I have a pair of Jackson Mystique. I totally recommend them. They feel nice, they've lasted a long time, and they are fairly affordable. For reference, I'm eighteen but I'm only 5 foot tall and weigh fairly light
I'm an adult figure skater (25 years old, 5' 3.5", 115 lbs) and I've been skating for about 4.5 years. I bought Jackson Elle skates 4 years ago in June 2017, the older model with the leather soles. I am now doing axels and double salchows in them - mostly attempts but I've recently landed one clean axel and 2 clean double sals. And the Elle boots are nowhere near breaking down. I'm starting to think they're immortal. I think they'll last for another 4 years at least.
just started skating (taking lessons but have skated leisurely for a while) and purchased these as rentals weren’t giving any ankle support. super excited!
I really like the Edea Overtures with the Edea rotation blades! They took me from not knowing anything to being able to do a double toe loop and lots of spins! I recently bought the ice flys as I’m moving into triple jumps!
I’ve been using the Jackson Excel skates to start out with, but was looking to upgrade a little bit. The excel skates were really heavy and tight around the ball of my foot, there were not enough bunga pads to keep my feet from aching. Based on your recommendations, I decided to get the Artistes. I didn’t realize how different they would feel, they are so much more comfortable. Thank you for saving my feet!
Coach Julia, thanks for the tip! I just got the Jackson Artiste , I went from ”insecure of skating without the wall” to doing the forward ”lemon” in two sessions!
One of the best videos ever! You’re so spoilt these days with the mod cons added to the figure skates. My 35 year old leather skates do not have any comfy padded liners and I still bear the scars from the back of the boot rubbing up against my legs just above the ankle needless to say that the boots are mighty uncomfortable and like wearing foot torture chambers.
It’s crazy how far skates have come. I used to have terrible lace bite on the front of my ankles, and my feet would ache but the end of a day of skating. 😩
Also useful to bear in mind that we all have different feet shapes, and that’s a reason why there are so many brands of skates - not everything works for everyone so it’s really important to get properly fitted. Heat moulding does help, but if your foot is really not the right shape for a boot then heat moulding will not fix that. A proper skate fitter will be able to guide you to the best boot for you. And availability varies in different countries, here in Europe I can get Edea, Risport and Graf easily but not so much Riedell etc.
If you're a beginner, but is very serious about competing nd learning, is it advisable to buy a high level boot so that you can invest in it, and not keep buying new boots?
The highest I would recommend is something like a Jackson elle, if you are a beginner. If you get a night level boot without the strength and experience to match, you will not be able to beak them in properly and that will actually hamper your abilities as a skater.
I have been skating for fun as a kid in soft, random boots. I now started taking classes at the "tender age" of 36 and got the Jackson Elle -- I really recommend them! Just by changing boots, I found my outer edge and managed to unlock movements i never managed before, pretty much in 1 hour. Now, after a few months, I invested in Coronation Ace blades and I absolutely love them.
Good to know, thanks for the info. I think maybe I will start putting away money for after I pass Adult 6 (have a way to go). I have the Artistes but the pros on the Elles sound really useful. I just wasn’t sure how much I would love skating, which I do.
Ty im currently trying to lose weight and im 12 years old im a bit overweight and i have a bigger foot then most kids, i wear size 7-8 skates womens size, and i asked my parents to get me a pair of skates and I went to a shop and they recommended the artiste andmy foot is just skating with no fatigue and its just PERFECT
I needed this video before I got my skates. I currently have a Jackson Freestyle with Aspire blade. But I am technically more Crosscut level I think. However! My wide width feet made me agree with the pro-shop guy to buy the boot when I tried them. Except at the moment, it’s too much boot for me. It’s super painful after all these months off the ice. I went back this morning and couldn’t make it to more than 15 minutes on the ice I think.
my jackson ultima soft skates are very supportive in my opinion but thank you for helping me decide my next skates UPDATE: for christmas i got the jackson ultima artistes and they took a while to break in and they hurt at first cause i wasn’t used to that amount of support inside the boot but i love them now
I started on Risport Lasers & still use them as I could never pass Alpha after about 5 times of repeating the class😆 but I love your instructional videos so I hope to move forward in my lessons.
