Anyone use Jackson Competitors or Elites?

[AnnM]

Long story short I've been having some ongoing issues with my SP-Teris. My coach suggested a few different fixes, the ultimate one being changing boots entirely. Her recommendation if I end up going this route is for Jacksons. I'm not at all familiar with this line, so I'd love to hear your thoughts on them if you currently use or have ever used them.

I'm an adult skater working on Silver/ISI 4 test levels and skate 1-2x per week.

[Skittl1321]

I wear Jackson Competitors and they have been just fine for my level of skating. I'm about to take my bronze MITF test, have my PB free and ISI FS3 and skate 4 days a week. I don't jump much, but I do synchro. I'm a fairly small adult, at 5'0", and most people would say I'm a light build as well, though I'm technically overweight.

I bought my current pair used (for $50), and I'm the 3rd or 4th owner, so they seem to last awhile but the other owners were teeny kids - so no weight on them. There are no creases in the boots, though they are at the point where I can push the two sides together. I've had this pair for 9 months now. I'm thinking I will need new ones in the next year or so- as I've had issues with the ankle loosening as I skate. I'm not sure if this is the tongue wearing down, or a problem with the laces.

The only issue I've had with them has been the width, but that was the fitter's fault- not the boot's. The tongue isn't very well padded compared to some of the nicer skates I've seen, but a minor concession for a boot that is pretty darn cheap compared to many.

It might be the size I wear (3), or maybe it's the boot- but they seem incredibly light compared to some of the other boots skaters at our rink have.

You can get Competitors with a blade on them- Ultima Mirage. The blade isn't horrible, and for a lot of the kids it's an upgrade, but you can also buy them without the blade. I have the low level Paramount blade on mine right now.

[Clarice]

I wear Jackson Elite Supremes, having switched from SPTeri's. I'm Silver level, skate daily, and am quite a bit taller/heavier than Skittl. The Jacksons do seem lighter than the Teris did, and are roomier in the toe box, which is good, given my skate-induced bunions. I have had some issues with the tongue shifting, but that was easily fixed by cutting a couple of slits through the top layer on the tongue to thread the laces through.

[fsk8r]

I'm in Jackson Elite Plus and have been for about 4 years and I'm now about a bronze level adult, 5ft6" and I'm not saying my weight.
I love them, but they did take a while for me to break them in. Now I'm skating about 5 days a week, do dance and synchro as well as free. My only complaint about them is that it's near on impossible to get any toe point for dance in them. The backs are just too high the calf to allow for it. I'm currently trying to work out what to get in terms of dance boots and am tending towards thinking about the Jackson Synchro or their dance boots because at least I know they fit properly.
My one small complaint is that I can get blisters on the inside of my heel on my landing foot. Generally I only get them when I overdo loop jumps, but I figure overdoing any activity will cause problems.

[AnnM]

The only issue I've had with them has been the width, but that was the fitter's fault- not the boot's. The tongue isn't very well padded compared to some of the nicer skates I've seen, but a minor concession for a boot that is pretty darn cheap compared to many.

If you don't mind me asking, what is your issue regarding the width? My problem with my current skates is width-related so I'm curious. Also, do you have the boot/blade combo pair? What do you think of the blade it comes with? I was planning on continuing to use my current blades (Coronation Aces).

It sounds like the regular Elite might be best for me. I'm bigger that Skittl, but I don't skate as often as those of you in the Elite Plus.

[Skittl1321]

If you don't mind me asking, what is your issue regarding the width? My problem with my current skates is width-related so I'm curious. Also, do you have the boot/blade combo pair? What do you think of the blade it comes with? I was planning on continuing to use my current blades (Coronation Aces).

It sounds like the regular Elite might be best for me. I'm bigger that Skittl, but I don't skate as often as those of you in the Elite Plus.

