Adult Beginner Boots and Blades Advice

[derez]

Hello! I'm a relatively new adult skater who only started skating around September 2024. I sped through group lessons taking Adult 1 and was able to skip to Adult 3 and complete it. I began private lessons in the middle of my Adult 3 group class. I have stopped group lessons and now only take lessons from my coach. I feel like I am progressing quickly enough, though I will likely be stuck at my backwards crossovers, edges, etc for a bit. I like to plan ahead and know that my current boot is not made for a ~200lb adult woman to jump in. I currently wear Jackson Artistes and the Mark IV blade that comes stock. I'm hoping to get some advice on recommendations before I see a fitter next week so I don't get pushed to buy something I cannot use effectively. I believe I have a Greek foot and pretty flat/low arch feet. My current boots cause me no pain at all.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Hello! I'm a relatively new adult skater who only started skating around September 2024. I sped through group lessons taking Adult 1 and was able to skip to Adult 3 and complete it. I began private lessons in the middle of my Adult 3 group class. I have stopped group lessons and now only take lessons from my coach. I feel like I am progressing quickly enough, though I will likely be stuck at my backwards crossovers, edges, etc for a bit. I like to plan ahead and know that my current boot is not made for a ~200lb adult woman to jump in. I currently wear Jackson Artistes and the Mark IV blade that comes stock. I'm hoping to get some advice on recommendations before I see a fitter next week so I don't get pushed to buy something I cannot use effectively. I believe I have a Greek foot and pretty flat/low arch feet. My current boots cause me no pain at all.

Hi and welcome! Greek foot-Risport RF 3 Pro or Jackson Premiere 2800 or I mean, you could look at a Synergy Pro since Jackson doesn't go up with their boot stiffness the way many do and there are gaps.

You will need a good traditional intermediate blade to pair with the boots you choose: MK Pro or John Wilson Coronation Ace will get the job done.

Good luck!

 

[derez]

Hi and welcome! Greek foot-Risport RF 3 Pro or Jackson Premiere 2800 or I mean, you could look at a Synergy Pro since Jackson doesn't go up with their boot stiffness the way many do and there are gaps.

You will need a good traditional intermediate blade to pair with the boots you choose: MK Pro or John Wilson Coronation Ace will get the job done.

Good luck!

Thanks for the help. I'll see what the fitter recommends, but this gives me an idea if they attempt to overboot me.

 

[derez]

So I now have Jackson Premieres with Coronation Ace blades. I know breaking in new skates especially going from a 25 stiffness to a 65 stiffness will be uncomfortable, but I think I also have collapsed arches or something. It’s not unbearable but I can tell that my right foot leans inwards just a bit. I was wondering about solutions: whether is is just my foot getting used to being in something more rigid and it will get better with time, if I need my blades adjusted (they are currently on the temp mount still), or if an insole will help. Boots feel fine on after I adjusted how I was lacing them, but after about 30 minutes, I have to take them off and re-lace and sometimes I literally fall out of my right inside edge.

Also my blades are very loud on the ice. Not sure if that’s a new blade thing or an issue with their mounting.

I would love some insight or advice.

 

[tstop4me]

So I now have Jackson Premieres with Coronation Ace blades. I know breaking in new skates especially going from a 25 stiffness to a 65 stiffness will be uncomfortable, but I think I also have collapsed arches or something. It’s not unbearable but I can tell that my right foot leans inwards just a bit. I was wondering about solutions: whether is is just my foot getting used to being in something more rigid and it will get better with time, if I need my blades adjusted (they are currently on the temp mount still), or if an insole will help. Boots feel fine on after I adjusted how I was lacing them, but after about 30 minutes, I have to take them off and re-lace and sometimes I literally fall out of my right inside edge.

Also my blades are very loud on the ice. Not sure if that’s a new blade thing or an issue with their mounting.

I would love some insight or advice.

