Jackson Elite Skates?

[eliao]

It is time for me to buy new skates, so I went to a pro shop today to get feedback on skates. I've been skating in Reidells and have not skated in any other brands before, but I told the guy at the pro shop that I was open to any other reputable brand, just as long as it was right for my level. I've never been tested, but consider myself more than just a recreational beginner - I have my jumps up to the flip and I'm working on camels and laybacks. I was surprised that the guy recommended Jacksons for me. They were definitely cheaper than Harlicks or SP teris, and Jacksons have the added feature if heat-moldable fitting without having to shell out the additional $$ for the traditional customs.

Does anyone here skate in Jacksons? If so, do you like them? Any thoughts? Help!

Emily

[melanieuk]

No sorry.
I have Klingbeils, but there must be people here who know about Riedells.....bump! ;)



Riedell Skates (http://www.riedellskates.com/)

[skaternum]

I currently have the Jackson 3500 "Elite Supreme" and an appointment to get fitted for Klingbeil's in December! While the heat moldable interior is very comfortable, I've had nothing but trouble with these. I've had them for 2 years, and had a good skate tech work on them umpteen times. First of all, they never fit properly (not the boot's fault, of course). But the construction of the right boot was questionable. It was like the right boot was slightly torqued or something. The heel was uneven and had to be shaved down on one side. On both boots, the padding around the tongue tore in no time.

I'm sure some of this is my body's fault, but I hate those @#$! boots, the guy who sold them to me, and the horse he rode in on. :)

Some people love the Elite, though. It really depends on your foot. Jacksons fit best on people with wide feet. If Riedells (notoriously narrow) have been fitting your foot, your foot will probably be swimming in a Jackson.

Good luck. Let us know what you wind up with.

[eliao]

Wow, skaternum, that's horrible that you've had so much trouble with your Jacksons. The pro that I spoke to mentioned that he's sold many Jacksons to his customers and not one of them has come back to him to complain of any problems. I still am at a loss as to what to do. Each foot is so different, and I know that it will all come down to a matter of preference. What made you decide on your new Klingbiels?

I've already put an order for the pro shop to ship in my pair of Jacksons, but until I decide to buy them and have them heat moulded on to my foot, I could always back out. Oh, why can't buying boots be more easier?!

Thanks to everyone for their responses so far. Have fun with your new Klingbiels, Skaternum, how exciting for you!

Emily

[dbny]

I was just told by a pro shop owner who has many years experience and is one of the best blade sharpeners that he doesn't stock Jacksons because the quality is lacking. He discussed fitting with me at length, even though he knows my daughter and I both wear Klingbeils and he won't be making a sale to us directly. Having said that, I have the idea that pro shops, like all other businesses, have their own adgendas and push what is convenient or most profitable for them.

If you decide to go with Riedells again, keep in mind that they recently redesigned their boots and the current Silver Star is like the Gold Star was. It seems like they have made everything stiffer.

[spicyicey]

eliao beat me to it. I have been looking at the Jackson skates lately as I am very unhappy with my pair of Harlicks. My last skates were a great pair of used custom harlicks, but ironically the ones that were made for me have been poor.
The fact that the quality of construction may be lacking in Jacksons doesn't surprise me as they are a pretty new brand, right? I was lured by some of the features of the Elite series, and of course the price was great. I'm doing most doubles, and support is a big factor for me. Jacksons aren't popular at all where I am, so please keep reports coming. Thanks

[skaternum]

Originally posted by eliao
Wow, skaternum, that's horrible that you've had so much trouble with your Jacksons. ... What made you decide on your new Klingbiels?
Yeah, I've been totally bummed. When I first got the Jacksons, I thought they were great; they were so comfortable. It took almost 6 months for me to realize there were problems with the skate. I changed blades at the same time that I got the boots, so at first I thought it was blade positioning. Your Jacksons may be just fine for you -- I hope so!

