Adult looking to upgrade, but I'm a beginner on a budget

[diannehr]

Hello,

Just for the intro I'm a 27yo girl with height of 163cm and weight of 45kg, slim frame.

Now, I've got my hands on a pair of secondhand Graf 500 skates in size 37 (or I think it's around size 5 in UK sizing) with its pre-fitted 8' blade, bought at around fifty dollars to begin my journey. The small leather cracks aren't that much but I want to believe the pair can still hold out for a little bit more since the boots don't have any creases at all. As I just can't afford a coach nor a pair of Overtures yet I've been studying the most basic skills by just watching coaches and athletes whom I share the rink with and then listen to them as they converse about posture and footwork. From this "collateral" knowledge I'm getting from the rich kids, I've learned that I actually have to upgrade skates as I progress (and currently I'm working on forward glides and swizzles, how to position my shoulders over the hips, and how to lace my boots properly to avoid toepick tripping).

Now to cut to the chase, are the good old Grafs I got just enough to hang on until my first jump? I usually go to the skating rink at least once or twice a month and practice for around 2 to 4 hours. I'm a frustrated figure skater from a tropical country with decent access to a rental skating rink within 500 km of our zone, but on a tight budget and didn't have funds to fully support my passion to learn this graceful sport when I started falling in love with it as a kid.

Otherwise can anyone recommend some affordable pair of good skates I can focus on saving up for if my Grafs won't support me enough? My feet measures 23.5cm(~9.25"), then 22.2cm(~8.25") around the ball same as around my ankle joint. I'm not sure if I got Roman or Greek feet but my index toe is around 1-2mm longer than my big toe, and my middle toe is somehow as long as the big toe. As for the arch it's around 1.7cm at the highest point by the inner edge from the flat ground.

I'd really appreciate your inputs in here, my local rink doesn't seem to have professional fitters so the athletes practicing seem to have ordered their skates and blades from abroad. I'm too shy to approach them as I am a total beginner! I feel like I'm kinda lost right now, if I should focus on shelling out for the rink entrance fee for also watch out for my dead skates needing replacement with a stiffer one. Help is very much appreciated! Thank you so much.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Hello,

Just for the intro I'm a 27yo girl with height of 163cm and weight of 45kg, slim frame.

Now, I've got my hands on a pair of secondhand Graf 500 skates in size 37 (or I think it's around size 5 in UK sizing) with its pre-fitted 8' blade, bought at around fifty dollars to begin my journey. The small leather cracks aren't that much but I want to believe the pair can still hold out for a little bit more since the boots don't have any creases at all. As I just can't afford a coach nor a pair of Overtures yet I've been studying the most basic skills by just watching coaches and athletes whom I share the rink with and then listen to them as they converse about posture and footwork. From this "collateral" knowledge I'm getting from the rich kids, I've learned that I actually have to upgrade skates as I progress (and currently I'm working on forward glides and swizzles, how to position my shoulders over the hips, and how to lace my boots properly to avoid toepick tripping).

Now to cut to the chase, are the good old Grafs I got just enough to hang on until my first jump? I usually go to the skating rink at least once or twice a month and practice for around 2 to 4 hours. I'm a frustrated figure skater from a tropical country with decent access to a rental skating rink within 500 km of our zone, but on a tight budget and didn't have funds to fully support my passion to learn this graceful sport when I started falling in love with it as a kid.

Otherwise can anyone recommend some affordable pair of good skates I can focus on saving up for if my Grafs won't support me enough? My feet measures 23.5cm(~9.25"), then 22.2cm(~8.25") around the ball same as around my ankle joint. I'm not sure if I got Roman or Greek feet but my index toe is around 1-2mm longer than my big toe, and my middle toe is somehow as long as the big toe. As for the arch it's around 1.7cm at the highest point by the inner edge from the flat ground.

I'd really appreciate your inputs in here, my local rink doesn't seem to have professional fitters so the athletes practicing seem to have ordered their skates and blades from abroad. I'm too shy to approach them as I am a total beginner! I feel like I'm kinda lost right now, if I should focus on shelling out for the rink entrance fee for also watch out for my dead skates needing replacement with a stiffer one. Help is very much appreciated! Thank you so much.

