Skate recommendations for small adult beginner?

[daisythedino]

Hi all, looking to get into figure skating! Let me preface with, I do plan to go to a skate shop to get fitted, but I wanted to get some preliminary advice before going in. I get anxious shopping in person if I haven't done research ahead of time, so any help would be super appreciated!

A bit about me:

I'm in my mid 20s and started recreationally skating about 20 years ago. I never took lessons until I was an adult, then did one season of a learn to skate program at my university. I can skate forwards really well, and do some forward crosscuts, but that's the extent of my skills. I'm pretty comfortable on ice, so I'm thinking I will progress through the early stages of learning to skate fairly quickly. At the same time, I'm not 100% sure I'll be able to stick with it, so I don't want to overinvest. I'm likely to either do one season and stop, or stick with it long term.

I'm 162 cm and weigh 43 kg with a very small frame.

My larger foot is 23 cm long barefoot (not sure what socks to wear when figure skating, but I'm about 23.5 cm long in thin cotton socks). I have low arches and low volume feet, and my feet are Egyptian. My feet are pizza shaped, with very narrow heels and very wide toes (10-10.5 cm wide at the toes, not even 5 cm wide at the heels). I have joint hypermobility and am prone to bunions so I am concerned about that as well.

I had been skating on Jackson Excels in a 5.5 when I was a teen but my feet grew so they feel too short unless I'm barefoot. They feel a bit narrow for my toes, but otherwise are relatively comfy, so I'm thinking sticking with Jackson might be the way to go. From their fit guides, it looks like Elle or Freestyle might be good options, since I can get them in a wide width as well. Or would these be too soft? I've read that adults can need something beyond this even to start, but given my height/weight, what would you recommend? Or any other suggestions? Thanks so much

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Hi all, looking to get into figure skating! Let me preface with, I do plan to go to a skate shop to get fitted, but I wanted to get some preliminary advice before going in. I get anxious shopping in person if I haven't done research ahead of time, so any help would be super appreciated!

A bit about me:

I'm in my mid 20s and started recreationally skating about 20 years ago. I never took lessons until I was an adult, then did one season of a learn to skate program at my university. I can skate forwards really well, and do some forward crosscuts, but that's the extent of my skills. I'm pretty comfortable on ice, so I'm thinking I will progress through the early stages of learning to skate fairly quickly. At the same time, I'm not 100% sure I'll be able to stick with it, so I don't want to overinvest. I'm likely to either do one season and stop, or stick with it long term.

I'm 162 cm and weigh 43 kg with a very small frame.

My larger foot is 23 cm long barefoot (not sure what socks to wear when figure skating, but I'm about 23.5 cm long in thin cotton socks). I have low arches and low volume feet, and my feet are Egyptian. My feet are pizza shaped, with very narrow heels and very wide toes (10-10.5 cm wide at the toes, not even 5 cm wide at the heels). I have joint hypermobility and am prone to bunions so I am concerned about that as well.

I had been skating on Jackson Excels in a 5.5 when I was a teen but my feet grew so they feel too short unless I'm barefoot. They feel a bit narrow for my toes, but otherwise are relatively comfy, so I'm thinking sticking with Jackson might be the way to go. From their fit guides, it looks like Elle or Freestyle might be good options, since I can get them in a wide width as well. Or would these be too soft? I've read that adults can need something beyond this even to start, but given my height/weight, what would you recommend? Or any other suggestions? Thanks so much

HI and welcome. With an egyptian foot you want to to look at Riedell, Edea, and possibly Graf (especially with the low arches).

Edea: Motivo
Riedell: Stride 223
Graf: Ruby Champion


Know that you will have to pair these with a decent traditional style intermediate blade: MK Pro, JW Coronation Ace etc. Also, please seek out a professional figure skate fitter for this, not just some pro shop. If you let us know where you are in the world, we can suggest one.

Good luck!

 

[daisythedino]

Thank you for the help! I was reading skaterslanding.com and saw that Graf has a higher vertical arch than Jackson, and Edea and Riedell are both more narrow than Jackson. I'm seeing that both Graf and Jackson are good for Roman/square and Riedell and Edea for Greek. Is there a reason you'd recommend against Jackson? It seems they are the widest at the toe box in the lower tiers of skates which is my main priority given my very wide feet (my width at the toes is almost half my foot length). If Jackson's skates would work, what model would you recommend for where I am and my weight?

I plan to go to Figure 8 in Ottawa, Canada which is the closest skate shop that my skating club recommends.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Thank you for the help! I was reading skaterslanding.com and saw that Graf has a higher vertical arch than Jackson, and Edea and Riedell are both more narrow than Jackson. I'm seeing that both Graf and Jackson are good for Roman/square and Riedell and Edea for Greek. Is there a reason you'd recommend against Jackson? It seems they are the widest at the toe box in the lower tiers of skates which is my main priority given my very wide feet (my width at the toes is almost half my foot length). If Jackson's skates would work, what model would you recommend for where I am and my weight?

