Legacy 7, CA, CA Lite? Blade advice needed!

[Lucie]

That's a bit odd. The MK Gold Star is the top of the MK line advanced freestyle blade. Strange that she downgraded to a Legacy 7. But skaters sometimes do that if they previously competed, but no longer do, and want to save some money.



Oh, OK. So they're receiving a general Jackson shipment, and not special ordering mucho boots just for you. That makes more sense now. They're probably wise to get in a stockpile, because Jackson has had lengthy delays too with new manufacturing runs. Everglides must be quite big. Small shops can't afford to tie up capital on large inventories, especially on high-end stuff.

Re the bolded: they’re not, they don’t have many models in stock and will try to push you into something they have rather than order in something that might be better

 

[Vladik]

The elite is 75 stiffness rated for doubles and the new supreme tongue Jackson have put in them are super stiff, unless you are a very tall and heavy adult with strong knee bend you probably won’t be able to bend your ankles in them or you’ll get tendinitis

ETA: at bronze you will be doing half jumps I believe, if you are small and lightweight the debut or Electra would be the right stiffness, if you are taller/ heavier maybe an rf3 pro or premiere

I’m about 5’6 and a half, and don’t weigh a lot, but have been told I have strong legs. I’m in Risport Electra Light and have been since I started skating in September last year, but have no support whatsoever! So wanted an upgrade!

I guess I will have to see how it goes when I get fitted in real life soon. I can’t make a fair judgement just yet. Will need to try the boots on!

Thank you so much!

 

[Vladik]

Al also does a by post mounting and sharpening service, £20 for mounting. I post my blades to her for sharpening and the turnaround is super quick.
Once you have boots and know the sole length you can ask her if she has blades in the right size, she’s very good at responding to email quickly.
Be aware Everglides will push to buy blades from them and have them mount them, they wouldn’t even give me an option of which blade let alone to have a blade from elsewhere

Oh boy. Who did you have fitting you at Everglides if you don’t mind me asking?
When it comes to skates and things like this, I’m pretty serious and can say I’ve done a fair amount of research. I’m going to be pretty adamant about things, even if they try push me towards something I know won’t work for me.

 

[Vladik]

If you won't go to Al's for a fitting, at least phone or email them about their CA stock. Wouldn't recommend importing blades yourself from the EU as post Brexit, you'll likely be hit with customs fees.
Al was able to get a narrow width Jackson from Canada for me within a week.
I'm also curious about the comments about your size. It's not that tiny, compared to age and size range of customers buying boots. Unless you need a narrow fitting.

I’ve sent a message to Al’s asking about CA! So will wait for a reply on that.

I’m really not sure either, she just told me it’s not the most popular or common size that gets sold there as it’s relatively small.

 

[Lucie]

I’m about 5’6 and a half, and don’t weigh a lot, but have been told I have strong legs. I’m in Risport Electra Light and have been since I started skating in September last year, but have no support whatsoever! So wanted an upgrade!

I guess I will have to see how it goes when I get fitted in real life soon. I can’t make a fair judgement just yet. Will need to try the boots on!

Thank you so much!

The Debut come up stiffer than they’re rated so might still be an option, they have more lateral support than the Electra in my opinion but if you want a boot that’s going to last you through all
your singles maybe premiere or rf3 pro

 

[Vladik]

The Debut come up stiffer than they’re rated so might still be an option, they have more lateral support than the Electra in my opinion but if you want a boot that’s going to last you through all
your singles maybe premiere or rf3 pro

Do you know which one of the two brands has a narrower heel? (Jackson or Risport). Or does it differ depending on model?

I have narrow heels but quite wide feet towards the toes and ball of my foot.
I’ve never tried Jackson’s, only ever tried on Risport Electra (my current boots), and Graf 500’s which I creased my first time bending my knees in them during my fitting, so that was definitely off the table.

 

[Lucie]

Oh boy. Who did you have fitting you at Everglides if you don’t mind me asking?
When it comes to skates and things like this, I’m pretty serious and can say I’ve done a fair amount of research. I’m going to be pretty adamant about things, even if they try push me towards something I know won’t work for me.

Lara. I was relying on their fitting expertise to tell me which brand of boot was the best shape for my feet, which stiffness, which blade was right etc, basically everything!

If you already know what brand of boots works for you and what stiffness you need and are confident about saying what you want you should be fine.

 

[Lucie]

Do you know which one of the two brands has a narrower heel? (Jackson or Risport). Or does it differ depending on model?

I have narrow heels but quite wide feet towards the toes and ball of my foot.
I’ve never tried Jackson’s, only ever tried on Risport Electra (my current boots), and Graf 500’s which I creased my first time bending my knees in them during my fitting, so that was definitely off the table.

