what type of skate?

[DancinDiva]

Yeah, yeah, it's me again, with another (stupid) question. I was just wondering what skates you all started out in? I bought a pair of CCM Pirouettes (probably spelled that wrong! How anyone can misspell "pirouette" after 17 years of ballet is beyond me...) for 29.99 because I didn't want to pay a lot for skates if I didn't end up liking skating after a few lessons. Did anyone else start out with these? Are they alright for an adult beginner who most likely won't be spending more that 4 or 5 hours on the ice per week?

[Alexa]

I used a cheap pair at first as well....you will find they are more comfortable than rentals, however they do not provide any of the support that good ice skates do. I took a beginning class in my cheap skates, and after it was over I bought some Jackson's for about 165$. I could not believe the difference...a lot of things I had trouble doing in the beginning class, were so much easier with proper skates and blades.

To be honest, and this is just my opinion, your new skates will be fine for basic skating, but really will not be all that helpful in terms of learning new skills. If you decide to continue on with lessons, you will most likely want to get a better pair of skates. As for me, I have discontinued taking lessons, but am still glad I bought my new skates...they allow me to practice what I have learned and give me more support than my cheap skates did.

[Yazmeen]

While you may be fine with those for basic stroking and crossovers, you're likely have trouble with them when you progress to three turns and other moves. If your rink has leather Reidell figure skates as rentals (they are brown leather boots) and you can find a pair that fit that you can rent regularly, you'd likely be better off with those. We recently had a woman in an adult class I assist with buy a pair of basic CCM's and the main coach who teaches the class was less than thrilled--the woman has skated in leather rentals for more than a year but couldn't find a good pair that fit. The coach had planned to send her to the pro I use for basic Jackson's or Reidells but the skater bought these instead. They aren't likely to last long considering this group is about to start basic two foot spinning and half jumps.

CCM's and other basic skates aren't bad skates--its just that they are designed for the recreational skater who strokes around the pond or rink. Four to five hours per week on the ice may not seem like much to you right now, but that's actually a lot of ice time--that's about what I put in per week. The CCM's don't have much support and you're likely to break them down very quickly. I would recommend looking into a lower level Jackson or Reidell with attached blade at a pro shop soon. Cost will likely be about $100 to $150, but you'll find you will be able to do a lot more with those. I hope I'm not being presumptious here with your budget, but if you really want to seriously skate and learn, you will need at least good basic skates and blades.

[dani]

I agree Yazmeen, however if our DancinDiva is trying to see if she really wants to skate and skates more than 10 or 15 times then these skates could pay for themselves instead of rentals.

I started in a pair of Jacksons (Classique) and was too good for them and broke them down in about 6 weeks. :-( (Of course I broke down my gold stars in 5 months, so ...)

I just hope you really enjoy this and so want to get better and better! I am going nuts because I didn't skate today and probably won't until Monday!

Hugs!
Danielle

[singerskates]

My first pair of skates were Dominions which I used for about 12 uses then I stopped using them. I then got myself Jackson Competitors 6 months before I joined my first skating club so I could skate with adult skaters and learn the basics. I still have them but they have valuable signatures on them. I have been skating in Graf Edmonton Specials now for a year and half. I'd say for an adult that the Jackson Competitor is a good skate if that's the right one for your foot type to start out with.

[Blue Line]

I'll agree with everyone else.

My mom and dad live on a lake, so we have 30 or so (literally!) pairs of skates similar to the ones that you bought (by CCM and Lake Placid, mostly) hanging around our house. We have them in a zillion sizes, and they work just fine for friends and family that want to strap on the skates and skate in a circle (or chase after a hockey puck) for an hour or so.

While I used recreational skates on the lake when I was a kid, I rented skates from the club that I took lessons from (they did a session-long rental of a high quality pair of skates) because my lake skates just weren't appropriate for anything but skating forward.

My mom and I wear the same size, and when she decided to go skating on New Years Day (the first time in years), I encouraged her to wear my first pair of "real" skates (a pair of Ridells that my dad bought me in 6th grade because he wanted me to have good support on our lake, even though I was no longer in lessons). Mom said that they made all the difference in the world when compared to the Lake Placids that she had worn in the past. My mom is not much of a skater, but the support in her ankles made her feel much more confident.

