Hello everyone I have a question about Jackson skates. I am obviously somewhat of a beginner, returning to sport. I have not yet made it to a shop to get fitted, as it is a 2 hour drive and I just haven't found the time to get to the big city. Just trying to get some ideas. My local rink rents Jackson softec skates which I have been using, however they really hurt my feet, specifically the arches. It makes me wonder if I should avoid purchasing a pair of jacksons and go for something else. Or could it be the way I am lacing the skates, etc. just wondering if anyone has any ideas. I have smaller feet, with a regular arch, apparently they are on the wide side. Obviously I'll do the fitting thing in the near future. Thanks in advance!
Question about Jacksons
- Thread starter Ylyzybyth
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2017
- Country
-
Softec's aren't the greatest thing to be skating in, and they are stock skates/rec skates, it's not a surprise that your feet are hurting from them. It does not mean that being fitted properly in a Jackson skate wouldn't work for you. You really need to try your best to get that professional skate fitting especially if you have arch pain and possibly wide feet.
Good luck!
In general, I find that any pair of skates, even ones that fit me perfectly make my arches a bit sore when I first start using them - even beginner ones are stiffer than what I'd wear day to day off ice, and it takes a while to get used to it - even if I skate after a couple of weeks off, my arches will start aching during my first session back. The bigger issue would be if they were pinching around your toes, rubbing, or if your heel was moving around a lot.
Until my daughter got skates that fit her wider feet normally, her arches hurt. Someone told us once that the sides of her feet are likely being squeezed in, so they are not laying properly in the boot and therefore putting a lot of pressure on the middle of her arches. Not sure if that's the correct explanation but once she got skates that fit properly, her feet stopped hurting. She wears Jacksons but they are custom made for her feet. Prior to the custom ones she did fine with stock Jacksons in a wider fit. SP Teri's worked OK for her too. Ridells were not wide enough for her...even their wide fit.
It's inconvenient but making the trip to the pro shop might be your best bet. We have to travel to get to ours too.
It's inconvenient but making the trip to the pro shop might be your best bet. We have to travel to get to ours too.
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2003
Call the pro shop and make an actual appointment with a good fitter. That way, they'll know you're coming, and you'll really make the time to get over there.
It's not usual to have to travel to get to a good skate pro. My nearest is well over an hour away from where I live.
It's not usual to have to travel to get to a good skate pro. My nearest is well over an hour away from where I live.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2017
Honestly, you won't be able to tell much from the fit of the softec skates since they have barely any stiffness. That being said, I had a pair of Jackson Elles that didn't fit, and when I went to a good fitter, he confirmed that they were just not the brand for me. Jacksons do run wide, but your ankle shape may be more important. What he told me is that Jacksons as a brand are designed with more room in the ankle. So if you have a wider ankle that is more of a straight line from your leg to your foot (if that makes sense?) Jacksons may fit okay for you. If you have a narrower ankle that curves in from your leg, they probably won't.
Honestly, a good fitter will be able to tell you a lot from looking at your feet and give you good guidance. Do make sure to go to a shop that carries a wide variety of brands, though. That will give you the best chance to find a boot that fits your foot well. They can't fit you for something they don't sell.
Honestly, a good fitter will be able to tell you a lot from looking at your feet and give you good guidance. Do make sure to go to a shop that carries a wide variety of brands, though. That will give you the best chance to find a boot that fits your foot well. They can't fit you for something they don't sell.
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2014
What brand works for a wide foot but narrow ankle?
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2017
I'm not sure. It depends on how wide your foot is. If it's a really big difference you might want to look at split widths or customs. Having a good fitter size you and look at your feet is your best bet, really.
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2014
I have custom Jacksons, actually. Just curious. It was the fitter who commented on my narrow (I guess) ankles.
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2010
Completely not true unless the skates are broken down. I work at a rink with rentals of Jackson Soft Skate, Reidell Soft Tek and Reidell standard leather skates. Among those, the number one favorite of the coaches for LTS lessons, for both adults and kids, is the Jackson Soft Skate. For "the most" people in the general basic skating skills levels, they are the most supportive, the most comfortable for "most" people, and the longest lasting among thevother types of rental skates, and most of the cheap sports store skates. Unfortunately, not everyone is part of the "the most", which is why we have multiple models of rental.
All that aside, there is no comparison between Jackson Soft Skates and standard Jackson figure skates, so don't give up on Jacksons if you are planning to purchase a good quality standard style figure skate. I am totally in love with my Jackson figure skates (on my second pair of Elite Plus, hoping to get a new pair in the coming months).
When you go for fitting, make sure the shop measures width for both the toe and the heel. I was just talking to a manager at work today about how the inexperienced teenagers they keep hiring for the pro shop, do not bother measuring for the heel even for models that can be special ordered in split widths, in spite of the fact that we have Jackson Ultima specific measuring instruments.
Whatever you do, don't have your fitting done by an inexperienced person. If all you see are teenagers who know nothing about figure skates, ask a manager or go somewhere else. Also, it would be best if the shop has a brand-specific measuring instrument, because sizing is not identical across the various brands.
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2014
Like me!