Thank you so much for this video Julia. I've just ordered my first pair of skates and I was so grateful to have some knowledge of what to get before hand. I'm now waiting for my Jackson Elle's to arrive. I'm a Kiwi and apparently us Kiwis have wider feet than most, so I cant6fit an Artiste. My next option after Elle's was Freestyle, but I was worried about catching the toe puck too easily when I'm just learning, as the guy at the Pro shop at my rink said they have a slightly bigger toe pick. So I'm SUPER excited to be awaiting the arrival of my very own figure skates. And I'm so grateful for your help in k ow g what to get.
Thank you Coach Julia! I've just started skating at the age of 19 haha. Your channel is incredibly helpful in my journey! I've ever only skated with rentals so I'm super excited about getting my own pair :)
My first experience on skates was when I was 42 years. I like the feeling of skating, but I have not used figure skates yet, just hockey skates. Now I am at 50 and want to try figure skates.
That is awesome. I just started this year at 35 and have bought both types of skates. People think I’m “messing up my brain” (figure coach said she was on hockey skates once and never again, hockey shop guy hated figure) but I think it is awesome to know both. Personally, I think figure is mostly easier. They are more comfortable (I always hear hockey players complaining of discomfort) in my opinion. They feel more natural to balance on to me. The blade is longer though so I think at first getting used to the blade and not going up on the toe pick just takes a little thought and skating backwards was easier to me in hockey skates but I love them both.
My first pair of skates are a Jackson Entré Fusion with a Mirage blade 😍 they fitted my feet perfectly and I have never got a blister or anything. I needed some really stiff boots due to my hypermobile ankles (they have 35/40 in stiffness). They are a bit expensive, but they are so comfortable. I can highly recommend these!
I have a pair of Jackson Elles and I love them!! They are super comfortable and fit really well. I have Cerebral Palsy and both my feet overpronate. I recently had the blade adjusted and I plan to have them heat molded next time I’m at the rink
Please consider making a video that outlines the importance of purchasing quality skates like these if a skater is serious/interested enough to take lessons versus just going every week for public skate time. When I first returned (at age 20) to skate lessons, I bought skates at a sporting goods store, not a pro shop. They were fine for the first couple of levels, but only to help teach basic balance on the ice. When I moved up in levels, I had to purchase better skates because the blades on the other skates were aluminum and would melt under a conventional sharpening machine.
Thank you! I've recently bought the Jackson Elle as my first skates and couldn't get what those white rectangles were for. 😅 And since I'm not a light adolescent girl I intentionally went for a slightly higher stiffness.
Jacksons are absurdly wide on my feet and so I started in Reidells but was never actually comfortable in any previous skate until I got into my current Edea Chorus (narrow width).
FYI the Jackson Ascend series (including the Mystique and Artiste) DO NOT have any real leather anymore. I am vegan and have corresponded with Jackson directly and they have confirmed that they changed from the coated leather about 5 years ago to a faux material but some suppliers still have the "leather" description on their websites! The Fusion series, including the Elle, DO have real leather, but the lower level ones are vegan!
Thank you for the video! It would have saved me lots of time researching which skates to get! I started out as an adult beginner last year with Artiste 5.5B. My feet felt pain in the inner arch area when I skated backwards. I switched to Classique 5B, heat-molded the skates, and added a bit padding under my toes. They fit well. I like that Classique has a bit more support than Mystique and Artiste (my left ankle is a bit loose) but not too stiff. I also like the Mirage blades Classique comes with. I tried Elle but felt it was too stiff for me.
I've been skating for 6-9months. I'm using leather skates. But they pinch my toes my coach told me that I have the right length for sizing but not wide enough
Nice nice video, now i had time to watch and listen. I have Jackson Artistes with Mark iv blade and they suit me very well, right from the start when I got them.. I'm a tiny adult skater woman. I just have to learn how to use the blade better in three turns with going up and down right. Thank you, lovely Julia for all your advice :)
Thank you so much! Having watched your video I now plan to buy Elle, but I’m struggling with the width: W seems to be quite wide, however the local retailer says they normally sell W boots and R rather seldom
It's hard for me to know what width would be best for you. Did your retailer measure your foot? If they have a proper skate boot measuring device then they should be able to check for both length and width before you purchase. Good luck!
I just got my second pair of skates after a year of Graf boleros they were really comfortable but didn’t give me much support so after a year even edges began to be difficult. My new ones are edea overtures and they’re so much better.
Hey Coach Julia! I’m a 28 yr old guy getting into figure skating, and just before watching this, I went out and bought some Jackson Mystiques. I will say I’m around 280 in weight, did I make a mistake in getting these? What are your thoughts? Should I return them for a different skate model? Thank you, much appreciated!
