Size 14 figure skates

skatemomoftwo, Tavi, and tstop4me

Your information is very helpful.

I have several possibilties. It certainly would be advantageous to go to a pro shop. They told me at the local rink, which is in fact an authorized Riedell dealer, that they can order skates from Riedell. I don't think they fit skates but I'll ask them again to be sure or who the nearest person is who does. Dayton is 200 miles from here.

Also, do I understand you correctly that Jacksons run a size big?

Robert C said:

Also, do I understand you correctly that Jacksons run a size big?

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Be careful of generalizations such as this. It likely depends on the specific model of boot [for example, certain features found in advanced models don't appear in beginner models] and on the shape of your foot. As an example, I have a medium width across my ball and a narrow width across the heel. It is critical in a boot for the heel to fit snugly. My street shoe size is a 9D. In an older advanced model Riedell (no longer made), I wore a size 9N. In my current Jackson Elite Suede (an advanced model), I wear an 8W. The main reason is the following. The stock Riedell for that model is single width (toe and heel) and has a relatively pointed toe. So I needed a N width to get a snug fit on the heel and a 9 length to get enough room for my toes. On the other hand, the stock Jackson for that model is a split width (toe one size wider than heel) and a relatively round toe. The round toe allowed enough toe room in an 8W, and the split width gave me a snug heel. Also, note that Jackson designs their fit (at least for their advanced models) for less clearance between your toes and the toe box than some other manufacturers. If you don't like that, you need to bump up the length a 1/2 size.

The Jacksons come stock in split width for their advanced models (built on the "Elite" last), but I believe is available on special order for some lower models. You may also be able to get split widths (if needed) on special order from other brands for some models.

Both Riedell and Jackson have very extensive lines from newbie to advanced. So again, be careful about generalizations. And, again, your best bet is a competent and experienced fitter who handles multiple lines. He can advise you on the brands, models, and options best suited for your particular feet. Then you can decide what you can afford.

Edit to add: As a side note, the local pro shop I go to has prices that are as good as or even lower than the major online stores. Then factor in fitting, mounting, and initial sharpening at no extra charge, I get a much better deal than online. Plus the skate tech takes responsibility for getting everything right. Note each shop has different policies on prices, what services are included, and what services cost extra. So ask carefully. [One local shop I used to go to also ran a website for online purchases. But if you buy in-store, the prices are higher to cover their "free" services. My current local shop has the same prices whether you buy in-store or online. If you buy in-store, a lot of services are bundled in at no extra charge, as I mentioned above.]

Robert C said:

Funny you should mention that. It turns out the rink here rents hockey skates in sizes 14 and 15. They are Riedells. The 14's poke me in the big toes (on both feet). I tried skating in them yesterday and I have to keep pulling the laces and the tongue up to make it bearable. My 14 shoes don't do this. Other than the the big toe area the skates are fine. The 15's I skated in a few days ago and they hurt me in the legs above the ankle. Is this because hockey skates are designed to be used bending forward? Not sure why the 14's didn't hurt in the legs. The largest figure skates the rink rents are 13. I tried a pair of these on and they are way tight in the toes. I didn't try skating in them.

Riedell will make a pair of size 14 or 15 Diamond series skates for $199 + $65 special order charge. But they are not returnable and I don't know whether to get 14, 14 wide, or 15. I really need to try them on first.

The Edea stock boot Motivo is $139 plus a blade, maybe $69.95. I could return those if they didn't fit. But if they're the same as size 13 I don't think there would be any point.

Obviously, I'm going to have to spend a bit more than $200. But are even the Diamond and Motivo skates wrong for a beginner like me?

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The Riedell Diamond is a good basic recreational/instructional figure skate. I'd say it is good choice. Even if you could get something cheaper off the shelf, I'd still recommend this one as a solid skate to learn in.

One of our kids had the Emerald to learn in, but as an adult it makes sense to go with the slightly stiffer Diamond (next up in the series) as you have large feet and and are much heavier. A lighter weight boot would likely break down very quickly.

Definitely, go with an accredited Riedell fitter. Most of them are used to fitting boys and men's skates.They will have the Riedell fitting tools for your size, or can get them in.

Riedell is the only brand that offers all the models in black, even in the small boys and youth sizes. So, they have most of that market. They don't however make a lot of stock since the market for boys figure skates is small. Instead, they make any additional ones up as needed since all there skates are handmade in the US anyway. It's fairly typical as a result for a fitter to need to measure and then ask Riedell to make up boots even if they aren't custom.

