I am desperate for some help with the right boots selection for my daughter. My apologies beforehand for not being able to explaint this in professional words. I'm just a mom (never skated myself), amd also, we are from a non-English speaking country, but I try my best to explain.
My daughter is a petite synchro skater at the junior level. 151 cm tall and around 42-44 kilos, not very muscular, her growth apparently over. She's been skating for the past four years in Risport RF2 skates, size 235 C. The skates are still in good condition, but we thought about changing for the following reasons.
Covid just hit 4 years ago when she needed new skates, so we ended up ordering something without testing. The result was a boot that was too big, both in width and length. We solved that problem at the time by using 2 pairs of socks (normal cotton ones). After a year, she managed with one pair of socks, and it seems her foot hasn't really grown since then. When we bought that boot, she also changed from a normal blade to a dance blade. The most noticeable effect of that was the velocity of her spins for the worse. We know that's normal at the beginning when changing to a dance blade, but she'd been a super, super fast spinner and now is still not even close in comparison to how she could spin back then (her previous skate had been Risport Royal Pro). I'm thinking now the too big boot was a reason, rather than the blades.
She's recently had her feet measured by a professional, who first suggested 230, but that seemed too small for her, so she tested boots at 230 -235 C and also a 240 boot. She tested this at a stand in a competition, so they had a limited selection of boots, and none in her small size at her advanced level. She basically tested some Risport Antares and Royal Pro just for size comparisons, but that felt like the wrong way to go.
Nonetheless, we concluded that she probably needs 235 B. Since the RF2 model is not on the market anymore, we've looked around for Royal Prime, Riport Royal Elite, and Riport RF1 Elite, which seem to be the only options at her level. We've just ordered the Royal Prime 235 B, and my daughter absolutely hates them. (Mind, the blades aren't attached yet, so we've only tested the boots at home). Her biggest complaint is that the boot is too low-cut in the back and she feels that she has no ankle support. Another complaint is that when she bends her knees, the tongue doesn't bend forwards, but presses down on the top of her foot. In the past (with the Royal Pros), she's also had the problem that the tongue would slide inwards, chafing against her toes. I feel like she doesn't even want to give the boots a proper try. The product description says the exact opposite of what she claims, namely that the low-cut design is specifically meant to better support the ankle and also better for those with Achilles problems. She doesn't have any actual Achilles problems, other than that her knee-bend is not the best, because she physically cannot get lower (her words). Sorry for not being able to explain this better. I also read that the tongue problems of older Risport models have been fixed. I'm trying to tell her that it's just a matter of time and she would get used to it. Another reason for why I thought the Royal Prime would be the best option is that it's the lightest boot on the market, and since she's so short, it would help her with keeping up the speed. Her RF2s also have 65 stiffness compared to the Prime with 90. That seems like a big jump, but most of what her team mates have. She also complains that she has no room for her toes in the new Primes. Because her current boots have always been a bit too big, she is used to being able to move her toes. She knows that in new boots it would feel tighter at first, but she fears that her toes would go numb. I feel that she's not supposed to be able to actually move her toes, and that her moves and turns would be more precise with the tighter B width.
She wishes to try the Risport Elite boots, however. Based on the online pictures (we cannot find any actual numbers on this), these boots seem to be higher. Her current RF2 is very high, so how high is the RF1 Elite and the Royal Elite in comparison? Are they closer to the Royal Prime or the RF2? Also, the Royal Elite is apparently not being produced anymore either, so it's tough finding these boot anymore in her size. Personally, I'm also thinking that there must have been a reason why they were removed from the market. Were there issues with these?
Yesterday, we also took out the soles from the Prime boots (235 B) and the RF2 boots (235 C), and we saw zero difference. Now I'm thinking whether C might be better for her after all, or perhaps 240? I'm also wondering whether it's really necessary for her to upgrade to a boot with stiffness 90 from 65. Also, what are the actual differences between the Risport RF line and the Risport Royal line? I've been thinking whether Risport Royal Pro might also be an option, but she would feel like downgrading, since she last skated these at the juvenile level. And these are also lower cut.
I'm sorry for the long post, but buying boots is very hard for us. We live far away from the closest skating shop, so a trip there would cost the same as the boots themselves. Also, we cannot find all the models she would want to ideally test in her sizes (230-240 B-C) in just one shop, and we don't feel like asking them to order 3 different models in 6 different sizes each. :/
I really hope someone can help us fast. I need to return/send back the Royal Prime boots soon, if we decide not to buy them. It seems that the only other option on the market are the RF1 Elite boots. (And perhaps the Royal Prime if we can still find them). And my daughter prefers Risport; she skated only once (at age 9-10) for one season in Riedells, but she felt the Risport were best for her skills.
