Jackson Freestyle boot

[isakswings]

I know I have asked about these boots before, but it's been awhile and I can't find the thread. :) Anyway... my daughter is currently in a Reidell Gold Medallion boot. We have problems with the laces loosening even when I do my very best to make sure I tighten the laces as tight as I possibly can. Her coach says that part of the problem is that these boots aren't stiff enough for dd. So, since she is getting close to outgrowing her skates, I am looking at skates. I was considering a pair of Bronze Star boots until I saw a pair of Jackson Freestyle boots in person. They feel pretty stiff and I am curious if you guys think these would work for a light weight child(she's MAYBE 60 pounds) she's working on single jumps, spins ans MIF. She'll likely be working on her axel in the next year. I don't know if that will be while she is in the new boots or not. Thanks for any feedback you have.

[dbny]

I think they will most likely be too stiff for her, but ask her coach. Also, you should be aware that different brands fit differently. Someone for whom a Riedell is a good fit, may not get the right fit in a Jackson. In addition to asking her coach about her next boot, be sure to go to a good fitter.

[sk8tmum]

Freestyles are great boots. Beware, though, if your kid has narrow feet; Jacksons fit a bit wide, and we had problems with the heel staying down in that model/brand as my DD and DS have narrow heels. Riedells fit "narrow". Why not just go up one level in Riedells? I think that Jacksons are also a different heel height than the Riedells; when my DD switched from Jackson to Riedell, the difference in the heel and in the "cant" of the boot itself was a problem for a bit.

Me, I would think that a Jackson Freestyle for a 60 pounder landing singles is too stiff; our fitter would probably discourage it, but, of course, you have to work with your coach. You could look at the boot "one down" which is the Mystique I believe. Do you need a boot only or do you want a boot/blade combination?

[isakswings]

I think they will most likely be too stiff for her, but ask her coach. Also, you should be aware that different brands fit differently. Someone for whom a Riedell is a good fit, may not get the right fit in a Jackson. In addition to asking her coach about her next boot, be sure to go to a good fitter.

Thanks! I was absolutely planning on having her fit before buying her a pair. A girl at my daughter's rink just got a pair and I felt them. To me, they feel equivlant to the Bronze Star boot my daughter's friend has. I was thinking they might be a good choice for dd. I like the lower price tag too! At the same time, you are correct that boots do fit differently. She has pretty good feet so I am hoping she will fit in most stock skates OK. There are people at her rink who can fit for Jacksons, Riedell and Sp Teri. I still wish I could take her to a proshop that had models for us to look at. *sigh* Unfortunately, that is not sometihng available to us. Dd will be in Southern CA in July and I sure wish I was going to be there with her because I would consider taking her to a pro shop there! Oy. Anyway, thanks for the feedback.

[dak_rbb]

My 7 year old daughter is currently in Jackson Freestyles. She is 57 pounds, skates about 8-10 hours/week, has an Axel (or at least she did a few weeks ago) and is just starting excercises for the double Sal. The boots seem fine for her, though she's started to complain that they actually don't feel supportive anymore. I think they are actually starting to break down. However, we bought them used, so she didn't have to break in a brand new boot.

She used the Classique up until last fall. That was fine at the time, but she outgrew them just when the coach suggested a blade upgrade, so we didn't consider them again (you can't replace the blades on the Classique). I don't know if this helps, but the Freestyles worked for my daughter and a lot of other kids around here also use them. Good luck!

[BuggieMom]

Gold Medallions were stiff enough for my dd through 2flip, and she was about 65-70 pounds. Finally moved up to Bronze Stars about 5 months ago, and is working on 2Axel now, skates 9+ hours a week in these same Bronze Stars. Both these pairs of boots were fit by Mr. Edge from the SKATING magazine, who knew full well what she was working on and all the particulars. He is really against overbooting. In fact, I had to talk him into the Bronze Stars. I would rather buy her new boots every 6 months than have her over-booted. Not great for the wallet, but good for her feet!

GM's (or the equivalent) are probably fine for your dd, she just may need a new pair.

But in the end, listen to a good boot fitter and your coach

[Isk8NYC]

My kids are at the same level as your daughter.

I switched my kids from Riedell Bronze Medallions to the Jackon Freestyle skates a few years ago. Both are really well-made skates and heat-moldable. It took them about an hour to get used to them and about six hours of skating to break them in after they were molded. (Leaving the top hook undone for the first few sessions really helped. ;) )

The Freestyle boot-and-blade set comes with a standard Mark IV blade. It's hard to buy them boots-only because most people want the Mark IV - it's a decent all-purpose blade. I did upgrade their blades to MK Double Stars, asking the pro shop to swap the blades.

