Show Off Your Skates!

[FigureSpins]

I hope so - that's really not normal.  Yes, the holes will stretch, but not tear out like that.  The type of laces often helps widen or elongate the holes, but those look like the laces that came with the skates, so that shouldn't be the case.

Good luck!

[FigureSpins]

Just for posterity, my new Jackson Competitors with Aspire blades.  It's a step-down from Klingbeils with Gold Seals, but I definitely like them.  The Klingbeils have to go back to the shop and I needed a decent pair of spares to wear for coaching.




Didn't have them heat-molded and the ankle area seems pretty narrow - it's hard to seat my heel all the way back.
I changed out the insoles because I needed more arch support and because the boot seemed really "deep" to me.  The width is okay, but the depth (top-insole) was wierd.  Not using the top hooks because it's not necessary.

[Skittl1321]

These are my Jackson Premiers with the Ultima Matrix Legacy blade in Lilac.




(I wish Jackson wouldn't do the logo on the tongue like that though.  And my last boots didn't have the plate on the heel either.  I don't think they need to advertise from my feet.  Otherwise I LOVE them- they are so pretty.  Although I no longer have a signature on my back left outside. Maybe that's why I can't backspin anymore...)

[AgnesNitt]

(I wish Jackson wouldn't do the logo on the tongue like that though. 

As Isk8NYC told me "that's what skate tape is for".
Personally I think it looks cheap. If I want anything on my heel I want it to be my name (you can do that with saddles and it looks cool)

[sarahspins]

(I wish Jackson wouldn't do the logo on the tongue like that though.  And my last boots didn't have the plate on the heel either.

I think that everyone above the premier (well, and finesse too) doesn't have that... my elite plus don't, but they do have the heel plate.  I am not bothered by the heel plate - harlick and sp-teri use them too, they just place them on the side.  And it could be worse... Wifa, Graf and Risport stitch their logos into the backstrap on some higher-level boot models - I think *that* looks tacky!

[Skate@Delaware]

I'm not too bothered by the gosh-awful cheap looking tacky gold logo on the tongue-it's hidden by my tights lol! I had though about removing the plate on the heel, countersinking some holes and plugging them with sparkly stones!!!! Maybe a line of them across.....after all, I did bling my laces!

[ChristyRN]

I just got new Jackson Competitors in the spring.  I hope to continue breaking them in once I go back to my during-the-school-year 12 hours shifts.  I'll go pretty much straight after Tuesday Chemistry class.  I still need to permanently  mount the blades and waterproof the soles. 

[Isk8NYC]

As Isk8NYC told me "that's what skate tape is for".

I did?  I don't remember that, but it is a good idea.

It was close to 100°F here today, so I left my skates in their box on the sunny front porch.  Let them cool on my feet and my heel made it to the back!  That should help a bit.

[Elsa]

I complained to my fitter when I was sliding forward in my Jackson's.  He asked me to lace my skates, and as soon as I skipped the top hooks he said "there's your problem - lace 'em all the way up." I did, and I have a nice tight seat in the heel now.  Oops. 

I'm not a fan of the Jackson logos either - I think the bronze heel plate looks cheap.  Riedell has a brushed nickel logo plate on the side of their heels and I love that one.  When my old Riedells were rebuilt, I actually asked them to put them on because my boots didn't originally have them.   

[Kim to the Max]

The Harlick name plates are optional - they come in the box with the boots, and you put them on if you want, and if you don't, you don't. I don't think I have ever put them on because it is one more place to worry about really sno-sealing! Speaking of sno-sealing...I really need to do that soon...

[Purple Sparkly]

My last pair of SP Teri's came with the name plate already affixed to the side of the heel.  Harlick has had the name plates for as long as I can remember, but SP Teri just started doing it in the last 10 years, or so.  Reidell and Jackson also did not have them for a long time.  What I really dislike is the SP Teri logo on the powertab of the KT 2 and 3.  I don't much care for the logos on the skates other than the stamp on the underside purely for identification purposes for people that are not able to identify them by their features alone.  My thought is that if my skates fit properly and are made well, the recommendations I give of the boots are going to be much more valuable than the name plate on the heel.

