Wide skates for beginner

[jennyk213]

I'm looking for skate suggestions for my daughter. She is 11 years old, 130 lbs, 5'2", high arches, high instep, wide feet that are the same width at mid-foot and toes, African shaped feet. She's in Learn to Skate and moving into basics level 4 when the new session starts next month. She skates 3-5 hours a week between lessons and skating on her own. We've been to three different fitters at two different shops. The first fitter sold us Riedell Crystal, which gives her pain on the outside edge of her foot, the ball of her foot and her toes are crushed with them. Went back to the same place and saw a different fitter who said the first one sold us skates that were too long, presumably to give more width. It became clear they had nothing to fit her and/or didn't know what they were doing so we left. The third fitter (different store) said Riedell are too narrow and put my daughter in Jackson Mystique, which my daughter says are more comfortable than the Riedell's. (Interestingly, she couldn't even get her fit into the Jackson's at the first store, but I don't remember which model those were). She doesn't have pain on the outer edge of her foot. She does have pain on the ball of her foot, which the fitter attributes to her never wearing high heel shoes and her feet needing to adapt. Her toes are squished - there's just not enough room for them so her two big and little toes are pushed on top of the toes next to them. I'm going to see if punching them out will help. The second fitter also said Risport Scott Hamilton could be an option but it has been discontinued and the shop doesn't have any in stock. I found a pair in her size online and am waiting for them to arrive. Are there any other skates we should be looking at? Located in Minnesota, USA.

 

[Diana Delafield]

I'm looking for skate suggestions for my daughter. She is 11 years old, 130 lbs, 5'2", high arches, high instep, wide feet that are the same width at mid-foot and toes, African shaped feet. She's in Learn to Skate and moving into basics level 4 when the new session starts next month. She skates 3-5 hours a week between lessons and skating on her own. We've been to three different fitters at two different shops. The first fitter sold us Riedell Crystal, which gives her pain on the outside edge of her foot, the ball of her foot and her toes are crushed with them. Went back to the same place and saw a different fitter who said the first one sold us skates that were too long, presumably to give more width. It became clear they had nothing to fit her and/or didn't know what they were doing so we left. The third fitter (different store) said Riedell are too narrow and put my daughter in Jackson Mystique, which my daughter says are more comfortable than the Riedell's. (Interestingly, she couldn't even get her fit into the Jackson's at the first store, but I don't remember which model those were). She doesn't have pain on the outer edge of her foot. She does have pain on the ball of her foot, which the fitter attributes to her never wearing high heel shoes and her feet needing to adapt. Her toes are squished - there's just not enough room for them so her two big and little toes are pushed on top of the toes next to them. I'm going to see if punching them out will help. The second fitter also said Risport Scott Hamilton could be an option but it has been discontinued and the shop doesn't have any in stock. I found a pair in her size online and am waiting for them to arrive. Are there any other skates we should be looking at? Located in Minnesota, USA.

I don't know shops in your area, but ordering online is an expensive gamble. If you ordered from The Sharper Edge, then they're returnable as long as they haven't been skated in and haven't been moulded, but many online sources have a no-exchange, no-refund policy. If you can afford to lose the money, or can resell the Risports if they don't fit her, OK (I've worn Risports for years and have never heard of that model), but I wouldn't buy boots that way myself.

For her stats (height/weight), she needs stronger boots than the Jackson Mystique level, even as a beginner. If you find a better fitter and they recommend Jacksons, which they may well do because of her wide feet, then the Artiste and, even more so, the Freestyle are stiffer boots that would be safer for her. They should be moulded from the start if her forefoot is compressed just trying them on, but her heel should fit snugly immediately.

I'm sure others here can give you other possible brand and model choices available in your part of the world. I'm just working from the ones you mention. Good luck!

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

I'm looking for skate suggestions for my daughter. She is 11 years old, 130 lbs, 5'2", high arches, high instep, wide feet that are the same width at mid-foot and toes, African shaped feet. She's in Learn to Skate and moving into basics level 4 when the new session starts next month. She skates 3-5 hours a week between lessons and skating on her own. We've been to three different fitters at two different shops. The first fitter sold us Riedell Crystal, which gives her pain on the outside edge of her foot, the ball of her foot and her toes are crushed with them. Went back to the same place and saw a different fitter who said the first one sold us skates that were too long, presumably to give more width. It became clear they had nothing to fit her and/or didn't know what they were doing so we left. The third fitter (different store) said Riedell are too narrow and put my daughter in Jackson Mystique, which my daughter says are more comfortable than the Riedell's. (Interestingly, she couldn't even get her fit into the Jackson's at the first store, but I don't remember which model those were). She doesn't have pain on the outer edge of her foot. She does have pain on the ball of her foot, which the fitter attributes to her never wearing high heel shoes and her feet needing to adapt. Her toes are squished - there's just not enough room for them so her two big and little toes are pushed on top of the toes next to them. I'm going to see if punching them out will help. The second fitter also said Risport Scott Hamilton could be an option but it has been discontinued and the shop doesn't have any in stock. I found a pair in her size online and am waiting for them to arrive. Are there any other skates we should be looking at? Located in Minnesota, USA.

Hi and welcome! If you daughter has those stats all the boots you have been suggested are in no way stiff enough for her. Also, with having a high instep you should look at Risport RF line (RF3 Pro would be my suggestion to try. She might need a wider width, but until you get fit by an appropriate pro fitter, who knows what they are doing then you won't truly know. And also look at the Jackson Synergy Spark boot, what is good about this boot is that Jackson tends to be more wide in the toebox and also the Synergy line is split width fit.

She'll need blades to go with whatever boot works for her, an intermediate level blade would be best. Look at the standard version of MK Pro or MK Coronation Ace.

Where in this world are you so I (we) can suggest a proper fitter?

Good luck!