Skate brand and stiffness advice

[scotskate]

Hi all! I’m looking from some advice regarding getting new skates. I’m working on my single jumps after recently returning to the sport after a 7 year break. I’m using Jackson Mystiques size 9 1/2 C width that I got fitted at my local rink 10 years ago. They’re no longer supportive enough and my foot slips around inside them if I don’t wear super thick socks.

I’m a 75kg 6ft woman and have measured my feet with the largest coming in at 270mm in length and 95mm width at the widest point when drawn on paper. I also measured around the width with a soft tape which came in at 250mm. Shape wise I’d say they were Egyptian.

Ideally I’d go to a pro shop but I think my closest is Al’s skate shop in Blackpool which is still a 9h round trip as I’m based in Scotland. If I'm still skating in a year then I’d plan to go down to Blackpool and get properly fitted!

I did pop into a local skate shop who did a quick measurement and mentioned my feet are very narrow for their length and recommended the Edea Overtures however I wasn’t able to try them on as they don’t usually stock them in my size.

Could anyone help point me in the right direction in terms of brand and flex/stiffness?

 

[tstop4me]

I’m using Jackson Mystiques size 9 1/2 C width that I got fitted at my local rink 10 years ago. They’re no longer supportive enough and my foot slips around inside them if I don’t wear super thick socks.

Ideally I’d go to a pro shop but I think my closest is Al’s skate shop in Blackpool which is still a 9h round trip as I’m based in Scotland. If I'm still skating in a year then I’d plan to go down to Blackpool and get properly fitted!

Not sure I understand your plans. Your current skates don't provide enough support and are too large. But you want to continue to skate on them for another year (to see whether you still enjoy skating?) before deciding whether you want to spend the time and money to replace them? Chances are that if you continue on them, you won't be skating in a year, because you would have messed up your feet before then.

 

[scotskate]

Not sure I understand your plans. Your current skates don't provide enough support and are too large. But you want to continue to skate on them for another year before deciding whether you want to replace them? Chances are that if you continue on them, you won't be skating in a year, because you would have messed up your feet before then.

No sorry I plan to buy new skates now but can’t get to a pro shop for a while so would be buying online.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Hi all! I’m looking from some advice regarding getting new skates. I’m working on my single jumps after recently returning to the sport after a 7 year break. I’m using Jackson Mystiques size 9 1/2 C width that I got fitted at my local rink 10 years ago. They’re no longer supportive enough and my foot slips around inside them if I don’t wear super thick socks.

I’m a 75kg 6ft woman and have measured my feet with the largest coming in at 270mm in length and 95mm width at the widest point when drawn on paper. I also measured around the width with a soft tape which came in at 250mm. Shape wise I’d say they were Egyptian.

Ideally I’d go to a pro shop but I think my closest is Al’s skate shop in Blackpool which is still a 9h round trip as I’m based in Scotland. If I'm still skating in a year then I’d plan to go down to Blackpool and get properly fitted!

I did pop into a local skate shop who did a quick measurement and mentioned my feet are very narrow for their length and recommended the Edea Overtures however I wasn’t able to try them on as they don’t usually stock them in my size.

Could anyone help point me in the right direction in terms of brand and flex/stiffness?

hello and welcome! Just from the get-go I'm going to let you know that Mystiques aren't nor ever were stiff enough for your needs. Please don't jump in them.

Now, from all the wonderful info you gave us I can tell you to look into Edea or Riedell boots. You are going to need something stiffer than usual for your level being an adult and your height/weight needs. In Edea, look at Chorus, Overture will not be stiff enough for your needs. As far as Riedell: Bronze Star.
As far as blades to pair with them. A good intermediate traditional style blade (not revs or lites): MK Pro or JW Coronation Ace.

You will definitely need a proper fitter and we can try to find you one closer if not you might need to take a trip to Al's or Everglides. This is going to be necessary for your well-being as well as getting the right skates and not wasting $$ on them in the process. You need to do this ASAP, you can't keep skating in the skates you have now.

Good luck!

 

[Diana Delafield]

Hi all! I’m looking from some advice regarding getting new skates. I’m working on my single jumps after recently returning to the sport after a 7 year break. I’m using Jackson Mystiques size 9 1/2 C width that I got fitted at my local rink 10 years ago. They’re no longer supportive enough and my foot slips around inside them if I don’t wear super thick socks.

I’m a 75kg 6ft woman and have measured my feet with the largest coming in at 270mm in length and 95mm width at the widest point when drawn on paper. I also measured around the width with a soft tape which came in at 250mm. Shape wise I’d say they were Egyptian.

