Hi Everyone,
I usually post up video content on here, but I wanted to write some advice about making sure you have the correct equipment to skate in.
I have noticed that quite a lot of people have boots that aren’t quite the right fit, but they try and get on with it anyway. Poorly fitting boots make a lot of things quite tricky! For example, it makes it far harder to rock your weight to the correct part of the blades for turns. You also increase the risk of developing foot problems such as bunions.
There are a variety of different brands out there to choose from, and which one to pick often comes down to personal preference. The main thing to keep in mind is that no matter which brand you go with, make sure they are the correct size for your feet.
With ice skates, it’s a little more complicated than just thinking “my sneakers are a size 8us, so I’ll just go with that”.
I highly recommend reading through some of the advice in the links below before making your choice!
The first thing you need to do is measure the length and width of your feet. I have found a useful guide on how to do this online, and you can find the link below. It comes from the website kinziescloset.
A useful guide to measuring your feet for figure skates:
https://jacksoniceskates.com/measuring-feet-for-skates
I have no affiliation with this website but found that they had gathered together some great information and advice.
After figuring out the size of your feet, now you have the challenging process of figuring out what skates you want.
I have skated in Risport, SP Teri, Graf, and Gam.
I was not too fond of Gam as they leaked gel all over my feet, despite claims when buying them that this would never happen. It didn’t matter how good/bad they were; the gel was disgusting.
I loved SP Teri and had one pair of skates last me for four years doing ten shows per week all year round. Then they changed the design, and they were now the most uncomfortable skates I had ever used ($675 down the drain). SP Teri skates are all leather, so are very heavy but very reliable. They will break down very gradually, so there are no surprises when you need to buy new skates.
Risport sponsored me during my competitive career, so I was happy to use them as they were free. I liked them a lot as they are lightweight and an excellent shape on your feet (important in the sport of ice dance). The downside with them is that they are plastic inside (like Edea – they used to be one company) and this means that one day when that plastic snaps, the support will be gone. At which point you either get on with it worrying you might sprain your ankle of you buy a new pair.
I liked Graf a lot, but then they also changed their design! The new version of the skates gave me bad tendonitis.
After measuring your feet, you need to check the sizing charts of the skate company you would like to buy from. Below is a list of a few different sizing charts from popular boot companies:
Jackson sizing charts:
https://jacksoniceskates.com/sizing-charts
Risport Sizing Charts:
https://www.kinziescloset.com/risport-skate-sizing-chart.html
Graf Sizing Charts:
https://www.kinziescloset.com/graf-skate-sizing-chart.html
Edea Sizing Charts:
https://www.kinziescloset.com/edea-skate-sizing-chart.html
Riedell Sizing Charts:
https://www.kinziescloset.com/riedell-skate-sizing-chart.html
SP Teri Sizing Charts:
https://www.kinziescloset.com/sp-teri-sizing-charts.html
Harlick Sizing Charts:
http://www.harlick.com/order/chart.php
Custom Skates
If you want to have a truly unique pair of skates, you can also go for custom skates. I have never had custom ice skates myself, but I recently ordered my first pair! I ordered them from Avanta( https://www.avantaskating.com/). The skates they make look beautiful, and I have to say the care and consideration from them when going through the process of creating casts of my feet to build the skate around was very impressive. Their knowledge of the intricate details was incredible. I am excited to try out my new skates from Avanta, which have arrived at my home in the UK and now need to get shipped to Poland!
When I get my hands on the skates and try them out, I will make a video about the differences between custom skates and regular skates.
I hope this information has been useful to you. If you have any skate related questions, please let me know in the comments below. Also, if you have any personal experiences with skates that you would like to share in the comments below, please do so as it will be beneficial for other Patrons!
Lloyd
