Entry Level Skater..what skates to buy?

[slipperyfun]

Hello:
My daughter is a Pre-Alpha now, and will likely be moving into Alpha within the next month or so, maybe even Beta before her feet grow a whole size. She is 6 years old, still in rental skates (which she likes since they aren't stiff). Her feet are classified as a size 13, "medium" in width, I've been told. I'd like to get her skates of her own for her birthday next week. Can anyone recommend a good, somfortable skate for her age and skating level? I've seen "Dominion 718" and "Jackson Artiste" listed with what seem to be good remarks, but I really have no solid information about any of the brands to know where to start. Is there a place (other than ebay) that sells used skates? Would you recommend this or new? Thank you!!!

[jp1andOnly]

Find a local skate shop and go in and look around.

Personally, I'd go with the Jacksons, but you should take your daughter and have her try on different models.

Hello:
My daughter is a Pre-Alpha now, and will likely be moving into Alpha within the next month or so, maybe even Beta before her feet grow a whole size. She is 6 years old, still in rental skates (which she likes since they aren't stiff). Her feet are classified as a size 13, "medium" in width, I've been told. I'd like to get her skates of her own for her birthday next week. Can anyone recommend a good, somfortable skate for her age and skating level? I've seen "Dominion 718" and "Jackson Artiste" listed with what seem to be good remarks, but I really have no solid information about any of the brands to know where to start. Is there a place (other than ebay) that sells used skates? Would you recommend this or new? Thank you!!!

[Bothcoasts]

My own two cents are that if she's happy in the rentals and is doing fine in them, hold off on getting her her own skates until she's a little more advanced. My rink doesn't require a skater to own his/her own skates until the child is in freestyle, although some kids definitely show up with their own skates earlier. If she were having trouble with the rentals or seemed indifferent to them, then I would certainly encourage you to get her her own skates. Since she's happy in them, though, stick to them until she's progressed to a higher basic skills level or into freestyle. At the pre-alpha level, it's honestly hard to tell how long the child will stick with skating.

[Tennisany1]

When my little one was 4 years old - in Canskate level 2 (forward and backward stroking, two foot hops, learning to fall etc.) she was in Jackson Mystique which are one step down from the Artiste. She liked them well enough and was in them for a year. Last year we bought her a pair of base level Gams (1119 - Fantasia I think) and she could not believe the difference. We upgraded from the G1 to the G2 blade because she was working on a loop jump, but I think the difference was in the boot. She has a medium width foot and we had to have the Jacksons punched out a couple of times. The Gams were perfect from the first skate and her knee bend improved immediately.

As for staying in rentals, there is some merit in that; however, most little girls seem to really look forward to having their own white figure skates. If you can do it I'm sure it would mean a lot to your daughter.

Anyway, your little one really needs to try a few pairs on. Our skate shop will allow you to buy a pair to wrap up as a gift, and then you can take the child back for a proper fitting. I don't recommend buying them online if you can avoid it. Proper fit is really important.

[dbny]

I teach tots, and my favorite skate for them at the beginner levels is the Jackson Softec. It's a pink and white soft, sneaker style boot with velcro. It's more comfortable than the standard style white skates, and can carry a young beginner skater until she outgrows them. If you do buy her skates, I suggest getting her a "gift certificate" for them, so you can have them properly fitted when buying. The trip to the pro shop could be part of the gift too.

[AshBugg44]

Ugh I hate softecs in learn to skate kids, especially once they start learning 3-turns. Yuck. Our skate pro puts most beginner kids in Reidells.

[luckeylasvegas]

My daughter used Jackson and they were fine. I agree with the poster that suggested that you wait. Or better yet find a used pair from a skater that has out grown them. Breaking in skates is no fun for anyone and at that level you should be able to find a used pair that aren't broken down. In fact I think I have a sz 1 Jackson (probably an Artise or Classique) in my house somewhere.

[CanAmSk8ter]

Softecs are fine for true beginners. I agree that by the time they're doing three-turns and back crossovers they need real figure skates but for a Pre-Alpha who will probably outgrow the skates before that point, saving money by buying the Softecs isn't a bad thing. I'd rather have a kid in the Softecs than one who cant bend their knees for three classes until the skates break in and spends half the class complaining that their new skates hurt.

[Isk8NYC]

Ugh I hate softecs in learn to skate kids, especially once they start learning 3-turns. Yuck. Our skate pro puts most beginner kids in Reidells.