On my feet Jacksons feel narrower in the heel than Risports, it does differ a little between models, both brands fit more snug as you go up the range I believe

 

[Vladik]

Re the bolded: they’re not, they don’t have many models in stock and will try to push you into something they have rather than order in something that might be better

Just curious about this, I know you mentioned you had a bad experience and I’m sorry to hear that.

In my case, they have ordered a variety of stock in for me, and I’ll be trying 6 different boots on the day. If I’m trying all 6, I doubt they can really push me towards one, I think that’s just down to my decision, at least I’d hope.

 

[Vladik]

Lara. I was relying on their fitting expertise to tell me which brand of boot was the best shape for my feet, which stiffness, which blade was right etc, basically everything!

If you already know what brand of boots works for you and what stiffness you need and are confident about saying what you want you should be fine.

I’ve got Lara too, she’s absolutely lovely.

I’ve done a lot of research, and with me trying on a variety of boots on the day, I think it’s safe to say I’ll be okay. I know what fits my feet!! Blades are the only issue here I think!

 

[Lucie]

Just curious about this, I know you mentioned you had a bad experience and I’m sorry to hear that.

In my case, they have ordered a variety of stock in for me, and I’ll be trying 6 different boots on the day. If I’m trying all 6, I doubt they can really push me towards one, I think that’s just down to my decision, at least I’d hope.

It sounds like they should have appropriate models in stock for you and you have an idea what you’re looking for so you’ll probably have a better experience than me

 

[Vladik]

On my feet Jacksons feel narrower in the heel than Risports, it does differ a little between models, both brands fit more snug as you go up the range I believe

Ahhh, I’ve heard different opinions with that. Risport’s heel seems fine on me. So I’m keen to stay with Risport, but willing to try Jackson of course. My friend has tried a variety of boots (both Jackson and Risport) and insisted that Jackson had a wider heel on her. I guess it’s down to the person and their foot shape I suppose.

 

[Vladik]

It sounds like they should have appropriate models in stock for you and you have an idea what you’re looking for so you’ll probably have a better experience than me

Once again, really sorry you had a bad experience! When was this?

I’m hoping you have better boots now. I don’t think I’ll have a bad experience when it comes to the boots luckily, which is a relief.

 

[Lucie]

Once again, really sorry you had a bad experience! When was this?

I’m hoping you have better boots now. I don’t think I’ll have a bad experience when it comes to the boots luckily, which is a relief.

are you ready for an essay haha
This was a while back, I was struggling in Riedells that were both too narrow and too long - they did point this out at Everglides fair play to them. I didn’t know what brand would suit my foot shape, I hadn’t really done any research; I asked her which would and she just shrugged and said to go for whichever felt most comfortable. She tried me in a Jackson which was too soft and I now know an entire size too large, it felt too big (obviously) so she put me in a Risport 265which I now know was a half size too large, it felt too long but the heel was a good fit. She also put me in an Edea in 265 which felt ok lengthwise but heel wasn’t as locked as the Risport. Instead of giving me a Risport in a smaller size (I now wonder if they didn’t have one in stock) she put me in an Edea in a smaller size ‘to get a better heel lock’ which I now know is not what a fitter should do, these felt too small but she assured me that was because they were a competition fit and would be comfortable after heat moulding which they were initially - I now know that Edea say NOT to heat mould them. She seemed really keen on Edeas, really plugged them saying she wore them herself and so did all her friends and would never go back to another boot brand etc.
After I got them home they felt tight again and on ice they made my heels and big toes go completely numb. I contacted Everglides about this but they denied any responsibility for the fit - they make you sign a form to this effect when you buy them - and said it was because I’ve changed my mind about how I want my boots to feel. When I took the insole out of them it was half a cm shorter than my foot!
On Ic3Rabbit’s advice and Al’s fitting I ended up in Risport 260 and have just bought some Jackson’s as my feet fit both - Edea are completely wrong for my foot shape

 

