what are good ice skates for beginners?

Question

im just going to start figure skating.. what models and brands should i look into for skates?

Answer 1

When I first started skating, I bought a pair of Reidell skates. They are great for beginners. I do not recommend that you get any of the beginner level skates, though. Go for intermediate or higher if you plan on skating much at all. They are more expensive, but they provide a lot better support. They are a royal pain to break in; my feet hurt like crazy at first. But once they are broken in, they are great. I bought the 320 model, which is now retailing for about $320. I bought my street shoe size, and found out later that you should get a half size smaller. The leather has now stretched out a bit and I have to wear thick socks. You should check into your local rink and ask someone there - they have a pro shop where they sell the skates and can tell you more about the different brands.

I was expecting that more people would have answered this by now - if you have wider or narrower feet, certain brands are better than others. SP Teri and Harlick are two other brands that I remember skaters wearing at my rink. My coach had $2500 custom made tan Harlicks. Another coach has skates that cost $1100. The good skates made for jumping are rather costly! Jackson is another brand, but I don't believe they were as good as the others. You can also buy boots and blades separately, but it can cost a little more since you then have to pay to get the blades mounted.

The really important thing is to get a pair with good ankle support, which is why I recommended that you not get any beginner level skates. The ankle of the boot is usually cut lower, which is the reason why they are cheaper. Rental skates are horrible as far as ankle support goes.