I liked the softecs at first, but now I'm starting to agree with you, AshBugg. I think they're fine for the little beginners, but the 7-and-up crew seem very stiff and unbending in those skates. (I've had a Basic 3-4 skater in them for almost 20 weeks now. Still stiff as starch.) Maybe the support's different inside for the bigger sizes. I'm having a hard time teaching proper stroking and crossovers to students wearing those skates. Also, I've found that they can't be stretched when little feet grow, as they always do (two days after purchase, LOL!)

To the original poster: I assume you had her measured, that's why you know the size and width? I would buy the Jacksons over the Dominions. They provide much better support and the blade's better. You can also look at a Riedell Blue Ribbon or Medallion skate; they're comparable. Just make sure to remeasure for the Riedell - they have their own sizing and they run narrow.

I will go on record stating that you should buy the skates from a good pro shop, not off the internet or through the sporting goods stores. A pro shop includes measuring/fitting, plus the initial sharpening and any adjustments you might need. (To stop blisters and rub spots, or alignment issues.) Whatever you get, don't buy them too big and make sure to HAVE THEM SHARPENED before using the skates. If they get too tight in a few months, you can have them stretched.

As for used skates, try http://www.sk8stuff.com/m_sk8exch.asp or ask the Skating Director at your rink. Another option is a local Play it Again Sports store, but their figure skate selections are usually not great; they're more into hockey.

[CanAmSk8ter]

As for used skates, try http://www.sk8stuff.com/m_sk8exch.asp or ask the Skating Director at your rink. Another option is a local Play it Again Sports store, but their figure skate selections are usually not great; they're more into hockey.

Our local Play-It-Again actually has a decent selection of good (beginner) figure skates, but I've started telling parents not to go there because I don't trust the fitting. Some of my group lesson kids have come in with skates they got there that are clearly too big, and I've had a couple whose skates hadn't been sharpened (apparently no one at the store had done so, nor had they informed the parents that they needed to be sharpened before use). I've had kids who have done fine there, but I've seen just enough who have had problems that I don't recommend our Play-It-Again anymore. Just my $0.02.

Also, that's a good point about the Softecs not being able to be stretched, I hadn't thought of that. I still like them on Basic 1 and 2, but yeah, even for the stroking on Basic 3 I think a better skate is probably helpful.

[Bothcoasts]

Some of my group lesson kids have come in with skates they got there that are clearly too big...

My rink's had this problem too, but interestingly enough, our problem is coming from the pro shop of another rink. I'm not sure if parents have been telling the pro shop that they want skates that will last a long time, or whether the rink is just fitting skaters in big skates. Anyway, we've seen a noticeable increase in the number of basic skills skaters in decent Riedells and Jacksons that are 2-3 sizes too big. The poor kids have been struggling simply not to catch a toe pick.

[Isk8NYC]

We have this problem, too. Sometimes the parents want it bigger, so they "last longer." I've been promoting the concept of stretching skates to overcome this among the parents.

The pro shops are not above taking direction from the parents OR selling what they have in stock, rather than chance losing the sale. If a kid needs a wide width that's not in stock, the pro shop will move them up to the next bigger skate size. So, I'm teaching students yachting - how to guide these boats on their feet!

My new solution for the slightly-too-big skates is to tell the parents to cut an extra insole from a Dr. Scholls or from white craft felt. Put them both back in the skate and some of the size problems go away. (A half-lengthwise pattern can overcome some of the blade misalignments that can't be corrected on the riveted blades. It works like a shim, changing the way the foot sits inside the skate.

[AshBugg44]

I always tell my customers that Play It Again sells used skates, but that I honestly do not recommend going there unless you already have been fitted. They don't understand how skates should fit and don't do fittings properly!

[dbny]

Also, that's a good point about the Softecs not being able to be stretched, I hadn't thought of that. I still like them on Basic 1 and 2, but yeah, even for the stroking on Basic 3 I think a better skate is probably helpful.

OTOH, the Softecs stand up well to wear, are inexpensive and can be resold for about half the original price. They are also extremely comfortable. I've also seen them transform a skater's performance when the previous skates were too narrow, which is common with Riedells and even the tot sized Jacksons. I would rather see a Basic 3 skater in properly fitted Softecs than in painful Riedells or Jacksons.