New brand of skates - "Aura" | Page 5 | Golden Skate

New brand of skates - "Aura"

kolyadafan2002

Fan of Kolyada
Final Flight
Joined
Jun 6, 2019
My daughter has been skating in AURAs for 2 weeks and absolutely loves them- says they feel like sneakers. She did need a week to break them and adjust to the higher heel height- she is landing her 3Loop now. She is still adjusting to the difficulty bending her knees but says it is getting better everyday.

There will be a point where she creases the crease point (took me 1 day, took some people a lot longer) where kneebend is no longer an issue. The one major adjustment is that due to the nature of custom boots, many people find themselves either pitched too much to the toe, or too much to the heel. This can take some time, especially in terms of certain jumps, spins, or snow plow stopping.
 

Jeanlee

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 6, 2021
Thanks. I can understand that price in one respect (i.e. customs) but it's a lot to pay for something from a new untested manufacturer that may only last a season. Probably less of an issue for kids with growing feet, but for adults you'd hope the skates would last a bit longer.
 

Jeanlee

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 6, 2021
If your at an elite level of skating 2 boots a year regardless of brand is normal
It’s expensive just like the sport
An extra pair is a must if your on an international circuit
There are a lot of skaters who seem to be successful in that brand Carbon fibre is so light weight
 

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Country
Olympics
If your at an elite level of skating 2 boots a year regardless of brand is normal
It’s expensive just like the sport
An extra pair is a must if your on an international circuit
There are a lot of skaters who seem to be successful in that brand Carbon fibre is so light weight
If one is going through 2 boots a year then they either have crappy made boots or are too hard on them/or they don't fit properly. I know top skaters who have quads who go through boots 15-18mos.

Are you a sales rep for this brand or something?!
 

Jeanlee

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 6, 2021
No I am no sales rep I had 2 elite level athletes in my family and yes they went through 2 pairs a season When you train a lot of hours a day and are pounding out big jumps boots don’t last
You most certainly don’t want to be breaking in new boots before Nats It also depends on when you get your boots June is when my athlete or skaters got theirs
Custom made according to style of jumping and of course shape of foot etc
Most elite level who are National medalists get free boots and blades Too many people having to break in boots before major competitions which takes away from training time
The boots were not poorly made some people just break down boots faster because of their style of jumping
It’s not unheard of and it’s not poor quality of boots
 

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Country
Olympics
No I am no sales rep I had 2 elite level athletes in my family and yes they went through 2 pairs a season When you train a lot of hours a day and are pounding out big jumps boots don’t last
You most certainly don’t want to be breaking in new boots before Nats It also depends on when you get your boots June is when my athlete or skaters got theirs
Custom made according to style of jumping and of course shape of foot etc
Most elite level who are National medalists get free boots and blades Too many people having to break in boots before major competitions which takes away from training time
The boots were not poorly made some people just break down boots faster because of their style of jumping
It’s not unheard of and it’s not poor quality of boots
You can't really say when boots are going to go for all. Honestly. I had big jumps Triple Triples and I know those that do quads that didn't break them down as fast as that. Let's just agree to disagree.
 

gliese

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 31, 2020
Country
United-States
There's a difference between going through two pairs a year and having an extra pair broken in just in case. The latter is normal. The former is not. There are some people who will go through their boots quicker, but that is rare.
 

Jeanlee

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 6, 2021
You can't really say when boots are going to go for all. Honestly. I had big jumps Triple Triples and I know those that do quads that didn't break them down as fast as that. Let's just agree to disagree.
😂😂 not everyone needs 2 pair but I helps I remember one time when the 1 pair skates did not arrive at the Russian competition and so happy to have that extra pair I don’t disagree with you I just know many who have 2 pairs because of the breaking down issue and it’s not the manufacturers fault it’s just the style of skating
 

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Country
Olympics
😂😂 not everyone needs 2 pair but I helps I remember one time when the 1 pair skates did not arrive at the Russian competition and so happy to have that extra pair I don’t disagree with you I just know many who have 2 pairs because of the breaking down issue and it’s not the manufacturers fault it’s just the style of skating
I never said anything about not having 2 pairs
I had two.
 

SmallAminal

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2016
Out of idle curiosity, I am bumping this very old thread up because I want to know what people are saying about Aura now that they have been around for a while. This thread started when they first launched.

I know that they were recently acquired by John Wilson (the blade manufacturer) with rumors that they were in trouble right before that. I see a few skaters with them in the higher levels, but not the widespread kind of adoption of Jackson or Edea, among others. Just mostly curious since they are still relatively new, but I assume there have been more skaters using them and more feedback on their performance.

I do remember (it was 2 years ago, I think) that at US Nationals, Yaroslav Paniot lost a hook on his Auras and couldn't finish his program. At the time, I thought "not a great look for a new-ish brand" and it made me even more leery (maybe/maybe not justified).
 

Diana Delafield

Frequent flyer
Final Flight
Joined
Oct 22, 2022
Country
Canada
Out of idle curiosity, I am bumping this very old thread up because I want to know what people are saying about Aura now that they have been around for a while. This thread started when they first launched.