If you can still return them and get your money back you definitely should, they won't last a long time, especially if you're not a child/teen and therefore weigh a bit more. For you it might be optimal to get skates that are already meant for single jumps plus axel or first doubles, since they have some more support and won't break down as easily. So like she said in the video, get the Jackson artiste, or maybe edea overtures if you can afford them. Definitely go out to a pro shop though, as depending on your feet different brands might fit you better. As a point of reference, some people say that risport isn't usually good for wide feet, and edea can be bad with flat feet, but it may also depend on specific models. Again, bad surprises can be avoided by just going to a pro shop ((:
I actually had the Jaxon excel as my first pair and I love them! I also started skating at 11 but I don't know if i'll makes it to the Olympics but that's my goal! :D
Love my Jackson Figure Skate Boot - Elite 2900 with an elite blade. It did take about 2-3 months to really sink into these Skates and at first I worried they were too advanced for me. I’m an average height/weight 50 year old adult skater with wide- flat feet so I use super feet inserts with my skates, plus of course boots heat molded to my feet, a must! I will replace these soon with same boot 💕💯 as they are fantastic for where I am at my adult skills level and journey moving forward. I’ve tested bronze MITF/FS and will never do more than a single axel. Highly recommend Jackson. Oh and they are made in Canada so it does take time from order date to delivery especially now during COVID. My skating pro shop and boot fitter ordered all and fit these for me- that’s a must too 💃🏽🤩👍🏽
I have Belati Iris and they are amazing for wider feet. My first pair was Edea Ouverture and my feet were cramping non stop even after 4 months, so I had to buy new boots. And I don’t know what is different about Belati, but I feel like I have way more control now and my skating has improved big time! I’m at a single jumps level.
My boy got a pair of Jackson Mystique. The one think I like Jackson is they provide you a rating table which gives you recommendation on models with respect to different skater levels. Parents can understand what to choose by just looking at that table.
I use reidell emerald skates and they are INCREDIBLE. They are pretty comfy and they have good support. Definitely an upgrade from my skates from dicks sporting goods. They had no support and I had to re-tie them every 30 mins
Hy Julia, I went to buy, EDEA ice Skates to be righter inside of. But , I am a real beginner. I know somethings as spin on one leg , or pivot, but it’s for ice-dance and I hope it’s right. I have two paires of ice-skates Jackson, 150 and 450 but it’s not enough to my feet , I kept all and I’m waiting to the Rink opened in France. Thanks, because you ’re my own Coach. I learned so much because of you. All my best , send you my Heart 🌬🤍Carine
I'm thinking of moving up from mystique to Elle ..excited for the molding and of course the diamonds. 💎 🤩🥰👌 awesome video I feel confident to go for the Elles now 🥰⛸⛸
The notches on the skates remind me of dance scallops on Harlick dance boots. It's good that the skating boot manufacturers are offering beginning beginner skates with notches to help skaters bend their knees.
This was a huge help! I asked at a local figure skate shop and as I am a beginner (no jumps, I'm working on forward crossovers right now) they recommended Jackson Excel, but I did my reading and the stiffness really didn't seem too good for an adult (I weigh around 70kg too). So I was torn between Mystique and Artiste, as I am a bit scared of the Mark IV blade, but after watching this I think I'm gonna go with the Artiste. I have wider feet so Jackson should fit me well. They also said I could get Jackson Evo, but those are a bit out of my budget, but I could still get them. I will have to wait like two months for Artiste but Evo I could get right away. Which one would you recommend?
I’m a begginer skater myself and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions (my feet grow pretty quickly and are abit weirdly shaped!!) If anyone has any suggestions feel free to reply🥰 it would honestly be super helpful.
I started out in mystiques as an adult......then went into Risport Antares....and at present I have the Jackson Elle Fusions......have had them for nearly a year, but am thinking of upgrading....at first I was just going to upgrade the blade as the blade that comes with the Elle Fusion seems like it has a really “flat” rocker....but doing the jumps I don’t feel it has enough support for me....am thinking of sticking with Jackson as I can get a good heel lock with them and going into the “Freestyle Fusion”....