They went from a "C" (wide) width in Riedells to a "B" (regular) width in Jacksons. Make sure the measurer uses the right measuring tool. The Freestyles have a slightly higher heel and a roomier toe box.

I have a pair of outgrown skates in a 3 or 3.5, if you're interested in buying used. I'll check when I get home and put them up in the Trading Post.

[mamaskate]

Where is the Trading Post?

[CoachPA]

Where is the Trading Post?

The Trading Post (http://skatingforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=14).

[wasamb]

There sure is a lot of good information here.

I have a question. My dd, 78 lbs, is currently working on her single jumps, right now it's the lutz. A few months ago I bought her Freestyles because the fitter said she could bend them well enough. Her coach was away for a month, and her feet were really hurting in her old boots, so I didn't consult him. :frus: It took dd a very long time to get used to them and even though she picks up most moves quickly, her jumps still aren't that great. She hops more than jumps. Should I go down a level of boots for her or could it just be that jumps take her awhile to learn?

TIA

[Tennisany1]

^^ You don't say how old your dd is, but assuming she is quite young (7 or 8) she will probably grow out of the boots in no time. As long as she can get a knee bend when standing in the boot, and as long as they are now comfortable with no blisters, I wouldn't go changing things again. Oh, and yes, jumps are hard. To get a true lutz can take some time as the technique is tricky. Many of the kids you hear about who land a lutz on the first try are really doing a loopy thing with a bit of a toe assist :lol: Getting a long steady outside edge, picking in with the shoulders and arms correctly placed, drawing back into the jump, and landing it cleanly takes time even for talented jumpers. Don't worry about how fast your dd learns. Good technique is much more important than speed. Learning it right the first time so she doesn't have to relearn it before she can do doubles is definitely the way to go.

[katz in boots]

Interesting. At our rink kids mostly learn in Jackson Mystiques up to their first jumps that require more than 1/2 rotation. By that time they have usually grown out of or worn out their skates and skip straight to Freestyles. Hardly anyone gets Classiques. Freestyles seem to work well up to Axels.
Some have to get Competitiors (way too stiff) because they need width modifications Jackson don't do below that model.

[isakswings]

My kids are at the same level as your daughter.

I switched my kids from Riedell Bronze Medallions to the Jackon Freestyle skates a few years ago. Both are really well-made skates and heat-moldable. It took them about an hour to get used to them and about six hours of skating to break them in after they were molded. (Leaving the top hook undone for the first few sessions really helped. ;) )

The Freestyle boot-and-blade set comes with a standard Mark IV blade. It's hard to buy them boots-only because most people want the Mark IV - it's a decent all-purpose blade. I did upgrade their blades to MK Double Stars, asking the pro shop to swap the blades.

They went from a "C" (wide) width in Riedells to a "B" (regular) width in Jacksons. Make sure the measurer uses the right measuring tool. The Freestyles have a slightly higher heel and a roomier toe box.

I have a pair of outgrown skates in a 3 or 3.5, if you're interested in buying used. I'll check when I get home and put them up in the Trading Post.

I am definately interested in buying used if at all possible. I still need to talk to dd's coach about the Freestyles and I need her fit before I could buy anything. She is currently in a size 3 Riedell boot and complaining about her toes touching the end. So, it's likely time to get her new skates soon. That said, I have NO idea what size she is in Jacksons. She wears a size 3 street shoe and those have growing room in them. Anyway... if you still have them I would definately be interested providing my daughter could fit in them! LOL

[isakswings]

My 7 year old daughter is currently in Jackson Freestyles. She is 57 pounds, skates about 8-10 hours/week, has an Axel (or at least she did a few weeks ago) and is just starting excercises for the double Sal. The boots seem fine for her, though she's started to complain that they actually don't feel supportive anymore. I think they are actually starting to break down. However, we bought them used, so she didn't have to break in a brand new boot.

She used the Classique up until last fall. That was fine at the time, but she outgrew them just when the coach suggested a blade upgrade, so we didn't consider them again (you can't replace the blades on the Classique). I don't know if this helps, but the Freestyles worked for my daughter and a lot of other kids around here also use them. Good luck!

Thanks! I appreciate the feedback! I'm really interested in the Freestyle skates!

[isakswings]

Interesting. At our rink kids mostly learn in Jackson Mystiques up to their first jumps that require more than 1/2 rotation. By that time they have usually grown out of or worn out their skates and skip straight to Freestyles. Hardly anyone gets Classiques. Freestyles seem to work well up to Axels.
Some have to get Competitiors (way too stiff) because they need width modifications Jackson don't do below that model.


