Boots/blades with less heel pitch?

[Luv2Spin]

I had Risport RF3s (not even made anymore, ) for 20 years and was happy with them and the fit. At the advice of my coach I got new skates about a year ago and I've been unhappy since.

The fitter suggested Jackson Freestyles, and even though I told him I felt like they didn't provide much more support than my broken down skates he claimed they'd still last me at least a year, even a few years. I also had concerns about how different they felt, even just standing in the shop, like I was walking in high heels and completely pitched forward. It's been almost a year now and I'm still not used to that feeling. The skates also feel too tall for my foot and too big above the instep, plus too wide around the ankle itself. They weren't that bad when they were initially fitted, so I assume the padding has become compressed.

Pretty soon after getting them, two coaches independently came up to me about them. One coach said he could see blade alignment issues and that the left boot needed to be shimmed. The second one said I was pronating and needed insoles. I realized after this that yes, even just standing in the boots off ice my left foot pronates really badly. I tried on my old broken down boots and there was still a little pronation, but not half as bad as the Jacksons. The blades had been premounted on the Jacksons, so maybe there's a slight fault there.

I'm about 150 pounds, landing loop consistently and an inconsistent flip, but I've become weary of jumping recently after a couple landings where I felt my ankle wobble which seemed to be due to the boots ankle itself being too big. The heel was still locked ok. My ankles are often sore after skating and when I replaced the laces to see if that would help, I discovered deep creases in the tongues that were hidden. But the boot itself has no creases and looks pristine, and other adults keep telling me they're definitely not broken down. I saw the fitter a few months ago who said the boots were fine, but in the few months since the tongue has become very squishy and the sides of the boot near the bottom have gotten squishier.

Basically I've been unhappy from the start, but I've tried them for a year and I don't think this fit is for me, even if there is still life in them. I think I'll be more confident with jumping and landing in a boot that feels like it hugs my whole foot and my ankle better, and that doesn't leave me feeling like I could fall on my face when I land a jump (due to the pitch).

Are there any skates you could suggest that won't give me such a feeling of being pitched forward?

Foot info: I have a greek style foot, medium arches.

I'm already aware of a better fitter in a bigger city, so this time I'm going to make the trip there even if it will take a day.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

I had Risport RF3s (not even made anymore, ) for 20 years and was happy with them and the fit. At the advice of my coach I got new skates about a year ago and I've been unhappy since.

The fitter suggested Jackson Freestyles, and even though I told him I felt like they didn't provide much more support than my broken down skates he claimed they'd still last me at least a year, even a few years. I also had concerns about how different they felt, even just standing in the shop, like I was walking in high heels and completely pitched forward. It's been almost a year now and I'm still not used to that feeling. The skates also feel too tall for my foot and too big above the instep, plus too wide around the ankle itself. They weren't that bad when they were initially fitted, so I assume the padding has become compressed.

Pretty soon after getting them, two coaches independently came up to me about them. One coach said he could see blade alignment issues and that the left boot needed to be shimmed. The second one said I was pronating and needed insoles. I realized after this that yes, even just standing in the boots off ice my left foot pronates really badly. I tried on my old broken down boots and there was still a little pronation, but not half as bad as the Jacksons. The blades had been premounted on the Jacksons, so maybe there's a slight fault there.

I'm about 150 pounds, landing loop consistently and an inconsistent flip, but I've become weary of jumping recently after a couple landings where I felt my ankle wobble which seemed to be due to the boots ankle itself being too big. The heel was still locked ok. My ankles are often sore after skating and when I replaced the laces to see if that would help, I discovered deep creases in the tongues that were hidden. But the boot itself has no creases and looks pristine, and other adults keep telling me they're definitely not broken down. I saw the fitter a few months ago who said the boots were fine, but in the few months since the tongue has become very squishy and the sides of the boot near the bottom have gotten squishier.

Basically I've been unhappy from the start, but I've tried them for a year and I don't think this fit is for me, even if there is still life in them. I think I'll be more confident with jumping and landing in a boot that feels like it hugs my whole foot and my ankle better, and that doesn't leave me feeling like I could fall on my face when I land a jump (due to the pitch).

Are there any skates you could suggest that won't give me such a feeling of being pitched forward?

Foot info: I have a greek style foot, medium arches.

I'm already aware of a better fitter in a bigger city, so this time I'm going to make the trip there even if it will take a day.

Hi and welcome. There's alot to unpack here. IDK who told you that Risport RF3's were not made anymore but they are, I suggest them to skaters regularly if they have the correct foot type. My next question is why the heck are you in a Jackson Freestyle that's rated 40/45 after wearing a Risport RF3 pro for years that's rated 60/65?!
You should run, not walk away from that fitter and also, no more jumps in those Jackson's. You risk injury b/c they aren't stiff enough to support your weight/stats etc in jumps.

