Risport, Riedell and Graf

[WADO]

I am looking for boots to as I restart ice skating.
In my area, unfortunately, of the three manufacturers in the title, only Risport’s boots are available for try-on.

I have tried on Risport’s boots.
I prefer ROYALPRO as I feel it is more suited for detailed footwork, but as my big toes are fat (not bunions), the toebox lower than that of RF3PRO feels tight.
Also, Risport’s C-width which has the widest width in the Risport’s boots, the heels are perfect fit, but it gets tighter and tighter to the toes, with strong pressure on the little toes.
In addition, the tongue part becomes wide open because the instep is high.

I heard Riedell and Graf make boots with wide foot-width, so I am thinking of purchasing boots online from one of these two manufacturers.

Riedell’s Motion or Flair
Graf’s Richmond Special or Synchro

Has anyone compared boots of Risport with those of these manufacturers?
I know there are differences in sizing, cushioning, comfort, etc. depending on the model, even if they are boots of the same manufacturer. Please let me know how you feel when you wear them, including trends of manufacturers.

I used to wear Edea's Chorus, but I did not like its thin, low-cushioning comfort.
I also tried on Jackson's Premiere Fusion, but it was very hard from the heel to the Achilles tendon area and did not fit me, as I like to stretch my free leg ankle.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

I am looking for boots to as I restart ice skating.
In my area, unfortunately, of the three manufacturers in the title, only Risport’s boots are available for try-on.

I have tried on Risport’s boots.
I prefer ROYALPRO as I feel it is more suited for detailed footwork, but as my big toes are fat (not bunions), the toebox lower than that of ROYALPRO feels tight.
Also, Risport’s C-width which has the widest width in the Risport’s boots, the heels are perfect fit, but it gets tighter and tighter to the toes, with strong pressure on the little toes.
In addition, the tongue part becomes wide open because the instep is high.

I heard Riedell and Graf make boots of wider models, so I am thinking of purchasing boots online from one of these two manufacturers.

Riedell’s Motion or Flair
Graf’s Richmond Special or Synchro

Has anyone compared boots of Risport with those of these manufacturers?
I know there are differences in sizing, cushioning, comfort, etc. depending on the model, even if they are boots of the same manufacturer. Please let me know how you feel when you wear them, including trends of manufacturers.

HI and welcome. Where are you from in the world?

 

[WADO]

HI and welcome. Where are you from in the world?

I live in Japan.

 

[LolaSkatesInJapan]

I live in Japan.

I live in Tokyo.
Have you gone to Ice Space? They have a shop near Higashi Kanagawa Station (Yokohama green line) and Bank of Yokohama ice rink, or you can go to Minami Funabashi rink in Chiba, where they have a smaller shop inside the rink, even though I hear they don't have many models to try on over there.
Depending on your size they might not have it for you to try on, order only.
Which brand/model depends on many factors, foot shape, gait, etc .... I hear that Jackson is the choice for wider foot (I don't wear this brand, I only heard from the only rink mate I have who wears this brand because of her wider feet and shape of feet). Kosugi (they have a shop inside the Bank of Yokohama rink) carries Jackson.
Ice Space is Japan's only official authorized dealer for Edea, and they also carry Risport and Graf, but if your conditions require Jackson, perhaps visiting Kosugi might be better.

 

[WADO]

I live in Tokyo.
Have you gone to Ice Space? They have a shop near Higashi Kanagawa Station (Yokohama green line) and Bank of Yokohama ice rink, or you can go to Minami Funabashi rink in Chiba, where they have a smaller shop inside the rink, even though I hear they don't have many models to try on over there.
Depending on your size they might not have it for you to try on, order only.
Which brand/model depends on many factors, foot shape, gait, etc .... I hear that Jackson is the choice for wider foot (I don't wear this brand, I only heard from the only rink mate I have who wears this brand because of her wider feet and shape of feet). Kosugi (they have a shop inside the Bank of Yokohama rink) carries Jackson.
Ice Space is Japan's only official authorized dealer for Edea, and they also carry Risport and Graf, but if your conditions require Jackson, perhaps visiting Kosugi might be bet

I've been to both.

 

[LolaSkatesInJapan]

I've been to both.

Really?
It's a pity you didn't ask the questions above over there. My professional fitter is at the Ice Space near the Higashi Kanagawa Station and she's excellent. The whole staff there is lovely, kind, helpful and answers all kinds of questions.

 

[bostonskaterguy86]

I heard Riedell and Graf make boots with wide foot-width, so I am thinking of purchasing boots online from one of these two manufacturers.

Riedell’s Motion or Flair
Graf’s Richmond Special or Synchro

Has anyone compared boots of Risport with those of these manufacturers?
I know there are differences in sizing, cushioning, comfort, etc. depending on the model, even if they are boots of the same manufacturer. Please let me know how you feel when you wear them, including trends of manufacturers.

Welcome to the forum!

I was fitted recently and tried on a wide-width Riedell (the Vega, specifically), and it was unfortunately a no-go. I loved the boot, but even the wide-width Riedell was way too tight in the forefoot and toebox. I ended up in the Risport Royal Pro - it was a bit tight on my bunions out of the box, but after heat molding and punch-outs, I really love how they fit!

