Skates & fitter advice for adult beginner

[lileychristie]

Finally after lurking in this (lutz) corner for ages, it's my turn to ask for advice

I'm an adult beginner, I just passed Aussie LTS level 5-6 and I'm thinking it's a good time to finally get my own skates. Not sure how the LTS levels correlate with other countries, but I've learnt basic forward crossover, forward & backward two foot turns, forward & backward glide, and very basic inside & outside edges.

Here are my stats:
33F, 164cm 64kg
Orient foot type - narrow heel, wide forefoot with bunions & tailor bunions. The bunions don't bother me at all unless I'm wearing shoes that are too tight. Medium arch.

I've been using rentals and it's not causing any issues apart from my toes getting cold after more than an hour. Another thing that might be worth mentioning here is I have very skinny ankles compared to the rest of my body - there's not much meat in the area and you can see my ankle bones very clearly. People have remarked how tiny my ankles are So I probably need something that's more secure in the ankles.

Based on what I've been reading here, seems like Graf might be a great option for me? Please let me know if other brands can work too.
Blades I'm planning to go with traditional MK Pro or Coronation Ace - but unsure if it's too advanced for my level.

Fitter-wise - I'm located in Brisbane, Australia and I'm thinking of going to a fitter called Ryan Dunne - I've heard really good things about him and AFAIK he's the only Graf supplier in the area. I believe he carries Risport & Jackson as well. But, I'm open to suggestions

As this will be my first ever professional fitting, what questions should I ask? And what are the red flags to be aware of?

Thanks in advance and sorry for the long post!

 

[Diana Delafield]

Finally after lurking in this (lutz) corner for ages, it's my turn to ask for advice

I'm an adult beginner, I just passed Aussie LTS level 5-6 and I'm thinking it's a good time to finally get my own skates. Not sure how the LTS levels correlate with other countries, but I've learnt basic forward crossover, forward & backward two foot turns, forward & backward glide, and very basic inside & outside edges.

Here are my stats:
33F, 164cm 64kg
Orient foot type - narrow heel, wide forefoot with bunions & tailor bunions. The bunions don't bother me at all unless I'm wearing shoes that are too tight.

I've been using rentals and it's not causing any issues apart from my toes getting cold after more than an hour. Another thing that might be worth mentioning here is I have very skinny ankles compared to the rest of my body - there's not much meat in the area and you can see my ankle bones very clearly. People have remarked how tiny my ankles are So I probably need something that's more secure in the ankles.

Based on what I've been reading here, seems like Graf might be a great option for me? Please let me know if other brands can work too.
Blades I'm planning to go with traditional MK Pro or Coronation Ace - but unsure if it's too advanced for my level.

Fitter-wise - I'm located in Brisbane, Australia and I'm thinking of going to a fitter called Ryan Dunne - I've heard really good things about him and AFAIK he's the only Graf supplier in the area. I believe he carries Risport & Jackson as well. But, I'm open to suggestions

As this will be my first ever professional fitting, what questions should I ask? And what are the red flags to be aware of?

Thanks in advance and sorry for the long post!

Hi:
I always seem to see these questions as I'm ready to turn off the computer and zip out the door, but for starters, you're on the right track. Your blade choice is excellent. Those are blades that will take you from beginner to as far as you want to go, and no, they're not too advanced. They're both good basic "workhorse" blades. I used them from beginners up to senior pairs competition and they can handle just about anything.

I don't know Australian fitters, but you're lucky to have one who carries Graf. Many shops push Edea and Jackson and not much else. I'm wearing the Graf Edmonton Special these days, and my shop in Canada carries the brand, but I needed a part-custom fit so mine had to be ordered in. I also use Risport RF1s -- with a wide forefoot your fitter may recommend Jackson instead of Risports. It depends on the circumference of your foot, not just the width. The most important part of the fitting is the heel, which you want to be snug from the start, without any shifting. The heel part doesn't lend itself to moulding like the rest of the boot does.

