inline figure skates

[Verena]

Hi all!
I really enjoy all these threads about sharing the ice experience!!
...However, my self I haven't been able to figure skate for almost two years, since the last arena I could go closed down. Recently I have taken ceriously things I am hearing about those inline skates that simulate figure skates on ice. I was wondering if anybody can give me information about these.. The only company I know is pic skate co:
http://www.picskate.com/
Is anybody aware of other companies that make such skates/roller-blades?
Also, is it really true that you can actually jump (and do even double jumps) on these skates? Can you actually spin (do a camel or asit spin)?? Can you actually change edges?? On what surface are you supposed to use them - (for example can cement work)?
...If these skates are a good substitude of real figure skates on ice, then I am thinking of trying them very soon!!!

Thanks!

[russiet]

A figure/inline skating buddy of mine used Pic Skates for the first time last summer. I still have fitness inline skates.

At this time of year we figure skate a lot together and have also taken lessons together, so I know her capabilities on ice.

She likes the Pic Skates a lot & is trying to convince me to buy a pair. As far as I can see, she can do pretty much the same things on the Pic that she can on ice. She's not a great spinner, so I can't speak for that. She does a few small jumps and is really into dance. She recreates all of her moves. There, of course, are adjustments that have to be made....don't expect to slide your edges!

The wheels will hold up a lot better if you have access to a plastic sports floor. Our local arena puts one in by the end of April until mid August. My indoor wheels are still in great shape after 2 seasons. I have to replace my outdoor wheels every year (or sooner) and rotate them regularly.

If you use them out side, they will wear out pretty fast and unevenly (not unlike all inline skates). Outside you also have to be very careful about small hazards (pebbles, wet leaves, etc.). If you have a very controlled surface, like a maintained tennis court, then that would be good. I wear crash pads always outside. Inside I do without them.

If the alternative is no skating at all, I can recommend them based on what I see. I intend to get a pair when my tax refund comes in.

There are a couple of other companies that market "Artistic" inline skates or skate frames. I think there is a company called Triax. I just googled that name....here's a good comparison article:

http://www.skatelog.com/skaters/jo-ann-schneider-farris/pic-vs-triax.htm

The Pic sound better if you're a figure skater.

I hope this helps.

Jon

[TashaKat]

Hi, I've got Pic Skates (I put them on my old Wifa boots). I like them well enough and prefer them to 'regular' inline skates as they have the 'toe pick' but, to me, they're not enough like ice skates to make me want to do that in preference to ice. If I was going to do 'artistic' I would stick to the 'regular' roller boots with dance plates (I've got some somewhere ....).

An old friend of my ex, who was an excellent figure skater, could both spin and jump on them (in fact he could spin and jump on 'normal' inlines ..... git!). He did mostly cross foot rather than one foot spins, the cross foot was spectacular and that wasn't on a nice surface, that was in Kensington Gardens and in Trafalgar Square (those were the days :) ). As I said, though, he was a VERY good ice skater :)

I managed three turns, mohawks, waltz jumps, sal and toe. I tried the loop but didn't get it but then my on-ice loop wasn't that good at that point either. You can do 'edges', curves and stuff but it's not the same as on ice blades.

I've seen a Pairs Couple use Pic skates and they were pretty good, did the lifts and everything.

There was another company that just did the inline blades for you to fit onto your own boots but I can't remember the name and I've not seen them around for AGES.

[kayskate]

I have pics. have not used them lately. I find them good for edgework and dance moves. The pounding on my knees and shins from jumping on asphalt was just too much, so I did not do much of that. I am a very good ice spinner and could not learn to spin on these. Granted, I did not take pic lessons or put hours and hours into it. However, I did skate about 2x a week for 2 or 3 summers. You can order the coaches' vid from the picskate web site. it is cheap and very informative.

If I had no ice, I would also prefer quad skating. I took some quad dance lessons last yr and really enjoyed it. Quad dance, when done well, is as beautiful and graceful as ice dance, IMO. Due to time constraints, I could not continue and have since stopped quad skating. I also used to distance skate on quads on a paved trail in a park which was great exercise and a lot of fun.

Kay