, known also as “clap” blades! Only short track)
Bont – wide range of quality and price, these are respectable blades
Viking – these are some of the premiere blades that I’ve seen around, but they are more expensive.
Maple – Maple is no longer around, but older blades are a great choice; still a few unused blades out there
StayBent – top choice, fairly wide range of quality and price
SkateTec – top choice, but generally $$$
Other trustworthy names: EVO, Zandstra, Pennington, EHS
Typically, you would buy blades separately from the boots, then put them together (I have helped several of our skaters do this). IMPORTANT: You select a blade based on its length. It depends on your height and skill, so the longer the blade, the more power/speed you can produce, but it’s also a little harder to turn sharply. Another whole topic is blade sharpening. For now, our equipment manager Jim can do that for you.
CANADIAN SKATE SHOPS
(If you buy FROM Canada, you may have to pay import tariffs. Not long ago, I made several purchases IN CANADA and avoided that, plus they often sell speed skating gear for way cheaper than in the USA.)
