Riedell 220 : ankle support and blade mount

[pk]

 
I got  Riedell  skates with 220 model number printed inside the leather. So I think it is the Medallion skates. The boots seem well care for in the past. 

My feet fit well but the ankle doesnot feel like it has much support (more side/ankle flexibility) as my current Riedell 113. Is it because it is too old to skate with or is that flexibility is supposed to be for more advance skater?

The blades for on these 220 skates don't have all for the screws in every hole. For example only 2 screw in the heel mounts.  Does that mean if I use these, I must add more screw to every hole in the blade mounts ?

Thanks much in advance for the info!

[tstop4me]

I got  Riedell  skates with 220 model number printed inside the leather. So I think it is the Medallion skates. The boots seem well care for in the past. 

My feet fit well but the ankle doesnot feel like it has much support (more side/ankle flexibility) as my current Riedell 113. Is it because it is too old to skate with or is that flexibility is supposed to be for more advance skater?

The blades for on these 220 skates don't have all for the screws in every hole. For example only 2 screw in the heel mounts.  Does that mean if I use these, I must add more screw to every hole in the blade mounts ?

Thanks much in advance for the info!

The 220 is an old classic.  Don't know exactly when they were retired, I think late 90's or early 2000's [they were a very popular boot, and many large shops kept inventory in stock, which they continued to sell after they were retired].  The first pair of boots I bought was a 220, back in the late 60's.  It was the bottom end of their freestyle line and was not very stiff [for several decades the classic Riedell freestyle line was 220 (low end), Silver Star, Gold Star, and Royal (high end)].  When I was in grad school in the mid 70's, I took a PE class in ice dance just for kicks (actually, to meet girls), and the instructor recommended the 220 for a dance boot because of their flexibility (I was wearing Gold Star then; a very stiff boot).  Boots have changed a lot since then.  You wrote:  "The boots seem well care for in the past."  If the boots are old and used, they will have even less support.  Are the ankles heavily creased?  Any cracking in the leather?

Edit to Add:  Oops! Did a quick Google search.  There was a more recent (though also retired) model called the Silver Medallion that Riedell also denoted the model 220.  Don't know what vintage you have.  Don't know anything about the Silver Medallion; perhaps others will chime in.

Blades are outfitted with two types of openings for screws:  elongated slots and round holes.  Typically, there will be 2 slots in the sole plate, 2 slots in the heel plate, 4 or 6 holes in the sole plate, and 2 holes in the heel plate.  When the blades are first mounted, typically only the slots are used for a "temporary mount".  Pan-head or round-head screws are used on all the slots.  The slots allow the blade to be shifted slightly to suit your feet.  However, they do not secure the blade reliably, especially if you spin or jump.  Once the proper blade alignment has been determined, flat-head screws are used on some of the holes for a "permanent mount".  You do not need to use screws in every hole (although you can).   A minimum of a screw in 1 hole in the sole plate and a screw in 1 hole in the heel plate (if you do not jump or spin).  I use a screw in 4 holes in the sole plate and a screw in 2 holes in the heel plate.  I know some techs do not use a screw in any hole in the heel plate, just the slots; I think this is bad practice.

[pk]

tstop4me:

The boots have some creases, but doesn't seem much and  no  cracking in leather. No rust.

I really like the shoe fit. However,  the ankle supports do match what I'm used to as on my ski boots and roller blades, I'm hesitating.

Much appreciated the information !

[tstop4me]

Here's a discussion of the Silver Medallion 220: 

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100330183645AAwREbS

Both the classic 220 and the Silver Medallion 220 were also marketed as quad roller skating boots.  I looked up the Riedell 113.  It's a low end vinyl boot.  Both the classic 220 and the Silver Medallion 220 were leather and should be far superior to the 113, assuming they're in good condition.  It's surprising that you say your 220 is less supportive than the 113; so maybe too much wear.  What blade is mounted on the boot?  What is your situation?  Have you bought them, or are you deciding whether to buy them?  What is the price?  If you do a Google search, some shops still have some new old stock Silver Medallion 220 for ~$250 for the boots alone, without blades.  That will give you an idea whether you are getting a bargain (but you need try to find out how old the used 220 is).   But also consider what current models you can get for the price of the used 220.

Edit to Add:  This is not in response to your question, but it would also be helpful if you would clarify whether you're a kid whose feet are still rapidly growing, or whether your feet have stopped growing.  If your feet have stopped growing, getting used boots is not the route to go.  And what is your budget (boot + blade)?  You said you are hesitating, so it's not clear whether you've bought the boots already.

[Ethereal Ice]

I dunno if this will help at all but I will share my experience getting a pair of silver stars that are likely from the early 2000s, mine had never been worn. For reference, I have a long narrow foot (Riedell 9.5A) and fairly skinny ankles. Though the boot was very stiff, and the foot of the boot literally fits me like second skin after a break in time, I started noticed creasing developing from where the flex notch would be back to my ankle point on both boots, apparently from bending my knees (I do not jump, I am a novice). I did a search on here and actually found some other people had noticed the same issue with the older Silver Stars, the generally accepted reason was that they just did not fit quite right. Additionally, I did not always feel like my ankles were quite right, despite the stiffness of the boot, my ankles did not feel completely supported.