[Vladik]

are you ready for an essay haha
This was a while back, I was struggling in Riedells that were both too narrow and too long - they did point this out at Everglides fair play to them. I didn’t know what brand would suit my foot shape, I hadn’t really done any research; I asked her which would and she just shrugged and said to go for whichever felt most comfortable. She tried me in a Jackson which was too soft and I now know an entire size too large, it felt too big (obviously) so she put me in a Risport 265which I now know was a half size too large, it felt too long but the heel was a good fit. She also put me in an Edea in 265 which felt ok lengthwise but heel wasn’t as locked as the Risport. Instead of giving me a Risport in a smaller size (I now wonder if they didn’t have one in stock) she put me in an Edea in a smaller size ‘to get a better heel lock’ which I now know is not what a fitter should do, these felt too small but she assured me that was because they were a competition fit and would be comfortable after heat moulding which they were initially - I now know that Edea say NOT to heat mould them. She seemed really keen on Edeas, really plugged them saying she wore them herself and so did all her friends and would never go back to another boot brand etc.
After I got them home they felt tight again and on ice they made my heels and big toes go completely numb. I contacted Everglides about this but they denied any responsibility for the fit - they make you sign a form to this effect when you buy them - and said it was because I’ve changed my mind about how I want my boots to feel. When I took the insole out of them it was half a cm shorter than my foot!
On Ic3Rabbit’s advice and Al’s fitting I ended up in Risport 260 and have just bought some Jackson’s as my feet fit both - Edea are completely wrong for my foot shape

Wow! So sorry you had that experience, it sounds like a nightmare. Luckily, I wasn’t pushed towards Edea and she told me my feet were definitely not suited to Edea at all (which I definitely agree with) so won’t be trying any of them.

I’m glad you’re in better boots now though.

 

[WednesdayMarch]

I know Everglides and their staff and have never seen them have a customer try a boot without also taking out the insole to see the foot on it. Never. It is important to remember, however, that their fittings depend massively on feedback from the person being fitted. They can only work with what that person tells them. You have to be absolutely honest and very, very details and picky. This is easier when you have been skating for decades and know exactly what you like and need, but you have to really concentrate and mention any niggles, however slight.

With one of my skaters, who has some learning disabilities, Lara brought out the boot that I currently wear to try for the fit. My skater loved the look of it but when she stood up and tried to bend her knees she said, "Too stiff!" There was never a chance that she was going to be recommended that boot, it was to see if she liked the fit of that line of boots and that was the only model available in store at the time. She ended up in Risport Electras with Legacy 7 blades and is absolutely delighted with them. This is a small, light adult skater with good skills and strength but who doesn't jump a vast amount. Personally I would have gone towards the RF3 Pros, but she's hammered those boots for 6 months and they held up perfectly. Had our rink not closed, I am confident that she'd still be wearing them for another year. Boots do not last forever, so please don't expect to get years out of them! If you do, they were probably too stiff to start with.

This particular went from MK Professional blades to the Legacy 7s, having been given the choice of Coronation Aces or Legacy. I let her choose. She liked the price point of the Legacys - along with the look! - and seems to be very happy with her choice. I was confident that with her work ethic and determination to conquer everything she wants to do, she would be fine and she is.

One of our recent senior champions was knocking out triple Axels and fabulous spins on Legacys (probably 8s but I can't swear to it) so it's not like they are unskateable.

Here's the important bit:- I would always, ALWAYS pick traditional Coronation Ace for most skaters at your level but if you can't find them in your size and the wait is ridiculous, then Legacy 7s won't be a huge error. You'll be fine and love them after your Rotations! And next time you can progress to Aces.

And now I'm going to hide from The Wrath of The Rabbit...

 

[tstop4me]

Everywhere seems to be pushing the Legacy’s!

That reflects the realities of the marketplace at this time. As I mentioned back in my Reply #29, there are only 4 major suppliers of figure skate blades (I'm excluding low-end house brands): HD Sports (Wilson and MK), Jackson Ultima, Riedell Eclipse, and Paramount. HD Sports and Riedell Eclipse both have major delivery issues right now, so that leaves two. Paramount is a great option right now in the US, but not so much internationally [though I still encourage you to explore that option]. So that leaves Jackson Ultima internationally. That forces UK retailers to pivot. Since Wilson and MK are manufactured in Sheffield, UK retailers could get factory stock quickly in the past. But now they need to import blades. With the longer processing and shipping times, UK retailers now need to order stock in advance and maintain more extensive inventory than they're used to [especially since Jackson is undergoing corporate reorgs too, and who knows how stable their supply will be]. This is expensive. And once they've paid for the inventory, they of course need to sell it to stay afloat. And it will meet the needs of many customers, especially those who can't wait 5 months (maybe!) for a Wilson/MK blade.

.

 

[Vladik]

I know Everglides and their staff and have never seen them have a customer try a boot without also taking out the insole to see the foot on it. Never. It is important to remember, however, that their fittings depend massively on feedback from the person being fitted. They can only work with what that person tells them. You have to be absolutely honest and very, very details and picky. This is easier when you have been skating for decades and know exactly what you like and need, but you have to really concentrate and mention any niggles, however slight.

