Jackson Premiere?

[oh78]

Okay. So this is my first post to the forum and I'm open to any sort of feedbacks!

I'm thinking of buying a new pair of skates in couple of months and here's my problem.
My current skate (Jackson Elle) is in a very very good condition.
I got them on October 2013. HOWEVER, I'll be graduating college in May (2014) and
going back to my home country. In my home country, skates are really expensive (since it's imported)
and there's no proper pro-shops around. Also, the choices are really narrow.
Anyways so I'm thinking of buying new skate on May and I wanted to get some opinions beforehand.

Since I'm really happy with my Jackson Elle I want to stick to Jackson.
I wanted to try SP Teri (I have a large ball) but since I'm gonna fly back to my home country right after I purchase it,
there's no way to fix the potential problems I might have with SP teris. (It's not imported at all in my home country.
Jacksons are -- though it's more expensive)

Another thing is about what boots to buy.
I think I'm learning fast. When I first bought my boots on October I was in ISI Beta. (backward crossovers)
Now I'm landing on my flip jump and I'm also working on my sit spins. (ISI Freestyle 3-4)
I'm about 5'3 tall and weigh about 98~99 pound. My Jackson Elle's support level is 35 (which is lower than freestyle).
It only took me 2 public skating sessions to feel comfortable.
I want to buy Jackson Premiere +Coro Ace but I'm worried about the stiffness.. Or should I get a freestyle?
But I think I'll work on Lutz/Axel by the summer and I'm curious if that's strong enough.
Any thoughts?

[sarahspins]

You should be okay with the Premiere - I'm actually surprised you are able to do all that you are in the Elle's, but that is clear evidence you are progressing fast   My daughter wears the Elle and I think it's a great boot - but I suspect it won't be enough for her when she needs new boots again.

If you did opt for a lower boot than the Premiere I'd suggest the Competitor (55) over the Freestyle (45) - they will last you longer and it seems like you will be working on things soon that will need the extra support. 

[sampaguita]

I have the Freestyle with Mirage blades. The Freestyle is rated for single jumps up to the axel. I don't do jumps or spins, but I do a lot of stroking (I shifted to ice dance a few months ago), and it shows in my boots. If I were doing axels, I'd go for the Premiere, not the Freestyle.

I would suggest the Premiere, if you think you can handle the transition. I shifted from Riedell 133s (a little less stiff than the Classique) to the Freestyle, and was able to break in my boots after skating around 4 hours total. You can try the Premiere at the pro shop there and see how it feels. If you think it's too stiff, you can try the Competitor. That should work for you up to the axel.

[oh78]

Thank you sarahspins and sampaguita!
Yes, competitor was one of my options but I heard that their ankle is really high....?
I just thought it would be harder for me to bend my knees/ankles.
But definitely, yeah I don't think Freestyle would last/support enough for me.

I'm really in love with my Elle because it was easy to break in and it just fits me right.
But I'm also worried about hurting myself for being under-booted.(It says it's recommended through ISI FS1)
So far my coach hasn't mentioned me at all about the boots so I guess I'll wait til May!

Maybe I should visit the pro-shop and try both competitor and a premiere..?
It's gonna be a 6 hours of driving but oh well...

[slcbelle]

I had the Jackson Premiere when I started skating (through ISI FS 1-2).  They were extremely stiff, really bulky, heavy, and gave me Haglund's deformity on my heels.  I have narrow heels and wide balls of my feet.  I seriously couldn't flex them enough even after 6 months of skating 4 to 5 days a week.  I'm 5'5" and 116 lbs and currently the equivalent of ISI FS 3-4, like you.  IMHO, and speaking from experience with this boot, going with a boot that stiff can very likely impede your progress.  They got in my way.  You don't weigh very much and trying to bend the tongue of that boot might prove to be quite difficult.  It was for me and I'm almost 20 lbs heavier.  If you like the fit of the Jacksons perhaps the Competitor might be better as sarahspins mentioned.

I've also skated the Coronation Ace it was good.  I now skate the MK Vision (on custom Harlick's) and I love that blade.

[oh78]

Thank you slcbelle for sharing your experience.... I hope you're feeling okay with your feet now!
Just like you I have narrow heels and wide balls. Your story just terrified me.... Now I'm leaning more to Competitor.
Well it comes with a stock blade (Aspire) but I guess that would be enough for me now.
I can buy the Coro Ace in my home country though it's about $100 more expensive there...
I skate more than 7hrs/week now but it would be impossible for me when I go back to my home country.
I'm expecting about 3hrs/week after I go back so maybe the Premiere will take me forever to break in.
I'll definitely try the Competitor at a pro-shop!
Thank you!

[DressmakingMomma]

My 10 year old DD has a pair of the Premiere's because she needed a custom makeup boot with her foot shape. The premiere was the lowest level boot that we were able to order that would fit her. She is about 80 lbs., maybe 4'9" in height and is in freestyle 1 (has her scratch spin, waltz and 1/2 flip). She skates at least 4 days per week and has had them since December. The boots are stiff for her, and I see her struggling to get height in her jumps and get down into her lunge since we switched to these boots. They were the only option other then a full custom, so we didn't really have another choice. The plus side is that they fit her beautifully, are really plush and comfortable, and don't give her any blisters or sore spots.

