New boots: skating in them

singerskates · #1 03-03-2008, 11:00 PM

Breaking them in or breaking me down, that is the question. So far, mostly breaking me down but.......

I've only skated 2 times so far in my Jackson Elite Plus stock boots,
cough, coagh, cement blocks. But because of the eyelet in the ankle
area I was able to skate around with only the bottom two hooks being
done up. It took me most of the session to get enough bend in the
boots to be able to try some waltz jumps, toe loops and salchows. The
waltz jumps and toe loops were OK but the salchow attempts were either
nice one foot spins or I jumped too late and didn't get a clean hook
with my toe pick on the take off. My spins are once again centered
but not the way they were before. Now, each circle is on top of the
other and I don't travel at all. I didn't try a camel or a sit spin,
being I had to be able to bend enough to start the spin. The
surprise for me came when I started trying turns. This is the first
time no matter which edge, forward or backward I started on the
second part of the turn was just as good as the front end. No more
lop sidedness. I've never had boots that were not warped or that fit
so well before. What a treat! I still haven't got orthotics for my
skates but I'm ordering them tomorrow at this place where the guy
took a course in the US to make orthotics for skates. Although, I'm
the first he will be doing orthotics for figure skates. He'll be
copying my Jackson Elite footbeds in the way they are constructed but
adding the lifts that I need for my foot problems. I've adjusted my
Jackson Elite footbeds for myself by taping on some extra padding for
now but it's not exactly what my feet need and not competely
comfortable.

singerskates

PS: No wonder my pro shop was out of most of them when I went to buy them last Wednesday and had to wait for them to come from Waterloo, ON, Canada (factory) on Friday. I highly recommend this boot ( Jackson Elite Plus DJ3100 ), if you're not under 150 lbs doing low freeskate (Adult Bronze to Adult Gold) or if you're any weight doing freeskate pre-novice (intermediate) and above.

singerskates · #2 03-04-2008, 10:22 AM

Has anyone else bought Jackson Elite Plus skates? Have you been as blessed as me with your Jacksons? Are you using Ultima blades with your Jackson too? Which ones? Have your Jackson skates improved your skating since switching from the previous brand of skates? If you had Jacksons over 5 years ago then switched to a different brand and recently bought Jacksons again, with what improvements to your Jacksons are you most impressed?

singerskates

Skate@Delaware · #3 03-04-2008, 12:34 PM

Has anyone else bought Jackson Elite Plus skates?
No, I am in the regular Jackson Elites.

Have you been as blessed as me with your Jacksons?
I would NOT switch!!!! I love them to death!!!

Are you using Ultima blades with your Jackson too? Which ones?
No, I'm using Coronation Aces which are a HUGE improvement over Coronation Comets, the "flattest blade on the planet next to goalie blades

"

Have your Jackson skates improved your skating since switching from the previous brand of skates?
No, but I take private lessons so I think the credit goes to my coach and my hard work, really...

If you had Jacksons over 5 years ago then switched to a different brand and recently bought Jacksons again, with what improvements to your Jacksons are you most impressed?
I wish I had known about split-sizing way back when. Then I would have had a Jackson Competitor boot that fit me. Instead I kept slipping out of the heels.

I've been in my Elites since April 2007 and altho they were difficult to break in, they didn't really give me too much trouble (mostly lace bite). It wwas a toss up between the Elites and the Pro-Flex. I like the support I get. I don't weigh as much as I used to but after this year and having a super-weak ankle, I'm glad for the extra support without feeling like I'm wearing cast iron boots.

smelltheice · #4 03-04-2008, 12:59 PM

I have my Klingbeils and I love them. They fit perfectly but that is because they are custom fitted boots so they should fit really

I use a pattern 99 blade with the K-pick but I have to admit that I would like to try the 4 aces blade. The pattern 99 is a bit old hat but I will wear these out before I buy new

CanAmSk8ter · #5 03-04-2008, 05:27 PM

Has anyone else bought Jackson Elite Plus skates? I have the Dance version of it
Have you been as blessed as me with your Jacksons? Yup. I have a combination width foot (narrow heel, very wide ball) and they're the only stock boots I've had that haven't given me problems.
Are you using Ultima blades with your Jackson too? Which ones? Ultima Dance
Have your Jackson skates improved your skating since switching from the previous brand of skates? I got mine in the fall of 2004, so it's hard to remember, LOL. The biggest thing for me was just having skates that were comfortable. My Risports were, prior to the Jacksons, the only skate I had ever had where my heel didn't move, but they were really tight up front and exacerbated all the problems with my little toes that my Riedells had started. The Riedells (C width) were a hair too narrow in the ball, yet too wide in the heel.

