Intermediate boot + blade choice?

[Chevalier]

Thanks everyone in advance Sorry for the long post
All recommendations/ comments welcomed!

I'm an adult skater, around 5'5 and 55kg
Currently in Jackson Artiste regular width size 39, bought them 5 years ago but seriously skating as a hobby for a few months only
Recently learnt waltz jump and they're starting to crease at the ankles
Finally considering to upgrade my boots as edges and spins have been difficult
Aim at learning all single jumps and different nice spins

1) Boots
I have flat and pronated foot, 2nd toe longest.
Some problems with the current skates that hopefully would be addressed by a new pair
- boot is too high (I can't bend my ankles if at all, and the top area gets bruises every time)
- Toe box doesn't fit: my 5th toe bunion needed a press out but the vertical height is way too much, I can curl all my toes
- The accessory navicular is pressed right against the boot and basically it's only slightly better after pressing, I still get blisters every time

There's no pro fitter in my area (tiny Asian city) and the closest would need flights which is impossible for me
Recently contacted SkatersEdge and they kindly suggested Edea chorus 245 regular width after virtual fitting + Jackson supreme insoles 7 degrees
Another option they gave me was Risport royal pro but "worry Risport will have too much vertical space around the toebox"
The store plans to help modify my toe box after purchase

That being said I've tried my friends' boots
- Edea overture 250D: the heel was way too loose, I almost died just skating forward. Toe box seemed fine.
- Risport royal pro 240 (regular): The toe box was modified for bunions, so my 5th toe bunion had no complain, but the vertical height was too little and pressed against toes. Since it's a size smaller than my foot and the toe box has been modified I don't really know if the toe area is fine. Heel had no problem.

So after these trials I'm back to square one - don't really know if Edea's toe box really suits me

2) Blades
My current mark IV blade seems to be hindering my progress
Getting on the outside edge is a pain

After reading numerous posts here and on other sites
Most are recommending Coro Ace/ MK pro
Legacy 7 doesn't seem to be popular

The shop gave me a few choices, and recommended legacy 7 since it's less likely to rust than coro Ace which is the most popular blade
"so in terms of blade agility it's like below: legacy 7/coronation ace > MK Pro > Legacy 8/matrix legacy
in terms of stability it's the other way round legacy 7/coronation ace < MK Pro < Legacy 8/matrix legacy"

Yet the new Coro ace seems to have a different profile when compared to older versions, not sure if that means older comments might not reflect how the newer blades perform
Would MK be a better bet? (actually all intermediate skaters in my city are using MK pro, never seen coro ace idk why)
Do the shorter tails from legacy 7/ coro ace make spinning/ edge work easier? Or does it mean it's easier to fall backwards?

Credits to Bill_S from skatingforums who traced these blades:

 

[WednesdayMarch]

I'm not really sure what you're expecting here. You've had a virtual fitting from Skaters Edge in NZ as you say that there's definitely no fitter in your area (although I would strongly advise asking @Ic3Rabbit to check that, as she knows good fitters everywhere) so how can a bunch of random strangers on the internet give you better advice?

In your position - once I'd ascertained via The Oracle that is the Ic3Rabbit that there's definitely no fitter available for you - I'd be going with the recommendations of the virtual fitter, especially as they are able to modify things for you. Trying on other people's boots isn't in any way a good way to choose the right equipment for you.

As to blades, there's a reason why the traditional Coronation Ace has been so popular for so long. MK Professional is a close second. Many people like Legacy 7 but I've seen plenty improve their spins by swapping to Coro Aces.

At some point, you have to make your own decision. Sorry about that.

 

[Chevalier]

I'm not really sure what you're expecting here. You've had a virtual fitting from Skaters Edge in NZ as you say that there's definitely no fitter in your area (although I would strongly advise asking @Ic3Rabbit to check that, as she knows good fitters everywhere) so how can a bunch of random strangers on the internet give you better advice?

In your position - once I'd ascertained via The Oracle that is the Ic3Rabbit that there's definitely no fitter available for you - I'd be going with the recommendations of the virtual fitter, especially as they are able to modify things for you. Trying on other people's boots isn't in any way a good way to choose the right equipment for you.

As to blades, there's a reason why the traditional Coronation Ace has been so popular for so long. MK Professional is a close second. Many people like Legacy 7 but I've seen plenty improve their spins by swapping to Coro Aces.

At some point, you have to make your own decision. Sorry about that.

