buying used skates

[beachbabe]

I'm 16. I have been skating my whole life but only started taking lessons about mid december 2005. I've been progressing pretty quickly and am now starting to learn doubles.

I skate in Jackson Freestyle skates, they are pretty comfortable and stuff but lately I have been noticing that when I try to jump doubles they just feel so insecure and I don't think they really give enough support beyond single jumps. I end up feeling wobbly in the ankle even if my position is good.

I have been looking in to getting better skates, but my parents are really not into spending $600 on new skates for me. I am very athletic and have a tendancy to do one sport for a year then take up another.... They jsut don't want to make this investment yet.

So i thought about buying used skates, and i went to an online skate exchange. I am thinking of buying the Harlick competitor skates, and I am looking for something not too old (maybe a month or 2 of skating)...but for slightly cheaper.

Does anyone know the approximate range of prices i should aim to pay for such boots, or maybe any other boot reccomendations for me to move up to?

[Debbie S]

Actually, at your level (assuming you want to stay in Jacksons), you could get Jackson 3100s (the model they have for doubles) for about $350 (I don't know the exact price). Of course, blades will be extra.

Depending on your height and weight, the Harlick Competitors might not be enough boot for you (particularly if they are used). I think their model that is designed for skaters doing doubles is the High-Tester. Harlicks are more expensive than Jacksons, though. Since I've never bought used skates, I'm not sure what price range you should be looking for, but you might want to ask around at rinks in your area (coaches and parents) to see if anyone has a pair of skates in your size that they'd like to sell (b/c the kid outgrew them before they were broken down) - and then you would at least have some contact with the seller, which might be more reliable than buying them sight unseen.