I plan to go to Figure 8 in Ottawa, Canada which is the closest skate shop that my skating club recommends.

You said inititally you had an egyptian style foot hence my recommendations.I can tell you for a fact that if you have a wide toebox you are notgoing to want edea and riedell and Riedell and Edea are definitely not for Greek feet b/c I have them and cannot wear them I wear/have worn Jackson/Risport.

 

[IceM]

A good fitter can make judgements seeing your actual feet. And you get to try the actual boots.

If you have particularly wide ball with a narrow heel, you're looking at some good heat molding for sure. And you're not "wide" by the way, you fit the heel, not the ball. The ball can be punched and stretched to fit then.

Egyptian low volume sounds like Edea, but wide ball narrow heel might fit a Jackson/Risport better (Edeas have pretty narrow soles at the ball I think). Again, a fitter can make better judgements, foot types are just guidelines.

Good luck!

 

[daisythedino]

You said inititally you had an egyptian style foot hence my recommendations.I can tell you for a fact that if you have a wide toebox you are notgoing to want edea and riedell and Riedell and Edea are definitely not for Greek feet b/c I have them and cannot wear them I wear/have worn Jackson/Risport.

I did initially mention that my toe area was wide as well as mention the shape, that's why I was surprised by your initial recommendations of Edea, Graf, and Riedell . You were right about Jackson and Risport being better for the toes.

I tried Jackson Elle and the regular was far too narrow, but the wide was too wide in the midfoot and the heel wasn't snug. I ended up with Risport Electra in the C width. It's a bit tight in the toes but the midfoot and heel are good, so I'll get it punched out if it's still bothering me. I hope these are good enough for where I am. I didn't see any recommendations for any specific models of Jackson or Risport so I just went with what the fitter suggested. The coach at my skating club suggested Jackson Artiste or even a sports department store skate so they weren't of much help there as I know that would not be good enough.

Thanks for your help!

 

[alvina9894]

We have the same feet! Egyptian duck-feet with bunions, low volume and low arch. Not to the extent of flat feet but close.
I’m comfortable in Risport (C width). I stretched the toebox to be wider and flatter so it doesn’t press on my bunions. With my smaller foot I added a heel liner cushion to take up volume at my heel. Now I get a bit of movement at the midfoot and the toes but my foot is locked well. Depends on how low-volume your foot is maybe consider Risport C or B?

 

[daisythedino]

We have the same feet! Egyptian duck-feet with bunions, low volume and low arch. Not to the extent of flat feet but close.
I’m comfortable in Risport (C width). I stretched the toebox to be wider and flatter so it doesn’t press on my bunions. With my smaller foot I added a heel liner cushion to take up volume at my heel. Now I get a bit of movement at the midfoot and the toes but my foot is locked well. Depends on how low-volume your foot is maybe consider Risport C or B?

Yay, foot twins! I think my feet aren't fully flat, I just have really low arches anatomically. How do you stretch the toebox so that it's wider and flatter? Is it just heat molding? I had that done but I feel like I could use more stretching.

Thanks for the suggestion. I ended up getting the Risport Electra in C as those were the best out of the options I tried. I'm new so it didn't make sense to get customs just yet but I think I would ideally like a split width of D in the front and A in the heel. I can't even wear regular shoes comfortably and wear "barefoot" shoes for the wide toe boxes.

I don't have bunions (yet) but I am feeling pain in the bunion area on one foot after just trying on the skates. I also have joint hypermobility so I'm prone to bunions anyway. It just feels like I don't like my big toe pushed inward past the ball since my foot is basically a triangle, but all figure skates have pointed toes to some degree. Hopefully I'll be able to stretch these more.

 

[alvina9894]

Yay, foot twins! I think my feet aren't fully flat, I just have really low arches anatomically. How do you stretch the toebox so that it's wider and flatter? Is it just heat molding? I had that done but I feel like I could use more stretching.

Thanks for the suggestion. I ended up getting the Risport Electra in C as those were the best out of the options I tried. I'm new so it didn't make sense to get customs just yet but I think I would ideally like a split width of D in the front and A in the heel. I can't even wear regular shoes comfortably and wear "barefoot" shoes for the wide toe boxes.

I don't have bunions (yet) but I am feeling pain in the bunion area on one foot after just trying on the skates. I also have joint hypermobility so I'm prone to bunions anyway. It just feels like I don't like my big toe pushed inward past the ball since my foot is basically a triangle, but all figure skates have pointed toes to some degree. Hopefully I'll be able to stretch these more.

It is generally recommended to go to a fitter to get heat molding especially if you are new to figure skating, but I just blast the pressure point with my hairdryer for a few minutes and insert a shoe stretcher which I bought online.