Prices of boots and blades

[pink_flower77]

Hi everyone!
i've posted here a few times before, i would more often, but can't, due to lack of spare time.
So anyhoo, i'm a high school(soon to be) student who is too young to get a job and i have a very limited budget.
I know boots and blades are tremendously expensive, but my first pair of skates were cheap second hand. I am in desperate need of a new pair, for it has absolutely no support, the leather flops over and when i bend down into a sit spin, the creases bite painfully into my foot. i can't point my foot currently because of the scabs:x This being the first summer since i started skating, I have very limited ice time, because of transportation problems and my lack of age to acquire a car. So since march, i've skated only 4 times, all of public sessions. i absoulty cannot skate on these skates anymore. I landed my flip after a long absence, and when i did, my skates practically buckled. my ankle was like practically at a 90 degree angle with my blade
8O

so what I came to ask is how much did your boots/blades cost? I have a budget of maybe 200 bucks, maybe a bit more. My level is that im consistant in my singles, cept for axel, becuz i only had 6 months of group lessons. have a sit spin, slow camel, decent scratch. my current very cheap peeling blade is very very flat from what i can see. I think my boots are cut too high up, for im not a very big child for my age. i weight 88 pounds if that helps any.
oh gosh, im kinda known among my friends to drift off topic, which is probably what im doing right now....well, to sum it up, how much money did you pay for your boots/blades?

I thank you in advance for helping!
-vicki

[dbny]

Try to get to a pro shop and get yourself fitted for a Riedell boot. Try on the 320's (Bronze Star) and even the Silver Stars and Gold Stars. When you know what size fits (hopefully, Riedell will fit you) you can look for a used boot/blade combo. Your local pro shop and/or club may have some available. If not, enlist your parents to bid for you on ebay. There are some very good buys there. I'm suggesting Riedell because it is the most available boot and you are more likely to find a good used pair, but if you come across used SP Teri's or Harlick's that fit, go for it.

[Mrs Redboots]

Okay, so you are too young to get a job, but that means you aren't too old to have a birthday! And Christmas, of course, if your family celebrates it.

Why don't you go to your local skate shop and price a few good beginner boots and perhaps Coronation Ace blades - and/or see if you can find some secondhand (maybe the teachers at your rink run an informal second-hand skate network, like they do at ours?). Then, when you know how much money you'll need, you could try to negotiate a loan from your parents, asking them to buy you the skates now, and pay them back out of your birthday/Christmas money. Or even pay back a couple of dollars a week from your allowance.

Other ideas: even if you can't get a paid job outside the home yet, would your parents be prepared to pay you - or fund your new skates - for doing regular chores like washing the car, or clearing up after the evening meal, or something like that. Make it something you don't have to do anyway, and make sure you do a fantastic job!

But really, your first port of call should be your parents - if they see you are genuinely anxious to buy new skates at the least possible expense to them, they may well be more willing and able to help you than you imagine. And you know all the stuff about coming over mature and responsible and not whining, and so on, don't you! ;)

[whizzoom2002]

deleted

[pink_flower77]

thanks for the replies:)
my parents know how much I need new skates, lol....and also, my allowance is only $10 per month, and i go out with friends a lot, and not much is free, lol. so allowance payment is outta the question.
So i've been hearing that riediells are one of the cheaper brands that are still of some use?

-vicki:)

[dbny]

Originally posted by pink_flower77
So i've been hearing that riediells are one of the cheaper brands that are still of some use?
-vicki:)

It's not that they are particularly cheap, but rather that there are a lot of them available. If they fit you, which they might not, you can get a good buy. Take a look at Riedell on ebay (http://search-desc.ebay.com/search/search.dll?GetResult&SortProperty=MetaNewSort&query=riedell&srchdesc=y&ebaytag1=ebayreg&ht=1&combine=y&st=2)

[CanAmSk8ter]

Originally posted by dbny
It's not that they are particularly cheap, but rather that there are a lot of them available. If they fit you, which they might not, you can get a good buy. Take a look at Riedell on ebay (http://search-desc.ebay.com/search/search.dll?GetResult&SortProperty=MetaNewSort&query=riedell&srchdesc=y&ebaytag1=ebayreg&ht=1&combine=y&st=2)

eBay isn't a bad idea, but get fitted by a qualified skate fitter first. Whatever you do, DO NOT try to guess by your shoe size. Skates, especially Riedells, don't tend to run the same as shoes, and improperly fitted skates are basically worthless, not to mention almost certain to cause injuries. Also, skates come in widths and since most shoes don't it's hard to know whether you need something other than average B width.

[dbny]

Riedells run about 2 sizes smaller than street shoes, which could be a starting point for you, but do get fitted properly. If you have a wide foot, Riedells will probably not do.

[toepicker]

I definitely agree that you can pick up some good deals on used boots and blades, particularly blades. Most arenas have bulletin boards where such things can be posted. If you end up buying new blades, I will offer my two cents worth on the blades I just got. I do both freestyle and dance, although I consider myself more of a freestyler. I jsut got a new pair of Ultima Legacy Freestyle blades and I LOVE them. I switched from Coronation Aces, which I did not like. The Legacys were actually less than the Aces (about $150), so if you end up buying new, I recommend considering the Legacy.

[ddpskater]

The highest level Jackson skate that comes with a blade (a Mark IV) is about $150 and is seviceable. Once you go to the Elite Jacksons, it will be about $150+ for the boot and you could get a Professional or Coronation Ace blade for about $150 or a little less if you shop around. The Jacksons seem to be the least expensive that provide support for at least 6-12 months of daily skating. Good luck

[Yazmeen]

I would personally recommend that you try for a new boot, or one that is as nearly new as possible--as my sharpener said recently to me, "you get a used boot, you get the previous owner's problems with it." I made the (now realized) mistake of getting a used boot and adding a new blade when I was a beginner--it turns out the boot is too big, not designed for my narrow heel, and the blades were not centered properly when they were put on. Whatever you do, work with a professional to measure and check your foot, pick out the brand that is right for you and get the best option possible, new or used. Lack of knowledge and naivete got in my way with my present boots, and I'm really looking forward to my new ones (Klingbeils) in a few weeks!!