[AgnesNitt]

So I went to see my skate tech today for a sharpening. In our chit chat I called my boots Jackson Classiques. He looked at them and said, "No, these are Competitors." Well, dang it, that a stiffness 55, so on the spot I ordered a pair of Finesse (also stiffness 55, with some nice dance touches). It may take me a year to break them in (just skating warmups in them), but by then my Competitors (!) will be ready to go.

As soon as they're in I'll post pictures. My present ones are all yellowy and crummy looking.

[Skittl1321]

So I went to see my skate tech today for a sharpening. In our chit chat I called my boots Jackson Classiques. He looked at them and said, "No, these are Competitors." Well, dang it, that a stiffness 55, so on the spot I ordered a pair of Finesse (also stiffness 55, with some nice dance touches).

I was told that the Finesse have the same stiffness as the Freestyle, which is less than the Competitor, so they might not be as stiff as you are thinking.  I wanted them to help with toe point/knee bend, but my coach didn't want me jumping in them.  They should be great for dance, which IIRC is what you do.


ETA: The Jackson website lists the Women's Finesse and Women's Freestyle at 45 (Child's freestyle at 40) and the Competitor 55 Women/50 childs.
I just got the Premier (listed at 65 women/60 childs) and while it is stiff, it doesn't feel like a cement block at all, I can bend very easily in the forward direction, I just feel the stiffness against the ankle when landing jumps.  I don't know if it is the women's or the child's.  I think at size 4, I've moved up to women's.  I know my old competitors were child's, because they were slightly cheaper  

[AgnesNitt]

ETA: The Jackson website lists the Women's Finesse and Women's Freestyle at 45 (Child's freestyle at 40) and the Competitor 55 Women/50 childs.
I just got the Premier (listed at 65 women/60 childs) and while it is stiff, it doesn't feel like a cement block at all, I can bend very easily in the forward direction, I just feel the stiffness against the ankle when landing jumps.  I don't know if it is the women's or the child's.  I think at size 4, I've moved up to women's.  I know my old competitors were child's, because they were slightly cheaper  

My tech had me try on a Premiere just to test for size (I think they're rated 80 65 (edit Skittl's right). Oh, my, that felt like a cement block to me. However, my friend the Big Guy went through two pairs (edit) of Elite Supreme-I think- with stiffness 85 (end edit) a year, ditto for blades.  It's all about the skater isn't it?

A size 4! OMG. You've got tiny delicate toddler feet. I'm in a 6C (old lady feet).

[aussieskater]

I think at size 4, I've moved up to women's.  I know my old competitors were child's, because they were slightly cheaper  

No wonder your new skates look so pretty and dainty (and they do).  At that size foot, I think concrete blocks would look dainty!

[Elsa]

Not a good shot, but they were about to take K's skates away to exchange them for the next size up, and I just had to grab a pic.  So, here are K's and my skates crashed out on the pro shop floor. I have Jackson Premieres, she had (and has again) Reidell 121s.

[sarahspins]

So cute!  I need to get a shot of my skates with my 4 year old's skates - he has tiny little SP-Teri's and they are the cutest things ever

[Elsa]

Isn't it fun, Sarah? Those are 8s, and she just moved up to 9s. They're SO little!

[Kim to the Max]

New boots and blades!!

[sarahspins]

Love the pink!  I need to take a new picture of mine.. my blades are very green!

[Skittl1321]

New boots and blades!!

OMG! I LOVE the dark pink blades.  I've only ever had the light pink.

[Rachelsk8s]

Kim I love your blades!!!!  How do you like them?  I'd love to give them a try next time I buy new blades

[iomoon]

Here are my new Proteris, with MK Professional Blades and custom insoles. I've been wanting these for months.  My feet shall be happy (after I break them in, of course).

[slcbelle]

My jump landings are nearly silent, and the 8' rocker makes spinning better.

Here's a thumbnail, which you can click on for large size:

The 8' rockers makes you spin better?  I thought a 7' rocker is supposed to be easier to find the sweet spot than an 8' and that 8' is better for speed and power in stroking.  I am going to be ordering new blades this month so I'm really interested! What to do?

[slcbelle]

My tech had me try on a Premiere just to test for size (I think they're rated 80 65 (edit Skittl's right). Oh, my, that felt like a cement block to me.

I had the Premiere's last year.  Totally like cement blocks with stuff tongues and wide heel pockets.