When I was 7 or 8, my aunt presented me with skates, very old ones. My parents didn't have enough time to take me to the ice-rink, so I used to put them on and 'skate' on the floor. Then my mom noticed several deep scratches and stopped my skating career;) Now I want to change it... What I need now is skates. I've looked through some on-line shops, but now I'm even more confused. Mainly they offer four types of skates:

- professional (about $150)
- not so professional, but still - professional.
- not professional ("for pleasure")
- for beginners (about $40)

But... I have no idea about the principle difference between them As well as I have no idea which skates I'm to buy, if I've never skated before, but have a strong willing to learn.
Any advise will be appreciated!

Rina - I don't know a lot about ice skating, but since i used to roller skate artistically, i can help you with a little bit. A lot of times the skate's boot makes the price different. The more expensive skates will have a boot that is very strong and stable, which is what you'll want if you plan on doing jumps. No one wants to land a jump in a weak boot that won't support your landing! I don't think that $150 is a bad price; i've paid almost $400 for a pair of roller skates! If you have a better pair of skates you'll lessen your risk of injury, and believe me, having a hurt ankle or foot is no good! If you have the money, i'd go for the professional skates.

Thank you After your advise I had a closer look at all those boots and they seem to have different level of hardness.
btw, I've never heard about figure roller skating:) It must be very interesting!

Hi, Rina

Rather than buy the wrong type of boot and blade, you might consider talking to a skating coach at the rink first where you'll be taking lessons and find out what he or she would recommend. That way, you'll know the type of boots and blade which would be appropriate for your beginning level of skating. In the end it will be less costly to get the skates that are appropriate for beginners than it will to spend a ton of money on a type of skate you don't need yet, and could very make learning beginner-level technique harder than necessary.

Beginners don't need the same degree of firmness and support in the leather that more advanced skaters doing multiple jumps every day need. A skating coach has the experience to advise you about all of that. Besides, fitting skating boots is an art and needs to be done by someone trying your foot in different boots. Catalogs are wonderful as sources for what's available, but unless you already know what you need for sure, buying out of a catalogue isn't a good idea for a beginner. Get your boots and blades fitted at a figure skating shop.

Mary C.

OK, I feel that it is more important to get a good blade than a "good" boot. Generally the higher-level boots are stiffer and more durable, made to handle the impact of higher and more frequent jumps. As a beginner you will not want a boot that is that stiff; you would find it very difficult to skate in.

As for the blades, however, you DO want a decent blade as it is easy to develop bad habits on bad blades. For example, I know a girl who taps very hard on her pick-jumps and makes huge holes in the ice because she learned on cheap blades with very small toe picks. When she switched to decent blades, she still had the habit of slamming her foot into the ice, and it had been hard for her to abandon it.

Also, I agree that you should absolutely get fitted by a professional!

Mary C., Rach, thank you The trouble is - though it's Russia, a big figure skating country, there are very few skating schools outside two capitals, and I didn't happen to live in either of them.
The only skating school here is for babies. If a child makes any visible progress they move to Moscow or Saint-Petersburg (Berezintsev and Tikhonov are good examples). So I don't think I'll be able to find a coach here:(

Rina....You may not be able to find a coach who handles older young people but you can certainly ask the advice of one of those coaches about boot and blade selection. Even though they work with much younger people they'll still have the knowledge to heldp you.

Mary C.

Lots of good advice for you Rina! I can only add what my father used to say "always buy the best you can afford". So take the expert advice of the teachers in your rink, buy the best you can & enjoy your skating!!!

Sheena, thank you! The only thing I have to do is to wait for October, when the season starts.

Hi Rina!
YAY for you!! I hope all goes well as you begin to skate!!

I also agree that it is best to seek a professional to help you find skates... He or she can help you to know how the skates should fit, what strength of boot you need, etc.

One of the most important things about skate shopping is to find a boot that fits your foot correctly. Keep in mind that different brands of skates are shaped differently, so I recommend trying on many different ones before deciding which to purchase. Some skates can come in wide or narrow widths, too, if the origional shape is too wide or too narrow for your foot.
Be sure to wear the kind of stockings you intend to wear while skating when trying the skates on. The difference between socks and tights can make quite a difference in how the boot fits your foot.

It is absolutely true that there are some skates that are cheap and almost useless, while others would be too advanced/stiff for your begining skill level. There are, however, some good beginner skates out there.

Good luck!!

I would like to add to love2smile's very good advice that you should pay particular attention to how the boot is fit in the heel area. I have seen many skaters have troubles because the heel fit is too wide, and they end up with painful blisters. This measurement is something that varies between brands, so if one doesn't fit right, try another!

Also, if the bones around your ankle hurt in the boot, this is normal, and it is possible to get the boot 'punched out' in this area. In my rink, this is done with a hydraulic press but there are many, many ways of 'punching out' sore spots --- ask someone in your area who is knowledgable about figure skating for more information.

I just wanted to say that finally I can't make my choice between Risport and Riedell. lol. It's pretty stupid, but the reason is: Brian prefers Risport and Johnny - Riedell

I have Risport - though I hardly get to wear them these days!!!!

LOL Rina!

Really?? Risports are still available?? I haven't even seen any Risports in US skate stores in years... I used to skate in those, and I really liked them because of their slightly wider shape in the front foot area. But my coach didn't like them because she thought the heel of the boot was too high.
I could never wear Reidell... The shape is just too wrong for my foot...
Now I wear Jacksons, but I also like Graph boots (I think I still like those a little better, actually).

Just remember that Reidell and Risport are two very different boots, if I remember correctly, so make sure you try them on and see what feels best!
Good luck!

Heidi, not only are they still available, but also - very popular:)

I know that comfort comes first. But for me good associations are also important That's why Graf was never an option

And of course, I'll try both Riedell and Risport to see what fits better.