The Jackson Freestyle skates are really great. I have several students who are wearing them. If you are happy with your Elles and looking for an upgrade, the Freestyle is probably a really good choice for you. amzn.to/3jJNyCD
Hi coach. May I ask you a question. As an adult, around 130lbs, who wants to start figure skating lessons and tries to find a boot that can last fairly for doing basic skill until single jump and spins, which one do you recommend more between Jackson Artiste and Risport Antares? Focusing also in durability. Thank you in advance 🙏🏻
Excellent video! I didn't realise there were so many technicalities behind ice skates! Also I would like to know where the Jackson 500's rank within this video? Are they closer to beginner or advanced? 🤔 Thanks :)
hey i had the jackson 500 as first skates and they broke down within 6 months of low intense use, I'm barely jumping my waltz jump and they just folded so easily, I don't reccomend them if you want to progress to jumps and all, it's a recreational skate for skating once in a while with friends ! I upgraded to risport electra
I had a pair of terrible super cheap rec skates that screeched against the ice, so I upgraded to Jackson mystiques. I find them great, but a bit too wide for my narrow foot.
Hi coach julia! First of all i wanna say u rlly helped me in starting with ice skating, and i love the way u teach! I also have a question. I am 13 years old 5’3 and skinny. I can do forward , backward crossovers, two foot spin, single toe loop and waltz jump. I look forward to getting my skates changed, at this moment i have really bad skates (i dont know how to explain, but theyre not stiff, bad blade and theyre just rlly bad rn.) Which skates do you think i should get?
The only way I measured my foot is by comparing my shoe size to figure skating insoles, Eight in a half my foot was in the middle, a little far from the heel and the toe, and the Seven was too narrow, So it's Either a 7.5 (A/B) or a 7 (C/D). I want the Jackson Freestyles because the Artiste has PVC plastic soles which they're only for total beginners, I want to learn to spin and do waltz jumps. PVC Plastic isn't good for those things because of how much impact spinning and jumping have.
What about an adult beginner that weighs 235lbs? Jackson's fit guide says that anyone over 80lbs doing anything past freeskate 4 should be in their freestyle boot. But that seems like a lot. Thoughts? Thank you! 💖
Can you also do a video on boot/blade recommendations for intermediate skaters? Specifically, a juvenile skater who is less than 80lbs. Not necessarily specific brands but maybe the support rating we should be looking for, nice features to have on the boot and features on the blade.
Thank you Coach Julia for this helpful video! I've been wearing Jackson Mystiques for a few years and really like them. I saw they are rated up to half-rotation jumps, but it is there an equivalent rating for spins? I have been learning a forward scratch spin and backspin for a while but always have trouble finding the rocker on them. Thanks so much for any advice!
Hi there! I am really enjoying your videos! I am starting to skate again but have out grown my Reidell Silver star boots & a good medium blade. They are over 20 years old right now....Can you recommend a comparable brand?
I have nothing to and i'm watching videos about figure skates and then realize that i'm not going to switch to them because i feel much better in hockey skates and another problem is that i'm freestyler :,D
Thank you so much for the vid that's much needed! Now I am thinking about getting the Elle after your introduction. I noticed the tongue on Jackson seems a little longer than that of other brands. Do you know if it is easy to bend ankles with Elle?
Cindy Tong The tongue length shouldn’t be any problem with breaking in and bending the ankles. A lot of the forward support comes from the tongue so the slightly longer tongue is actually a help with stability. 😁
Hello. I love watching your videos. So so helpful. You are always with me at the rink lol. I just watched a video you made about what skates are good for beginners. I am skating with Jackson mystique now and I am looking into upgrading. My pro shop measured me and also recommended the Jackson Elle. Here is where I am. I can perform single jumps like salchow, waltz and toe loop. Working on loop now! I would love to learn spins and work towards taking tests or even competing in the future. When I asked for others opinion they all told me not to go with the elle because I will break down and have to upgrade soon and the mirage blades are too flat. I honestly have no idea. Do you recommend going with a stiffer book and a better blade for spinning. If yes which ones? Some had referred Jackson debute or adea chorus. Any help is appreciated. Thank you so much for all the amazing videos.