One brand you don't want is Edea, which are loose fitting at the top in the ankle area. It's your fitter who should be asking you a lot of questions as much as you asking him, but make sure he teaches you how to lace up whatever brand and model securely for thin ankles, and ask him if you need ankle straps as well to keep the top line from loosening as you skate. Those straps weren't around in my prehistoric beginner days and I've never used them, but have learned just recently that many skaters now do (never too old to learn something new, I guess !) Good luck!

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Hi and welcome! Suggestion for boots for you--Look at Risport RF3 Pro boots, also try Graf Richmond Special.

I would also suggest that you see a podiatrist about the bunions and get them taken care of if you can. Once they are gone and foot is healed up you will be happier in your boots.

Good luck!

 

[lileychristie]

I always seem to see these questions as I'm ready to turn off the computer and zip out the door, but for starters, you're on the right track. Your blade choice is excellent. Those are blades that will take you from beginner to as far as you want to go, and no, they're not too advanced. They're both good basic "workhorse" blades. I used them from beginners up to senior pairs competition and they can handle just about anything.

Hi and welcome! Suggestion for boots for you--Look at Risport RF3 Pro boots, also try Graf Richmond Special.

I would also suggest that you see a podiatrist about the bunions and get them taken care of if you can. Once they are gone and foot is healed up you will be happier in your boots.

Thank you both! I will definitely ask about Risport RF3 Pro and Graf Richmond Special

As for the bunions, I've seen several podiatrists before and weirdly none of them mention anything about my bunions... Maybe cause it's not that severe - it's not super obvious, not the ones like "omg what huge bunions" And for street shoes I've been wearing only barefoot shoes which has helped improve my bunions too.

But if I start having issues with them in my skates, I will definitely get them checked. Thanks again for all your advice!

 

[lileychristie]

Just got back from a 1h+ fitting session with Ryan Dunne, which was very interesting!
Apparently he doesn't actually carry Risport or Jackson, he said he contacted Risport to become their supplier but they refused to deal with individual fitter like him So, he mainly only have Graf atm - but he does have many Graf models in stock to try!

He reached for the Richmond Special without me mentioning it, which I guess is a great sign. For my size he only had the wide width in stock, so that was what I tried on. With thick socks it felt snug all around, with only very little heel slippage which he said is still in the acceptable margin.

There was 1 problem though, after about 10 mins I started to feel plantar fasciitis pain on my left foot. I used to have plantar fasciitis on that foot before, but it has fully healed and I haven't felt any pain in years until I put on that boots. Does this mean that the boots likely won't work for me? I'm sad cause I really want the Graf to work out An interesting thing to note here is the fact that I don't feel any plantar fasciitis pain with rental skates, even after skating for more than 1 hour.

He said that the medium width boots might actually be better for me - which surprised me. He said it'll probably give me better arch support, but I'm a bit skeptical with this as I have strong arches and I wear barefoot shoes with 0 arch support without any issues. He also advised me it's better to skate with thin socks/tights instead of thick socks, so he reckons medium width + thin socks will be the best fit for me (I tried the wide width with thin socks, and it did feel like it has too much heel slippage).

He has the medium width boots coming in the next few days, so I'll come back and try that on. He also encouraged me to try on Risport & Jackson somewhere else, but the problem is where to find them.... Apparently the rink on the other side of town has some Jacksons in stock, but it's a bit of a trek for me - is it worth the effort, esp if Jackson is not going to fit my feet? Risport is even harder to find here.

Another option I could try - I'm going to Sydney from 23-27 April, does anyone know a place where I can try on Risport and Jackson boots?