You could try on a new Risport RF3 Pro and see if they feel stiff enough to you. At your stats and with jumping I would put you in a higher stiffness boot and IDK that Risport is going to be the answer for you right now b/c their next rated boot in your line would be 90 and that's TOO stiff for you.

Have you ever considered Graf? Look at the Richmond Special. It's rated 70 and would be in the perfect range for what you would need.

You will need blades to go with new boots. Look at the standard/traditional version of MK PRO or JW Coronation Ace.

And definitely see a podiatrist about the pronation. They can give you heel orthotics that go in your boot to help with pronation/supination (I have worn these for years in mine).

Where are you in this world? I (we) could suggest a fitter.

Best of luck!

 

[Diana Delafield]

I had Risport RF3s (not even made anymore, ) for 20 years and was happy with them and the fit. At the advice of my coach I got new skates about a year ago and I've been unhappy since.

The fitter suggested Jackson Freestyles, and even though I told him I felt like they didn't provide much more support than my broken down skates he claimed they'd still last me at least a year, even a few years. I also had concerns about how different they felt, even just standing in the shop, like I was walking in high heels and completely pitched forward. It's been almost a year now and I'm still not used to that feeling. The skates also feel too tall for my foot and too big above the instep, plus too wide around the ankle itself. They weren't that bad when they were initially fitted, so I assume the padding has become compressed.

Pretty soon after getting them, two coaches independently came up to me about them. One coach said he could see blade alignment issues and that the left boot needed to be shimmed. The second one said I was pronating and needed insoles. I realized after this that yes, even just standing in the boots off ice my left foot pronates really badly. I tried on my old broken down boots and there was still a little pronation, but not half as bad as the Jacksons. The blades had been premounted on the Jacksons, so maybe there's a slight fault there.

I'm about 150 pounds, landing loop consistently and an inconsistent flip, but I've become weary of jumping recently after a couple landings where I felt my ankle wobble which seemed to be due to the boots ankle itself being too big. The heel was still locked ok. My ankles are often sore after skating and when I replaced the laces to see if that would help, I discovered deep creases in the tongues that were hidden. But the boot itself has no creases and looks pristine, and other adults keep telling me they're definitely not broken down. I saw the fitter a few months ago who said the boots were fine, but in the few months since the tongue has become very squishy and the sides of the boot near the bottom have gotten squishier.

Basically I've been unhappy from the start, but I've tried them for a year and I don't think this fit is for me, even if there is still life in them. I think I'll be more confident with jumping and landing in a boot that feels like it hugs my whole foot and my ankle better, and that doesn't leave me feeling like I could fall on my face when I land a jump (due to the pitch).

Are there any skates you could suggest that won't give me such a feeling of being pitched forward?

Foot info: I have a greek style foot, medium arches.

I'm already aware of a better fitter in a bigger city, so this time I'm going to make the trip there even if it will take a day.

Please don't jump in those ill-fitting Jacksons, and heed the advice of @Ic3Rabbit as to other brands! I have a pair of Risport RF1s and a pair of Graf Edmonton Specials, and they both have lower heels, the Graf especially. I need the stiffer strength of those models, but the RF3 and the Graf Richmond would be just right for your technical level and your stats. Good luck!

 

[IceM]

IDK who told you that Risport RF3's were not made anymore but they are

I'm assuming OP is referring to the old RF3s (not Pros) that were rated 45 stiffness, and those are not made anymore.

But RF3 Pros are basically the same boots, just with more stiffness, so I'm not sure why OP was put on Jacksons (perhaps because of the 45 stiffness, but still, sounds like bad fitting). It seems the Jackson heel doesn't fit you OP, and the easiest solution is to just go to with the RF3 Pro.

The sole length on Risports is in fact shorter, meaning they have more heel lift, but the shape of the sole is still different, so the way you feel on them might not actually be due to the absolute heel lift. Did you change blades? Those affect the boot balance as well (manufacturers have varying stanchion height differences, which affect the heel lift and balance as well).

Grafs have lower heel lift, so they are less pitched forward compared to Risports. They are harder to get, and I'm not sure if you'd like them (they will feel much less pitched forward than even your old RF3s, but if you think you'd prefer that now, then go for it). But like I said, if you were happy with the old RF3s, just go with new Risport RF3 Pros. Graf Richmonds would work fine as well in terms of stiffness, though.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

I'm assuming OP is referring to the old RF3s (not Pros) that were rated 45 stiffness, and those are not made anymore.

But RF3 Pros are basically the same boots, just with more stiffness, so I'm not sure why OP was put on Jacksons (perhaps because of the 45 stiffness, but still, sounds like bad fitting). It seems the Jackson heel doesn't fit you OP, and the easiest solution is to just go to with the RF3 Pro.

