How stiff a boot should I get?

[SkatyPru]

I'm getting fitted for new skates. I'm coming out of basic recreational skates (Riedell 110) and moving into Jacksons with some actual support. I wanted to get Freestyles, but I need a D width, and they don't come in D. My options are to get Elles or Competitors. The stiffness ratings are as follows:
Elle - 35
Freestyle - 45
Competitor - 55

I am an adult Freestyle 1 level, ready to move up to Freestyle 2, except for the waltz jump. I just don't have enough support in my current boots to feel confident actually doing the jump, but I know the mechanics of it.

I need to choose between the Elles and the Competitors.  I worry that the Elles would need to be replaced sooner, that I  will progress out of them, or break them down quicker, and have to buy new skates again in a year. On the flip side, I wonder if the Competitors are more boot than I need right now and will hinder my progress.

I've only been skating about a year, so I'm not really sure how severe a difference it is between a 35 stiffness and a 55 stiffness.  I skate a couple times a week right now, about 3 hours total, but hoping to increase my skate time as I continue to improve.

Any thoughts?

[skategeek]

I'm not experienced enough to comment, so I'll let others do that.  But welcome to the forum!

[saje]

My inclination would be to tell you to go for the stiffer boot (Competitors).  I'm not very familiar with ISI, but I'm assuming that since you're in the freestyle levels, you'll be working on jumps and spins, which will be putting more strain on your boot.  Adults typically need stronger boots anyway.  I was 16 (about 130 lbs) when I got my first pair of real boots (Jackson Freestyles) and broke them down within 8 months of doing single jumps and basic spins.  I ended up having to go even stiffer with my next pair of boots so that they would last longer (spoiler alert: they didn't).  It wasn't until I started getting boots made for doubles & triples that I was able to have a pair of skates that lasted longer than a year.  YMMV.

Definitely talk to your coach/ boot fitter about your level and they should be able to give you some guidance.  My guess is that they will tell you to go with the more supportive boot as well - especially if you're starting to jump.  Hope that helps!

[JSM]

How long did the recreational skates last you?  Were they the correct size?  A boot that doesn't fit properly will break down more quickly than something that does.

A slightly stronger boot may be the way to go, depending on your weight and how you utilize your ankles in your skating!  What does your coach think?

[SkatyPru]

The rec skates lasted about 10 months. I pulled apart the back seam on one boot, trying to get them tight and feel supportive. They are probably a half size too big, since I just bought them online based on the size I wore in the rental skates.

My gut is to go with the stiffer boot, since I'm a Big Girl, starting jumps and spins.

[nicklaszlo]

I doubt the Elle would be stiff enough.  I was in Freestyle when I was below your level, and in retrospect they might not have been stiff enough for me.  They lasted about two years.  I was about 180 pounds then.

[ChristyRN]

I went from Mystique (I think) to Competitor. I was near 200 pounds when I did. I'm at 170 now and in the Premiere, more because I needed the split last than the stiffness. I'm at the pre-bronze moving to bronze level with half and single jumps. I feel like I'm in the right skate for my weight and skill level. I skate with a tiny little adult who is at the silver level working on axel. She is in Jackson Freestyles. I never would have lasted in them because I'm a bigger, heavy skater. Competitors were a good boot for me, other than the width problem.

I would talk to a good fitter and your coach before making a final decision. I did get 7 or so years out of my first pair and 2 out of my second pair of Competitors (and they still have a lot of life in them).

[kr1981]

Like others have said, talk to your coach and fitter--but I'm inclined to say, seriously consider the Competitors. I got new boots back in the summer, and although I'm no longer testing (did that as a teen--had my fill!), I was pretty solidly at the ISI Freestyle 1 level--waltz jump and half jumps. Just going by the ratings on Jackson's website, I would have put myself in a Freestyle, but I went to a master fitter who put me in Premieres. He said I would break down Freestyles and Competitors too quickly. I'm about 5'6"/165 lbs. or so--so, not exactly a lightweight! If you're not... petite, you'll need a stiffer boot to support your weight. The other factor to take into consideration is how hard you skate. I tend to put a lot of power and muscle into everything, and that will break down a boot faster than someone who skates lightly. I was a little surprised to be put into Premieres, since they're rated for axels and beginning doubles--and at the time, I was just getting ready to start my toe loop and salchow--but I've had them for a little less than 4 months, and they definitely not too stiff. I'm pretty much at the ISI Freestyle 3 level right now, and they're just right. I actually would not want a less supportive boot. The Premieres were insanely stiff when they were new, but now that they're broken in, they're wonderful. The stiffness ratings on Jackson's website are more for kids/very petite skaters. So, a boot made for someone who's 65 lbs. and doing an axel is not going to hold up nearly as well for someone who's 165 lbs. and doing an axel.

[axelwylie]

I went from a basic Jackson skate (not sure which entry level boot) to the Competitors. I was able to test through Adult Gold freestyle in them and had an Axel and was working on doubles. It is stuff enough for those elements!

After 8-9 years, they finally wore out.

[Meli]

I'm a plus size skater at about the same level (have my waltz jump, half flip, and working on toe loop) and I'm in the Competitors.  I went with a stiffer boot after my first pair of Riedells so that I'd be secure on the jumps, and these have worked out nicely.

[sarahspins]

Definately not the Elle - it's a great boot for an absolute beginner (and it is really the only all-leather option in it's price range where most others are partly plastic) but it will not hold up to jumping beyond bunny hops and ballet jumps.

I am 5'6" and about 165lbs and I wear boots "rated" for triples, and I've consistently broken them down in about two years only doing single jumps and working on doubles... I don't even jump that much anymore (at least compared to most other adults my age or younger that I skate with), most of it is just how I skate.

One thing I will caution you about, no matter which boot you go with, is to make sure your heel is fit properly as well - it should feel almost uncomfortably snug to start with, if it feels comfortable and not super snug then it's very likely that your boots will end up too loose in the heel as you break them in and the inside padding compresses, which can lead to all kinds of problems - from simple insecurity of jump take-offs and landings, as well as trouble with turns and spins (due to a lack of ability to control the fore/aft angle of the foot), to actual physical problems (haglund's deformity, bursas,  etc).  It is VERY common for those of us with wider feet to need much narrower heels in our skates.  I'm currently skating in custom Harlicks but in Jackson I wore an E width with a B heel, and I am pretty sure if I were to order another pair of Jacksons I'd have them made with an A heel instead.

[SkatyPru]

Thank you, everyone!

You all are just confirming my gut feeling about getting the stiffer boot. I had been doing some other reading and research, and some were saying it was better to go with the lighter support, so as not to hinder progress with a too-stiff boot. But I think that given my size, age and skating style, the Competitors are the way to go.

Now I just have to wait for them. Boo!

[sarahspins]

I had been doing some other reading and research, and some were saying it was better to go with the lighter support, so as not to hinder progress with a too-stiff boot.

This is true, since wearing boots as stiff as I prefer would be a hinderance for someone at your level who isn't used to them, but in your case, buying a boot that is only slightly stiffer than what you were wanting (in this case the Competitor vs Freestyle) is really not that big of a deal and it's a better option long-term than choosing a boot that won't hold up for long.

You could even consider the Premiere which is another level higher, but I wouldn't suggest anything higher than that until you have more jumps or have a history of breaking down boots quickly.