Any advice is greatly appreciated

 

[lileychristie]

@Ic3Rabbit sorry for bothering you again, but I'm wondering whether Jackson boots may work for my feet or not. If so, which model will be appropriate for me? (more details in my last post above)

Also please let me know if you know any good places to try on Risport & Jackson boots in Sydney, Australia

Anyone else reading this, I'd love some advice too especially if you know anything around plantar fasciitis pain that I somehow only felt when trying on a high-level boot (Graf Richmond Special) and not on the rental boot

 

[Diana Delafield]

@Ic3Rabbit sorry for bothering you again, but I'm wondering whether Jackson boots may work for my feet or not. If so, which model will be appropriate for me? (more details in my last post above)

Also please let me know if you know any good places to try on Risport & Jackson boots in Sydney, Australia

Anyone else reading this, I'd love some advice too especially if you know anything around plantar fasciitis pain that I somehow only felt when trying on a high-level boot (Graf Richmond Special) and not on the rental boot

What brand were the rental skates? The arena in Canada where I get private ice carries both Riedells and a Canadian recreational skate brand in its rental shop for figure skates, and Bauer hockey skates. Your rink may rent out an Australian brand but also offer a more widely-known brand like the Riedell skates I see here. Perhaps you should at least check to see what brand it was that your feet seemed to like, and then try on a higher level of their boots just to see if the pain occurs or not.

 

[tstop4me]

With thick socks it felt snug all around, with only very little heel slippage which he said is still in the acceptable margin.

He also advised me it's better to skate with thin socks/tights instead of thick socks, so he reckons medium width + thin socks will be the best fit for me (I tried the wide width with thin socks, and it did feel like it has too much heel slippage).

* For figure skating, you definitely want to wear thin socks, rather than thick socks: thick socks yield less sensitivity and control. I've never worn tights, so I can't comment on thin socks vs tights.

* A snug fitting heel cup is essential for figure skates. At the same time, the heel cup is the portion of the boot least amenable to adjustment. You should aim to have a proper heel fit with the boots straight out of the box.

* Here's a way to test for proper heel fit at the shop. First a caveat. Many skaters and techs recommend that (while you are sitting) you seat the heel of your foot into the heel pocket of the boot by first inserting your foot into the boot and then banging the heel of the boot sharply several times against the floor to force the heel of your foot into the heel pocket of your boot. I would recommend that you do not do this.

* Instead, I recommend a kindler, gentler method. While you are sitting, after you insert your foot into the boot, grasp the outsole of the boot near the toe with one hand and grasp the heel of the boot with the other hand. Hold the boot against the floor. Now wiggle the heel of your foot side-to-side and up-and-down as you seat the heel of your foot back into the heel pocket of your boot. If the heel cup of your boot is much too small, you won't be able to seat the heel of your foot into the heel cup (whereas if you bang the heel of your boot hard enough, you might force it in).

* Now lace up. Remain sitting.

* The tech, crouching down low, should hold the front of the boot around the outsole with one hand, and the back of the boot around the heel with the other hand. They should not squeeze down on your foot. They should hold the boot firmly against the floor.

* Now stand up. Try to wiggle the heel of your foot up-and-down and side-to-side. Remember, the heel pocket fit is three dimensional. Exert moderate force, but be sure not to kick the tech in the face.

* Ideally the heel of your foot should not move within the heel pocket of the boot. Only a very small amount due to compression of the padding. But no significant slipping up-and-down and side-to-side. This is hard to describe, but you shouldn't feel the heel of your foot sliding against the interior surface of the heel pocket, as opposed to compressing padding. Remember, as the boot wears in, the lining and the padding will compress permanently, yielding a looser fit. So out of the box, you shouldn't have any degree of sliding.

* If there is noticeable sliding, the heel pocket is too big. If the heel of your foot is painfully pinched, the heel pocket is too small. If the heel of your foot is gripped snugly, there is no noticeable sliding, and there is no painful pinching, the heel pocket is ... juuuust right (in the words of Goldilocks ).

 

[Diana Delafield]

* For figure skating, you definitely want to wear thin socks, rather than thick socks: thick socks yield less sensitivity and control. I've never worn tights, so I can't comment on thin socks vs tights.

* A snug fitting heel cup is essential for figure skates. At the same time, the heel cup is the portion of the boot least amenable to adjustment. You should aim to have a proper heel fit with the boots straight out of the box.

