Skates for Freeskate 1

kateskate · December 04, 2016, 12:01:49 AM

Hi. I'm an adult skater who's about to start Freeskate 1 (usfsa). I need to order a pair of skates. My toes are wide but my heel is not particularly wide. Are "wide" width skates typically wide all over or are they mainly wide in the toe box? I read that GAM and Jackson are better for wide feet but they are made for people with higher arches, which I do not have. So I'm not sure whether those will work or not. I'm also considering the Riedell skates but I don't see a type made for Freestyle 1. The closest I found were the 223 Stride (for Basic 5-7) and the 229 Edge (for Freestyle 3-4). I'm concerned about the Stride not being advanced or stiff enough for jumps but I'm afraid the Edge might be too stiff. Any thoughts? If someone can recommend a brand that I haven't mentioned please let me know. I'll be happy to provide more info. about my foot if I need to. Thank you in advance for your help!

sampaguita · December 04, 2016, 07:15:20 AM

Regarding fit, it's really best to try out the different sizes in a pro shop. They can also make recommendations regarding the right boots for you. Note that your build and body weight will also determine which skates are right for you.

I have Jacksons. I have a normal arch, and the arch is fine. Custom insoles can also help, although I've never used them.

tstop4me · December 04, 2016, 08:12:12 AM

Quote from: kateskate on December 04, 2016, 12:01:49 AM
Hi. I'm an adult skater who's about to start Freeskate 1 (usfsa). I need to order a pair of skates. My toes are wide but my heel is not particularly wide. Are "wide" width skates typically wide all over or are they mainly wide in the toe box? I read that GAM and Jackson are better for wide feet but they are made for people with higher arches, which I do not have. So I'm not sure whether those will work or not. I'm also considering the Riedell skates but I don't see a type made for Freestyle 1. The closest I found were the 223 Stride (for Basic 5-7) and the 229 Edge (for Freestyle 3-4). I'm concerned about the Stride not being advanced or stiff enough for jumps but I'm afraid the Edge might be too stiff. Any thoughts? If someone can recommend a brand that I haven't mentioned please let me know. I'll be happy to provide more info. about my foot if I need to. Thank you in advance for your help!

I also agree that the best thing to do is to go to a decent pro shop, get the recommendation of a decent skate tech, and try some on. This won't always be possible, however. I won't recommend specific models, but here are answers to some of your questions, plus some tips.

(a) In general, a "wide width" means wide along the whole length of the foot. Some boots, more typically advanced models (such as the Jacksons using the Elite last), come in a split width, with a different width in the toe than in the heel [stock models have the toes one width wider than the heels; special order for larger differences]. Sometimes available in lower-level boots on special order. It is critical that the heels fit snugly, but the toes are not cramped. Jackson tends to use a more rounded toe box than other manufacturers.

(b) The Jackson insole (footbed), even on their top models, does not provide much support. In particular, if you have flat feet, you will need to replace the stock footbeds with more supportive ones (either commercial or homemade). I have flat feet and use homemade arch supports in my Jackson Elite Suedes.

(c) Since you are an adult, don't shy away from certain boots because you're afraid they may be too stiff. I mean, don't go crazy and buy top-of-the-line boots spec'd for triples and quads, but you should at least consider higher-grade boots. Here's one of my previous posts that gives a fuller discussion:

http://skatingforums.com/index.php?topic=7115.msg85042#msg85042

(d) Don't get too hung up on stiffness ratings. There's no industry standard. You can't compare ratings among different manufacturers. Even for a given manufacturer, there's no indication of how the scale ranges (that is, how much stiffer is an 80 compared to a 60?). So try them out, rather than rejecting certain models outright based on a stiffness rating.

kateskate · December 04, 2016, 10:20:01 AM

Thank you both so much. The info is very helpful. I would like to try some on but my rink's pro shop is tiny so they don't carry many skates. And I live in the South where we don't have hockey and figure skating stores. I might try to buy some skates the next time I'm out of town. Can anyone recommend some good stores or pro shops in the Northeast that have a full selection of sizes and brands? Thank You.

skategeek · December 04, 2016, 11:03:55 AM

Can you be more specific about location? There are plenty of shops in the northeast in general (I'm in northern NJ and there are several around me that I could recommend), but let us know where you might be heading!

Also, welcome to skatingforums! There's a Member Introductions page if you want to post there (it only shows up after you've made your first post).

kateskate · December 04, 2016, 01:48:56 PM

Thanks for the welcome, skategeek! I was interested in a store near the Washington D.C. area. I could probably travel up to NYC from there if necessary to find a good skate store (I'll use any excuse to go to the Big Apple:)

Thank You!

skategeek · December 04, 2016, 01:55:08 PM

There are several people on the board in the DC area; I bet they'll have some suggestions for you.

Isk8NYC · December 05, 2016, 08:17:19 AM

Mike Cunningham in Waldorf, MD is excellent.

http://www.skatersparadise.com/

lutefisk · December 05, 2016, 09:54:32 AM

Quote from: Isk8NYC on December 05, 2016, 08:17:19 AM
Mike Cunningham in Waldorf, MD is excellent.

http://www.skatersparadise.com/

Indeed he is. However, you should go to his website (see above) and either call (his wife Joan will probably answer the phone) or send them an email for an appointment. He is quite busy with fittings this time of year. The last time Mike sharpened my blades the waiting list for boot fitting appointments was approximately six weeks! NB: Skater's Paradise is open Thursday, Saturdays and Sundays by appointment. Mike also is frequently away at competitions. On those occasions SP is closed.

Loops · December 05, 2016, 01:37:52 PM

Seconding lutefisk's comments. Mike is excellent, he's always done my skates, and I make special trips to see him when I'm stateside. Worth the trip. if you're in the dc area, you won't go wrong in seeing him. I think there are also some good people at Fairfax ice rink if that's more convenient. I don't know names though.....Worth investigating.... Good luck!!

rd350 · December 05, 2016, 05:08:57 PM

Westside Skate in NYC carries a good selection and should be able to fit you fine. (I can't say the same for their website but here it is for location at least https://westsideskate.com/)

Very central and easy to get to.

I think Reidell's are narrow, though they might be able to do a split width? That's what you may need. I did custom Harlicks (not through Westside) and they weren't worth it. I've had a lot of problems and they aren't very interested in making it right. I would probably do a split width with another brand next time.

kateskate · December 05, 2016, 10:54:18 PM

Thanks everybody for all of the suggestions. I ran across Mike Cunningham's website last night and was very impressed with his credentials. But I may end up traveling to Texas instead of D.C. I have family in that area and I found a store in Houston (Houston Skate and Dance Shop) that has a large selection of skates. I spoke with Patti, the owner, on the phone for several minutes. She was so helpful and very knowledgeable. But I will keep Mike Cunningham's shop in mind if I'm ever in the D.C. area. Thanks again for the feedback!

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Skates for Freeskate 1