Can you tell me about these skates?

[Skittl1321]

'Riedell' F(figure) - the following is what is on the box.
121 model
wide size 5
ISE blade MFG
Saffire Blade model

From looking at the website- I'm getting that the 121 is a very beginner model- they recommend it through Basic 4 & 5. I just finished Basic 4 today (just to note, I weigh 120- I know that will affect my boot strenght).
The girl I am buying them from is working on her axel, and had them professionally fitted by someone the club brought in specifically to fit the girls ready for competition- did she just get a raw deal, or am I looking at the chart wrong?

I'd probably get them for $100- I'm not sure if that's a deal I want to take. What do you think?

[dbny]

The 121 is not a high level boot, and I could not find any info on the Sapphire model of ISE blade. I wonder how old the boots are, and if the blade is either a recreational model or discontinued. If the boot is an older model, then it is definitely not going to be strong enough for you. Riedell has upped the support in all of their models in the last few years. Have you looked at the Jackson Freetyle, which is heat moldable, comes with a blade and retails for about $180?

[Skittl1321]

She said they bought the boot this winter and the blade came with it. They've only been worn about 5 times and she was going to sell them to me for $100- that she got them for $130

I think the boot is too low level and I'd rather spend the extra $80 for the Jackson's (or a different reidell). I haven't even started looking for skates- as my rink closes in 3 weeks and at the end of the summer I'm moving to Iowa. Once I get there then I get the new skates.

This offer just fell into my lap so I thought I'd check it out. But even a good deal isn't a good one if the skate isn't right.

[CanAmSk8ter]

I think you're on the right track by wanting to wait. You could go with a marginally more sturdy boot- I put my Basic 4ish kids in the 121 but as an adult you're obviously a) heavier and b) not going to outgrow the skate. Spending the extra eighty on the Jacksons sounds like a good plan to me.

[LauraLa]

The 121 is the Reidell "Blue Ribbon," which is the boot I was recommended for my absolute beginning adult ice skating lessons. Since you're already up to Basic 4 I agree that it sounds like you should get a more advanced boot.

I love my 121's, but then I'm old and slow and can't really even do crossovers yet. I'm a total and complete beginner and also a slow learner. I say this to illustrate just what kind of adult the 121's are working well for :)

[tothepointe]

$100 doesn't really to me sound like a great price for a used pair of 121. IMHO esp when they are only $130 new

[Skittl1321]

Thank you everyone for the advice.
I'll just have to wait till after our move to get skates.

Hopefully some of the skirts she is bringing for me to try on will work out, since it doesn't look like the skates will.

[gt20001]

I am also an adult i started in the 121's and i wasnt happy with them i didnt feel they were sturdy enough. Also the blades on them arent very good especiially for adults my boyfriend had a pair an adult as well he tried to do a t stop and the blade snapped off and also i wouldnt pay 100 for them when i sold mine on ebay after only wearing them like 10 times they only sold for 60. That is probably the most i would pay for used ones. Also you are probably better off having a proffesional fitting i had my 121 model fitted in a pro shop and they fit me to big and too narrow and caused me so much headache and pain when i got my new skates it helped me to improve so much and the pain disappeared. I ended up in jacksons. The shop i got fitted at said they wouldnt recommend below the jackson freestyle for adults to start in and after starting in the 121's i feel i agree.

[flippet]

The 121s are definitely too soft for you. (Even with the newer, reworked models.) I knew one older lady who had these, and took lessons for nearly two years in them, and didn't even have a crease on the boots, but after two years, she was just passing ISI Delta. She was a very methodical learner, and liked to take her time. Very graceful, really, and just not hard on her boots in the least. But that is a rare instance.

I started in Riedell 220s (old models, probably comparable to these 121s), and they were broken down in 6 months of basic lessons. You definitely want a stiffer boot.