Next Skates after Jackson Mystiques?

[Vicki7]

Hey everyone,

So, finally, after a year of use every week, sometimes twice a week, for two hours at a time, my skates are showing some signs of (very light) creasing in the ankle area, particularly on my right (landing) leg.

I reckon I've probably got at least another 6-8 months, maybe more use in them before they start breaking down to the point they need replacing.

But, it took me WEEKS to decide on these, so I'm starting to get ideas now.

Currently working on waltz jumps, 3 turns, crossovers and a few other things. Will probably be up to Toe and Sal by the time I need to upgrade.

I'd ideally like something where I can pick my blades or switch out the stock ones.

I'm 5ft2 and currently weigh 165lbs although am aiming to reduce my weight. I also have wide feet, hence this pair of Jacksons.

Any suggestions?

[AgnesNitt]

Competitors are stiffer than Freestyles aren't they? I'm about your size and weight and the Competitors have been good to me.

It took several years for me to break them down (I don't jump). 

[sarahspins]

I think if the Jacksons have worked well for you, the next logical progression would be a pair of Freestyles or Competitors, both of which can be ordered as a set (you could upgrade the blades in the future if you wanted) or boot only.  The Premiere is an option too, depending on what your budget is.  If you know that you plan on continuing with freeskating I'd suggest the Competitor or Premiere over the Freestyle - you'll get more life out of them and they're not signiftantly stiffer to start with that breaking them in would be problematic.

[Vicki7]

Hi, thanks for the replies!

Yeah, I am really happy with my Jacksons, the only thing is I might possibly need a wider fit, my toes sometimes get pinched

But that's not enough of a problem to warrant upgrading now.

I didn't know you could switch blades on the Competitors, they're around the price range I'm looking at with the blades, so I might get the set and then see how I feel about swapping out the blades if needs be. I've been looking at, and hearing good reviews about Coronation Aces so was going to go for those.

[DressmakingMomma]

We had a tough time finding a pair of skates that fit my dd's wide ball/narrow heel feet. We ended up with Jackson Premieres and Coro ace blades and she loves them. The padding in the premieres is really nice and we were able to order them with a split width. She is skating at about your level (scratch spin, waltz jump, 1/2 flip) and hasn't found them too stiff, which  I was worried about. She is able to tie them looser then her old skates but still feels very secure.

The coro ace blade has been great for her spins, and turns but she is having to work harder for height in her jumps and lost her lunge at first. She moved from the ultima mirage, which she never really liked - she always felt like she was tripping over the toepick whereas she doesn't feel like that at all with the coro aces. She MUCH prefers the new blade, even if she does have to put some extra practice into her jumps and the lunge.

Hope that helps with the decision making. We really struggled with finding the right skates for her feet but are quite happy with the current combo - till the next growth spurt anyway!

[Vicki7]

Haha I don't have scratch spin or half flip yet! I'm working through the UK LTS programme with a private coach and she randomly says "Oh, let's see how you get on with this!" which is how I got my jump

I'm still on 3 turns and mohawks and all that good stuff!

I think the hardest part will be getting to a good skate tech - there aren't any in my immediate area so I will have to take a train ride to get my next skates.

[eillie]

Have you considered the Jackson Elle?  They're less stiff than the Competitor/Freestyle, and can be ordered with boot only or stock blades (Mirage).  I have them now, and I like them.

[sarahspins]

The Elle could be a good option, but I don't necessarily think it would hold up well for low freeskate levels - my daughter has been skating in a pair for about 9 months and she has creased the ankles fairly well in hers, and obviously she's not really jumping or doing anything particularly hard on her skates yet.  I suspect she'll be outgrowing those soon and I'm fairly undecided as to whether she'll stay in the Elle or move up to the Freestyle.  She's now in basic 7, and had a very well used pair of freestyle before this pair of skates, but 9 months ago when we bought the Elle's a new pair of Freestyles would have been too much boot for her.

[Vicki7]

Do you see why I've started looking now?

I was looking at the Elle, but now I'm so confused the only thing for it is going to be to take a train ride to a big skate shop, try on several boots, and start saving for the upgrade! To add to my confusion, a friend who is a similar level just bought a pair of used Overtures, and seems to be fine in them. So I don't know what stiffness I need or anything now!