Here are are the regular Riedell measuring tools for skates...but the figure skate section only goes up to 13 for men. Riedell tend to fit narrow, but have wide widths. Combination fittings with narrower heels compared to the ball are available in special orders.
https://ice.riedellskates.com/wp-content/uploads/Riedell-Ice-Sizing-Guide_FINAL.pdf

TGee said:

the figure skate section only goes up to 13 for men.https://ice.riedellskates.com/wp-content/uploads/Riedell-Ice-Sizing-Guide_FINAL.pdf

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? I see 16 on the mens side. Is that for hockey skates?

I printed this out but the ruler scale didn't match to a my tape measure.

Do you know if Riedell will do a pair of skates 2 different sizes?

Robert C said:

? I see 16 on the mens side. Is that for hockey skates?

I printed this out but the ruler scale didn't match to a my tape measure.

Do you know if Riedell will do a pair of skates 2 different sizes?

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Riedell makes roller skates and hockey skates as well as figure skates. Not surprised that the measurements aren't standard. Each brand is fairly unique.

Not sure about two different sizes, but logically yes, if you are going custom off a standard model. If you look at the custom page on the Riedell site, you will see that they charge an additional amount beyond the $65 for additional changes....But it's okay to have skates a half size too large. Understand that you can't get a half size which makes it trickier, but if one foot is exactly a 15 and the other a 14.5, for example, you should be fine in a pair of 15s.

One thing to consider with Riedell is that they don't have a supportive insole built in. If you have flat feet, or high arches or some other need for support such as heel lifts, Riedell has an orthotics kit that costs extra. The fitter sticks the pieces you need onto an insole. It would be good to find out if the kit is available in your size.

Robert C said:

? I see 16 on the mens side. Is that for hockey skates?

I printed this out but the ruler scale didn't match to a my tape measure.

Do you know if Riedell will do a pair of skates 2 different sizes?

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I think the 13 TGee is referring to is 13 inches long (the largest number on the left hand side of the men's figure skating scale). That's not a size 13 in any scale I know. It's a length measurement, not a size.

I also find it interesting that a "foot" was supposed to be the length of an average man's foot, but in fact a 12-inch long foot is larger than average. Maybe the original foot was the length of a foot with a shoe on it?

Robert C said:

I printed this out but the ruler scale didn't match to a my tape measure.

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If it doesn't match your ruler, you have to adjust the scale on your print page. It's a percentage from 1 to 100; if it has "scale to fit" checked, uncheck it. It may take some experimenting to get it right.

Robert C said:

Do you know if Riedell will do a pair of skates 2 different sizes?

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This will likely require a full "custom" order at extra charge, rather than a "premium" or "special" order. Read carefully what features are covered under each category, and verify with Riedell.

If those Riedell hockey rentals were the black ones, I can tell you for a fact that they run at least one full size bigger than a men's dress shoe size, and a full size bigger than Riedell rental figure skates (which includes the brown ones as well as the soft tek ones) (some guys go down as much as 2 sizes for the hockey). In other words, if a size 14 (American sizes) of a Riedell rental hockey skate is too small for you, you need at least a size 15 in Riedell figure skate (speaking from several years of working the skate exchange and fitting skates properly so skaters don't get injured and/or damage the skates). Also the Riedell rental figure skates run wider than Riedell retail sales figure skates, so even a size 15 might be small.

Given the size discrepancies, you absolutely need to have someone fit you for whatever skates you decide to buy. I seriously doubt you will get anything for anywhere close to your $200 limit, unless you can find some used skates.

TGee said:

Riedell makes roller skates and hockey skates as well as figure skates. Not surprised that the measurements aren't standard. Each brand is fairly unique.

Not sure about two different sizes, but logically yes, if you are going custom off a standard model. If you look at the custom page on the Riedell site, you will see that they charge an additional amount beyond the $65 for additional changes....But it's okay to have skates a half size too large. Understand that you can't get a half size which makes it trickier, but if one foot is exactly a 15 and the other a 14.5, for example, you should be fine in a pair of 15s.

One thing to consider with Riedell is that they don't have a supportive insole built in. If you have flat feet, or high arches or some other need for support such as heel lifts, Riedell has an orthotics kit that costs extra. The fitter sticks the pieces you need onto an insole. It would be good to find out if the kit is available in your size.

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I dont think any boot has a supportive insole, that is why people put one in. I do agree the riedell one is excellent, my kids use them in EDEA skates.
IMO I would call US skates and talk to them, since I know they make those sizes in a stock boot.

Robert C said:

But are even the Diamond and Motivo skates wrong for a beginner like me?

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I have Diamond and I'm a beginner. They feel fine.



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If anyone is still interested, I think I figured out why the size 15 hockey skates hurt my legs above the ankles. It's because my ankles weaken after skating for awhile. The 14's fit tighter so there's less ankle cave-in. Making an effort to put my weight straight down on the blade as well as tightening the laces again does seem to help. I know this sounds dumb but when I used to skate years ago I never had weak ankles and I didn't notice it at first.

