How much should I invest in skates? | Golden Skate

How much should I invest in skates?

Maruitenshi

Spectator
Joined
Jan 2, 2017
I bought a cheap pair last month and I have tried to adjust to using them, but no matter how hard I try they are just too cheap. I have gone back to using rental skates for the time being. I have money saved up and can earn more, but just how much should I spend to get a good pair that will work well and last me? I'd rather not waste any more money on skates that are no good. I really do enjoy skating so however much money I spend, it will be worthwhile. Thanks.
 

SmallAminal

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2016
That's a loaded question. I think you have to ask yourself how much budget you can afford. From there, I would seek the advice of a fitter or other professional who can make suggestions (including potentially used skates) based on a number of relevant factors. How much you plan to skate, your skill level, height/weight, etc. are all a factor. If you are looking at new skates, my guess is that you'll have to spend more than US$100 to get a somewhat decent pair of new. From my experience with my son's figure skates (keeping in mind he is 6 and it was only a few years ago that he was a beginner) the reputable manufacturers (e.g. Riedell, Jackson, etc.) make appropriate entry level skates that are relatively modest in pricing, if you have a relatively standard foot. THese may/may not work for you and may not work 2 years from now as you advance in skills. If you have a difficult foot, you may find you need to spend more for customs. It is probably not a good idea to "over boot" with the hopes that skates will last forever - our coach is adamant that drastic overbooting will impede progress. If you are just learning basic skills, don't go buy yourself Edea Pianos - they won't make you a better skater and they will break the bank.
 

Tavi...

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 10, 2014
I bought a cheap pair last month and I have tried to adjust to using them, but no matter how hard I try they are just too cheap. I have gone back to using rental skates for the time being. I have money saved up and can earn more, but just how much should I spend to get a good pair that will work well and last me? I'd rather not waste any more money on skates that are no good. I really do enjoy skating so however much money I spend, it will be worthwhile. Thanks.

It depends. Are you a complete beginner? Have your feet stopped growing? How often you will skate? Generally, you can expect to pay about $100-125 to a decent beginner skate set (with attached blades) that you can use for recreational skating and will take you through basic skills, and about $200-250 for a pair that will last through beginning freestyle. Some skate shops carry used skates - if yours does, you may get skates for less.

If you have a good skate shop in your area it's best to have them fit you and suggest appropriate skates rather than buying online because some brands fit some people better than others, and skate size is usually different than street shoe size. Don't go to a big box store or a place like Dick's Sporting Goods.

As always, I'd suggest asking your coach where to buy skates. If you haven't started lessons yet, ask a friend who skates seriously or call the rink where you skate and ask the skating director where to go.

You can do some research here:

https://www.kinziescloset.com/skate-comparison-guide.html

Decent beginner/ recreational skates are the Jackson Excel, Jackson Mystique, Riedell Pearl and Riedell Emerald. If your feet are no longer growing, you might want to spend a bit more for a skate that will take you through beginning freestyle, such as Jackson Elle or Riedell 133. Your skate shop can guide you.

Finally, if you are still considering buying artificial ice, you will need to find out whether the brand of ice you are buying requires special skates.

Good luck!
 

narcissa

Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 1, 2014
Finally, if you are still considering buying artificial ice, you will need to find out whether the brand of ice you are buying requires special skates.

I didn't know this was a thing. I learn something new every day :laugh:
 

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Country
Olympics
It will depend on your budget and how seriously you skate or what level you are, or if you are just a recreational skater.
 

el henry

Go have some cake. And come back with jollity.
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2014
Country
United-States
I didn't know this was a thing. I learn something new every day :laugh:

Oh, yeah, there's a thread about it out there somewhere! Many brands apparently work with regular skates.


And here is the thread, which engendered some passionate discussion:

http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?62261-Synthetic-Ice-Experience

Then again, until these Boards, I didn't realize that skating on the lake where I was a teen was "natural ice". Since I've never skated at a rink (and barely skated at that lake) I guess I am "all natural" :laugh:
 

RoaringMice

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 1, 2003
I'd never seen the skate comparison chart on the Kinzie's Closet website, so thanks for that link. I do believe my daughter is in too junior a boot now. We bought them 1.5 years ago, and her feet haven't grown like they used to, so I haven't had to bring her to the skate pro this year. But that means that she's doing axels in boots that are not quite made for axels, so... we'll be fixing that.
 

SmallAminal

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2016
Hey, you do remember me when I used to ride a skateboard, “we lived with the idea that it should mandatory be built from minimum 7 wood layers, its wheels should be the most expensive wheels on the market ,and so on , until a 10 year old boy showed me that he can ride better than me even if my skateboard is more expensive.

nope, don't remember you....and this is a figure skating forum, not skateboarding.:scratch2:
 

hanyuufan5

✨**:。*
Medalist
Joined
May 19, 2018
Haha, there was this guy in my old neighborhood who did some kind of edge-pull-like serpentine thing on his skateboard. He'd go down the entire block without losing any speed. Every time I saw him, I wanted to drop everything, head to the rink, and practice edge pulls. :laugh:
 

kolyadafan2002

Fan of Kolyada
Final Flight
Joined
Jun 6, 2019
Ever heard the phrase: "Buy cheap tools, and if you destroy them then you know you need expensive ones."