I did two things that seem to have solved the problem, one, I switched my lacing technique to the kind recommended by Edea, I have seen it also called the "Russian" technique where you go over into the lace holes instead of bringing the lace under and up through them, there are several you tube videos that show how to do this. It is supposed to give more even, stronger, support. The other thing I did was get a Bunga pad for my very lower leg right above my ankle. Most people use that for lace bite I think, but I use it to make my ankle area a little larger and more "sticky" keeping the boot from shifting as much. It seems to have solved the problem, there has been no deepening of the creases, and they feel more stable.

[pk]

Tstop:
The blades are Sheffield steel. I was thinking to return the skate - now I realize that I'm just very used to the pads around the ankles and my ankles are aching a bit the last 2 weeks after skating sessions.  My feet are fully grown - but very bad pronation = ( 
I'm very surprised that this model can be in $200, even though it is a very old model. If I can make this work, it is a very good deal (for $50)

Ethereal: I'll try out the bunga pad option.

Thanks much again Tstop and Ethereal for the information!

[tstop4me]

Tstop:
The blades are Sheffield steel. I was thinking to return the skate - now I realize that I'm just very used to the pads around the ankles and my ankles are aching a bit the last 2 weeks after skating sessions.  My feet are fully grown - but very bad pronation = ( 
I'm very surprised that this model can be in $200, even though it is a very old model. If I can make this work, it is a very good deal (for $50)

Ethereal: I'll try out the bunga pad option.

Thanks much again Tstop and Ethereal for the information!

Sheffield steel just indicates where the blades were made.  There should be a separate manufacturer's name and descriptive name (like Wilson Majestic).  But very low-end blades may not be so marked.

Remember that used boots have a steep drop in price compared to new old stock (unused discontinued) boots.  But at least $50 is not a great risk.  Good luck to you.

[Query]

Just to echo what tstop4me said:

The oldest Riedell 220 boots, which I once bought from Play It Again Sports, were extremely minimal, just had a single layer of leather, with very little support, and no other padding. Mine wore down fairly fast.

Then Riedell changed what "220" meant, and added a somewhat more support. I think they had two layers of leather, with something in between that added extra stiffness. Stiffer than the original model, but I think they weren't very stiff boots either - but maybe they were stiff enough for beginners?

[pk]

Tstop and Query:

The boots feel very comfortable, so think I'll give it a trial.

Another question:
Should I swap blades for this boot ? I don't know how to tell when to swap out blades.
(I'm a very novice skater : working on extending foot correctly to the back on my forward stroke, stopping , backward swizzle etc...)

Thanks again for the info and advices!

[Ethereal Ice]

Sheffield steel just indicates where the blades were made.  There should be a separate manufacturer's name and descriptive name (like Wilson Majestic).  But very low-end blades may not be so marked.

Remember that used boots have a steep drop in price compared to new old stock (unused discontinued) boots.  But at least $50 is not a great risk.  Good luck to you.

I totally agree, I got my older Silver Stars for $100 on eBay. Buying "used" can be nerve racking, but so worth it if things work out. I researched a lot before I finally ordered them, measured my foot to the best of my ability and compared it with Kenzie's closet sizing charts for Riedell. They were brand new skates with brand new blades, just a basic MK single star blade, but still, a good quality blade for a beginner. Like pk, I calculated that new, the whole thing would have been $500-600, a great deal if they fit, and not the worst thing financially if they did not, I would have tried to sell them if they had not worked out, but they did. I do not feel I have had to do anything out of the ordinary to get them to fit (the lacing technique and the Bunga pad are so minor in the scheme of things) I really hope these boots work out for you pk.

[Query]

Should I swap blades for this boot ?

Maybe ask a reasonably skilled skater at your rink?

Do you have a coach? He/She should qualify as a reasonably skilled skater.

At the beginning level, one issue is whether you can roll forward till the point of contact is under the ball of your foot (a good place to turn), without the toe pick touching. Of course, that is as much a question of where the blade is mounted (which can be changed) as anything else. Also - the toe pick can be trimmed to fix that, so it is more complicated that way too.

[emitche]

Or visit a trusted skate tech, if you have one in your area, and ask them to inspect the blades.

[tstop4me]

Another question:
Should I swap blades for this boot ? I don't know how to tell when to swap out blades.
(I'm a very novice skater : working on extending foot correctly to the back on my forward stroke, stopping , backward swizzle etc...)

Sorry, I can't answer that question without inspecting the blades.  I agree with others that you should have someone experienced with blades (e.g., a skate tech or coach; some coaches are knowledgeable about technical details of blades; some aren't) examine them to check whether they've been abused or improperly sharpened; and, if they are still good, how many more sharpenings you can expect.

Some general pointers:  If the blades are indeed marked only "Sheffield steel", without a manufacturer's name and model name, then they are probably low-grade and will require frequent sharpening.  Good sharpening is often expensive and frequent sharpenings can add up fast.  So you could consider a new blade on the order of a Wilson Majestic (there are good blades from other manufacturers as well, the Wilson is just one example).  Since your feet are not growing, if you buy a new similar style boot later in the same size, you should be able to transfer the new blades to a new boot [if you wear out the existing boots before you wear out the new blades, that is].  Just an option to consider.

[pk]

I just have next Tuesday apt to check out my skate 

Thanks much for the advices Tstop, Ethereal, Emitche, Query!