Advice Needed About Boots

[5Cents]

I am in need of a new pair of figure skates and welcome any advice you can offer. :o

I am a female adult skater who began taking lessons about two years ago. I skate 2-3 times per week. My current skates are Jackson Mystique with Ultima Mark IV blades, size 7B.

Here's the problem. My left foot is a size 6 1/2M and my right is a size 7 1/2M. My left boot has always felt fine. My right boot has always pinched terribly around the ball of my right foot. The right boot has been punched out. (In many respects, I think this boot is negatively impacting my skating progress.) I live in St. Louis and none of the dealers here actually stocks a pair of boots in my size that I can try on before committing to purchase. Further, each dealer has come up with a different measurement of my feet. What to do? :frus:

Also, has anyone had any experience with the Women's Jackson Elite?

Thank you!

5Cents

[Skate@Delaware]

I am currently in the Elite, so is my daughter. Your feet sound like my daughters (different lengths hers are also different widths). We had to go "custom sizing" for her which added to the cost...I think about $75-100 extra.

Well worth it, if you figure how much time you spend in the boots, and how much force is exerted when you jump, spin, etc. (even doing regular stuff like crossovers exerts forces). If your feet are happy then your whole body is happy!!!

[Isk8NYC]

Hi 5Cents, welcome to SkatingForums!

What level skating are you currently doing? Do you jump and spin? I'm asking because the Jackson Elites are a big step up from the Jackson Mystiques. If you're a high-level skater, or if you're tall, it's a good boot to consider. It's just a big jump in terms of boot strength and support.

The Mystiques are a lower-level skate set with a pre-attached blade. While the Mark IV blade is good, the PVC bottom of the skate prevents the pro shops from adjusting the blade if needed. (Do you have rivets or screws?)

Elites are purchased boot-only; you buy the blade separately and have it attached. Some pro shops create a "package" for the Elite with a blade deal.

What's nice about the Elite boot is that, unlike the Mystiques, they can be heat-molded. That might let you buy an "in-between" size for your skates and have one molded smaller and one molded larger.

<ETA: I just read that the Mystiques are heat moldable - did you have that done? Maybe the newer models are heat molded. Hmmm. >

Had you considered the Jackson Freestyle or Competitor skate sets? They come with pre-attached blades and are good for skaters working on single jumps. Both are a "step up" from your current Mystique skates, with leather soles/heels and more padding. The Competitor comes with a Mirage blade, which is a step up from the Mystique/Freestyle Mark IV blade. (Actually, the Mark IV isn't a bad blade, but Jackson has sporadic problems with the chrome peeling off.)

Just a thought.

[doubletoe]

I hate to say it, but it sounds to me like you should bite the bullet and invest in a pair of custom boots (which is what you have to pay for anyway if you order them in two different sizes). You only have one pair of feet, and the price you'll have to pay if you continue to squeeze your foot into a boot that is too small is a price that cannot be measured in dollars. Just don't let anyone put you in boots that are TOO stiff, which they sometimes assume you want if you order customs. BTW, if you do order customs, people seem to generally agree that Klingbeils are the best value for the money.

[5Cents]

Thanks everyone for your input. I appreciate your candor.

Isk8NYC -

I bought my Mystiques about two years ago and they were not heat moldable. I knew nothing about skates but concluded that they were better than the ones I could rent at the rink. The shop that sold my skates to me, employs predominately teenagers (you know, the hockey crowd) and the employee that I worked with didn't honestly know anything about figure skates. My first blades did peal. In addition, about a year after I purchased them, the same employee ruined my blades during sharpening. The store agreed to replace my blades at no charge and that's how I ended up with the Mark IV blade. I have a private individual that sharpens my blades now and I am pleased with his work.

I think it's safe to classify me as still a beginning skater. The first year I took group lessons and can honestly say that I didn't learn much. The instruction was inconsistent and in a group I found I formed a lot of bad habits. But I did make some great friends! :) I started taking private lessons after the first year. This helped but progress was still very slow. I switched to a new instructor about three months ago and wow progress is finally being made! I do not jump and my spins are quite sad to witness. Eventually, I'll get there. Anyway, my new instructor has recommended the Elite skates to which my current blades would be mounted. I think part of the rational is that in addition to a better fit, I won't have to purchase boots again for several years.

The Elite is a serious boot. It is well beyond my current skill level. The problem in all of this is that I can't try on the boots before I commit to purchase (irrelevant of the dealer). Once ordered, it's a done deal. The two shops in town that sell figure skates have come up with different measurements of my feet. My instructor, who also sells skates, has come up with yet another measurement. Who to trust? :frus: :lol: I'm not keen on making a $300 mistake. (I do feel confident that my instructor is not simply trying to make a buck off of me. I can't try on any skates in my size anywhere in town. In essence, I have to make a blind purchase.)

What's the risk in over booting? How might it affect ones skating progress?

5Cents

[Isk8NYC]

Gee, I thought St. Louis had a number of pro shop options. Did you check Jackson's vendor list?
It's really tough, trying to buy skates without trying them on first.
Too bad there aren't other skaters with the boots/sizes you need. I'm sure they'd let you borrow them for a try on.

I wonder if the Elites might be too stiff for you.
While they'll last forever, they won't be break in and be comfortable for quite some time.
Too stiff a boot prevents you from being able to bend the ankle and knee, which makes skating really difficult.

The Mark IV blade is fine for a beginner.
You can get the Freestyle boot without a blade, and I think the same is true of the Competitor.

A full size difference is tough to overcome.
I can understand doubletoe's recommendation of custom boots that aren't too stiff.
Try sending Jackson an email and ask about the custom sizing that Skate@Delaware mentioned.