Hi and welcome! Sounds like you have a Modified Greek foot. You should be able to wear the following brands: Risport, Jackson, Graf.
Graf Ruby Champion, Risport Electra, Jackson Debut Fusion. Know that these are boots at the level you need them right now and will take you up through (or at least should) first single jumps. Your current boots will not. You will need to pair the boots that work for your feet by going to a pro skating fitter (not a pro shop in a rink for the most part) with a standard intermediate blade: Either John Wilson Coronation Ace, or MK Pro---you do not need lites, or revs at this point in your skating.

I wish you luck!

 

[diannehr]

Hi and welcome! Sounds like you have a Modified Greek foot. You should be able to wear the following brands: Risport, Jackson, Graf.
Graf Ruby Champion, Risport Electra, Jackson Debut Fusion. Know that these are boots at the level you need them right now and will take you up through (or at least should) first single jumps. Your current boots will not. You will need to pair the boots that work for your feet by going to a pro skating fitter (not a pro shop in a rink for the most part) with a standard intermediate blade: Either John Wilson Coronation Ace, or MK Pro---you do not need lites, or revs at this point in your skating.

I wish you luck!

I really appreciate the inputs!
One more thing, it not that I don't like any of those brands since I've also been reading at their listings online, but what do you think about Riedell Crystal w/ Eclipse Vesta, or Edea Chorus, will they possibly hurt given my foot shape?
Also what are your thoughts about looking for a higher end boot (more or less overbooting perhaps given my entry-level skill) that's a hand-me-down or secondhand, such as a pair of used Ice Fly, Prestige, or Richmond?
Nonetheless, if these things are really not recommended then I can stick to saving up for any of the suggestions, just want to hear your thoughts about that alternative.

Also I've been starting to look into the pairs that you've suggested so I can start saving up which is all I need to do now. I'm really grateful for the help! Gotta get through this for the love of ice.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

I really appreciate the inputs!
One more thing, it not that I don't like any of those brands since I've also been reading at their listings online, but what do you think about Riedell Crystal w/ Eclipse Vesta, or Edea Chorus, will they possibly hurt given my foot shape?
Also what are your thoughts about looking for a higher end boot (more or less overbooting perhaps given my entry-level skill) that's a hand-me-down or secondhand, such as a pair of used Ice Fly, Prestige, or Richmond?
Nonetheless, if these things are really not recommended then I can stick to saving up for any of the suggestions, just want to hear your thoughts about that alternative.

Also I've been starting to look into the pairs that you've suggested so I can start saving up which is all I need to do now. I'm really grateful for the help! Gotta get through this for the love of ice.

First things first. You need boots that fit YOUR particular foot and it's shape. Those are the brands I gave. I also gave you stiffness and level appropriate boot suggestions for you in those brands.
You don't need anything over or stiffer than I suggested, or you're asking for trouble (aka injury and more). Those would also be way out of your budget. So to summarize: Don't overboot. And don't try to go with brands that won't work for your specific foot.

Also NO to second hand boots. No to all second hand boots.

Good luck!

 

[diannehr]

First things first. You need boots that fit YOUR particular foot and it's shape. Those are the brands I gave. I also gave you stiffness and level appropriate boot suggestions for you in those brands.
You don't need anything over or stiffer than I suggested, or you're asking for trouble (aka injury and more). Those would also be way out of your budget. So to summarize: Don't overboot. And don't try to go with brands that won't work for your specific foot.

Also NO to second hand boots. No to all second hand boots.

Good luck!

I see, I'll take note of your recommendations.

Woah my suggestions did sound hardheaded there, but things are clear to me now so thank you so much! I still got a long way to go.

 

[Diana Delafield]

I really appreciate the inputs!
One more thing, it not that I don't like any of those brands since I've also been reading at their listings online, but what do you think about Riedell Crystal w/ Eclipse Vesta, or Edea Chorus, will they possibly hurt given my foot shape?
Also what are your thoughts about looking for a higher end boot (more or less overbooting perhaps given my entry-level skill) that's a hand-me-down or secondhand, such as a pair of used Ice Fly, Prestige, or Richmond?
Nonetheless, if these things are really not recommended then I can stick to saving up for any of the suggestions, just want to hear your thoughts about that alternative.