* That's a major upgrade, so you need to be extra patient during break-in. It may be too late for this advice now (depending on how much you've already skated on the new skates).

* Initially, don't lace up all the rows of hooks. Most (not all) boots have 4 rows of hooks in a straight line, and you first start out with just the bottom 3. The Premiere has the peculiar 5 rows in a staggered pattern. Given the soft boot you're transitioning from, I would suggest the following sequence:

(a) Bottom 3 rows: 30 min, 45 min, 60 min

(b) Bottom 4 rows: 30 min, 45 min, 60 min

(c) All 5 rows: 30 min, 45 min, 60 min, add 15 min increments until you reach your limit.

* You should be checking your laces frequently (maybe every 10 min or so at the start), and re-lacing as needed.

* To check your temp mount at this stage, I'll look up a previous post I wrote, and get back to you.

 

[tstop4me]

* To check your temp mount at this stage, I'll look up a previous post I wrote, and get back to you.

Found it.

* For skating, an initial series of tests to check for supination/pronation consists of one-foot glides in a nominally straight line. [Caveat: First check to make sure that your blades have been sharpened properly with level edges.]

- Stroke forward to pick up some speed. Glide comfortably on two feet in a nominally straight line. Then lift up one foot (let’s choose the right in this instance) and continue to glide on the other (the left in this instance). Don't force the glide to control it; just let it flow at ease. It’s best to have another person observe you from the back. Ideally, you should glide in a straight line. If possible, do the test on a clean patch of ice. Look at the tracing. Ideally you should see two lines of equal weight, such as | |. If you supinate, you will be biased towards the outside edge; you will veer to the left, and the tracing will look like this: | | (outside edge will be heavier). If you pronate, you will be biased towards the inside edge; you will veer to the right; and the tracing will look like this: | | (inside edge with be heavier). [In extremely screwed-up scenarios, you will see only a single heavy line.]

- Repeat with the other foot: lift up the left, glide on the right.

- Then repeat with one-foot glides backwards.

<<Emphasis added.>>

Report back, and we'll take it from there. But let's not make any adjustments until you've had some reasonable (TBD) break-in. Track any changes in your one-foot glides as you continue your break-in, and let me know. If you're not comfortable with backward glides with the new equipment, just do the forward glides.

[ETA: Also during break-in, track any issues with boot fit: are they getting better, getting worse, or staying the same?]

 

[derez]

* That's a major upgrade, so you need to be extra patient during break-in. It may be too late for this advice now (depending on how much you've already skated on the new skates).

* Initially, don't lace up all the rows of hooks. Most (not all) boots have 4 rows of hooks in a straight line, and you first start out with just the bottom 3. The Premiere has the peculiar 5 rows in a staggered pattern. Given the soft boot you're transitioning from, I would suggest the following sequence:

(a) Bottom 3 rows: 30 min, 45 min, 60 min

(b) Bottom 4 rows: 30 min, 45 min, 60 min

(c) All 5 rows: 30 min, 45 min, 60 min, add 15 min increments until you reach your limit.

* You should be checking your laces frequently (maybe every 10 min or so at the start), and re-lacing as needed.

* To check your temp mount at this stage, I'll look up a previous post I wrote, and get back to you.

I did something similar to this the first couple of sessions. I expected it to take much more time for these skates to break in compared to the previous.

Found it.




<<Emphasis added.>>

Report back, and we'll take it from there. But let's not make any adjustments until you've had some reasonable (TBD) break-in. Track any changes in your one-foot glides as you continue your break-in, and let me know. If you're not comfortable with backward glides with the new equipment, just do the forward glides.

[ETA: Also during break-in, track any issues with boot fit: are they getting better, getting worse, or staying the same?]

I tried to check this one of my recent sessions and it didn't feel like I was pushing into either edge, but I have a lesson this weekend and plan to have my coach look and see if she notices anything. I definitely won't make any adjustments until she watches my glides. Thank you for guiding me in the right direction. Will report back.