Thanks in advance for any help!
My daughter is a petite synchro skater at the junior level. 151 cm tall and around 42-44 kilos, not very muscular, her growth apparently over. She's been skating for the past four years in Risport RF2 skates, size 235 C. The skates are still in good condition, but we thought about changing for the following reasons.
Covid just hit 4 years ago when she needed new skates, so we ended up ordering something without testing. The result was a boot that was too big, both in width and length. We solved that problem at the time by using 2 pairs of socks (normal cotton ones). After a year, she managed with one pair of socks, and it seems her foot hasn't really grown since then. When we bought that boot, she also changed from a normal blade to a dance blade. The most noticeable effect of that was the velocity of her spins for the worse. We know that's normal at the beginning when changing to a dance blade, but she'd been a super, super fast spinner and now is still not even close in comparison to how she could spin back then (her previous skate had been Risport Royal Pro). I'm thinking now the too big boot was a reason, rather than the blades.
She's recently had her feet measured by a professional, who first suggested 230, but that seemed too small for her, so she tested boots at 230 -235 C and also a 240 boot. She tested this at a stand in a competition, so they had a limited selection of boots, and none in her small size at her advanced level. She basically tested some Risport Antares and Royal Pro just for size comparisons, but that felt like the wrong way to go.
Nonetheless, we concluded that she probably needs 235 B. Since the RF2 model is not on the market anymore, we've looked around for Royal Prime, Riport Royal Elite, and Riport RF1 Elite, which seem to be the only options at her level. We've just ordered the Royal Prime 235 B, and my daughter absolutely hates them. (Mind, the blades aren't attached yet, so we've only tested the boots at home). Her biggest complaint is that the boot is too low-cut in the back and she feels that she has no ankle support. Another complaint is that when she bends her knees, the tongue doesn't bend forwards, but presses down on the top of her foot. In the past (with the Royal Pros), she's also had the problem that the tongue would slide inwards, chafing against her toes. I feel like she doesn't even want to give the boots a proper try. The product description says the exact opposite of what she claims, namely that the low-cut design is specifically meant to better support the ankle and also better for those with Achilles problems. She doesn't have any actual Achilles problems, other than that her knee-bend is not the best, because she physically cannot get lower (her words). Sorry for not being able to explain this better. I also read that the tongue problems of older Risport models have been fixed. I'm trying to tell her that it's just a matter of time and she would get used to it. Another reason for why I thought the Royal Prime would be the best option is that it's the lightest boot on the market, and since she's so short, it would help her with keeping up the speed. Her RF2s also have 65 stiffness compared to the Prime with 90. That seems like a big jump, but most of what her team mates have. She also complains that she has no room for her toes in the new Primes. Because her current boots have always been a bit too big, she is used to being able to move her toes. She knows that in new boots it would feel tighter at first, but she fears that her toes would go numb. I feel that she's not supposed to be able to actually move her toes, and that her moves and turns would be more precise with the tighter B width.
She wishes to try the Risport Elite boots, however. Based on the online pictures (we cannot find any actual numbers on this), these boots seem to be higher. Her current RF2 is very high, so how high is the RF1 Elite and the Royal Elite in comparison? Are they closer to the Royal Prime or the RF2? Also, the Royal Elite is apparently not being produced anymore either, so it's tough finding these boot anymore in her size. Personally, I'm also thinking that there must have been a reason why they were removed from the market. Were there issues with these?
Yesterday, we also took out the soles from the Prime boots (235 B) and the RF2 boots (235 C), and we saw zero difference. Now I'm thinking whether C might be better for her after all, or perhaps 240? I'm also wondering whether it's really necessary for her to upgrade to a boot with stiffness 90 from 65. Also, what are the actual differences between the Risport RF line and the Risport Royal line? I've been thinking whether Risport Royal Pro might also be an option, but she would feel like downgrading, since she last skated these at the juvenile level. And these are also lower cut.
I'm sorry for the long post, but buying boots is very hard for us. We live far away from the closest skating shop, so a trip there would cost the same as the boots themselves. Also, we cannot find all the models she would want to ideally test in her sizes (230-240 B-C) in just one shop, and we don't feel like asking them to order 3 different models in 6 different sizes each. :/
I really hope someone can help us fast. I need to return/send back the Royal Prime boots soon, if we decide not to buy them. It seems that the only other option on the market are the RF1 Elite boots. (And perhaps the Royal Prime if we can still find them). And my daughter prefers Risport; she skated only once (at age 9-10) for one season in Riedells, but she felt the Risport were best for her skills.
Thanks in advance for any help!