* Here's a way to test for proper heel fit at the shop. First a caveat. Many skaters and techs recommend that (while you are sitting) you seat the heel of your foot into the heel pocket of the boot by first inserting your foot into the boot and then banging the heel of the boot sharply several times against the floor to force the heel of your foot into the heel pocket of your boot. I would recommend that you do not do this.

* Instead, I recommend a kindler, gentler method. While you are sitting, after you insert your foot into the boot, grasp the outsole of the boot near the toe with one hand and grasp the heel of the boot with the other hand. Hold the boot against the floor. Now wiggle the heel of your foot side-to-side and up-and-down as you seat the heel of your foot back into the heel pocket of your boot. If the heel cup of your boot is much too small, you won't be able to seat the heel of your foot into the heel cup (whereas if you bang the heel of your boot hard enough, you might force it in).

* Now lace up. Remain sitting.

* The tech, crouching down low, should hold the front of the boot around the outsole with one hand, and the back of the boot around the heel with the other hand. They should not squeeze down on your foot. They should hold the boot firmly against the floor.

* Now stand up. Try to wiggle the heel of your foot up-and-down and side-to-side. Remember, the heel pocket fit is three dimensional. Exert moderate force, but be sure not to kick the tech in the face.

* Ideally the heel of your foot should not move within the heel pocket of the boot. Only a very small amount due to compression of the padding. But no significant slipping up-and-down and side-to-side. This is hard to describe, but you shouldn't feel the heel of your foot sliding against the interior surface of the heel pocket, as opposed to compressing padding. Remember, as the boot wears in, the lining and the padding will compress permanently, yielding a looser fit. So out of the box, you shouldn't have any degree of sliding.

* If there is noticeable sliding, the heel pocket is too big. If the heel of your foot is painfully pinched, the heel pocket is too small. If the heel of your foot is gripped snugly, there is no noticeable sliding, and there is no painful pinching, the heel pocket is ... juuuust right (in the words of Goldilocks ).

This is the procedure the fitters at my skate shop all use when testing heel snugness. (My pairs partner, at the same shop, did accidentally kick his fitter on the chin when she turned her head to answer someone's question and inadvertently lightened her pressure on his boot, just as he flexed his foot. She insisted it was her fault, but he felt awful and sent her flowers the next day anyway. )

 

[tstop4me]

This is the procedure the fitters at my skate shop all use when testing heel snugness. (My pairs partner, at the same shop, did accidentally kick his fitter on the chin when she turned her head to answer someone's question and inadvertently lightened her pressure on his boot, just as he flexed his foot. She insisted it was her fault, but he felt awful and sent her flowers the next day anyway. )

You really do have the best narratives on this forum!

 

[Diana Delafield]

You really do have the best narratives on this forum!

Trade secret: My most useful degree is an MLS from the U of Toronto Library Science school. One of the required courses was Storytelling (for groups of all ages, not just children).

Plus my mother's side of the family tree is overloaded with writers and raconteurs. You absorb it unconsciously at family dinner tables.

 

[Query]

Be very careful about judging a given brand's boots by their rental skates.

According to a phone discussion I had with Jackson customer support some time ago, Jackson rental skates include boots that are deliberately made wider than Jackson's normal width skates (Jackson "skates" are boots with pre-mounted blades) and boots, even if they are nominally the same model. They are also typically colored differently.

Also, most rental skates have very low level boots, in terms of stiffness and support.

So for the most part you shouldn't assume a boot maker's normal skates, boots are similar in fit to their rental skates. Also, as you go up in boot level, I think the right fit becomes more important - because they won't conform as much to your feet as soft low level boots. OTOH, many of the upper level boots are heat moldable, which helps give you better fit. Though of course if they don't fit reasonably close to begin with, that isn't enough.

And, skate makers almost always put very cheap blades on rental skates, that won't last you long. They are also typically not designed with a normal figure skating shape - e.g., it is hard to reach and use the toe pick.