With one of my skaters, who has some learning disabilities, Lara brought out the boot that I currently wear to try for the fit. My skater loved the look of it but when she stood up and tried to bend her knees she said, "Too stiff!" There was never a chance that she was going to be recommended that boot, it was to see if she liked the fit of that line of boots and that was the only model available in store at the time. She ended up in Risport Electras with Legacy 7 blades and is absolutely delighted with them. This is a small, light adult skater with good skills and strength but who doesn't jump a vast amount. Personally I would have gone towards the RF3 Pros, but she's hammered those boots for 6 months and they held up perfectly. Had our rink not closed, I am confident that she'd still be wearing them for another year. Boots do not last forever, so please don't expect to get years out of them! If you do, they were probably too stiff to start with.

This particular went from MK Professional blades to the Legacy 7s, having been given the choice of Coronation Aces or Legacy. I let her choose. She liked the price point of the Legacys - along with the look! - and seems to be very happy with her choice. I was confident that with her work ethic and determination to conquer everything she wants to do, she would be fine and she is.

One of our recent senior champions was knocking out triple Axels and fabulous spins on Legacys (probably 8s but I can't swear to it) so it's not like they are unskateable.

Here's the important bit:- I would always, ALWAYS pick traditional Coronation Ace for most skaters at your level but if you can't find them in your size and the wait is ridiculous, then Legacy 7s won't be a huge error. You'll be fine and love them after your Rotations! And next time you can progress to Aces.

And now I'm going to hide from The Wrath of The Rabbit...

That’s a relief! I know what I want in a boot, so I’m sure it’ll go okay.

Do you know why they’d try me in a boot like Jackson Elite and Royal Prime? It stumped me alongside a few other people in this thread. Maybe, like you said, it’s to try get a feel for the fit. I’m not sure.

I don’t want to be overbooted or underbooted. It seems to be a common problem for a lot of people at my rink. My friends just been fitted by some guy at our rink, and he’s recommended her Piano, Concerto or Ice Fly alongside a pair of CA Lites. She’s in Skate UK 7 and 14 years old. I dread saying anything to her. But then again, there’s that whole, “You can’t overboot in Edea”, which I’m not sure if there is any truth to. Also just met a girl who started skating the same time as me, is working at a lower level than me (she’s learning 3 turns and backwards crossovers), and just got put into Risport Royal Prime and CA Lite by Everglides.

And don’t let IceRabbit see your comment!!! I’ve been leaning towards Legacy 7 recently, despite being advised otherwise. It is not my first choice, but the probable 20 week wait for CA is too much for me. It’d be nice to get something on the day, (she confirmed for me they will DEFINITELY have a Legacy 7 on the day for me). I understand waiting periods are important though. I don’t even know anymore.

 

[Vladik]

That reflects the realities of the marketplace at this time. As I mentioned back in my Reply #29, there are only 4 major suppliers of figure skate blades (I'm excluding low-end house brands): HD Sports (Wilson and MK), Jackson Ultima, Riedell Eclipse, and Paramount. HD Sports and Riedell Eclipse both have major delivery issues right now, so that leaves two. Paramount is a great option right now in the US, but not so much internationally [though I still encourage you to explore that option]. So that leaves Jackson Ultima internationally. That forces UK retailers to pivot. Since Wilson and MK are manufactured in Sheffield, UK retailers could get factory stock quickly in the past. But now they need to import blades. With the longer processing and shipping times, UK retailers now need to order stock in advance and maintain more extensive inventory than they're used to [especially since Jackson is undergoing corporate reorgs too, and who knows how stable their supply will be]. This is expensive. And once they've paid for the inventory, they of course need to sell it to stay afloat. And it will meet the needs of many customers, especially those who can't wait 5 months (maybe!) for a Wilson/MK blade.

.

I’m in Sheffield! Was hoping I’d get a shorter waiting time but it doesn’t seem likely.

I’ve messaged Al’s Skate Shop to ask if they have any CA in stock. They told me they have a few sizes. Issue is, I’ve got no clue what size I’ll need right now, so planning ahead it’s tough. Everglides told me the wait will be about 20 weeks, which I’m not willing to wait. Any other options here? Anywhere else that may perhaps have them? Edit: Al’s Skate Shop just confirmed that the wait could be 20 weeks!

 

[Perihelion]

I have narrow heels and ankles and was told not to consider Risport Royal Pros as they have roomier heels than the RF3s. Shame as they have very nice padding. RF3s in a B width were wider in the heel and rest of the foot, than Jackson Debut in R width for me. Usually stocked widths in the UK are C width for Risport and W for for Jackson.