If your rink doesn't have rental skates available during lessons, and you're not sure if skating is for you, I see no reason to dig into your pocket book for your first session of lessons. If you like it and plan to continue after that first session, I would consider investing in a skate that is better suited for learning skills.

Ridell rentals (as Yazmeen mentioned), if they are available, may be your best bet at this point. They're made to last through a lot of wearings (albeit by many different people) and are going to give you more support than the CCMs you bought.

[dorvalskater1]

I too started in CCM but mine went for about 100$, so they were a higher end. I managed to do simple cross cuts and (crappy) 3 turns and mohawks. I got a waltz jump and toe loop in them, but that was as much as I could do in ethm. I got "real" skates after a few months and wow! what a difference, I bought Risports and a nice new blade (cheap ones compared to now, but way better than what comes on a CCM!) I now have GAM 80's, but need stronger even though I am working on re-learning my double-toe and double salchow, have Wifa's, (they are way stronger), but I am having trouble breaking them in.
To find out if you like skating, go for it, but if you are getting frustrated it may be the skates, don't quit until you can try on "real" skates. Borrow or rent a pair, just to see if there is a difference. That is what I tell parents of kids I teach. Sometimes it is not the person, but the skates they are in that is making things difficult. :)

[melanieuk]

I'm sure my first boots were Bauers, bought for about £2.
I can't remember the blades.

My 2nd pair were Alvira's with Coronation Ace blades.

My third pair were Belati (yuk) with Aces.

My current pair are Klingbeils with Ace blades.

[jenlyon60]

My first pair of "own" skates were Riedell Silver Stars (less strength than today's Silver Stars) with MK 2-star blades

My 2nd pair of "own" skates were Riedell Royals with MK Pro Blades.

My 3rd and subsequent skates were all Klingbeil customs. One pair had Pattern 99s, the rest have had MK dance blades.

[dbny]

My girls started skating before I did, so I had the advantage of knowing what skate to get for myself. My younger daughter, who started first, had $30 CCM's, which her coach told me were not good after her second lesson, when she did her first waltz jump. She then went straight to Riedell Silver Stars/Coronation Ace blade because none of the lower rec models fit her properly.

By the time I started skating, my daughter and I wore almost the same size shoe, so I took a chance on a pair of gently used Riedell Silver Stars/Cor Aces on ebay and got a great deal at just $88. I used them for about six months and got used custom Klingbeils, also from ebay, but from a local seller. By that time, I was skating often enough that I needed a really perfect fit, having mutant feet and being in my 50's. About six months after daughter got her custom Klingbeils, I got my own, and they will probably last me forever as I don't jump.

If the CCM's fit you properly, DancinDiva, then I agree with the others who say that they will do as starters. If they are too big, though, you may as well just move on to a better boot. The new Riedell model 275 is an excellent recreational boot & blade for under $200. The latest remodeling of it has a wider toe box.

Keep us posted on how things work out with the CCM's and what you go to next. It's always interesting to find out what works for others, as there is no perfect boot/blade for everyone.

[DancinDiva]

I really appreciate everyone's input here. I guess I'm going to have to get new skates! When I bought my CCMs I wasn't planning on taking lessons, just heading to the rink once in a while for fun. Then my Dad bought me 15 weeks worth of lessons as a Christmas present. I figured that my CCMs weren't quite what I needed, but I'm a bit hesitant to shell out a lot of money just now. See, I'm a senior biology major in college, and my text books cost a lot. Last semester alone I spent over $500.The next semester starts in a few weeks, and I'm sure I'll spend close to that amount again. So I guess I'll have to wait until after I buy my books to see if I can afford a good pair of skates. Unless, of course, my teachers will accept the excuse, "Sorry, but I couldn't do the homework because I bought new ice skates and can't afford the text books!" Yeah, I'm sure that will go over real well!

[Clarice]

DancinDiva, I sympathize with you on the textbooks! I teach in a college, and have a son away at school, and I'm continuously amazed at how much they cost! My first skates were some no-name things with vinyl boots that I bought at a local sports shop that mostly sold guns and ammo. I couldn't do 3-turns in them, and ended up buying a pair of Jacksons a few months later. When I started jumping, I switched to SPTeris - I now wear SpTeri Deluxes with Vantage blades. I would suggest you also check out your pro shop, skate shop, or club bulletin board to see about used boots. You have to be careful, but if you can find the right pair it can be a real bargain for a beginner or recreational skater. You can surely find decent used blades.