I doubt many experienced skaters would advise you to use rental skates once you have decided you want to skate - e.g., beyond the first few days. For the most part, they just aren't very good boots or blades. Also, at the rinks I am familiar with, the people who sharpen rental skates try to do so very quickly (to keep costs down), and the results usually aren't very good or consistent. Plus, they don't sharpen them often enough, IMO. And there is some possibility of transferring foot diseases (like athlete's foot) from rental boots or shoes of any type.

 

[lileychristie]

What brand were the rental skates? The arena in Canada where I get private ice carries both Riedells and a Canadian recreational skate brand in its rental shop for figure skates, and Bauer hockey skates. Your rink may rent out an Australian brand but also offer a more widely-known brand like the Riedell skates I see here. Perhaps you should at least check to see what brand it was that your feet seemed to like, and then try on a higher level of their boots just to see if the pain occurs or not.

I don't know the brand of the rental skates, but they're just the blue plastic hardshell rental boots with 2 straps that you see in most ice rinks around the world. It does have a toepick on the blade - a very sad one but better than no pick I guess I could call the rink and ask for sure, but they look very similar to this:

Roxa 1636 - Figure skate - Roxa Skates

Roxa 1636 is the ideal figure skate for rental: reinforced hull, aluminum levers and removable heat-insulating liner.

roxaskates.com

I've never heard of this Roxa brand before, I looked around their website and it looks like they don't do any high-level figure skating boots

I doubt many experienced skaters would advise you to use rental skates once you have decided you want to skate - e.g., beyond the first few days. For the most part, they just aren't very good boots or blades. Also, at the rinks I am familiar with, the people who sharpen rental skates try to do so very quickly (to keep costs down), and the results usually aren't very good or consistent. Plus, they don't sharpen them often enough, IMO. And there is some possibility of transferring foot diseases (like athlete's foot) from rental boots or shoes of any type.

I understand. I've heard so many people hating rental skates, and many of these people just want to skate around the rink not taking any lessons yet they ended up buying a skate just to get out of these rentals. BUT, somehow that's not me I did 2 full terms of LTS (~5 months) on rentals and passed LTS 1-6 on them without any pain.

It does make me wonder how much better I can skate when I finally get my own professionally fitted boots & blades....
But the plantar fasciitis issue with the Graf Richmond Special is really worrying me, as I don't want to drop AU$700++ on boots that hurts my feet while rentals don't cause any pain

 

[lileychristie]

* For figure skating, you definitely want to wear thin socks, rather than thick socks: thick socks yield less sensitivity and control. I've never worn tights, so I can't comment on thin socks vs tights.

* A snug fitting heel cup is essential for figure skates. At the same time, the heel cup is the portion of the boot least amenable to adjustment. You should aim to have a proper heel fit with the boots straight out of the box.

Thanks for all of that - I actually bookmarked a couple of your previous heel-fitting advice in other threads which included everything you wrote here and I asked the fitter about it. He said he never heard of that method though - he seemed reluctant so I didn't pursue it further.

But on the positive side, he didn't tell me to do the heel banging method at all. He just told me to lace up and gave me a checklist of what to feel inside the boots instead which includes heel lift and side-to-side movement:

By "minimal heel lift" he clarified that 1-2mm of movement is the maximum acceptable.

And as for the socks, that's exactly why he recommended me to use thin socks or even barefoot instead. I'm open to do either of these, my biggest concern is of course getting the proper heel fit with thin or no socks.

To reiterate the current fitting situation:
Tried Graf Richmond Special wide width - with thick socks I can get a snug fit with tiny heel lift in the acceptable range. With thin socks my heel can move more than acceptable. The fitter reckoned the medium width boots + thin socks will solve the issue for me, but I'm a bit skeptical as my forefoot already felt squished & I got plantar fasciitis pain in the wide width boots. Fitter also recommends trying other brands which he doesn't carry (Risport and Jackson).