I think if the Royal Pro is too narrow for you, any Riedell will be even worse, unfortunately. They're known for being pretty narrow, and the Vega is actually built on a last that is a bit wider in the forefoot than the Motion or the Flair.

I also tried on a Graf - the fit was pretty good, but I found that they felt more restrictive around the ankles than I wanted. I'm guessing they probably would have just needed some break-in time if I'd gone with them, but to be honest, I had already tried on the Risports and was pretty sure I was going with them, so I didn't pay a lot of attention to the details of how the Grafs felt. Beautiful boots, though!

I used to skate in Jacksons (the Debut, specifically) - I get what you mean about them. They always felt a bit restrictive above the ankle to me, similarly to the Graf I tried on, and it took more strength to get a nice toe point in them than it does with the Royals. From what you're describing about your foot, though, it does seem like Jackson is a brand you might want to consider. It sounds like you have a wide foot and need a high toebox, and if the instep in the Risport is too high for you, you probably have low/collapsed arches (my arches are on the low side, but luckily they don't seem to be low enough that the Royals don't fit!).

There are a couple low-cut Jackson models (the Debut Low Cut and Supreme Low Cut, of course, and I think the Supreme Pro might be on the lower side as well?) that might work better for you. Their new Synergy line might be worth looking at, too. I tried on a Synergy Pro which was way too stiff for me, but was super comfortable - they're really well padded, especially around the ankle and collar.

I definitely wouldn't recommend buying online though - it sounds like you have some specific fitting needs that would be hard to accommodate without a proper fitting.

Hope this is helpful!

 

[WADO]

Really?
It's a pity you didn't ask the questions above over there. My professional fitter is at the Ice Space near the Higashi Kanagawa Station and she's excellent. The whole staff there is lovely, kind, helpful and answers all kinds of questions.

ICE SPACE is the first store I purchased boots from, but it’s hard to say that they are good at fitting.
Are you a foreigner staying in Japan?
I am Japanese, and ICE SPACE has a mixed reputation among Japanese people.

At that time, I was made to buy EDEA’s boots which were too big for me and too uncomfortable to skate with, so I couldn’t continue figure skating for a long time.
And now I decided to restart figure skating and began choosing boots, and went to ICE SPACE again.

Also, I edited my first post, so please read it again.
This description about fitting was at Kosugi Skate Jingu Store.

 

[WADO]

Welcome to the forum!

I was fitted recently and tried on a wide-width Riedell (the Vega, specifically), and it was unfortunately a no-go. I loved the boot, but even the wide-width Riedell was way too tight in the forefoot and toebox. I ended up in the Risport Royal Pro - it was a bit tight on my bunions out of the box, but after heat molding and punch-outs, I really love how they fit!

I think if the Royal Pro is too narrow for you, any Riedell will be even worse, unfortunately. They're known for being pretty narrow, and the Vega is actually built on a last that is a bit wider in the forefoot than the Motion or the Flair.

I also tried on a Graf - the fit was pretty good, but I found that they felt more restrictive around the ankles than I wanted. I'm guessing they probably would have just needed some break-in time if I'd gone with them, but to be honest, I had already tried on the Risports and was pretty sure I was going with them, so I didn't pay a lot of attention to the details of how the Grafs felt. Beautiful boots, though!

I used to skate in Jacksons (the Debut, specifically) - I get what you mean about them. They always felt a bit restrictive above the ankle to me, similarly to the Graf I tried on, and it took more strength to get a nice toe point in them than it does with the Royals. From what you're describing about your foot, though, it does seem like Jackson is a brand you might want to consider. It sounds like you have a wide foot and need a high toebox, and if the instep in the Risport is too high for you, you probably have low/collapsed arches (my arches are on the low side, but luckily they don't seem to be low enough that the Royals don't fit!).

There are a couple low-cut Jackson models (the Debut Low Cut and Supreme Low Cut, of course, and I think the Supreme Pro might be on the lower side as well?) that might work better for you. Their new Synergy line might be worth looking at, too. I tried on a Synergy Pro which was way too stiff for me, but was super comfortable - they're really well padded, especially around the ankle and collar.

I definitely wouldn't recommend buying online though - it sounds like you have some specific fitting needs that would be hard to accommodate without a proper fitting.

Hope this is helpful!

I was waiting for opinions like yours！

How was RIEDELL’s cushioning around the ankle and tongue compared to RISPORT and GRAF?
About the sizing, I can solve by ordering custom-made boots.
Please let me know how the comfort was.

What boots of GRAF did you try on?
In Japan, only the Edomonton Special’s custom model boots for Japanese are available. But they are made very carefully, which made me interested in GRAF.

JACKSON is still not a candidate.
Their boots focus on sturdiness and lack the suppleness, which other manufacturers’ boots such as RISPORT’s have.
In the championships, I have never seen any skaters with beautiful free leg wearing JACKSON’s boots.
Also, the boots imported to Japan are made in China, and their sewing is messy and looks bad, which is another reason why I avoid JACKSON’s boots.