[Elsy2]

I'll always have fond memories of my first decent figure skates, which my mother bought me for Christmas when I was 42 years old (sure wish I had been a bit younger....sigh). They were Jacksons with $50 beginner blades, total cost was $180.00, six years ago. Prior to skating, I ran 3 miles a day, 5 or 6 days a week. A good pair of running shoes cost about $100 and would last 6 months to a year. I wore those Jacksons for two years, and although I regret not upgrading the blade sooner, the boots certainly served me well and were worth every penny in the long run. Really the skating boots were no more expensive than my running shoes. No matter what your sport, good equipment is worth it, and so I hope you find a way to equip yourself properly. It will make all the difference in the world in learning and also protecting your feet/ankles from problems. Maybe Dad can help if you explain that to him ;)

[mikawendy]

Originally posted by dbny
If the CCM's fit you properly, DancinDiva, then I agree with the others who say that they will do as starters. If they are too big, though, you may as well just move on to a better boot. The new Riedell model 275 is an excellent recreational boot & blade for under $200. The latest remodeling of it has a wider toe box.

Riedell 275 with Wilson Excel blades are my first pair of skates. I've had them for about a year (with only 6 months of lessons in them because of breaks in the summertime lesson schedule) and I had no break-in time. The were a bit narrow for my feet in the toes but that seems to have worked itself out. I paid $169 for them (that includes the tax and the sharpening) and I think they've been quite worth it. They haven't shown any signs of breaking down in a major way. I am planning on upgrading to Coronation Ace blades when these blades wear out.

Good luck DancinDiva! The next time you do buy a pair of skates, whether it's soon or months from now, make sure to try on several models/brands and get them fitted by a reputable pro. Make sure the pro ask you what kind of skating you plan to do on them and the skill level you're currently at. (The last thing you want to do is pay good money for a boot that you'll wear out quickly or for one that is for a much more advanced skater that will never feel broken in.) When I got fitted, my pro also asked me how much I weighed and she told me to be honest because some boots will be broken down more quickly if the person is too heavy for that boot.

[RoaringSkates]

My first pair of skates were Reidell Silver Stars because I have tiny, wide, tall feet. I needed skates that would fit or else I knew that I'd hate skating and quit. Since my feet are small, I was able to get a girl's boot, which saved me some money.

If I had more normal feet, I'd definately go for the used skates. Often, at your local figure skating club, parents and skaters will list used boots and blades for sale. You can get some amazing deals there. Another source is ebay. You can type in a brand name, "Harlick", "SP-Teri", "Reidell", and even "Klingbeil", and sometimes things come up. If they fit your feet, they are a good deal. However, best to have your foot sized by a skate pro first - your size in street shoes is NOT the same as your size in skate boots! Like with dance shoes, normally your skate boot size is 1-2 sizes smaller than your street shoe size.

[dbny]

Originally posted by RoaringSkates
Another source is ebay. You can type in a brand name, "Harlick", "SP-Teri", "Reidell", and even "Klingbeil", and sometimes things come up. If they fit your feet, they are a good deal. However, best to have your foot sized by a skate pro first - your size in street shoes is NOT the same as your size in skate boots! Like with dance shoes, normally your skate boot size is 1-2 sizes smaller than your street shoe size.

If you are considering used skates and can't find what you want in person, do get fitted anyway. Then you can look on ebay and at a couple of other sites which I will list. On ebay, I recommend looking at everything listed under "ice skating", as many people make spelling errors, or don't know for sure what they are selling.

ebay Ice Skating (New Today) (http://listings.ebay.com/aw/plistings/newtoday/all/category21225/index.html)

Free Skating Ads (http://www.pricecutters.com/ads.htm)

Don Korte's Skate Exchange (http://www.sk8stuff.com/m_connect.asp)

[GoldSeals]

Hi all,
I started out on Reidell 220's.I dont know if they even make them anymore.Yes...they were very flimsy:)
Regards GoldSeals

[wannask8]

Yes, Riedell is still making 220s – they’re what I’m beginning on now. I don’t have a basis for comparison, but I’m told that they’re a little more substantial than they were in the past. Either way, they’re good for my purposes (I’m lightweight, won’t be a jumper, and rarely skate over an hour a week). But they're definitely beginner level.