I'm starting to wonder whether I'll need a split-width boot, considering how skinny my ankles are (not just narrow heel). There's barely any meat on the achilles area right above the heel, I wonder if this means it will always slip in most stock boots.

Do you reckon something like Jackson's Barefoot Bootie can help my tiny ankle to get more snug fitting heel cup without thick socks? Or will this not solve the problem and that I have to get a split-width or custom boot?

 

[Diana Delafield]

I don't know the brand of the rental skates, but they're just the blue plastic hardshell rental boots with 2 straps that you see in most ice rinks around the world. It does have a toepick on the blade - a very sad one but better than no pick I guess I could call the rink and ask for sure, but they look very similar to this:

View attachment 11147

Interesting. I don't skate on public sessions, but I sometimes stop and watch while hanging around in the lobby, and I've never seen anyone wearing equipment that looks like that, with straps, except maybe toddlers wearing baby skates. My arena rents out Riedell's Pearl, Opal and Emerald boot-and-blade sets. The company's least expensive line, but real figure skates nonetheless. I guess in Canada we take our skating seriously! Forget my suggestion to try on your rental brand in a higher grade model then. Good luck!

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

@Ic3Rabbit sorry for bothering you again, but I'm wondering whether Jackson boots may work for my feet or not. If so, which model will be appropriate for me? (more details in my last post above)

Also please let me know if you know any good places to try on Risport & Jackson boots in Sydney, Australia

Anyone else reading this, I'd love some advice too especially if you know anything around plantar fasciitis pain that I somehow only felt when trying on a high-level boot (Graf Richmond Special) and not on the rental boot

I apologize as I've been MIA for awhile here. You could look at a Jackson Synergy Ignite which is a split width boot. You could also look at the Supreme Pro 5320 or the Premiere 2850.

 

[tstop4me]

Thanks for all of that - I actually bookmarked a couple of your previous heel-fitting advice in other threads which included everything you wrote here and I asked the fitter about it. He said he never heard of that method though - he seemed reluctant so I didn't pursue it further.

But on the positive side, he didn't tell me to do the heel banging method at all. He just told me to lace up and gave me a checklist of what to feel inside the boots instead which includes heel lift and side-to-side movement:

By "minimal heel lift" he clarified that 1-2mm of movement is the maximum acceptable.

That doesn't sound kosher to me. If you get 1 - 2 mm heel lift under the relatively relaxed scenario your tech uses, you will get more heel lift under the stress of real figure skating scenarios. And you will get even more heel lift as the boot breaks in. And the heel of your foot slipping around the heel pocket of your boot will accelerate deterioration of the heel pocket.

And as for the socks, that's exactly why he recommended me to use thin socks or even barefoot instead. I'm open to do either of these, my biggest concern is of course getting the proper heel fit with thin or no socks.

I do know figure skaters and hockey skaters who prefer to skate barefoot. But I would recommend thin socks. The materials and textures of boot linings and insoles vary a lot among different boot models (even within the same brand). Some may irritate your skin.

Also, thin, absorbent socks wick up the sweat from your feet. Some sweat still will get absorbed by the boot lining and insole, of course. But with bare feet, almost all your sweat will get absorbed by the boot lining and insole; all that accumulated sweat will degrade the materials faster.

I'm starting to wonder whether I'll need a split-width boot, considering how skinny my ankles are (not just narrow heel). There's barely any meat on the achilles area right above the heel, I wonder if this means it will always slip in most stock boots.

A proper tech should take a full set of measurements and tracings and ask a factory rep for recommendations on what's needed. I know that Jackson and Riedell at least do that (those are the only two I have personal experience with). I'm not sure whether a spit width by itself will resolve the issue of very skinny ankles. E.g., a modified tongue might be needed for you to tighten the laces further along the hooks. Again, a proper tech should work with a factory rep to advise you.

Do you reckon something like Jackson's Barefoot Bootie can help my tiny ankle to get more snug fitting heel cup without thick socks? Or will this not solve the problem and that I have to get a split-width or custom boot?

