As we’re getting back on the ice (or waiting for our rinks to reopen) it may be time for new skates soon! This summer we wanted to share some information about the skate brands that we represent. These are the options available to you when you come to us for your fitting appointment. Our goal is to provide information that we may not get to explain when we’re focused on your feet.
Introducing Edea
Based in Italy, Edea skates first hit the ice in 2002. They quickly became known for their lightweight design, revolutionary technology, and Italian style. The skaters who wear them have been growing in numbers in the last decade. Most notable features include the lighter than air technology, foot positioning, heat shaping customization, and sole design. The boot creates a one-with-the-ice sensation. Always checking with skaters and asking, “what do you need from your skates?” Edea has set the bar for skate standards and development.
At The Skater’s Edge, we are an Authorized Edea Dealer
We traveled to Richmond, IN to visit Skates U.S. and learn about Edea’s technology first-hand from the national experts. Claire and Dawn are both certified in Edea fitting, Edea heat shaping, and Edea blade mounting. With us, your Edea experience starts with your fitting. First we measure your foot the Edea way with sizing and measuring down to the millimeter. Then we discuss your skating goals for the season. Together we determine which boot model is a good option for you, and we will either have the boot on the shelf or need to order it. Your boot options at The Skater’s Edge are:
- Edea Overture
- Edea Chorus
- Edea Concerto
- Edea Ice Fly
As an Edea dealer, we can access the lower level boot Edea Motivo as a boot or as a set. We can also order the Edea Flamenco dance boot and the Edea Piano after a fitting to determine size.
The Edea family of boots
Edea Q&A with Josh!
Claire going over the finer points of fit and feel of the Edea skates with the lead tech at Skates U.S. in 2017.
The Edea Fit Experience
During your fitting for Edea skates we talk a LOT about the Edea skate technology and skate lacing. Lacing Edea skates the Edea way is crucial to the success of the skate!! Edea laces are a blend of nylon, polyester, and cotton. Together with the boot design, they form a “lace locking system” to keep the skater’s foot secure in the boot.
Edea skaters must lace their skates looser at the toe, snug across the middle of the foot, tighter at the ankle, and then looser at the hooks for the best performance. The sides of Edea skates at the ankle is NOT designed to move with the skater. Instead it’s the tongue and laces working together that allows for Edea's perceived greater range of motion. This looser feeling at the top of the skate is something some skaters do not like and do not think they can get used to, and that’s okay! It means your perfect skate is not an Edea skate, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Skaters who are comfortable with the additional range of motion may find that a few weeks of strengthening their ankle muscles will give them increased control over their edges. As a result of this bending and flexing, Edea skaters should expect to replace their laces every month for frequent skaters, and every two to three months for infrequent skaters. If the laces lose their elasticity that’s when performance suffers and the boot can break! Be sure to pick up an extra pair of Edea laces at your final fit appointment.
The laces on the left are bright white, and springy and new! The laces on the right are grey and dingy at the top where the bending happens— a sign that the fibers are worn, and the laces have absorbed the oils and dirt from the skater’s hands while tying! Time for a fresh pair!!
How Does Edea feel on Ice?
Claire has a pair of Edea Chorus boots with MK Professional blades. She sharpened, mounted, and heat shaped the toes, and she truly is wowed by the technology! Skating in her Edeas, Claire really notices Edea’s sole design and lace locking at work because the laces feel like there’s two clamps on her foot— one across the ball, and one at her ankle holding the blade to her foot, and that’s it! The boot barely feels like it’s on her foot. The extra forward range of motion in the Edea ankle design took a few sessions to get used to, but more than that, the forward positioning of the foot was strange at first.
Edea skates put the skater right at the ball of their foot so they’re ready to take off for a jump, spin, or turn at any moment. It involved a few changes to Claire’s skating technique, but now that she’s used to her Edea skates she feels strange when she switches to lower heeled skates. That’s why we tell skaters to give themselves 2-4 weeks to break Edeas in, even though Edea and Skates U.S. says it only takes 4-8 hours to break them in! Yes, it may be a shorter time to get comfortable in Edea skates, but it’s the change in foot position and technique that may take a few extra sessions to adjust to before an event or competition.
Edea skates are fashion, function, and latest technology all rolled into one boot. Their heat shaping capability and precise sizing ensures a comfortable, competitive fit. The footbed design and lace lock technology gives your foot security, while the tongue and laces let your ankle bend.
If this article gave you ideas about Edea for your next skate, or if you have more questions please contact us! We love talking skates, and if you think Edea could be right for you, we as an Authorized Edea Dealer want to help. With all things skating, each brand is going to feel different for each skater. What works well for one may not be so comfortable for another. So remember the only way to know if a skate is right for you is to try it on!
Call us, email us, or click here to schedule a fitting appointment with us!
The Skater’s Edge is Buffalo and Western New York’s one-stop figure skating store for new ice skates, competitive figure skates, and skate sharpening. The skate shop carries Riedell, Jackson, and Edea skates, as well as skating apparel and accessories. With technicians trained by a master sharpener of over 30 years, trust The Skater’s Edge with your next figure skate fitting, figure skate sharpening, hockey skate sharpening or hockey skate repair, as well as shaping your hockey blade radius or profiling.