[Loops]

Hopefully your research will help you narrow down choices as opposed to complicating things.  I agree with your decision to start early on this!  Makes a painful process much easier.

It's very good to have an open mind in terms of different brands.  I think your idea of heading to the skate shop is a good one. Your feet will tell you lots. And as long as you stick with leather soles, you'll be able to do what you want blade-wise.  Edea's don't seem to have leather soles, but my coach (who does the blade mounting for my club) said they're no problem to move around, you just have to use their screws.

You say you have wide feet- when I tried on Edea's, they felt wider than the Jacksons, esp in the heels.  Do you have a fitter you trust?  That will make all the difference!  They'll also help gear you towards an appropriate stiffness if you find yourself waffling between two different models.

SarahSpins gave me a test that I found helpful so will pass along.  When you're trying on boots, stand with your feet flat on the floor and bend your knees as far as you can go.  If you can get them over your toes, you're in good shape.  If you can't, the boots are too stiff.  Although, some boots you'll be able to tell are too stiff as soon as your foot is in them.

Good luck!

[Vicki7]

Right, apologies for dragging this thread back up, but I have an update.

I noticed a little while ago, that I had a LOT of room in my boots that wasn't there before - my feet have either shrunk or changed shape, due to losing weight. So I've been doing some research, talking to a few people and I had some ideas.

Then a friend offered to drive me to a fitter with a very good reputation among our skaters (we have nowhere local so have to go out of town) and we're going tomorrow.

Two phone calls with two different people, who all asked various questions about my skating level and we've got some new ideas. So tomorrow i'm going to be trying the Jackson Classiques and Edea Overtures on for size. I'll also maybe try anything else they've got, just to see what works.

Basically what they said to me was, that because I've only just started to jump, going any higher than this would probably be overbooting. They have a pair of Overtures in my size that are boot only, so they said if I liked the fit but wanted a different blade, we could discuss that.

I was thinking about the Coronation Ace, as I know a few people who are using them and have been since they were at about my level, with no issues. Can anyone recommend a good freestyle blade that would be suitable for someone in my position?

[sarahspins]

I was thinking about the Coronation Ace, as I know a few people who are using them and have been since they were at about my level, with no issues. Can anyone recommend a good freestyle blade that would be suitable for someone in my position?

There's no reason at all you couldn't opt for a Coronation Ace (or the similar MK Professional) - I've seen skaters at all levels use them very successfully, and it's certainly a blade that will carry you into future skills.

[Vicki7]

Oh, that's good to know - I wasn't sure if I was over-blading myself (is that even possible?) or if I should be looking at something else. I think, to be honest, if the Edeas fit my feet OK, I'll probably go for the Overture/Coronation Ace combination as it should last me a long while.

[sarahspins]

Nope, they will be just fine - it's one of the reasons why that is one of the most highly recommended blades, because it's suitable for skaters from beginner through all doubles.  The main reason you don't see more on low level skaters is really due to cost (most beginners don't buy a boot/blade combo separately, and their budget is typically less than the blades alone would cost), not unsuitability, but you will appreciate the benefits of having a "better" quality blade such as holding a sharpening longer than a lower level (eg cheaper) blade would.

The only other blade I would really recommend under the Coro Ace or MK Professional level is the MK Double Star, sometimes you can pick those up for really cheap if your pro shop has old stock, and those are fine through all single jumps.

[ChristyRN]

I went from Mystique to Competitor before I started jumping. If you plan on jumping, it's not a bad idea to look at both the Freestyle and/or the Competitor. Right now, I'm working on singles, in my second pair of Competitors and looking at Premiers (for a split-last).

And your feet will get skinnier as you lose weight. Mine did, even before the scale started moving. It's one of the reasons I changed skates.

[Vicki7]

Well, the skate buying saga is ALMOST over.

I say almost, the skates are purchased, the blades are purchased. Unfortunately, I don't have the skates. The guy who mounts blades is also the guy who sharpens and he's crazy busy on a Saturday so the shop are going to call when they're ready to pick up.