I decided to go with Klingbeils because they're the only true custom boot out there. All the other boot makers start their customs from a stock "last," but Klingbeil actually makes the last from a mold of your foot, then uses it to create your boot. I have a few issues with my feet and legs, so I think Klingbeils are the best bet.

[jazzpants]

Originally posted by dbny
If you decide to go with Riedells again, keep in mind that they recently redesigned their boots and the current Silver Star is like the Gold Star was. It seems like they have made everything stiffer.

Did they also made the Bronze Star stiffer too!!?!? YIKES!!!! 8O

BTW: I'm thinking thinking of switching to Klingbeils... but...since I've had no problems with Riedells and their stock (Bronze Star) boots are cheaper than getting Klingbeils, I may have to go with the Riedells again simply b/c I really can't spend the money for boots this year and I need new skating boots soon... :cry:

I wear Riedell Bronze Star now and besides stretching the toe box a lot, I've had no problems with my Riedells. But that's just my feet... :P

[arena_gal]

Originally posted by skaternum
Jacksons fit best on people with wide feet. If Riedells (notoriously narrow) have been fitting your foot, your foot will probably be swimming in a Jackson.


Wrong, but a common misconception because most skate shops stock the standard B width boot. With the higher level Jacksons, from Competitor on upwards, they are available in widths AA, A, B, C and D. These are all available at no extra cost, but there can be a 4 week wait depending on where you're located.

Jacksons currently are a good price point because they're Canadian made, and the dollar exchange rate is very low these days.

Heat molding is overrated, it still takes 10-12 hours to get the final fit. Of course for an elite skaters, that's 2 training days!

[skaternum]

Originally posted by arena_gal
Wrong, but a common misconception because most skate shops stock the standard B width boot. With the higher level Jacksons, from Competitor on upwards, they are available in widths AA, A, B, C and D.

Not a common misconception at all. Of course Jacksons come in various widths; all boots do. But a Jackson AA has a wider toe box than a Riedell AA. I've worn the narrowest stock width of each of these boots, and the Jacksons are wider.

[rinsk]

I made the switch from Reidell Comps to Jackson 3500 about a year and a half ago.

I had a few problems with the toes of my Jackson's being narrow (really nasty toe bruises) but that was easily fixed with stretching the toes at the skate shop).

I like my Jacksons. I find the about of support has been comparible to my Reidells (I'm hard on my skates: I need good support and I have no complaints here). I've been using them for up to double jumps.

Breaking in the boots wasn't too painful an ordeal.

What I noticed with the Jacksons that I love was that right away I had much better toe point and ankle bend that I could ever get with the Reidells (very very good thing in dance...).

Good luck with choosing your boots.

[Jack]

Eliao, the one piece of advice that I seriously hope you follow is that as a beginning/int/recreational skater, you do NOT need hard-core elite level skates like Kliengbiels, Harlicks, JAckson Supreme Elites, SPTeri deluxe etc. At your level these boots will take forever to break in and will take so long long to break down to a comfortable place that you will ot benefit from the extra support. Save your dough and get some of the lower level skates. They be just fine, if not better than a spanky pair of "elite" skates.

[randomskater]

If you are only working on your flip jump, I don't see why you should be in a Jackson Elite skater or a Klingbeil, wayyyy to strong. It will take u a long long time to break them in. Go with an intermediate level boot, Jackson competitior if you like the feel of Jacksons.

[JDC1]

I wore Jackson's for my first year of skating and they were a torture device!! But I know people who like them. I have skinny ankles, wide toe box and narrow heel and they were so wrong for my type of foot. Being heat moldable doesn't matter if they're not the right boots for you, trust me, I learned the hard way. Try a bunch of different types on and judge for yourself. I think it really depends on you ,your foot and ankle, your height and weight. I went with expensive skates because of health and comfort reasons, not my "level" of skating, I bought Graf Galaxy (very expensive) but so soft on my ankles and a much better fitting boot for me and my comfort was worth the extra money. Even these aren't "perfect" had to have them punched out and probably will again, I don't accept the idea that I must skate with pain but I know other skaters do accept it and skate with pain. But these are SO MUCH better for me than Jacksons.