The sole length on Risports is in fact shorter, meaning they have more heel lift, but the shape of the sole is still different, so the way you feel on them might not actually be due to the absolute heel lift. Did you change blades? Those affect the boot balance as well (manufacturers have varying stanchion height differences, which affect the heel lift and balance as well).

Grafs have lower heel lift, so they are less pitched forward compared to Risports. They are harder to get, and I'm not sure if you'd like them (they will feel much less pitched forward than your old RF3s, but if you think you'd prefer that now, then go for it). But like I said, if you were happy with the old RF3s, just go with new Risport RF3 Pros. Graf Richmonds would work fine as well in terms of stiffness, though.

I suggested the Graf b/c many that wear Risports RF line like them and also b/c they are going to work better stiffness wise for OP than the RF3 Pro will.

 

[Luv2Spin]

Hi and welcome. There's alot to unpack here. IDK who told you that Risport RF3's were not made anymore but they are, I suggest them to skaters regularly if they have the correct foot type.

Oh no, I made a typo there because I do know about the RF3s. It's RF4 that I had. Before they broke down I couldn't squish them at all with my hands, even though I think they were actually a similar (or even lower??) support level than the Freestyles - maybe the leather had stiffened up and hardened over time since they were so old by the end. Whereas the Freestyles felt physically softer and it was possible for me to squish them a little right off the bat.

Perfect, thank you for the boot and blade recs, I will ask about Graf. I see everything listed on the other fitter's website, which is a good sign. They've been recommended by adults at my club and I've checked the google reviews.

I pronated terribly as a child, and used to see those bad wear patterns on my shoes even in the short time I'd wear them as a child before my feet grow. But my shoes show no signs of it as an adult. I'm only seeing this issue in my skating boots, it's very strange. Luckily my healthcare benefits do cover orthotics.

 

[Luv2Spin]

I'm assuming OP is referring to the old RF3s (not Pros) that were rated 45 stiffness, and those are not made anymore.

But RF3 Pros are basically the same boots, just with more stiffness, so I'm not sure why OP was put on Jacksons (perhaps because of the 45 stiffness, but still, sounds like bad fitting). It seems the Jackson heel doesn't fit you OP, and the easiest solution is to just go to with the RF3 Pro.

The sole length on Risports is in fact shorter, meaning they have more heel lift, but the shape of the sole is still different, so the way you feel on them might not actually be due to the absolute heel lift. Did you change blades? Those affect the boot balance as well (manufacturers have varying stanchion height differences, which affect the heel lift and balance as well).

Grafs have lower heel lift, so they are less pitched forward compared to Risports. They are harder to get, and I'm not sure if you'd like them (they will feel much less pitched forward than even your old RF3s, but if you think you'd prefer that now, then go for it). But like I said, if you were happy with the old RF3s, just go with new Risport RF3 Pros. Graf Richmonds would work fine as well in terms of stiffness, though.

Yep, those are the ones! Sorry for the typo confusion.

Yes, I did change blades as well. The Freestyles the fitter had in my size came with already permenantely mounted Aspire XP blades. I had my original MK Club 2000 blades, but having used them and the boot for so long the blades had only a few sharpenings left any ways. I kept them on my old boots for outdoor skating. I also figured that since I was going to have such a shock with changing boots, I'd better get used to new blades at the same time...

Thank you for explaining a bit about the sole shape vs absolute lift. I figured it was more complicated than just the height, which is why I wanted to ask about it!

 

[Luv2Spin]

Thank you everyone for this info and boot/blade recs! When I went to my city's fitter, I had no idea what I was doing (it had been 20 yers since my last fitting and I was a teenager then!) and although things didn't feel right, I trusted him because that was the only local option I had. But I've asked around other adults (who were also having issues with underbooting at the fitter) and am confident in which new fitter I need to travel to see.
And having this info will be helpful, because if the new fitter suggests boots that are a much lower or higher level than I can ask them why, in case it's a red flag about their skills with fitting adults, or in case they're seeing something about my feet or my weight in person that changes their recommendations.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Thank you everyone for this info and boot/blade recs! When I went to my city's fitter, I had no idea what I was doing (it had been 20 yers since my last fitting and I was a teenager then!) and although things didn't feel right, I trusted him because that was the only local option I had. But I've asked around other adults (who were also having issues with underbooting at the fitter) and am confident in which new fitter I need to travel to see.
And having this info will be helpful, because if the new fitter suggests boots that are a much lower or higher level than I can ask them why, in case it's a red flag about their skills with fitting adults, or in case they're seeing something about my feet or my weight in person that changes their recommendations.

I could suggest a legit fitter if you let us know where you are in this world.

 

[Luv2Spin]

I could suggest a legit fitter if you let us know where you are in this world.

I don't want to dox myself, but I've looked through some threads on here and the new fitter has been recommended before, so we're all good!