Ideally I’d go to a pro shop but I think my closest is Al’s skate shop in Blackpool which is still a 9h round trip as I’m based in Scotland. If I'm still skating in a year then I’d plan to go down to Blackpool and get properly fitted!

I did pop into a local skate shop who did a quick measurement and mentioned my feet are very narrow for their length and recommended the Edea Overtures however I wasn’t able to try them on as they don’t usually stock them in my size.

Could anyone help point me in the right direction in terms of brand and flex/stiffness?

You've already got @Ic3Rabbit advising you which boots to buy, so I sent a quick message to my granddaughter and her husband who skate in Scotland. They've used Everglide, but they both have demanding fulltime careers and can't often get down to England to shop. It's almost impossible to find a dedicated figure skate shop in Scotland, but Beth wears Riedells and goes to Kaos in East Kilbride when she needs to replace her boots since they stock that brand where not all UK skate shops do. She was able to quickly replace her Riedell Bronze Stars from them last year when her new skates were stolen from her car, but she already knew the model and size. She says they carry or can get in a large stock of all the popular brands.

Her husband both figure skates and plays hockey, and he buys his boots for both sports at Cold Blooded Sports in Paisley, a one-stop shop for ice sports. He wears Graf boots for his figure skating.

They're both experienced senior level skaters, so I don't know how well the fitters at these places handle customers who might be less certain about what they want and need. They say if you're unsure, you might be better off going to Al's in Blackpool who have a good reputation advising beginners if you can't get to Everglides. They both say the best sharpening jobs they've ever had were at Willie's in Coventry, when they were there for an adult skating camp, but weren't in the market to buy new equipment at that time so they don't know how the shop does for that.

Just some suggestions -- good luck!

 

[scotskate]

Thanks @Ic3Rabbit and @Diana Delafield for your advice. I think I just need to bite the bullet and go get fitted. I’m down in London mid February for work so I’m going to keep an eye on Everglides appointments and hopefully book one for when I’m down that way.

I did drive down and pop into Kaos and cold blooded yesterday but neither regularly stock 270/275’s so they’d need to be ordered in. The guy in Kaos said he thinks the overture would be best but from the above advice it sounds like it’ll be too soft for my needs. Cold blooded sports said the same or the Risport electra. They definitely seem like good options for skaters who know which brand and boot they want though!

 

[scotskate]

Hi, just wanted to follow on from this - Al’s don’t stock boots as standard in my size I was told on the phone and would have to pay upfront for boots without trying and wouldn’t get a full refund if I wanted to return them as they might not be able to sell them. Everglides would be a special order in too for my size.

I ended up getting fitting at a local shop that other skaters at my rink used but not a pro. I got Edea Chorus 275 C width. They’ve been good but something definitely feels off. I’ve now got all my single jumps with these boots although not started axel prep on the ice as I don’t have it off ice.

I’ve been in Vancouver on holiday so got fitted at Cyclone Taylor and was able to try on some boots. Started by looking at the insole of my current skates and sussed that they are too big and possible too wide.

I’ve popped my thoughts on the boots I tried below. They didn’t have my size in some boots so we had to use the royal prime rather than the pro for example.

Edea chorus 265 B - couldn’t get foot fully in, toes totally scrunched

Risport royal prime 265 C - good width wise although maybe too wide if I went up a size, length felt slightly too short although toes fit and could fit flat just felt little bit of pressure: is this just because they’re new? Would they mould? No heel movement at all

Risport RF1 Elite 270 C - good length wise, felt tighter in toe area than royal prime, very very minimal heel movement

Jackson debut regular 270 equivalent - too wide, felt foot had too much room to move laterally, very padded heel so not much movement

Edea Ice Fly 270 B - length felt good, width felt good, heel movement extremely minimal compared to my 275C Chorus

Based on this info I’m a little conflicted. I’m between trying Risport Royal Pro 270 C, seeing if the 265 C will loosen up as the padding becomes more compact or Ice Fly 270 B.

Or do I need to try a B width in Risport? Although I can’t seem to find the B width Risport anywhere except on Al’s website who I wouldn’t be able to return them if they didn’t fit.

Sorry for such a long post but would appreciate any advice again!

hello and welcome! Just from the get-go I'm going to let you know that Mystiques aren't nor ever were stiff enough for your needs. Please don't jump in them.

Now, from all the wonderful info you gave us I can tell you to look into Edea or Riedell boots. You are going to need something stiffer than usual for your level being an adult and your height/weight needs. In Edea, look at Chorus, Overture will not be stiff enough for your needs. As far as Riedell: Bronze Star.
As far as blades to pair with them. A good intermediate traditional style blade (not revs or lites): MK Pro or JW Coronation Ace.