Spend money on a reasonable pair of boots that work for you - entry-level but by a reputable brand suitable for whatever level you are - then afterward if you break them down you know you will benefit from more expensive ones.
Don't be too stingy - ensure you will be safe skating in them and ensure you had them fitted properly.
 

herpawearo

Spectator
Joined
May 22, 2020
Thank you for your comments. As for me, I believe that skates should be of high quality, and therefore expensive. Unfortunately, I have financial difficulties, so this year I will not be able to buy expensive skates. But I understand that I need to solve this problem somehow, so I'm looking for ways to earn extra money. If you know anything about this, please share your tips. In the meantime, I have found information about amazon fba business and think whether this is a good way to get extra money and whether there are no large investments and risks. What do you think?
 

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Country
Olympics
Thank you for your comments. As for me, I believe that skates should be of high quality, and therefore expensive.

That's good and fine and all, but with figure skates it doesn't work that way. If you are a beginning or even low moderate level skater and you buy the most expensive boots, you are going to injure yourself for life, you may never even skate again.
 

SmallAminal

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2016
That's good and fine and all, but with figure skates it doesn't work that way. If you are a beginning or even low moderate level skater and you buy the most expensive boots, you are going to injure yourself for life, you may never even skate again.

Totally agree with you and I shudder at the adult beginners traipsing around in Ice Flys and Pianos and they can't even pull off a waltz jump yet (yep, I've seen it!!! ) Don't know if they just think they look cool or that they will help them skate better....

but what I think herpawearo was maybe trying to say is that even beginner skates should be "expensive" relative to what the general public thinks (i.e. not the $20 crap you might find at a toy store) so expect to pay a fair amount of money for even the "cheapest" beginner figure skates from a reputable manufacturer. Expensive is relative for people. After a few years of skating I'm not phased by dropping $1300 on boots/blades because I know this is necessary (not that I don't cry for my credit card bill after). My in-laws literally fell off the chair when they caught wind of how much the boots/blades cost for my skater now and they chastised me for "needlessly spending on expensive stuff" when we could "make do" with something much cheaper from Canadian Tire (yep, they said that and claimed I was "spoiling" my child with expensive stuff....of course, they do not understand that you can't wear Canadian Tire skates doing a double flip without risking a bad ankle injury).

I remember naively being shocked that my 3 year old was in $150 skates initially, feeling that it was "expensive", but trusting that it was better to buy proper figurer skates than the plastic ones a lot of parents favor. But if I had put a 3 year old in Edea Concerto with an MK Phantom blade, I'm pretty sure we would have gotten absolutely zero progress (if you could even get them that small....LOL)
 

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Country
Olympics
Totally agree with you and I shudder at the adult beginners traipsing around in Ice Flys and Pianos and they can't even pull off a waltz jump yet (yep, I've seen it!!! ) Don't know if they just think they look cool or that they will help them skate better....

but what I think herpawearo was maybe trying to say is that even beginner skates should be "expensive" relative to what the general public thinks (i.e. not the $20 crap you might find at a toy store) so expect to pay a fair amount of money for even the "cheapest" beginner figure skates from a reputable manufacturer. Expensive is relative for people. After a few years of skating I'm not phased by dropping $1300 on boots/blades because I know this is necessary (not that I don't cry for my credit card bill after). My in-laws literally fell off the chair when they caught wind of how much the boots/blades cost for my skater now and they chastised me for "needlessly spending on expensive stuff" when we could "make do" with something much cheaper from Canadian Tire (yep, they said that and claimed I was "spoiling" my child with expensive stuff....of course, they do not understand that you can't wear Canadian Tire skates doing a double flip without risking a bad ankle injury).

I remember naively being shocked that my 3 year old was in $150 skates initially, feeling that it was "expensive", but trusting that it was better to buy proper figurer skates than the plastic ones a lot of parents favor. But if I had put a 3 year old in Edea Concerto with an MK Phantom blade, I'm pretty sure we would have gotten absolutely zero progress (if you could even get them that small....LOL)

Yes, I agree that if they were referring to expensive in reference to some cheap crap in a toy or box sports store then yes, but I fear that they weren't referring to that.
 

MCsAngel2

On the Ice
Joined
Apr 10, 2019
This post reminds me of the story I read about a dad and his son who both started beginner LTS together, and the dad insisted on the best blades they could get. Which were Gold Seals. For an adult who was just learning to skate, literally. They were bought even though the coach strenuously attempted to dissuade him. At his first lesson with them, he fell repeatedly because he rocked too far forward. Guy showed up with appropriate blades at the next lesson and didn't say anything.
 

SmallAminal

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2016
This post reminds me of the story I read about a dad and his son who both started beginner LTS together, and the dad insisted on the best blades they could get. Which were Gold Seals. For an adult who was just learning to skate, literally. They were bought even though the coach strenuously attempted to dissuade him. At his first lesson with them, he fell repeatedly because he rocked too far forward. Guy showed up with appropriate blades at the next lesson and didn't say anything.

all that money on gold seals could have bought a lot of LTS lessons on beginner blades. I wonder if they put the Gold Seals on recreational skates - that would have been funny!
 
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