Since I cannot try on the boots I want by any means, I am going to send my detailed foot data to the manufacturer and if they have boots that seem to fit me, I am going to get an online fitting service by a dealer outside Japan.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

I was waiting for opinions like yours！

How was RIEDELL’s cushioning around the ankle and tongue compared to RISPORT and GRAF?
About the sizing, I can solve by ordering custom-made boots.
Please let me know how the comfort was.

What boots of GRAF did you try on?
In Japan, only the Edomonton Special’s custom model boots for Japanese are available. But they are made very carefully, which made me interested in GRAF.

JACKSON is still not a candidate.
Their boots focus on sturdiness and lack the suppleness, which other manufacturers’ boots such as RISPORT’s have.
In the championships, I have never seen any skaters with beautiful free leg wearing JACKSON’s boots.
Also, the boots imported to Japan are made in China, and their sewing is messy and looks bad, which is another reason why I avoid JACKSON’s boots.

Since I cannot try on the boots I want by any means, I am going to send my detailed foot data to the manufacturer and if they have boots that seem to fit me, I am going to get an online fitting service by a dealer outside Japan.

Hi. The last thing you want is Graf Edmonton Special boots, unless you are doing triple-triples and quads skating top level.

Jackson really aren't as bad as they're being made out to be and there are many past and present elite skaters with beautiful body movement and control of free leg that wear/have worn Jackson.

Jackson, Graf and Riedell all fit differently and different shapes of foot. That is what you should be basing what brand you purchase on.

 

[tstop4me]

JACKSON is still not a candidate.
Their boots focus on sturdiness and lack the suppleness, which other manufacturers’ boots such as RISPORT’s have.
In the championships, I have never seen any skaters with beautiful free leg wearing JACKSON’s boots.
Also, the boots imported to Japan are made in China, and their sewing is messy and looks bad, which is another reason why I avoid JACKSON’s boots.

<<Emphasis added>> I'm in the US. I last bought a pair of Supremes in late 2022. The box had "Made in China" marked on it. A previous pair of Jacksons had no country of origin marked. With regard to the "Made in China" pair, the stitching was clean and uniform. All the other manufacturing aspects, especially the LCF sole and heel, were also top notch. Nothing to complain about. When I first saw the LCF sole and heel back in ~2016 or so, they were horribly finished.

Since the pandemic, several boot and blade manufacturers have had quality control issues, even with high-end products. Your fitter really should screen out defective and subpar units.

 

[hope_skate]

Hi. The last thing you want is Graf Edmonton Special boots, unless you are doing triple-triples and quads skating top level.

Jackson really aren't as bad as they're being made out to be and there are many past and present elite skaters with beautiful body movement and control of free leg that wear/have worn Jackson.

Jackson, Graf and Riedell all fit differently and different shapes of foot. That is what you should be basing what brand you purchase on.

This is true. Although not as often mentioned as other brands, the Jacksons hold up. I know so many kids here in Russia that started their figure skating journey (they start young here) with Jacksons. I like to do the "measure and fit me" rather than be fixated on a certain brand

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

This is true. Although not as often mentioned as other brands, the Jacksons hold up. I know so many kids here in Russia that started their figure skating journey (they start young here) with Jacksons. I like to do the "measure and fit me" rather than be fixated on a certain brand

I've mentioned Jacksons many many times on here and that I wore them competitively for many years before switching to Risport due to injuries and foot issues of my own and they are great boots. I started in Jackson when I was a toddler.

 

[hope_skate]

I've mentioned Jacksons many many times on here and that I wore them competitively for many years before switching to Risport due to injuries and foot issues of my own and they are great boots. I started in Jackson when I was a toddler.

Yeah of course. I mean among my peers I guess. Everyone seems to want to wear EDEA these days (at least that's what I see online due to their marketing overdrive). Because I can't even count how many adult skaters (who began as adults) I see who are in Pianos and Ice Flys and won't even look at other brands or models (and insist on how this is a good investment etc).

If you don't mind, what model Jacksons were you in? I am not too familiar with the brand (and according to you my feet won't fit them anyway but good knowledge to have) and only heard of their Elle and Artiste being worn over here.

 

[WednesdayMarch]

I wear Jacksons now and I challenge anyone to tell me that I don't have good lines or toe point... I've worn many brands over my long and varied career and this is my first pair of Jacksons (Elite Pros) but I have to say that I'm very, very happy with them. Very well made and very comfortable. They've also lasted me nearly 2 years so far, which is unheard of for me.

I am also of the school of "measure me and fit me correctly" every time I need new boots, because feet change and so do boots.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Yeah of course. I mean among my peers I guess. Everyone seems to want to wear EDEA these days (at least that's what I see online due to their marketing overdrive). Because I can't even count how many adult skaters (who began as adults) I see who are in Pianos and Ice Flys and won't even look at other brands or models (and insist on how this is a good investment etc).

If you don't mind, what model Jacksons were you in? I am not too familiar with the brand (and according to you my feet won't fit them anyway but good knowledge to have) and only heard of their Elle and Artiste being worn over here.

The top level boot isn't even made anymore and then I was in customs.