You will definitely need a proper fitter and we can try to find you one closer if not you might need to take a trip to Al's or Everglides. This is going to be necessary for your well-being as well as getting the right skates and not wasting $$ on them in the process. You need to do this ASAP, you can't keep skating in the skates you have now.

Good luck!

 

[SkateMomVancouver]

Hi, just wanted to follow on from this - Al’s don’t stock boots as standard in my size I was told on the phone and would have to pay upfront for boots without trying and wouldn’t get a full refund if I wanted to return them as they might not be able to sell them. Everglides would be a special order in too for my size.

I ended up getting fitting at a local shop that other skaters at my rink used but not a pro. I got Edea Chorus 275 C width. They’ve been good but something definitely feels off. I’ve now got all my single jumps with these boots although not started axel prep on the ice as I don’t have it off ice.

I’ve been in Vancouver on holiday so got fitted at Cyclone Taylor and was able to try on some boots. Started by looking at the insole of my current skates and sussed that they are too big and possible too wide.

I’ve popped my thoughts on the boots I tried below. They didn’t have my size in some boots so we had to use the royal prime rather than the pro for example.

Edea chorus 265 B - couldn’t get foot fully in, toes totally scrunched

Risport royal prime 265 C - good width wise although maybe too wide if I went up a size, length felt slightly too short although toes fit and could fit flat just felt little bit of pressure: is this just because they’re new? Would they mould? No heel movement at all

Risport RF1 Elite 270 C - good length wise, felt tighter in toe area than royal prime, very very minimal heel movement

Jackson debut regular 270 equivalent - too wide, felt foot had too much room to move laterally, very padded heel so not much movement

Edea Ice Fly 270 B - length felt good, width felt good, heel movement extremely minimal compared to my 275C Chorus

Based on this info I’m a little conflicted. I’m between trying Risport Royal Pro 270 C, seeing if the 265 C will loosen up as the padding becomes more compact or Ice Fly 270 B.

Or do I need to try a B width in Risport? Although I can’t seem to find the B width Risport anywhere except on Al’s website who I wouldn’t be able to return them if they didn’t fit.

Sorry for such a long post but would appreciate any advice again!

Let me tell you about my recent experience at this store. I have waited three months for Risport B width, nothing is coming in from Italy. I had to buy a floor model B width from Skater’s Edge.

 

[Diana Delafield]

Let me tell you about my recent experience at this store. I have waited three months for Risport B width, nothing is coming in from Italy. I had to buy a floor model B width from Skater’s Edge.

@scotskate: I'm a big fan of Risports and am currently wearing the RF1s, and love them. I don't know if it's true that pairs girls give their picks heavier use than singles or dancers (strong spiking on jumps to match a partner + toeing in for throws + twist takeoffs), but I do know that my toe area is always where the lining wears down quickly and gets roomier. If the CT fitter thought the 265C was the right size for you, I'd trust that, particularly as that was the size where you said the heel was a perfect fit with no slippage. That's what you want in a boot.

Edit: Sorry, I typed that too quickly. I meant that if the Royal Prime had no heel slippage, then that was the one you should put first on your list for consideration. My brain got stuck on the RF1 because that's the boot I wear and my bit of advice wasn't too clear.

 

[IceM]

Hi, just wanted to follow on from this - Al’s don’t stock boots as standard in my size I was told on the phone and would have to pay upfront for boots without trying and wouldn’t get a full refund if I wanted to return them as they might not be able to sell them. Everglides would be a special order in too for my size.

I ended up getting fitting at a local shop that other skaters at my rink used but not a pro. I got Edea Chorus 275 C width. They’ve been good but something definitely feels off. I’ve now got all my single jumps with these boots although not started axel prep on the ice as I don’t have it off ice.

I’ve been in Vancouver on holiday so got fitted at Cyclone Taylor and was able to try on some boots. Started by looking at the insole of my current skates and sussed that they are too big and possible too wide.

I’ve popped my thoughts on the boots I tried below. They didn’t have my size in some boots so we had to use the royal prime rather than the pro for example.

