I'm thinking of buying 'beginner' skates for my 2 kids (8 and 11) - the rental skates at our rink are hideous. I don't want to spend a lot - I'd like to keep it under $50 each, but don't know if that's possible. Both kids just started skating lessons and are in pre-alpha/alpha.

My choices seem to be:

1. Softec - I like the look and the price, but some people seem to really be against using these.
2. Riedell or Jackson (or whatever) boot with blade already attached - probably the best solution, but pricier.
3. Look for used figure skates in my kids sizes - may have trouble finding the right size for 11 year old son. I can probably get a little more boot/blade for less by doing this. Also, I may be able to have these stretched to get a little more time out of them later on.
4. Buy my son a pair of boots and put my old (but new) Pattern 99 blades on them! Just kidding - that would be WAY too much blade for forward swizzles.

Anybody have any suggestions? I don't want to spend a lot for something they'll outgrow in a couple of months. Thanks!

I like the Softec skates for young beginners, but at eight and eleven they'll probably progress more quickly than your average preschooler/kindergartener. My fear would be that it might not be long at all before they need something better, probably around Gamma in ISI. So I guess it depends how quickly you think they'll move up. Also, if they're likely to quit in the spring to play Little League or whatever, the Softecs might be okay since they probably wouldn't fit by next fall anyway.

You could look for used skates, but unless your area does a much better job swapping around used equipment than mine does you may have a hard time finding the right level boot in the right size in good shape, especially for your son (boys' stuff is often in short supply simply because there are so few boys in the sport). Your best bet would probably be to get them a low-level Riedell or Jackson set. I don't know if the lowest level would be best for them, or the next one up; whoever fits them will know. I don't think it'll be under $50, but it shouldn't be too much more than that. I think in my area the low-level sets go for $65-80, somewhere in there.

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I agree. If you do buy Softecs, make sure they are one of the models with a figure blade, as some have the hockey blade, which is a lot harder to learn on.

If you go with figure skates, I recommend the Jackson Mystique. If your kids have narrow feet you could get away with the Riedell 112, which costs a bit less than the Mystique, but it really is very narrow.

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Thanks for all the suggestions!

My daughter (8) is not likely to move up very quickly, so Softecs would probably be ok. She does have a fairly narrow foot, though, and I'd probably be able to find plenty of used skates in her size. She only weighs 40 pounds, so she doesn't need too much boot!

My son (11) now has a bigger foot than me! I think he's in men's sizes, so I may have trouble finding a used pair in his size. I did see a lot of used guy's figure skates at one of the local pro shops - not sure what size. We live in the Chicago area, so there are lots of rinks and lots of used skates! We'll probably stop at Rainbo tomorrow to see what they have. The only Softecs I saw in his size were hockey skates, and I don't want to go that route. I'm not sure how long they'll continue skating, but at some point it's cheaper to buy than to rent skates.

Size wise, they'd make a great pair team... if they could only skate!
...and get along for five minutes!

Thanks for the suggestions! Here's what I ended up getting:

son: old, old Riedell Silver Star boot - the rink had an old model in his size. I got it for a great price.

daughter: Jackson Soft skate - I hadn't seen these before - looks like regular figure skate with light blue padding at the top - on sale!

If that's the model with the gray lining and the padding that feels almost like putty and molds to the foot as it warms, it's a wonderful boot. That was actually my daughter's first boot after the crummy $35 vinyl skates from Modell's that we tossed after her first lesson. None of the less expensive recreational models were comfortable for her (princess feet), but it turned out to be a good investment as she came close to breaking them down before outgrowing them.

I hope your kids love skating and have a lot of fun on the ice.

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looks like regular padding, but lots of it at the top! The whole inside is light blue. Blades are riveted on, but that should be ok at this level. (oops - these are the Soft skates, not the Silver Stars!)

Can't decide if I want them to love it - I don't know if we could afford more than one skater in the family (I just paid $1100 for my new skates).

isn't the silver star too much of a skate for a beginner? maybe i'm getting it confused with something else though.

This is an old, old Silver Star - plain leather, no thick padding like the new ones. It's not very stiff at all - about like the rental skates at our rink, but with edges on the blade!

I recall my daughter learning all her jumps in Silver Stars at age ten. I think you made good choices for now. Now if your daughter takes off loving the sport......you may be upgrading her boot sooner than next Christmas. I hear you on only being able to afford one skater in the family! Good luck to all of you!

We took my 3.5 yo daughter skating last weekend for the first time. The rental skates were HORRIBLE. We decided to buy her skates, as anything would be better than this rinks rentals.

We live in texas and are very limited in shops for purchase or knowledgable staff. Finally we decided upon the Jackson Glacier GSU124 Tots skates. The price was reasonable and the skate seems appropriate for a beginner.

Description

·Upper styling based on Jackson patterns
·Vinyl outer
·Suedine lining for comfort and durability
·Improved felt backed tongue
·Brown PVC outsole for easy care
·Nickel all purpose blade
·Made on the Jackson last



Any feedback on these skates?
http://www.jacksonskates.com/html/fr...eset-prod.html
(the site may make you select from some options - Glacier is the type)

The Softec will be more comfortable for your tot. Glaciers are standard recreational level figure skates and there may well be pressure points around the tops and on the ankles. I really like the Softecs for little ones. I teach three classes of tots a week, and I haven't seen any problems with them yet.

Why did you choose the Glaciers over the Softecs?

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honestly -- ignorance.

we will just have to see how she does in these, we are going today.

I have skated since i was little. started in figure skates then played hockey, so this is new ground for me. Being in texas, it has been difficult to find resources.

As long as they are fitted properly and she is comfortable, she should be fine. Let us know.

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my dd first skates were Glaciers as well, she got them when she first turned 4.That was all the store in town carried for her small size.
She is still in Jackson skates, they seem so far to be a good fit for her.We might go to sp terri one day but right now, we are a whole jackson family !!

I didn't think Riedell Silver Stars came with blades riveted on - mine were separate.

I'm glad you didn't waste money on lower end Riedells. Our rink sells them, and half the time the riveted on blade isn't on completely straight!

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Oops! I misreplied to DBNY's message - here's what I actually got:

Daughter - Jackson Soft skates with blade riveted on (she really doesn't need more than this)
Son - Old Riedell Silver Star (w/no padding) with generic SLM blades screwed on - probably more boot than he needs, but options were limited in his size and width (his feet are bigger than mine!)

Riedell revised all their boots upwards about two years ago. The current Silver Star is more like what the Gold Star used to be. The old style Silver Star is fine for a beginner who likes to push his/her limits.

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I just saw this skate in a pro shop today. I like it a lot. The blades seemed to be screwed on though. They told me it just came out this season. It looks like a softec inside and a figure skate outside. Very soft and padded around the ankles and very good support. I'm helping fit one of my basic skills students with it next week. Can't beat the price either, $50.

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