Thank you very much for helping out!

I understand trying on someone else’s boot isn’t a correct way but that’s the closest I could do

I’ll most likely go with chorus with some toe box adjustments
The current pair was ordered online by my previous coach who just asked for foot length
The current coach said he isn’t experienced in current skates/ blades as he’s been with ice fly + gold seal for over 10 years and thus can’t give me a suggestion

Let me look into the differences between Coro ace and MK pro again
Thanks again

 

[gsk8]

@Chevalier while we have many experienced posters who can provide input, fitting is a tough one as it must be physically done for a true fit. Have you asked all skaters and coaches at your club if they could recommend anyone in your area? Or at least one that you do not have to "fly" to?

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Thanks everyone in advance Sorry for the long post
All recommendations/ comments welcomed!

I'm an adult skater, around 5'5 and 55kg
Currently in Jackson Artiste regular width size 39, bought them 5 years ago but seriously skating as a hobby for a few months only
Recently learnt waltz jump and they're starting to crease at the ankles
Finally considering to upgrade my boots as edges and spins have been difficult
Aim at learning all single jumps and different nice spins

1) Boots
I have flat and pronated foot, 2nd toe longest.
Some problems with the current skates that hopefully would be addressed by a new pair
- boot is too high (I can't bend my ankles if at all, and the top area gets bruises every time)
- Toe box doesn't fit: my 5th toe bunion needed a press out but the vertical height is way too much, I can curl all my toes
- The accessory navicular is pressed right against the boot and basically it's only slightly better after pressing, I still get blisters every time

There's no pro fitter in my area (tiny Asian city) and the closest would need flights which is impossible for me
Recently contacted SkatersEdge and they kindly suggested Edea chorus 245 regular width after virtual fitting + Jackson supreme insoles 7 degrees
Another option they gave me was Risport royal pro but "worry Risport will have too much vertical space around the toebox"
The store plans to help modify my toe box after purchase

That being said I've tried my friends' boots
- Edea overture 250D: the heel was way too loose, I almost died just skating forward. Toe box seemed fine.
- Risport royal pro 240 (regular): The toe box was modified for bunions, so my 5th toe bunion had no complain, but the vertical height was too little and pressed against toes. Since it's a size smaller than my foot and the toe box has been modified I don't really know if the toe area is fine. Heel had no problem.

So after these trials I'm back to square one - don't really know if Edea's toe box really suits me

2) Blades
My current mark IV blade seems to be hindering my progress
Can't really find a sweet spot for spinning and getting on the outside edge is a pain

After reading numerous posts here and on other sites
Most are recommending Coro Ace/ MK pro
Legacy 7 doesn't seem to be popular

The shop gave me a few choices, and recommended legacy 7 since it's less likely to rust than coro Ace which is the most popular blade
"so in terms of blade agility it's like below: legacy 7/coronation ace > MK Pro > Legacy 8/matrix legacy
in terms of stability it's the other way round legacy 7/coronation ace < MK Pro < Legacy 8/matrix legacy"

Yet the new Coro ace seems to have a different profile when compared to older versions, not sure if that means older comments might not reflect how the newer blades perform
Would MK be a better bet? (actually all intermediate skaters in my city are using MK pro, never seen coro ace idk why)
Do the shorter tails from legacy 7/ coro ace make spinning/ edge work easier? Or does it mean it's easier to fall backwards?

Credits to Bill_S from skatingforums who traced these blades:

Hi and welcome. You have alot to process here so please bear with me and I will try to answer most if not all the questions you have.

It's really hard to do this without you having a pro fitter to go to, the virtual fitter is better than nothing, but where in the world are you exactly? I may know a fitter you don't that could fit you properly in person.
I would not suggest that you try on others boots or ask coaches in your rink/area to suggest boots for you, most of them don't have a clue.
If you are in NZ, here is a decent fitter: https://iceskate.co.nz < That is Specialist Skating LTD. They carry many of the boots and blades brands I will be suggesting to you.

Now, my first suggestion for you was going to be Risport as some can be heat manipulated by a fitter/tech.
Edea are narrow for the most part and not great to try to manipulate b/c of synthetic materials, so if you need manipulation/heat molding, I wouldn't go with them sadly.
Graf could be a choice.
Asia has a boot brand called Golden Horse. They are kind of a hybrid of Edea and Jackson/Risport. You might find that those would work for you.
Only other I would suggest could be GAM or AVANTA. I don't suggest those often but they may work in your situation.
SPTeri, Riedell would be off the table for you, they make their toebox too narrow vertical and horizontally for what you would need.