I know that they were recently acquired by John Wilson (the blade manufacturer) with rumors that they were in trouble right before that. I see a few skaters with them in the higher levels, but not the widespread kind of adoption of Jackson or Edea, among others. Just mostly curious since they are still relatively new, but I assume there have been more skaters using them and more feedback on their performance.

I do remember (it was 2 years ago, I think) that at US Nationals, Yaroslav Paniot lost a hook on his Auras and couldn't finish his program. At the time, I thought "not a great look for a new-ish brand" and it made me even more leery (maybe/maybe not justified).
Auras had somehow slipped under my radar until just recently, when I was in the market for a second pair of boots to wear for roller dance, already having Risports for the ice. Mentioning this project in a message to an Ontario cousin, she said to look at the website of the skate shop she uses and "look at the pictures of Auras, if you want a laugh" :biggrin:. They are certainly quite peculiar looking! My own skate shop in Vancouver stocks almost all the major boot brands and will order in others by special request. I asked my fitter about them out of curiosity. She kind of made a face and said they'd get them in if someone already wore them and needed a replacement, but that they came back more frequently for repairs than most brands.She said they tended to fall apart if given heavy wear, and that the only customers they had who wore them were young males who "jump them to pieces". She didn't even recommend them for me (not that I was interested after seeing pictures) because she knew I give my boots more of a workout than one would expect given my age (old) and weight (low). She thought my pairs partner wouldn't appreciate having a piece of my boot fall off while he had me over his head in a lift :jaw:.

I asked about them on GS at the time, and found they'd been around for several years and that some top skaters wear them in custom versions. Opinions seemed to be somewhat lukewarm, although maybe the random samples of those replying were just people with negative thoughts about them. If you get a wider response, there may be enthusiasts here who love them. Personally I thought they looked so strange I'd cover them up with full-length tights if I had to wear them. I'm sticking with Risport and the new Riedells I bought at a sale price to put aside for my next replacements.
 

Jeanlee

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 6, 2021
Out of idle curiosity, I am bumping this very old thread up because I want to know what people are saying about Aura now that they have been around for a while. This thread started when they first launched.

I know that they were recently acquired by John Wilson (the blade manufacturer) with rumors that they were in trouble right before that. I see a few skaters with them in the higher levels, but not the widespread kind of adoption of Jackson or Edea, among others. Just mostly curious since they are still relatively new, but I assume there have been more skaters using them and more feedback on their performance.

I do remember (it was 2 years ago, I think) that at US Nationals, Yaroslav Paniot lost a hook on his Auras and couldn't finish his program. At the time, I thought "not a great look for a new-ish brand" and it made me even more leery (maybe/maybe not justified).
Actually, that person didn’t lose a hook. I think they just had an injury in the announcers said that they lost a hook nothing wrong with the skates new concept good idea lightweight and definitely people say they look peculiar but you know something, so do Edeas

Always when there is a new product put out, there are growing pains and new ideas work and sometimes they need to be adjusted. It’s like with everything that’s new.

The concept of the skate is a really good idea now they just need people to make it work
 

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Country
Olympics
Actually, that person didn’t lose a hook. I think they just had an injury in the announcers said that they lost a hook nothing wrong with the skates new concept good idea lightweight and definitely people say they look peculiar but you know something, so do Edeas

Always when there is a new product put out, there are growing pains and new ideas work and sometimes they need to be adjusted. It’s like with everything that’s new.

The concept of the skate is a really good idea now they just need people to make it work
No. Paniot actually did have a boot issue. I was there. It's also mentioned places online that confirm he indeed had a boot issue that caused him to W/D.
 

kolyadafan2002

Fan of Kolyada
Final Flight
Joined
Jun 6, 2019
Actually, that person didn’t lose a hook. I think they just had an injury in the announcers said that they lost a hook nothing wrong with the skates new concept good idea lightweight and definitely people say they look peculiar but you know something, so do Edeas

Always when there is a new product put out, there are growing pains and new ideas work and sometimes they need to be adjusted. It’s like with everything that’s new.

The concept of the skate is a really good idea now they just need people to make it work
I've lost hooks with them, until they changed their hook design (don't have issues with new one). I actually broke loads of hooks before, and aura knew about this being an issue - but it took paniots mishap for them to fast-track the new hook design. I didn't blame them as I expect these sorts of bugs with new-ish skates, but it was a frustrating experience to get the final design, which I loved to skate in. And I feel for people who bought them as finished products without realising this, because they were expensive skates. Then JW took over and axed the custom lineup, so 🤷‍♂️

My opinion of the sky series is very negative, I liked the customs. I see loads of people in sky boots, none of them get good knee/ankle bend (aside from those who can do quads who actually can break those in). The articulating collar bend system to me is just not one that the average person can get good bend in, I don't think it's well thought through.

The actual shape of the boot is similar to edea, but with much stiffer materials.

The customs work well with kneebend - the main issue I heard was quality control (many people getting wrong size/shape). They worked well for me and I got a nice glove-fitting boot, but many people had issues actually getting a boot that fit correctly. JW have yet to reintroduce the customs, so we'll see what happens with those, but personally they were one of the main selling points of aura. Although, going by many who purchased them on this forum, I don't think they consistently got the custom builds right
 
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