Hello! First time skating since 8 years ago! Addicted again!

[LSF]

Hello all,

I'm 19 and after 8 years of not going near an ice rink I found myself on one tonight! I used to be pretty good when I was younger and had my own skates (Bauer Rapide or CCM Rapide? I think?). Anyway after a shaky half hour I soon managed to pick it up again fairly well and even did the cross-over the feet type of turning! (excuse my lack of terms:halo: ).

The only downside was that I remembered how bad the hire skates are! They are so blunt and bloomin uncomfortable so I would love my own set of skates again!

I'm not looking to spend alot, perhaps £60? And my feet are size 12(UK) however I managed to fit in to an 11 tonight.

I would be very grateful if somebody could point me in the right direction as I'm certainly hooked again! :)

Regards

[Mrs Redboots]

Are you looking for hockey skates or figure skates? Not that it matters, because the answer is the same in both cases: whichever brand fits your feet comfortably!

As you have a small budget, your best bet is probably to go to the shop at your rink and ask what they have in your price range - you may well be able to get a good pair of beginner/level boots and blades for that.

[Team Arthritis]

welcome back, skating is cooool!, LOL
Lyle

[LSF]

Thanks! I didn't realise it was as simple as that, just wondered if they were certain makes to avoid or not. Next time I am there I shall try some on at the shop. Thanks

[Skittl1321]

I'm in the US so I don't know what brands you have available, so I can't help you there.

If you want figure skates, rather than hockey, and plan to progress further from skating round in circles during a public skate- look for boots that have the blades screwed on rather than rivetted. This will allow you adjust your blades, or replace them. (Which means you are looking for a leather heel, not plastic).

[LSF]

Ok, it would just be public rink skating I would be doing, nothing else so I guess it would be hockey skates I need? The main brands here seem to be CCM, Bauer, Reebok and Nike.

Cheers

[Mrs Redboots]

Nothing wrong with hockey skates, of course, but "they" say that it's actually easier to learn to skate on figure blades, and quite possibly it would be easier to tool around on them, too.

Plus we all say that's all we're going to do, then we get frustrated with our lack of ability and sign up for group classes, and then..... well, put it this way, there was some random clergyman on the BBC website yesterday, quoted as saying that "Nobody gets seriously addicted to ice-skating". (Thanks to clare for drawing my attention to that quote). Well, he's wrong!

[Clare]

Nothing wrong with hockey skates, of course, but "they" say that it's actually easier to learn to skate on figure blades, and quite possibly it would be easier to tool around on them, too.

Plus we all say that's all we're going to do, then we get frustrated with our lack of ability and sign up for group classes, and then..... well, put it this way, there was some random clergyman on the BBC website yesterday, quoted as saying that "Nobody gets seriously addicted to ice-skating". (Thanks to clare for drawing my attention to that quote). Well, he's wrong!

The clergyman is definitely wrong, it is crazy addictive- there are few other things that will get me out of bed at 5.30am...

With regards to the hockey skates- I'm still doing group classes and we have a guy in our group who has hockey skates and is considering switching to figure skates as he is finding turns and spins much more difficult that those of us on figure skates. Don't know if thats something that would frustrate you or not but thought I'd share.

Clare

[Team Arthritis]

The clergyman is definitely wrong, it is crazy addictive- there are few other things that will get me out of bed at 5.30am...
Clare

LOLhttp://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/love0028.gif (http://www.thesmilies.com)http://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/symbolic/hypnodisk.gif (http://www.thesmilies.com)
not all of us cultists are fervent prosthelites, but I am, Figure Skating is much better!!
Lyle

[Mrs Redboots]

LOLhttp://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/love0028.gif (http://www.thesmilies.com)http://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/symbolic/hypnodisk.gif (http://www.thesmilies.com)
not all of us cultists are fervent prosthelites, but I am, Figure Skating is much better!!
LyleThe context of the quote was the announcement that a new supercasino is to be built in Manchester, and this was a local vicar a bit worried that people who have problems with gambling will have even worse ones with the new casino! Obviously, he'd have preferred a new ice rink - well, who wouldn't?????

[LSF]

Thank you for all your replies! I shall certainly bear them in mind when buying my skates.

Thanks again