Also I've been starting to look into the pairs that you've suggested so I can start saving up which is all I need to do now. I'm really grateful for the help! Gotta get through this for the love of ice.

Used boots really are not a good idea, even if they were the brand and model that were exactly right for your feet and your skating level to begin with. The previous owner may have had them molded for the contours of her feet, which aren't going to be identical to yours, and then have worn them for however-long with her warm feet further shaping the inner lining of the boots. I once, in a freak emergency, had to borrow another skater's skates for the short program part of a competition until I got my own back again. Right model of boots and blades, right size, but I decided she must have six toes because I had to stuff a strange gap in the toe section.

And the used skates that were stiffer when new than you need now will have been broken down to a small or great extent depending on how long they were used and how hard the previous owner worked them, so you don't know what support they'll give you, from too stiff down to so much softened you'll only have to replace them with new ones in a very short time, at more expense.

Good luck! Take @Ic3Rabbit's advice and you'll love your skates and progress so much faster, with less pain and less unnecessary expense!

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

I see, I'll take note of your recommendations.

Woah my suggestions did sound hardheaded there, but things are clear to me now so thank you so much! I still got a long way to go.

If you let us know where you are in the world or can get to in the world, we can suggest proper fitters. Good luck!

 

[diannehr]

Thank you so much for the info! I'm from SEA by the way. The only skates shop I've ever been to is the store chain located right beside the rink, but I don't think they offer customizations or pro fitting solutions, perhaps a shop for skates though I haven't no other brands other than Jackson and Edea.
Some of the coaches I've talked to say they'd order skates from abroad for their students, that's it.

Just a quick update on my progress, I've now gotten the hang of doing rocking horse, forward swizzles and two-foot hops, now I'm practicing proper form and footwork for the forward glides trying to balance myself on one foot, and I've observed in every attempt to do it I tend to always glide towards the inner edge, most especially my left foot. Not sure if that's normal for a beginner or I actually tend to have issues with pronation (but hoping maybe it's just my workout-deficit leg muscles keeping me from staying on the flat edge).

Given those things, if you happen to know someone who does pro fitting (and probably mounting, for on-ice skates and off-ice frames) here in the Philippines, I'd very much appreciate it!

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Thank you so much for the info! I'm from SEA by the way. The only skates shop I've ever been to is the store chain located right beside the rink, but I don't think they offer customizations or pro fitting solutions, perhaps a shop for skates though I haven't no other brands other than Jackson and Edea.
Some of the coaches I've talked to say they'd order skates from abroad for their students, that's it.

Just a quick update on my progress, I've now gotten the hang of doing rocking horse, forward swizzles and bunny hops, now I'm practicing proper form and footwork for the forward glides trying to balance myself on one foot, and I've observed in every attempt to do it I tend to always glide towards the inner edge, most especially my left foot. Not sure if that's normal for a beginner or I actually tend to have issues with pronation (but hoping maybe it's just my workout-deficit leg muscles keeping me from staying on the flat edge).

Given those things, if you happen to know someone who does pro fitting (and probably mounting, for on-ice skates and off-ice frames) here in the Philippines, I'd very much appreciate it!

You're welcome! I got a bit confused with your post here b/c you said you are from SEA so I was about to suggest good pro fitters for you in the Seattle/Vancouver area, but then was like wait...Philippines flag, and then later in the post you said the same lol!

I hate to say it but you aren't going to find a proper fitter for figure skates in the Philippines. They just aren't there. You would have to travel to Taiwan, China, Malaysia to find Risport, Taiwan and China for Jackson I believe. Graf has nothing in that area nor does Riedell. These that I listed are the brands that would fit your particular foot needs.

When it comes to pronation you will need a sports foot doctor that can make you a special orthotic for your boots.

I wish you all the best!



Just wanted to add on here that Golden Horse brand figure skate boots may be a choice for you being in Asia. If you are interested let me know and I can let you know more.