I Have Duckfeet!

I'm now skating in Jackson Competitors, and I've been really happy with them. They're a lovely intermediate boot with good wearing properties, and just right for me in so many ways.. Except my feet have decided to get 'old lady spread'.  Apparently as you age the ligaments and muscles of your feet lose elasticity and you get 'duck feet' narrow at the heel, wide in the forefoot.

Welome to my Duckfoot Boot World.

There's a way to deal with narrow boots in the forefoot, it's a last ditch effort but I've been happy with it.

Then after 5 years of skating, the heel cups of the  Competitors gave out.  At this point, there's little I can do to fix the heel cups.  I've got gel tubes on my heels already, and putting leather patches on the inside of the heels will only delay replacement.

So my skate tech measured the circumference of the balls of my feet. 9 inches. Jackson 5 1/2 Cs are made for about a 8 1/2 inch circumference. Ditto Reidells. So I have to get customs with a split width.

Jackson's are right out because they only do split width on Premieres which are waaaay to stiff.  Reidells and SP-Teri's  are my only options.  I know you're thinking, "There's other companies," let's just say I had a bad experience with a pair of custom boots from a premiere custom boot maker (so badly fitting on one foot it tore a toenail in half, stiff enough for doubles, no ankle notch,  the only thing they got right was the color).  I'm sticking with the big boys from now on. And I've learned my lesson, send the boot back right away if it's a suspect fit.

All said and done, we're talking about $900 here.  That's bad enough, but then there's the endless self doubt...I'm spending a lot of money here, will they fit?

Man, decisions decisions. Is skating worth it?What do I do?

I see my skate tech next week and I know what I'll do when I see him.

Take my money! I need new boots!