Sorry, I have no experience with this item. But with most such accessories, the only way to find out whether they help or not is to buy them and try them out.

 

[lileychristie]

I apologize as I've been MIA for awhile here. You could look at a Jackson Synergy Ignite which is a split width boot. You could also look at the Supreme Pro 5320 or the Premiere 2850.

No problem at all, thanks for getting back to me!

The Synergy Ignite boots look good, but oooh boy the price..... Is the Synergy Spark at 60 stiffness (as opposed to Ignite's 75) not stiff enough for my stats? I see that the Premiere 2850 is at 65 stiffness, so I wonder if it's really that much different to the Spark.
As for their widths, both models are listed as R (A/B) & W (C/D) - do the 2 letters indicate heel width/ball width? Does that mean that both are actually split width boots?

As for the Supreme Pro 5320, it's this one - correct? This looks amazing - I love tan boots Looks like it also come with the same R (A/B) & W (C/D) widths.

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[lileychristie]

That doesn't sound kosher to me. If you get 1 - 2 mm heel lift under the relatively relaxed scenario your tech uses, you will get more heel lift under the stress of real figure skating scenarios. And you will get even more heel lift as the boot breaks in. And the heel of your foot slipping around the heel pocket of your boot will accelerate deterioration of the heel pocket.

I do know figure skaters and hockey skaters who prefer to skate barefoot. But I would recommend thin socks. The materials and textures of boot linings and insoles vary a lot among different boot models (even within the same brand). Some may irritate your skin.

Also, thin, absorbent socks wick up the sweat from your feet. Some sweat still will get absorbed by the boot lining and insole, of course. But with bare feet, almost all your sweat will get absorbed by the boot lining and insole; all that accumulated sweat will degrade the materials faster.

A proper tech should take a full set of measurements and tracings and ask a factory rep for recommendations on what's needed. I know that Jackson and Riedell at least do that (those are the only two I have personal experience with). I'm not sure whether a split width by itself will resolve the issue of very skinny ankles. E.g., a modified tongue might be needed for you to tighten the laces further along the hooks. Again, a proper tech should work with a factory rep to advise you.

Sorry, I have no experience with this item. But with most such accessories, the only way to find out whether they help or not is to buy them and try them out.

Thanks for all the information! Do you have any recommendations for thin, absorbent socks?
By thin, does it have to be super thin like those disposable socks they give out at shoe shops, or is a regular thin socks like dance socks good enough?

I'll take note of the heel lift, next time I try on boots I'll ensure there is zero heel lift. I will ask about custom tongue too if I still can't get a good heel fit with any boots. And I'll get that Jackson Barefoot Bootie - it's not expensive so won't be much of a loss if it doesn't work out

I found this iSkate Canterbury shop in Sydney and they seem to carry all the recommended Jackson and Risport boots. And they're the only Jackson dealer in Australia that's actually listed on Jackson's website - so hopefully they'll have knowledgable Jackson techs. Regardless I'll contact them to try on the boots in 2 weeks time and see how I go!

 

[tstop4me]

As for their widths, both models are listed as R (A/B) & W (C/D) - do the 2 letters indicate heel width/ball width? Does that mean that both are actually split width boots?

Jackson sizing designation is a bit confusing. R(A/B) and W(C/D) actually refer to their dual ball width sizing. Out of the box, R is an A ball width. Via heat molding, the ball can be expanded to a B ball width (the outsole remains the same, but the uppers are expanded). Similarly, out of the box, W is a C ball width. Via heat molding, the ball can be expanded to a D ball width.

The models that Ic3 recommended come stock as split width. The Jackson website is still out of date (it refers to their previous single ball width sizing, which was clearer). A Jackson rep emailed me that R(A/B) ball has a AA heel, and W(C/D) ball has a B heel.

If the difference in width between your ball and heel is greater than what the stock options can accommodate, you'll need to go semi-custom or custom, depending on how great the difference is. Again, a proper tech working in conjunction with a Jackson factory rep should be able to advise you on what will be required.