-- wannask8

[arena_gal]

Originally posted by Blue Line
I'll agree with everyone else.

My mom and dad live on a lake, so we have 30 or so (literally!) pairs of skates similar to the ones that you bought (by CCM and Lake Placid, mostly) hanging around our house. We have them in a zillion sizes, and they work just fine for friends and family that want to strap on the skates and skate in a circle (or chase after a hockey puck) for an hour or so.



Although I don't live on a lake, I have a rink in the backyard and somehow have ended up with boxes of those kind of skates too. I actually took a box of them down to the arena for the kids who are on school field trips and don't have skates of their own.

The CCM/Dominions/Bauer/Langes/Whatevers that are sold for about $100 aren't bad skates for a beginner, in CanSkate levels, but the toepicks are inadequate and the rockers are quite flat so it is harder to learn 3 turns. There's a lot of people who skate on those kind of skates though, and that's perfectly OK, it's better to be out on skates and just skating forward, than staying home and doing nothing at all.

[GoldSeals]

Hey wannask8,
Thats nice to hear they still make them.Im not sure if I still have them though.Id have to look in the attic I guess.
Regards,GoldSeals

Originally posted by wannask8
Yes, Riedell is still making 220s – they’re what I’m beginning on now. I don’t have a basis for comparison, but I’m told that they’re a little more substantial than they were in the past. Either way, they’re good for my purposes (I’m lightweight, won’t be a jumper, and rarely skate over an hour a week). But they're definitely beginner level.

-- wannask8

[AshBugg44]

Sheesh my first pair were from JCPenny's! lol But other than that they were Reidell Silver Stars with a Coronation Ace blade.

[Mrs Redboots]

I had a pair of bog-standard Belatis, which came with a cheapo blade pre-attached. I upgraded the blade to Coronation Ace after about 6 months, and the boots fell apart on me in a couple of years. Turns out they were 2 sizes too big....

[vesperholly]

I had a pair of Jackson's combo boot and blade for my first skates, was doing up to flip in them and then had to upgrade. I got custom Rose's (a now-defunct company in Cambridge, Ont) with Coronation Ace's and had those for three years. Then I switched to Harlick customs with Gold Seals and had those for three more agonizing years.

Now I'm in Klingbeil customs with Gold Seals and I love them. They were almost $1,000 but they're worth it. I had such arch pain in the Harlicks I had to take them off after 15min so my feet wouldn't fall asleep. I've only had to do that a few times with the Klingbeils when I was breaking them in, and now they're great.

Jocelyn

[eliao]

I started out with Riedell 220's and Club 2000's and skated in them for years until they broke down completely. I just recently was talked into switching to Jackson Elite 2700's and upgraded my blades to Coronation Aces. It's been quite an adjustment boot-wise, as it was difficult getting over the difference in heel height-- the Riedells are definitely made lower in the heel, so skating in my new Jacksons were like skating on tip-toes at first. It's been a struggle, but with the help of bunga pads, insoles and patience, I'm finally feeling comfortable in them now. My spins are better and I feel that I can finally progress in my skating with the Jacksons. Good luck on selecting the right skate for you.

Emily

[Lili]

I started out with Katarina Witt skates ;). Then when I started getting into skating more, we switched to Riedell Silver Stars with Coronation Ace blades. Then we had to switch to Kliengbeil because my feet are very strange. I have super high arches and very, VERY wide feet. The switch couldn't have been better. We then upgraded the blade to a coronation comet, and now I am skating in Pattern 99s.

I tried custom Harlick skates a while ago, but they couldnt get the damn things right. We sent them back 3 times before we finally gave up. The only problems I have had with Klingbeil are with the tounge area cutting up the top of my foot. That was easily solved. I love my skates now!

[melanieuk]

I started out with Alvira Vodakan (spelling of 2nd word is suspect) boots in 1978.
My coach says they were dance boots, hand-made by a woman (now dead) who lived in Edinburgh.
I had and still have Coronation Ace blades. :)