The issue with the width was that the regulars were too narrow for me, but two different fitters insisted I didn't need a wide. When I was just standing in the boots, they'd be okay- but skating I'd loose feeling after only 2-3 minutes. Now I'm in a D width, and am generally okay for at least an hour unless the ice is really cold. I still had to get it punched out a bit at the ball of the foot to add some extra width.

Apparently you can get split widths- but you can't return custom orders so I didn't want to take the chance.

The blade that comes with it is worth the price they charge- which isn't much. For a silver lady, I'd say don't bother. For PB it's more than sufficient, though most adults, like myself, still upgrade. I've seen kids with a few doubles on the Mirage though. I'd stick with the blade you have.

[AnnM]

Thanks everyone for your help. I really appreciate it. :)

I'm still hoping that one of the other fixes might work out for me (since my current boots are nowhere near broken down and were $$$), but if they don't I feel better about maybe switching to Jacksons.

[aussieskater]

I have 4-5-yo Competitors (dancer 5'7". average build, working on european and foxtrot), and my husband (6'2", then same as me for build and skill level) has either the Elite or the Elite Plus (neither of us can remember), new early this year. Mine originally came with the Mirage blade, which I finally upgraded to the MK Pro, and my husband's came bladeless (he had Ultima Synchro mounted as a compromise between free and dance).

Both of us love the fit of the boots. Both are E width (mine say "D+" as their version of E width when I bought them). The toe box is round and high, rather than pointed, so there's plenty of room for my toes both vertically and horizontally. My husband's are split width (C heel, E ball) and have the dance cutout with elastic in the heel.

My boots have held up really well, but are getting a bit softer now. I suspect that some time next year I'll need new ones. Assuming that they haven't changed the last by then, I'll be going for Jacksons again - with a proper split width of B/E for the heel/ball (not available when I bought the last pair), and dance cutouts.

[fsk8r]

I have 4-5-yo Competitors (dancer 5'7". average build, working on european and foxtrot), and my husband (6'2", then same as me for build and skill level) has either the Elite or the Elite Plus (neither of us can remember), new early this year. Mine originally came with the Mirage blade, which I finally upgraded to the MK Pro, and my husband's came bladeless (he had Ultima Synchro mounted as a compromise between free and dance).

Both of us love the fit of the boots. Both are E width (mine say "D+" as their version of E width when I bought them). The toe box is round and high, rather than pointed, so there's plenty of room for my toes both vertically and horizontally. My husband's are split width (C heel, E ball) and have the dance cutout with elastic in the heel.

My boots have held up really well, but are getting a bit softer now. I suspect that some time next year I'll need new ones. Assuming that they haven't changed the last by then, I'll be going for Jacksons again - with a proper split width of B/E for the heel/ball (not available when I bought the last pair), and dance cutouts.

Is the split width an extra expense item or are they doing them as standard? I'm thinking of getting the Jackson synchro boot and the ultima synchro blade (again compromise between free and dance), but my current Jackson's are a little loose on the heel sometimes (hence loop jump blisters as I call them) but otherwise are a really good fit and I like the boots.
I'm hoping like you that they've not changed the last because they're otherwise really great boots.

[renatele]

Is the split width an extra expense item or are they doing them as standard?

I paid $50 for split-width (2.5 years ago).

[aussieskater]

Is the split width an extra expense item or are they doing them as standard? I'm thinking of getting the Jackson synchro boot and the ultima synchro blade (again compromise between free and dance), but my current Jackson's are a little loose on the heel sometimes (hence loop jump blisters as I call them) but otherwise are a really good fit and I like the boots.
I'm hoping like you that they've not changed the last because they're otherwise really great boots.

My husband paid an extra $50 for his split width but that was for only a 2-width difference (C to E). I'm not sure if mine will come in at that as I'm after a 3-width difference (B to E). As a side note, it's interesting that they're not charging more than the same $50 they charged 5 (?) years for mine - back then, you could get one width difference for $50. I did - D to D+ - as I couldn't afford customs.

For us, they've proven to be great boots, but I know they don't fit everyone.