There are a few things we do to help with the stiffness - I always heat up socks stuffed in rice in the micro and put them in her boots on the way to the rink so they are pre-warmed. We tie just tight enough to keep her ankle in place and I use a ponytail holder around the top hooks. We have also really worked the leather of the tongues and around the top by bending and rolling them to help break them in (recommended by our fitter). They are just starting to crease at the flex notch, so I think they are finally starting to loosen up a bit. Boots for her have been a struggle - at least these fit right.

[sarahspins]

I think it's also important to note that slcbelle wasn't fit correctly in her premiere's. I think her impression may have been different without the fit issues and complications resulting.  I'm not saying that she wouldn't have had the same issues had she been correctly fit - that's hard to say since we all have different feet, but the heel slippage was likely a combination of a boot too long for the foot and too wide through the heel.

I am heavier than both of you but I tried out a pair of premiere's about 3 years ago and they weren't strong enough for me.  I only gave them a couple of weeks on the ice but I think I could have completely broken them down in just a few months. I currently skate in a split width elite supreme which is rated for triples and it's fine for me.  I've been skating in my current pair for about 18 months and I'm starting the process of deciding on my next pair of boots since the model I have isn't made any more and I only expect another 6 months before I need to replace them.  I will either end up with custom Jacksons (made to match my current boots) or custom Harlicks. I have plans to meet with Phil Khun himself to he fitted for Harlicks in April and I'll decide at that point.

[slcbelle]

I think it's also important to note that slcbelle wasn't fit correctly in her premiere's. I think her impression may have been different without the fit issues and complications resulting.  I'm not saying that she wouldn't have had the same issues had she been correctly fit - that's hard to say since we all have different feet, but the heel slippage was likely a combination of a boot too long for the foot and too wide through the heel.

True.  They were punched in the bunion area to give me more width and I did have them heat molded.  But, they definitely were far more stiff and bulky than the Riedell Gold Star 375s I went to after the Premieres.  But, "if the boot fits"!  Unfortunately, nothing fit me out of the box.

[oh78]

UPDATE

Skate progress: Now I'm landing on single lutz and working on camel/back scratch spin.
My progress is faster than what my coach/myself expected so I think I'll be starting working into Axel in a week or two.

So I talked to my coach about my boots and she recommended me even HIGHER model, which is Jackson Elite.
She told me that Jackson Premiere won't last long for me. I told her that I think it would be too much for me (stiffness) but
she told me it's gonna be okay. But I'm not sure because my coach usually wears SP teris, not Jackson.
I assume that she doesn't really know about the Jackson boots...

Rather, she recommended me SP teris. I think I'll venture SP teris since I am buying my new pair earlier than what
I thought. (May) Because I'm buying it earlier than what I thought I have enough time to get fitted/fix problems
whatsoever with my new pair before I leave for my home country.

Well I feel totally undetermined now lol

[ChristyRN]

I'm in Competitors and I am much heavier than you, working on singles. I skate with a woman that is much lighter than me (like you) but is working on axels. She's in the Freestyle.   We are both in appropriate skates for our levels and weight.Your weight also has something to do with your booting.

For the record, I started in Mystique and went to Competitors. I was still in Adult 4 at the time, but I had lost so much weight that my heels were slipping. I'm in my second pair of Competitors and the first pair lasted ~6 years at 3X a week.

[PinkLaces]

I am taller and heavier than you, but same level FS 4/5 (just started axel before I was injured). I am on my 2nd pair of Jackson Premiere's. The boots last me about 2 years and I skate 4 times/week. I find them pretty easy to break in.

[FireGirl]

My daughter has the Competitor. She is 11, about 85 pd. She has been working on Axels and doubles with the Competitor for 1 year now. It took her a couple sessions to break them in. No complains or problems. The skates are starting to breaking down. For the past couple of months, she keeps complaining that the skates get loose too easily and she has to re-tie them a few times.

[oh78]

<UPDATE>

Seems like it's a totally different post now in that I ended up getting SP-Teris (My coach's advice)
I got Teri Light 55, which is not on their website. It's similar to dance boot on their website except that
it has a lighter sole. Ended up getting a "double combination" of it because I had a D width and B heel.
(Wasn't expecting this in that I used to skate in Jackson's 'B' width.)
For the blade, I got coronation ace. It was MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE than I was expecting.
Anyways, both my fitter and my coach told me that it would last 10 years...lol

I'm still breaking them in, but it wasn't that bad. I was able to do some jumps after 2 sessions.
I still have to re-tie them during sessions but I guess I'll get used to it.
The laces are so thinner than that of Jackson's that I am sometimes afraid of getting cut by it when I tie them...

Now (as I posted on my initial post) I'm working on Axels (but nowhere close to how it should look like lol),
camel spin/layback/change sit/back scratch...etc.
Got a lots of things to work on but I'm glad that I got one before I fly back to my home country!!
Hope this post helps to other skaters who were thinking of Jackson Premiere/Competitor or SP-Teris!!

I am considering of getting a bunga pad as it started to hurt my right ankle part (I'm guessing because it's my landing foot).
I tried a cosmetic pad and it's not working well enough.
Guess that's the natural part of skating in new pairs!