My friend had a nightmare getting sorted, and skates have had to be ordered in for her, so we're both going to go up and collect our new purchases together.

I am shocked at the difference in service between the two shops I've now used. These guys come highly recommended and I can see why - I was asked so many questions and so many things were checked, both on the boots, and my feet.

The shop I bought my Mystiques from only really asked about my level, not my feet. I asked them for a size 6, and assumed, after they fit, that that's what I was sold.

The guy today looked at my insoles and said, "These are way too big!" He looked at my skates - they're a 6 and a half (UK sizes). Then he looked at my feet and said we'd start at a size 5 and go from there.

He said as there was no real ankle breakdown, he didn't want to put me in anything much stiffer than a Classique, at a push. We started with the Edea Overtures, in a size 5, and they fit so well right from the word go. He let me keep them on and walk around while he helped my friend, and I had them on for nearly an hour with no real discomfort. He checked the fit, and said we'd be hard pressed to get a better fit than that.

Then we talked blades and he said I could go for the Mark IV, or the Coronation Ace. I said I wanted to get something that would last, so I had a look and feel of the Coronation Ace and decided on those. The toe pick is seriously scary looking! And they're a good inch or so shorter than my current blades thanks to going down 1.5 boot sizes.

I just can't wait to pick them up and skate in them! And this change of brand after I said on another thread I thought I was in for a long and happy marriage to Jackson skates...

[littlerain]

That sounds awesome vicki! When do you get to go pick them up?? soon i hope??

I've never really had a proper fitting, and I know I need to. fortunately i have no complaints with the reidell's i have... In any event, I'm fortunate to like not too far from Rainbo (45min or less?) so I'll be sure to visit them for my next pair.

[Vicki7]

Well as I'm going with my friend, it'll depend on when her skates come into the shop - hoping it'll be around the end of next week if they can get them from the supplier quickly. They did offer to send them to my house when ready, but with never having bought a separate boot and blade, I want to go in person in case we need to adjust the blades.

The Edeas are so low, and only have 3 hooks, they're gonna take some getting used to, as are the blades!

<repeats "remember the toe picks" 1,000 times>

[littlerain]

<repeats "remember the toe picks" 1,000 times>

lol. i'm sure by the 1000th time you'll have adjusted to it! lol.

i hope your friend's comes in soon then, so you can go pick up your new skates! yayy. btw I just left you a comment on your blog

[Loops]

Hey Vicki7- you're on the UK forum, too right?  If so, where are you getting your skates from?  I'm trying to compile a list of potential fitters so the next time I have to get skates I can start off from a more informed base......  As far as I can tell there's only one possibility here in France, and I won't know that until the next time we pass through Lyon.  Plus any excuse is welcome to vacay in the UK!

[Vicki7]

I got them from Sheffield - it's worth calling before a visit, to see what they have in stock and if you give them enough notice they can order different things in for you.

They were so lovely I'm going there for all future skate needs

[Loops]

Can you PM me the store details?  Name and phone number, if you have that.  Do you recall what brands they carry?

[taka]

Can you PM me the store details?  Name and phone number, if you have that.  Do you recall what brands they carry?

I'm guessing from the descriptions of the zuca's in Vicki's blog it is Puckstop which is a shop based at the end of one of the ice pads at Ice Sheffield. They carry Risport, Jackson, Graf and Edea and have the largest collection of zucas and skating dresses I have ever seen! (Set a budget before you set foot in there! It is the nicest skating shop I've ever been in - so tempting to buy 101 things! ) Not bought skates from there personally but one of my friends tried on several pairs there and was happy with the service! The ice rink is pretty good too!

[Loops]

Thanks Taka!  I've seen Puckstop mentioned on the UK forum- wasn't sure about it.  Would you guys class these guys as proper fitters a la Les Westaway and Everglides? 

[taka]

Thanks Taka!  I've seen Puckstop mentioned on the UK forum- wasn't sure about it.  Would you guys class these guys as proper fitters a la Les Westaway and Everglides?

Not sure to be honest. Certainly it is one of the larger skating shops in that area. Maybe ask on the UK forum - I think several people on there skate at that rink (or nearby) so they may have a better idea how good they are.