Stiffer boots?

[amandascw]

So I currently have Riedell boots with light stiffness, meant for levels I passed a long while ago (levels not including any jumps). Are boots and blades meant for lower levels holding me back or is it not a big deal? I feel like I should be getting stiffer boots to better support my jumps & spins. I've had my current skates for a little over a year and the leather is starting to crease on my left boot (my landing foot, shoutout to any other clockwise rotators ) Any thoughts?? Comments from anyone welcome

[tstop4me]

More info would be helpful.  (a) What model Riedell boot, and what blade, are you currently skating on?    (b) Are you a kid who's feet are still growing, or are you old enough that they have stopped growing?  (c) What level skating do you do now, and what do you plan on doing over the course of the next year? (d)  What can you afford?

[amandascw]

Thank you for answering! For more info:
(a) Riedell Emerald with Luna blade (came attached) They're designed for recreation up to usfsa Basic 4.
(b) my feet are still growing but they grow extremely slow
(c) Right now I am practicing skills from a variety of levels but I would say I'm about USFSA Freeskate 3. I don't exactly how much I will progress in the next year but I practice from 1 hr 40 min to 2 hrs 40 min a week (depending on the week). Also, in the past year I moved up about 6 levels.
(d) My price range for a boot by itself is $300 at the absolute maximum.
thanks again

[tstop4me]

What you have now are recreational skates; the boots have PVC soles, and the blades are pre-mounted.  I would recommend that you upgrade to a beginning freestyle boot with leather soles, sold without pre-mounted blades.  I looked at the latest Riedell line.  The lowest end model that meets these criteria is the Stride; the next model up is the Edge.  Both are within your $300 budget.  You have the option of buying them with pre-mounted low-end blades (~+$20 for Stride; ~+$40 for Edge).  But I would recommend an intermediate blade such as Wilson Coronation Ace; but that runs ~$220.  If that is too pricey, the Wilson Majestic runs ~$145.  Depending on the shop, there will likely be extra charges for prepping the boots, mounting the blades, and sharpening the blades; so be careful to check what the total cost will be.

The above only serve as examples of the level of boots and blades you should be looking into.  They are not necessarily the right ones for you.  In particular, with respect to boots, different makers use different models for feet.  I used to wear Riedells, but I switched to Jacksons because I have narrow heels, and advanced Jackson boots are shaped on a split last with a narrower width heel with respect to the toe width.  Jackson has the Freestyle model, which was previously sold without pre-mounted blades.  Their latest listing shows it with pre-mounted blades, but you may be able to still order it without pre-mounted blades (saw it on one vendor's site); also within your budget.

So check with your coach or instructor if you have one and go to a decent pro shop if you have access to one.

As you move up in boots, they generally (but not always) get stiffer.  And you don't want something that's way too stiff for your level.  But as you move up, generally (but not always) you also get a better fit (e.g., a more contoured boot and a multi-piece tongue) and extra features (e.g., thicker sponge on the tongue, padded ankle collar, and ankle notches) that lead to better comfort.  Jackson and other brands have heat-moldable models.  That's something to consider if you have problematic feet.  And ask your tech whether heat molding will accommodate some growth.