Question on Jackson skates and sizes. My current skates are hurting my feet, and I'm buying new ones very very soon. I went to a local sports store to see if they had any used skates - I figured it was worth a look in case I found something great. No such luck. They did have some new Jackson skates, though. I tried on some Jackson Mystiques. Being a size 7 shoe, I started with a 6.5 skate, then a 6.0, and finally a size 5.5 skate which fit perfectly!!! The skate felt like it was part of my foot. Very exciting - except that Mystiques are a lower skate than what I need. I'm beginning jumps (waltz, half flip) and I'm a heavier gal at 70kg = 160 lbs at 5'2". I'm seriously looking into getting a pair of Jackson Competitors. I need something that will hold up to my weight and get me through my single jumps.

Ok, so the question is: Is a size 5.5 in Mystiques the same as a 5.5 in Competitors??? Are these skates made on the same last? I'm going to a local pro shop on Monday, but I'd like to know the answer sooner, if possible. I could get skates quicker on the internet. My current skates are so bad that my feet can't take it anymore!!

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A Jackson is a Jackson is a Jackson. A Mystiques 5.5 is the same size as a 5.5 Competitor. If you stay with the same name brand when comparing skate sizes of skates, they are the same size. But if you try to compare a Jackson Mystiques to a Gam or a Reidell or any other brand, it could be different.

When I started to jump I went straight in the the Jackson Competitor. But you want to know if Jackson is the right brand for your foot type first. You need to make sure that the skate brand matches your foot type and then you go for the level of skate which will best hold up your weight X 2 for single jumps. Basically I've found a low end mid skating level boot is about right for a new adult jumper. You want something that will be able to break in in at least a month but not faster. Ask a coach in a local rink what level boot they would recommend for your level as an adult skater.

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Jacksons are a great fit for my foot (wide toe base, narrow heel). I have already tried Reidells and they are far too narrow. The Mystiques fit incredibly well - I just hope the Competitors fit just as well. thanks for your help!

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My Jacksons are also 1.5 smaller than my street shoes size.

My street shoe = 9-1/2 or 10

Jackson Elites for me are 8-1/2

I wear an 8 - 8.5 in street shoes and a 7 in Jacksons, so yes, going down a size/size and a half is common. The fit between Jackson models seems to be pretty consistent, although the higher level have more padding and so can feel too tight at first. I skated in Competitors for over a year, and they are a *great* boot for an adult beginner and will easily take you through single jumps. I'd still be in them if my feet hadn't shrunk, requiring new boots. I believe they come with a Jackson blade, which many of us switch out for a Coronation Ace or something similar, but others like the Jackson blade just fine.

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My DD wears an 8-1/2 B (regular width) in Jackson Freestyles and a 10 in street shoes.

Jackson sizing is consistent across all their boots. Did you notice what width the skates were? It's important to know because there are different widths.

Other mfgs have different sizing; the same DD needed a 9 C (wide width) in Riedells.


One caveat: used skates aren't always true to the original size when new.
I have my younger DD's skates stretched at least twice before I cheap out and buy new ones.

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Oh, PS - I weighed muchmore than 160 when I started skating and the Competitors held up great under my weight.

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The Great Skate Experiment

I wear 8 1/2 street shoes and started in Jackson Mystique size 7. I moved up to the Competitor in 7C little more than a year later, and 4+ years later am still wearing them. I was about 200 pounds at that point. I am down to 160 now (over 60 pound loss!!) and working on half/single jumps. The Competitor will probably work fine for you.

You can either get the boot/blade combo, or get the boot/blade separately.

My jacksons Elite Plus's are a 8.5 Medium width and I wear a size 9.5 to 10 in regular shoes. My jacksons fit great for a wide toebox but narrow heel. They only have 3 widths for men's skates (Narrow, Medium, Wide) but they have all of those cool letters for the ladies and the kids!!

Congrats on the weight loss. I've lost 40 pounds myself. I am now 155 trying to lose 10-15 more pounds.


BlackManSkating

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So I ordered my skates today. I'm a 6D (Actually and E, but a D will probably work). From what I've heard from you guys, Competitors are pretty good skates. I'm so excited!

Since the heel is wood, do they need to be sealed/waterproofed at all??? And is that a do-at-home kind of job, or do i need to take it to a professional?

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Heel's not wood - it's stacked layers of leather.

I believe the very bottom of the soles are covered with a PVC-plastic, so using sno-seal on them is useless.
The sides and edges should be sealed, however.

It's a DIY project: you just apply the wax paste and heat with a hair dryer so the wax melts and soaks into the leather.
Takes me about 10-15 minutes. Wipe off the excess wax that didn't get absorbed.

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It sure looked like wood in the picture, but if I had read the actual description, i would have noticed it is leather. hahahaha.....
Thanks for the correction and Sno-seal tips.

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Guess what? It looks like wood in real life, too. lol

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