Edea chorus 265 B - couldn’t get foot fully in, toes totally scrunched

Risport royal prime 265 C - good width wise although maybe too wide if I went up a size, length felt slightly too short although toes fit and could fit flat just felt little bit of pressure: is this just because they’re new? Would they mould? No heel movement at all

Risport RF1 Elite 270 C - good length wise, felt tighter in toe area than royal prime, very very minimal heel movement

Jackson debut regular 270 equivalent - too wide, felt foot had too much room to move laterally, very padded heel so not much movement

Edea Ice Fly 270 B - length felt good, width felt good, heel movement extremely minimal compared to my 275C Chorus

Based on this info I’m a little conflicted. I’m between trying Risport Royal Pro 270 C, seeing if the 265 C will loosen up as the padding becomes more compact or Ice Fly 270 B.

Or do I need to try a B width in Risport? Although I can’t seem to find the B width Risport anywhere except on Al’s website who I wouldn’t be able to return them if they didn’t fit.

Sorry for such a long post but would appreciate any advice again!

Since you've been on the Edea Chorus now, and the Ice Fly feels good, just go with the Ice Fly 270 B. You're on the heavier side for the Royal Pro anyway, so on top of the fit being a question mark, they are also on the softer side for you.

Also, depending on the blade you got on those Choruses, you might still be able to use the same blade too (On Edeas the blade should be fit toe-to-heel if possible, so if the Chorus blade still fits, you're good to go).

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Hi, just wanted to follow on from this - Al’s don’t stock boots as standard in my size I was told on the phone and would have to pay upfront for boots without trying and wouldn’t get a full refund if I wanted to return them as they might not be able to sell them. Everglides would be a special order in too for my size.

I ended up getting fitting at a local shop that other skaters at my rink used but not a pro. I got Edea Chorus 275 C width. They’ve been good but something definitely feels off. I’ve now got all my single jumps with these boots although not started axel prep on the ice as I don’t have it off ice.

I’ve been in Vancouver on holiday so got fitted at Cyclone Taylor and was able to try on some boots. Started by looking at the insole of my current skates and sussed that they are too big and possible too wide.

I’ve popped my thoughts on the boots I tried below. They didn’t have my size in some boots so we had to use the royal prime rather than the pro for example.

Edea chorus 265 B - couldn’t get foot fully in, toes totally scrunched

Risport royal prime 265 C - good width wise although maybe too wide if I went up a size, length felt slightly too short although toes fit and could fit flat just felt little bit of pressure: is this just because they’re new? Would they mould? No heel movement at all

Risport RF1 Elite 270 C - good length wise, felt tighter in toe area than royal prime, very very minimal heel movement

Jackson debut regular 270 equivalent - too wide, felt foot had too much room to move laterally, very padded heel so not much movement

Edea Ice Fly 270 B - length felt good, width felt good, heel movement extremely minimal compared to my 275C Chorus

Based on this info I’m a little conflicted. I’m between trying Risport Royal Pro 270 C, seeing if the 265 C will loosen up as the padding becomes more compact or Ice Fly 270 B.

Or do I need to try a B width in Risport? Although I can’t seem to find the B width Risport anywhere except on Al’s website who I wouldn’t be able to return them if they didn’t fit.

Sorry for such a long post but would appreciate any advice again!

Why did you not try Riedell along with the Edea's that were suggested here for you? Risport with your foot shape would work if you do Royal Pro only. Edea Chorus, but you need to be put in the proper size FOR YOUR FOOT which it sounds like they aren't doing. And Try RIedell Bronze Star.

They should have never put you in a Royal Prime or an Edea Ice Fly b/c they are way too stiff for you and you definitely need nothing close to that.

 

[scotskate]

Why did you not try Riedell along with the Edea's that were suggested here for you? Risport with your foot shape would work if you do Royal Pro only. Edea Chorus, but you need to be put in the proper size FOR YOUR FOOT which it sounds like they aren't doing. And Try RIedell Bronze Star.

They should have never put you in a Royal Prime or an Edea Ice Fly b/c they are way too stiff for you and you definitely need nothing close to that.

Thanks, there wasn’t any Riedell available in my size(s) to try unfortunately. The ice fly was just to try on size wise as the chorus wasn’t available in that size. I’d be purchasing the chorus in the 270B.

At what point would you recommend the switch from chorus to ice fly? I’d talk to my coach prior to making the switch but curious at to your thoughts on this? Bearing in mind I’m taller and weigh more than most figure skaters

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Thanks, there wasn’t any Riedell available in my size(s) to try unfortunately. The ice fly was just to try on size wise as the chorus wasn’t available in that size. I’d be purchasing the chorus in the 270B.

At what point would you recommend the switch from chorus to ice fly? I’d talk to my coach prior to making the switch but curious at to your thoughts on this? Bearing in mind I’m taller and weigh more than most figure skaters

When you have the skills to be in an ice fly. So at least advanced doubles.