Hi,

I was talking to one of my friends at the rink about taking the children roller blading, the difference between ice and roller skating. and how I much preferred the ice. My friend suggested that I ought to check out 'PIC skates'. I'd never even heard of them, but having done that wonderful google thing I've discovered that the company makes some pretty big claims for replicating figure skating experience. I'd be really interested to hear if anyone has an opinion or even better experience of PIC skates.

Sooky

I started using Pic skate frames after ice-out last year. With no ice close at hand, it was the only choice. I only bought the frame & wheel set, choosing to buy boots separately.

I liked them a lot inside on a plastic sports floor. I felt uncomfortable outside; pebbles and cracks spooked me out going backwards.
The don't completly replicate the ice experience, but they kept me in great skating shape throughout the summer.

Jon

If you do use them on pavement or concrete, expect accelerated wheel & pic wear. I have a second set of wheels just for outside skating.

I put pic skate 'blades' onto an old pair of ice boots and they're fine for tootling around in. I've seen some 'proper' ice skaters do pairs in them and it was pretty impressive I've managed 3-turns, mohawks, jumps up to loop (chickened out at loop, don't know why) but never managed to get spins on them ... but then I wasn't on an indoor, I was in Kensington Gardens! For indoor it's best to wear harder wheels because they 'spin' better, outdoors you need to balance the hardness (lasts longer) against 'suspension' so that the ride is a bit smoother!

I used to rollerblade a fair bit and could do the 3-turns in 'normal' blades but I used to 'rocker' the wheels (a lot of them have 2 possible wheel positions) which helped. The only problem with 'normal' ones was the lack of toe pick ... especially when you're used to one

__________________

The best whisper is a click

Well I started on Pic-Skates about 4 months before I started on Ice. There are many similar things to them but also some differences. There is another brand "snow white" that are a little different but some in-line figure people swear by them.

Personally, I use them for jumps only now and here is why:
1. I have a great in-line coach (multi-national champ in freestyle and dance) and he really helps me with jump technique and it does transfer to the ice!

2. On pic skates you really have to have solid landings in order to stay upright. you dont have as much edge as the ice and it is REALLY hard to cheat a jump...(wheels don't go sideways)

I have learned all single jumps on pics and do 3 jump combos on them as well. I am working on axel and have attempted 2sal and 2t on pics. I highly suggest knee pads.....possible elbow pads...never had trouble on the elbows but you should protect your knees!

__________________
Why are you skating so slowly? Get out of my way!

If you skate faster, it makes everything look better!

I started on standard inlines before going to the ice, and then got my Pics shortly after that to get more skating time in, and because I love skating outside. I'm on my 2nd pair and have been Pic skating for about 8 years now.

Agree with previous posters regarding the wear and tear and the safety aspect. Wrist guards are the most important of the protective gear, IMO. And take the time to scout out the area for ruts and debris prior to your skate. I only go through one pair of wheels per season, but the toe picks only last about 6 skates, and that's with rotating them around.

I find that stroking, mohawks, threes, brackets, counters, rockers, eagles, etc. are all fairly close to the feeling on the ice. It takes me about 10 minutes to warm up and get used to the difference, but then after that it is comfortable.

I can't spin at all on Pics, but I'm not that great on the ice either, so maybe it is me. I actually blame my early days of attempting to spin on inlines on my current sad state of ice spinning, but that could be in my head.

Jumps are pretty good on the Pics. My flip, loop, salchow and toe loop are all solid, as are combinations with these jumps. I used to do lutz, but wiped out too many times missing the toe pick on the way up that I don't try it anymore. I try axels and have come close, but never entirely clean on the Pics. (On the ice I used to have a clean axel, but now they're few and far between.) I've also tried double loop and double salchow on Pics but have never completed one. (nor on the ice fully clean, but ice is much closer)

Overall I recommend them, and their customer service has always been great. You will find that after a few Pic sessions, going back to ice will take your brain a little while to adjust.

Good luck.
Tim

__________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
People dream of flying, birds dream of skating.

2Sal, Do you have the newer toe pics for your picskates? They are a different material and I have not had the slide wipeout on the lutz since changing to them......Also you have to have your toe-pic foot in precise position for toe jumps! (I left that out of my previous post!)

I never skate outdoors with mine....always at roller rink. It wears out the wheels and toe pics too fast.

More force is required for the spins on picskates and I didnt like what that was doing to my ice spins so I told my jump/inline coach that I did not want to practice spins on pics....I do know a girl who does all doubles on picskates and on the ice including working on 2axel and she spins quite well on them and the ice.... so it can be done...

They are great for 3's , brackets, rockers....if you can control the pics you will have no problem with them on Ice! IMHO. I learned running threes early on pics and found I could really fly on them on the ice!

__________________
Why are you skating so slowly? Get out of my way!

If you skate faster, it makes everything look better!

Do PIC skates weight a lot more than ice skates?

Slightly more. The chassis is about the same weight as an ice blade, so it is the weight of the wheels that'd be the difference.

MusicSkate - no, I didn't even know about the newer toe picks. I'll have to order some for this season. Those wipe outs were the worst. On a landing you are ready to fall, but on the take-off it is the scariest thing. And the way that toe pick just skids if you don't line it up right is such a horrible feeling. I'm sure it'd be great for the blooper reel, though.

Tim

__________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
People dream of flying, birds dream of skating.

I see. Thanks. Yeah....I think that if wheels are anything like rollerblade type wheels, then there might be a significant difference in weight between ice figure skates and PIC skates. I just checked the PIC skate website, and interestingly - they don't have any information on total weight of their skates. In fact, no mention of weights anywhere on the site.

Thanks for all the feedback - really helpful and thought provoking (as always!). Thinking, skating, thinking, skating, thinking about skating, skating whilst thinking about skating . . . .