As far as blades, again a traditional version of JW Coronation Ace or MK Pro are both tried and true and widely worn. I wouldn't suggest another blade to you at this point.

Hope this helps and good luck!

 

[WednesdayMarch]

I forgot Golden Horse! They do complete and semi-customs! And I know people who love them. That could indeed be an option!

 

[Chevalier]

@Chevalier while we have many experienced posters who can provide input, fitting is a tough one as it must be physically done for a true fit. Have you asked all skaters and coaches at your club if they could recommend anyone in your area? Or at least one that you do not have to "fly" to?

Thanks for replying

I’m actually living in Hong Kong
My coach flew to England for fitting, another friend went to Europe
Ask the more senior skaters and none were aware of fitters in town
There are skate shops here - but not really fitters. My friends went there and got edea skates 2-3 sizes larger (as the boss recommended 1-1.5cm larger than what you want) and all in D width as “it would be more comfortable”

I pressed my skates recently in another skate shop and they almost cracked my boots that’s actually one of the reasons why I’m urgently finding a new pair after tolerating my skates for so long

 

[Chevalier]

Hi and welcome. You have alot to process here so please bear with me and I will try to answer most if not all the questions you have.

It's really hard to do this without you having a pro fitter to go to, the virtual fitter is better than nothing, but where in the world are you exactly? I may know a fitter you don't that could fit you properly in person.
I would not suggest that you try on others boots or ask coaches in your rink/area to suggest boots for you, most of them don't have a clue.
If you are in NZ, here is a decent fitter: https://iceskate.co.nz < That is Specialist Skating LTD. They carry many of the boots and blades brands I will be suggesting to you.

Now, my first suggestion for you was going to be Risport as some can be heat manipulated by a fitter/tech.
Edea are narrow for the most part and not great to try to manipulate b/c of synthetic materials, so if you need manipulation/heat molding, I wouldn't go with them sadly.
Graf could be a choice.
Asia has a boot brand called Golden Horse. They are kind of a hybrid of Edea and Jackson/Risport. You might find that those would work for you.
Only other I would suggest could be GAM or AVANTA. I don't suggest those often but they may work in your situation.
SPTeri, Riedell would be off the table for you, they make their toebox too narrow vertical and horizontally for what you would need.

As far as blades, again a traditional version of JW Coronation Ace or MK Pro are both tried and true and widely worn. I wouldn't suggest another blade to you at this point.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Thank you soooooo much

I’m living in Hong Kong right now

Best if I can find a fitter locally, please kindly let me know if you do
So far my friends and my experience with local skate shops have been awful - sizings were wrong, cracking my boots when pressing tender spots, and they want to sell the priciest boots to everyone

If edea isn’t very mouldable then risport might be the better option among these 2
I’ll look into golden horse for sure!

Regarding the blades - would you have any suggestion on how to choose between these two?
compound rocker of Ace and the simple curve of MK seem to make skating very different
I mainly aim at getting nice spins and reducing falls during jumps if possible

 

[WednesdayMarch]

Blades:- Let's make this easy. Don't sweat the small stuff. Coronation Ace is almost always the right answer.

 

[gsk8]

I’m living in Hong Kong right now

Try reaching out to Andy at the HK Skate Co. Not sure he is a "professional" fitter, but may still be of some help. Phone number is +852 2887 2308 and located in Tin Hau.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Inside Edge or City Plaza Ice shop is going to be your best bets there, they are figure skate shops(or deal with figure skates) most other shops in your area and china are either quad skate shops or skateboarding.

INSIDE EDGE
80 TAT CHEE AVENUE
UG-21, LEVEL UG, FESTIVAL WALK
KOWLOON TONG

I know CityPlaza skate shop has staff that knows figure skating gear and there are some seasonal pros that skate there (Craig Heath) who also coach, also skaters Harrison Wong and Kahlen Cheung train there seasonally.

Good luck!

 

[Chevalier]

Blades:- Let's make this easy. Don't sweat the small stuff. Coronation Ace is almost always the right answer.

Thanks
I’ll just go for that

 

[Chevalier]

Inside Edge or City Plaza Ice shop is going to be your best bets there, they are figure skate shops(or deal with figure skates) most other shops in your area and china are either quad skate shops or skateboarding.