Bear in mind that I can get my foot into a size 13 figure skate.

Robert C - I'm sure you've noticed that hockey boots are different to figure boots. They go up higher in the back (I'm told for protection in case a puck goes flying into your ankle). I might describe it as the support is less evenly distributed at the ankle in a hockey boot compared to a closer, all around the ankle fit of a figure boot. You also might be unconsciously compensating for the lack of a toepick so as not to fall forward when you're skating in them.

I enjoy wearing hockey skates for a change - even taught a class in them - but my ankles would be hurting after a while.

sandraskates said:

- even taught a class in them -.

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A figure skating class?

I skated in them today (Reidell size 15 hockey rentals). I'm starting to get used to them.

Robert C said:

A figure skating class?

I skated in them today (Reidell size 15 hockey rentals). I'm starting to get used to them.

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It was an Adult 1 & 2 group class composed of a few guys in hockey skates . So I switched into hockey skates and related the required skills to moves done in hockey. All of them switched over to the hockey group lesson track after they passed my class.

When I was in my teens I could do spins and some jumps in hockey skates. That was a long time ago - LOL!

In the very first season of the Battle of the Blades (Canadian TV show pairing a figure skater with a hockey player to figure skate together), one of the hockey players was uncomfortable in figure skates, so his partner, Barb Underhill, switched to hockey skates as well. But they did NOT play hockey, they figure skated.

Edited to add:
Here's a video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aq-CpmKt_0

NanaPat said:

In the very first season of the Battle of the Blades (Canadian TV show pairing a figure skater with a hockey player to figure skate together), one of the hockey players was uncomfortable in figure skates, so his partner, Barb Underhill, switched to hockey skates as well. But they did NOT play hockey, they figure skated.

Edited to add:
Here's a video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aq-CpmKt_0

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Thanks for the video.

I see no figure skating-specific skating skills exhibited in that video. He did forward counterclockwise crossovers, which were pretty good because I'm sure he also does them when playing hockey, and he did a lot of gliding on two feet. Zero other skating skills. All the performance qualities were with the upper body and presenting his partner.

If Robert C or anyone else wan to know if it's possible to learn hold edges on one foot, skate backward, turn three turns and mohawks (and maybe someday more advanced turns), spin, jump, etc., on hockey skates, this video is no evidence that it's possible.

Experienced figure skaters can do at least some of those things on hockey skates, but that's different from a beginner learning them on hockey skates. The guy in this video apparently did not learn any new skating skills -- he learned how to perform with a partner to music, which is not in itself a figure skating skills.

Hi, all. I know this thread is relatively ancient, but I've come back to it a couple of times over the last few years as it's a collection of good information, and I've got a few things to add that are hopefully useful.

Riedell *has* in the past made several of their regular figure skates in a men's 14; I've bought a new pair of 121s ("Blue Ribbon") and later a pair of 220s ("Silver Medallion") that were both stock boots at least as recently as the mid-2000s. The 220 was a hugely popular boot and new-old stock 220s in size 14 still turn up on ebay and the like. The leather on mine is still in great shape.

Blades are a bit of a sticking point. There are several options out there for 12 2/3" blades (mine came with M&K 21s, and I know Jackson/Ultima has an offering), but if you want something more advanced it thins out fast.

amb said:

Hi, all. I know this thread is relatively ancient, but I've come back to it a couple of times over the last few years as it's a collection of good information, and I've got a few things to add that are hopefully useful.

Riedell *has* in the past made several of their regular figure skates in a men's 14; I've bought a new pair of 121s ("Blue Ribbon") and later a pair of 220s ("Silver Medallion") that were both stock boots at least as recently as the mid-2000s. The 220 was a hugely popular boot and new-old stock 220s in size 14 still turn up on ebay and the like. The leather on mine is still in great shape.

Blades are a bit of a sticking point. There are several options out there for 12 2/3" blades (mine came with M&K 21s, and I know Jackson/Ultima has an offering), but if you want something more advanced it thins out fast.

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Riedell doesn't even make those boots anymore IIRC.

Ic3Rabbit said:

Riedell doesn't even make those boots anymore IIRC.

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My first pair of Riedells back in high school (many decades ago) were 220s. At the time, Riedell marketed several models of boots for both ice skating and roller skating. Variants of the boots amb mentioned are still currently available under the Riedell Artistic roller skate line. The 220 Retro is available in a Black Size 14, Medium Width (https://www.roller.riedellskates.co...ots/High-Top-Skate-Boots/Boot-Model-220-Retro). And the 120 Award is available in Black Sizes 14, 15, and 16 (!), D Width (https://www.roller.riedellskates.co...ots/High-Top-Skate-Boots/Boot-Model-120-Award).

But as amb pointed out, getting a long enough blade for such large boots is even more of a challenge.