Thanks! The girl who just got a pair of Freestyles is in Basic 8, but she is also a lot bigger then my daughter is(probably around 80 pounds and taller). Anyway, she had a used pair of Freestyles last yr so she went right into Freestyles this time too. She's doing fine in them too. Anyway... when I felt the stiffness of the Freestyles, it reminded me a lot of the Bronze Star boots my daughter's friend uses. My daughter's friend is landing axels and starting to work on learning doubles. Thanks again.

[wasamb]

Thanks from me too! :)

[isakswings]

I talked to dd's coach today and she said these boots would likely be a good fit for dd. I don't think they are as stiff as the Bronze Star boots but they are definately a little stiffer then her Gold Medallion boots. The price is fair too. Coach would like the blade upgraded, so we'll have to see about that. I had her feet re-measured(for Riedells) on Wednesday and was told she would need a 3.5 B in Riedell. Her foot is pretty narrow so I wouldn't be surprised if dd needs a narrow boot in Jacksons. I'm planning ot have her foot measured next week! Dd is plannng to use her birthday money to buy new boots and blades. :)

[isakswings]

My kids are at the same level as your daughter.

I switched my kids from Riedell Bronze Medallions to the Jackon Freestyle skates a few years ago. Both are really well-made skates and heat-moldable. It took them about an hour to get used to them and about six hours of skating to break them in after they were molded. (Leaving the top hook undone for the first few sessions really helped. ;) )

The Freestyle boot-and-blade set comes with a standard Mark IV blade. It's hard to buy them boots-only because most people want the Mark IV - it's a decent all-purpose blade. I did upgrade their blades to MK Double Stars, asking the pro shop to swap the blades.

They went from a "C" (wide) width in Riedells to a "B" (regular) width in Jacksons. Make sure the measurer uses the right measuring tool. The Freestyles have a slightly higher heel and a roomier toe box.

I have a pair of outgrown skates in a 3 or 3.5, if you're interested in buying used. I'll check when I get home and put them up in the Trading Post.

Do you know where I can take skates to be heat molded? I don't have access to a "real" proshop so I am wondering where else I can have this done at. I ordered dd a pai of sz 4 Freestyle skates and they should be in the end of this week. Thanks!

[Isk8NYC]

Hockey skates are also heat-molded, so if you ask around, there may be a sporting goods store with the oven. Ditto for ski boots, according to a friend who lives in the mountains.

You can also use a convection oven (with a fan) to heat them at home.

[dbny]

We have problems with the laces loosening even when I do my very best to make sure I tighten the laces as tight as I possibly can.

I see the boot issue has been resolved, but now I've noticed a lace issue too. I've found that nylon laces keep stretching and therefor loosening. Try cotton or cotton blend laces. Also, tie a single knot after tightening the bottom of the boot and before lacing the hooks. That prevents the bottom from loosening up.

[isakswings]

Hockey skates are also heat-molded, so if you ask around, there may be a sporting goods store with the oven. Ditto for ski boots, according to a friend who lives in the mountains.

You can also use a convection oven (with a fan) to heat them at home.

Hmmm. Not sure where to go for that either. Hockey skates are hard to come by around here too. Ski boots however are very common around here(I live in UT). I am certain I could find a ski shop easier then a skate shop! THanks.

[isakswings]

I see the boot issue has been resolved, but now I've noticed a lace issue too. I've found that nylon laces keep stretching and therefor loosening. Try cotton or cotton blend laces. Also, tie a single knot after tightening the bottom of the boot and before lacing the hooks. That prevents the bottom from loosening up.

Thanks. She has cotton laces in her skates. Ironically, we haven't had as much of an issue with them loosening lately. Funny how that is, huh? I will try the single knot thing too! Thanks!

[isakswings]

I know I have asked about these boots before, but it's been awhile and I can't find the thread. :) Anyway... my daughter is currently in a Reidell Gold Medallion boot. We have problems with the laces loosening even when I do my very best to make sure I tighten the laces as tight as I possibly can. Her coach says that part of the problem is that these boots aren't stiff enough for dd. So, since she is getting close to outgrowing her skates, I am looking at skates. I was considering a pair of Bronze Star boots until I saw a pair of Jackson Freestyle boots in person. They feel pretty stiff and I am curious if you guys think these would work for a light weight child(she's MAYBE 60 pounds) she's working on single jumps, spins ans MIF. She'll likely be working on her axel in the next year. I don't know if that will be while she is in the new boots or not. Thanks for any feedback you have.

I just wanted to update and say that my daughter LOVES these skates! She also says she likes them better then Riedell skates. She likes the rommier toe box and she likes the arch better in the Jacksons too. She wants to stick with Jacksons when we buy her new skates next year. :) Fine with me! They are bit cheaper then Riedell, so I can live with that. Not to mention, she says she thinks her spins and jumps are better in the new skates. I think part of it is that her feet aren't squished anymore! LOL