Hi my Julia, I’ve got the same but in sliver. My blades are seemer. Yesterday I ’ve tried to make TWIZZLES and I’m falling. In one hour , I have do nothing more than falling . When I Showed you make this ice dance move easier, I was thinking that it should be easy but it wasn’t. An ice skater said to me that because of dance , I’m to straight ,but she also said that I’ve got more facility but May you help me to make TWIZZLES without fears. I’m a dancer since the dawn of my 4th years Old and to me Spring roll is easy and when I make some spring roll then I lay my leg down and I make a pivot that I finish with a spin on two legs. I need your priceless Advices as an ice Dancer , not as a ice skater. I ’m just a girl who’s falling in love with the ice and TWIZZLES are so important for my Choregraphia of What a feeling and also for another song from Nirvana to please my Best Friend named Béatrice Dalle who’s a French actress woman. I said to myself : ” Over and over again " but I was really to afraid. You teached me the 3 variations of Lunge that I open at least to make a front Split that I roll on ice . Also how to Spin on two legs like you present it. Pivot, foward Stroking, zwizzles, Progressive, Chassé and Spring roll. Marching but BACKWARD moves are not logical for me as a dancer. I can make my pivot and spin after a Spring roll but I can’t pick toe to make a pivot. DO YOU THINK THAT I CAN PICK TOE AFTER MY SPRING ROLL , IF YES , MAY YOU EXPLAIN ME HOW TO PICK TOE BY THIS WAY. I’ve got only one month to learn how to make TWIZZLES plus make a plane and all we need to make a real ice Show . I will rent the rink again for it. THANKS TO YOU MY JULIA. I STAY IN TOUCH WITH WHISPERS 🌬🤍💭⛸🏳
Hi Julia…a little late to this post. Beginner skater here, and before your video on tips of learning the sport of figure skating….I’ve actually thought the same thing. Invest in your own skates ☺️. With reading on skates and even going to a pro shop (figure skating only, not hockey)….I was recommended Jackson Freestyle with Aspire XP blades. I am a middle aged adult with a tiny bit of skating background…mostly rollerblades and some recreational ice skating here and there with (ughh) rentals 😂. I like them, had heat molded a couple times…but I just want to know your thoughts on this boot. Are they a good pair for learning (LTS basic 1-6) and going on to pre-freestyle? I actually originally was going for the Jackson Artise, like you mentioned…but was talked into the Freestyle.
Hi Coach Julia! I love your page and content, thank you! I am 28, just started a month ago and not skinny (fairly heavy) and recently began skating. I am in between Jackson Elle and Free style. I had a foot injury in past and want something protective. I was told buy different seller figure skaters to get Elle because freestyle is too advanced and for jumps and wont let my knees bend as much as I need to learn basics. The other person said freestyle has better protection but not that different. I wanted to know what you think :)
Do you have videos about intermediate level skates? I'm using Jackson freestyles with the XP blade and love them so far, but would love to know if you have input on those, or other brands with similar support-rated skates?
I’m not a beginner myself but this video was great! I just got the Jackson premiere skates and they hurt so bad and my right foot goes numb 😂 do you have any advice on breaking in new skates?
First of all, thank you so much for the video! I will order Elle when I get to a higher level in figure skating. I am currently an adult beginner. I was thinking of ordering Jackson Artiste from Amazon but i live continents away from the USA, and it will take a month or two to ship while i need my ice skates immediately (the rental skates are, as expected, not good at all. Although they are workable since they are not plastic and are pretty supportive. The blades are horrible, though). I don't mind waiting that long if I have figure skates right now, but I don't. live in a tropical country where ice skating is nowhere near popular. There is only one shop in the entire country that sells figure skates. My only option that has my exact size as of now is Risport Antares. What do you think of the brand and the shoes?
39 male looking at skate vids, I used to have figure skates 20 years ago but now I'm afraid of the toe pick. Don't really want hockey skates any suggestions would be great.
I am 5’5 and kind of heavy with a wide foot/small heel. Would you recommend the Elle’s or freestyles? I don’t want to have to upgrade months after buying one pair, I would rather just invest and actually get something that will last a while. I skate decently and will be taking lessons soon.
Love your video and ready to order Jackson Artiste online for daughter for Xmas. She is a 6.5 shoe size - are they true to size? or do I go up to the 7?
However, the each brand boot desings for different types of foot. Each feet is different and the jackson are not for everybody, if I remenber, the jackson are for narrows heels, wide ball, and round foot. For example, for me the new risport are not for me because the are very wide.
I have graf prestige... Ig they are comparable-ish to freestyle fusion im guessing (or a bit harder than a flex fusion or elle) But.... im an adult, and they are my second skates (after... super old graf davos (recreational skates), and i could already do stuff like crossovers and other basic stuff They hurt.... really.... to break in, but now that they are broken in i love them (and got used to the toe pick). They can go for all single jumps, and even doubles.... so will last me till they are broken down.
