Skate choice advice

[johnspat]

Hello, Please forgive me if this is duplicative. My DD has been skating since she was 2 in the Pink Softec skates. I taught her at first just by watching what she was doing right and coming up with exercises to promote it. She hasn't been able to truly turn her foot and push off, but can do swizzles after marching and gliding as well as hopping. She skates for about two hours with some breaks and will fall 2-3 times in the two hours with a smile. She is now 4 months from her 4th birthday and I have a private coach who she has seen 4 times and has made some progress although swizzles from a stand still elude her.

Both her coach and a high school friend who was highly accomplished and is a coach (and has watched videos of her) suggested the softec skates were not helping her feel the edge and that she should move into a more intermediate skate. Both suggested the Classiques. When I went to the pro shop, the fitter was shocked that I would suggest that skate for her and said it was too much and she will never break it in before she outgrows it. We tried a Riedell 121, and one ankle was breaking. We then tried the Classiques which she could walk around in great. But knowing the fitters words and seeing it in his eyes, we have ordered some Mystiques in the same size to try. Any words of advice and thoughts are appreciated as what we should do. If ever this was a commercial for visiting a local fitter, this was it for me.

Please let me know what you think. Thanks!

[Isk8NYC]

Just fyi: I'm a skater, a *good* skating mom, and a skating instructor. I'm speaking from my personal experience and opinion.

I just looked at SoftTek skates last week - they're useless for figure skating. The boot doesn't let the skater's knee or ankle flex in any direction. The blades HAVE NO EDGES and the toepicks are just for decoration, lol.

Don't think you're a bad parent - plenty of people buy them, which is why they're still in business. They're fine for stomping around the rink and they look cool to kids. You're not alone and you haven't done any permanent damage, lol.

The Jackson SoftSkates are very good for beginners. The Riedell soft skates are also good, but I prefer the Jacksons. The Riedells force a very upright position and come up very high above the ankle, which inhibits knee movement, IMO.

However, it is time for your daughter to graduate to "real" figure skates.
The Mystiques will be fine for her for a while since (1) she's under 4 years old and probably going to go through a growth spurt soon; and (2) she's still a very low-level skater.

She'll probably outgrow the skates before she "outskates" them. You can probably resell them (for around $10-20) because they'll still have plenty of life left in them. Since the skates are leather, the pro shop can stretch them for you if they get a little tight. You have to leave them overnight and there's a small charge - maybe $20 at most - but it lets your daughter use the skates a bit longer and buys you time to order new ones in the proper size.

Around Basic 4, she might need a better skate and the Mystique will fit that bill. That's just a guideline - I've had kids on rental skates NAIL elements at Basic 8, lol.

If you see that she's struggling with doing one-footed turns or edges, ask the instructors to look at her skates. At that point, they might not have enough support for your daughter and you'll need to upgrade to a higher-level skate.

Skates are the only required piece of equipment for ice/figure skating. Good skates prevent injury, frustration, and maximize lesson time. It's better to invest in good skates than on fancy accessories or clothing.

I had this discussion last week because my daughters where literally the only kids left on the synchro team who didn't have the fancy cube skate bags called "Zuca bags." I broke down and bought two last week, but they're early birthday presents. I'd rather spend $180 on good skate blades than $140 on a skate bag. That's just me and if I appear cheap, good. Skating doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg if you buy things wisely.

It's best to start with a good sharpening, so ask if the initial sharpening is included in the price. Most pro shops do, but a few use the "factory sharpening" excuse. Every student I've taught with new skates and a factory sharpening in the last year have needed a sharpening within three sessions of getting the skates. Even if you have to pay for it, it's worth it to get the skates sharpened and start your daughter off on a solid footing.

You should also buy a pair of hard rubber guards. You can ask the pro shop to cut them to size - most will do that for you. It gets the skates ready sooner than DIY. (I can never find a utility knife when I want one.) The hard guards protect the blades from damage and help keep them sharp. Put your name on them - all guards look alike.

When your daughter puts the skates on, she should also put on the rubber guards. She can then walk to the ice rink doorway and take them off before getting on the ice. When she leaves the ice, she has to put on the guards before she walks around.

Make up a skating bag with a drying rag in an outside pocket. Store the hard guards there too, if possible, so they can dry between uses.

Put a towel in the bottom or buy a pair of terrycloth soakers at the pro shop.

After skating, dry the entire skate really well, especially the blades, and put on the soakers before you store the skates.

[sk8tmum]

We are strong fans of the Riedell 121, which is a real skating boot with a decent blade, especially now that they have added in the new Topaz blade ...although not as much of a blade as the Mystique. It's not the softskate, which I also dislike. The Riedells fit nice and narrow, which suits our DD's feet.

The Mystique is also a good entry level boot, and will do your DD well - if she can bend it. My DD cannot even now, however, other at her age and weight can - and some 4 year olds were able to bend it. Which is why a good fitter is critical. What suited my DD at age 4 is NOT what will suit your DD at age, and it might not suit another 4 year old. It's not age, it's build, weight, ability, and body dimensions.

Good skates and good equipment are definitely your best investment.

[johnspat]

We got the Mystiques today and looks like we have an outer edge problem where at rest her left foot is on the outer edge. The shop said that her ankles need to get stronger but the instructor thinks the boot is not made correctly and that is what is causing the problem. Anybody have this issue and advice on solving it?

[sk8tmum]

Not exactly sure what you mean ... but, factory mounted blades can be mounted incorrectly, and factory sharpenings need to be re-done by someone who knows what they are doing. Have a good blade technician check them. We've had to have factory-mounted blades moved.

The Mystiques are already reasonably strong skates: we took our DD out of them because she could not bend them for the life of her - which tells me that the ankle thing doesn't seem right, especially given your child's size and weight.

The boots may just be the wrong size or width - or, frankly, made incorrectly, at that price point, the quality can be off on occasion.

You should also have your coach look at how you are lacing the boots. If this is your first experience with "real figure skates" - it's a different technique !


So, first step: get the blades looked at. Your coach may be able to help you tell if they are mismounted.

Second step: go back and politely ask the skate shop to recheck them. Most skate shops want repeat business, and newbie skaters can become long-term clients!

If that doesn't work, then, lastly: call Jackson. They offer a very good warranty on their products. They may be able to help.