[arena_gal]

There's enough intermediate level skates out there in the various brands, Jackson, Reidell, Gam, Graf, Wifa, SPTeri, etc etc etc that can fit any type of foot without spending a fortune or getting into customs. If you don't have to wear custom shoes then it's a small chance to have to wear custom skates. In the old days, everyone had customs, Harlicks, Roses, SK etc because that was the only way to get an extra stiffy boot. With the new technologies, the elite skaters are wearing Grafs off the shelf. The challenge is finding a skate shop that carries all these brands and that will a couple of hours with you in try ons.

Wearing the same skates as a triple jumper is not going to give you triple jumps*, however wearing skates that are comfortable and light will let you skate to the best that your body can do. The point is to get the skates that will let you forget about your feet.

(*I keep thinking of my husband who is forever buying new golf drivers. Despite the price, his game hasn't improved much)

[quarkiki2]

I agree with JDC1: the skate that fits you best is based upon your height, weight, level of skating and body type.

I'm 5'5" and 175 lbs. and a beginning female adult skater who ended up in the *new* Reidell gold stars. In part because I'm fat, but also because during my fitting, when I bent my knees in the 320's and Silver Stars, I creased the boot. I have a naturally long and flexible Achille's tendon and can bend my knees a lot before I need to lift my heel (demi plie, anyone?). My fitter says this is due to extensive ballet training before I took up skating. I also have very, very flexible ankles and can tell you that any less boot than the gold stars and I would be wobbling all over.

I'm sorry that I don't have any more advice to you about Jacksons. But if they are a good match for your body and your skating, go for it!

[Canskater]

Just my small input here, but I skate in Jackson Super Elite's and I love them. I'm 5'8", 135 lbs, with a narrow mid-foot, a very narrow heel, but am wider in the toe area. My boots are a 6 1/2 A, and fit wonderfully. There was very little break-in period, and these skates have simply been a pleasure. My previous boots were SP-Teri SuperTeri's, and my heel slipped all the time, causing all sorts of grief with blisters.

The best advice I can give is to use an experienced fitter, and try on various brands .... you will find one that will work for you.

-- sheilagh

[singerskates]

Well, I love my Graf Edmonton Specials and I have a wide ball and narrow heels. When I wore Jackson Competitors previously, I was slipping all over the place in my heels. I had next to no control.

[eliao]

Thanks again to everyone who has responded so far. I agree with everyone who mentioned that it is best to buy skates that suit one's level, size, etc. The Jackson Elites line actually offers 3 different models-- the 2700, the 3100 and the 3500 (Elite Supremes). My pro suggested the 2700 model for me. The reason why I did not go with a lower Competitor model is because strangely, the Competitor line does not carry AA sizes, and only went as low as an A in widths. I do have very narrow feet, so this is why my pro recommended the 2700 for me. I also liked the "puffier" tongue the Elite line had compared to the thinner tongue of the Competitor model. I do hope my pro is right.

Thanks again for everyone's valuable input. I'm floored by the number of responses my initial post has received and I really appreciate everyone's feedback. Keep them coming! :D

[arena_gal]

Try Wifa skates if you have really narrow feet. http://www.wifa.at/frameset.html I don't know whether they are more pricey or not.

[JDC1]

I had the SAME problem with the Jackson 2700's, my heal totally moved and slipped around so I had to tie them extra tight and then my ankle began getting swollen and bruised and I got worried about seriously hurting myself. It's so nice in my Grafs, I can always feel my foot and I feel very secure. My 3 turns and everything are so much better now and I get on a much deeper edge than I did before. But like I said I know folks who swear by Jackson's so I guess it's just personal choice.