Stormy · #6 03-04-2008, 05:31 PM

I'm not gonna lie, I despise my Jacksons and Ultima Blades. I don't remember exactly which model Jacksons I have, it's a high level one though, and Ultima Freestyle blades. After over a year, the boots are still like cement blocks on my feet, and the blades don't seem to hold a GOOD sharpening for more than a few sessions. I've been a Riedell girl for 13 years and I switched against my better judgement and I cannot wait till I can afford a new pair so I can get my Riedells back!

momsk8er · #7 03-04-2008, 08:51 PM

Just got Jackson Elites (not the plus) and I love them!! What a change from the Reidells, which always hurt my feet. From the first day the Jacksons didn't hurt at all. Yes, they are stiff, but I love the stiffness - I feel like I have the support I have always needed. Getting used to them is taking some time, for example I was just getting my spin back today in the 3rd week of the new skates. MIF are there, but not as fluid as I would like yet. Jumps have this amazing kick to them if I hit the timing right (which I don't do very often yet). The stiffness of the boot helps to leverage the jump - very cool.

I also have a narrow heel and wider ball. I love the heel lock on these. My heel is not going anywhere, no matter what. Very unlike the Reidells, which always hurt like @@@@ in the arch of my foot, and yet my heel was still lifting.

My dd has the Elite plus, and she loves those too.

Kristin · #8 03-05-2008, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by singerskates

Has anyone else bought Jackson Elite Plus skates? Have you been as blessed as me with your Jacksons? Are you using Ultima blades with your Jackson too? Which ones? Have your Jackson skates improved your skating since switching from the previous brand of skates? If you had Jacksons over 5 years ago then switched to a different brand and recently bought Jacksons again, with what improvements to your Jacksons are you most impressed?

singerskates

I've had Jackson Elite Supreme 3500s in the past & they were wonderful. I eventually had to go to Harlick customs this year because the Jacksons weren't quite meeting my needs as they once had.

Having said all that, I have nothing bad to say about Jacksons. I have been in several of their models over the years (competitor, tester, elite supreme) and have done just fine in my skating. They fit my orthotics wonderfully, and were always very comfortable.

blackmanskating · #9 03-09-2008, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by singerskates

Has anyone else bought Jackson Elite Plus skates? Have you been as blessed as me with your Jacksons? Are you using Ultima blades with your Jackson too? Which ones? Have your Jackson skates improved your skating since switching from the previous brand of skates? If you had Jacksons over 5 years ago then switched to a different brand and recently bought Jacksons again, with what improvements to your Jacksons are you most impressed?

singerskates

I wear Jackson Elite Plus in Black Suede and they are awesome. They fit well. Heat mold them twice and your golden. They work really well for people who have a wide toe box area but have a narrow heel. I've had them for over a year and I skate 6 days a week and they show no signs of breaking down. They were stiff as bricks in the beginning though. Took me a month to break them in enough to do a decent sit spin. I use Wilson Gold Seal Blades. I can't imagine what Elite Supremes feel like.

BlackManSkating

singerskates · #10 03-09-2008, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackmanskating

I wear Jackson Elite Plus in Black Suede and they are awesome. They fit well. Heat mold them twice and your golden. They work really well for people who have a wide toe box area but have a narrow heel. I've had them for over a year and I skate 6 days a week and they show no signs of breaking down. They were stiff as bricks in the beginning though. Took me a month to break them in enough to do a decent sit spin. I use Wilson Gold Seal Blades. I can't imagine what Elite Supremes feel like.

BlackManSkating

How much do you way that it too six months to do a decent sit spin? I have Adult Canadians in three weeks. Yes, I did get them heated a second time Saturday, March 8th just before heading to my club's rink to PA for CanSkate and PreHockey and they do feel better. I no longer have to take the boots off before the end of the session. No I didn't go without wearing boot covers on either session as I need to keep the boots clean for my nationals. Don't want to get my boots marked up while doing hockey type drills and shooting around a puck during scrimmage(sp). I don't have hockey skates, nor do I want a pair.

Still waiting on my orthotics for my boots. Then I'll be skating in slippers that don't exactly bend yet. LOL They are getting there. Didn't get back to the rink in time on Saturday from the skate shop for my freeskate session, so I didn't try any jumps other than two foot jumps over lines with the hockey kids I PA.

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