INSIDE EDGE
80 TAT CHEE AVENUE
UG-21, LEVEL UG, FESTIVAL WALK
KOWLOON TONG

I know CityPlaza skate shop has staff that knows figure skating gear and there are some seasonal pros that skate there (Craig Heath) who also coach, also skaters Harrison Wong and Kahlen Cheung train there seasonally.

Good luck!

Thanks loads, let me drop by next week!

 

[loveohio]

I think the risport royal pro will be way too much boot for you; much too stiff. And is made with similar materials to edea boots, so may have the same problems of lack of ability to mold it. Also, they're made to be loose around the ankles, like edea, so if you don't want loose boots you should stay away from the royal pro.

My recommendation would be risport electra light, with a coronation ace blade, and the jackson pronation insoles (throw out the risport insole it comes with). This would be a good transition boot for you, as you grow your skills and get accustomed to a stiffer boot. They are cut low, as all current risports are (Jacksons are very high, one of my daughter's objections to them). After about 1 year, which is all the boots should last, move up to the risport RF3 if you really need a stiffer boot at that time (RF3 is a lot stiffer than electra light).

 

[WednesdayMarch]

I think the risport royal pro will be way too much boot for you; much too stiff. And is made with similar materials to edea boots, so may have the same problems of lack of ability to mold it. Also, they're made to be loose around the ankles, like edea, so if you don't want loose boots you should stay away from the royal pro.

The Risport Royal Pro is similar to the Edea line in materials and the way the tongue fits, ie it doesn't wrap around the ankle, but it isn't loose fitting around the actual ankle. I wore Royal Pros for about 18 months and loved them. Absolutely loathed Edeas looseness. There really is no comparison between the two.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

I think the risport royal pro will be way too much boot for you; much too stiff. And is made with similar materials to edea boots, so may have the same problems of lack of ability to mold it. Also, they're made to be loose around the ankles, like edea, so if you don't want loose boots you should stay away from the royal pro.

My recommendation would be risport electra light, with a coronation ace blade, and the jackson pronation insoles (throw out the risport insole it comes with). This would be a good transition boot for you, as you grow your skills and get accustomed to a stiffer boot. They are cut low, as all current risports are (Jacksons are very high, one of my daughter's objections to them). After about 1 year, which is all the boots should last, move up to the risport RF3 if you really need a stiffer boot at that time (RF3 is a lot stiffer than electra light).

The RF3 is more similar to the Royal Pro. Also, neither of those boots would be too stiff for her, as an adult with her height/weight etc.
I would NOT be putting here in an electra light, it's going to be too soft for her. Also, RF3 and Royal Pro are like 5 stiffness rating difference, not really a huge deal. If she doesn't like how edea's feel/fit, then I would not go w/Rf3 which has the synthetic materials that edea are made from.

 

[Chevalier]

The Risport Royal Pro is similar to the Edea line in materials and the way the tongue fits, ie it doesn't wrap around the ankle, but it isn't loose fitting around the actual ankle. I wore Royal Pros for about 18 months and loved them. Absolutely loathed Edeas looseness. There really is no comparison between the two.

Glad to know someone tried both brands!
So royal pro is tighter at the ankle than edea? I’ve only tried my friend’s edea in D width so ain’t very sure how loose the ankle can be at regular widths

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Glad to know someone tried both brands!
So royal pro is tighter at the ankle than edea? I’ve only tried my friend’s edea in D width so ain’t very sure how loose the ankle can be at regular widths

Yes Risport has a more traditional fit. Edea are the only ones that have that odd loose fit.
I've worn or tested just about every boot/blade on the current skating market (perks of being a longtime skater (elite/pro) !)

 

[WednesdayMarch]

Glad to know someone tried both brands!
So royal pro is tighter at the ankle than edea? I’ve only tried my friend’s edea in D width so ain’t very sure how loose the ankle can be at regular widths

Oh, glory, yes! Royal Pros are lovely boots (provided you don't mind the tongue not wrapping; it didn't bother me) but I really didn't like Edeas.

 

[Chevalier]

Yes Risport has a more traditional fit. Edea are the only ones that have that odd loose fit.
I've worn or tested just about every boot/blade on the current skating market (perks of being a longtime skater (elite/pro) !)

You must have invested a lot in skates XD
Does the Edea's loose fit increase the risk of ankle sprains?
I like the fact it makes squatting down easier (for sit spins etc), but my muscles are definitely much weaker than pros...

Sorry for asking sooo many questions