It can be tricky for a beginning skater to balance in a skate boot on a very thin blade. The boot can feel more like a kind of torture device than perfected equipment. Skating boots and blades are the main pieces of equipment used for skating and the most important. The old saying that “you are only good according to your team” is very true. It’s much better to skate to your team’s abilities than trying to out-skate your skates!

It won’t take you long to realize that investing in a good boot and blade is vital. Rental gear is often not the best for learning and doesn’t really hold your foot properly. It’s common for beginning skaters to get discouraged simply because a rental pair of skate boots doesn’t fit. Skaters leave the ice thinking they can’t learn the sport, when in reality it may just have been faulty equipment.

When I started skating, I didn’t fully understand this concept. Buying my first pair of boots was quite a learning experience. After looking at all the options at the skate shop and trying on several, I settled on a pair of Harlicks with used blades. They were in good condition, cheaper than a new pair, and fit my foot very well. What a difference from rental skates!

I learned a few other things that day: I had no idea that boots and blades are actually separate pieces of equipment. While some manufacturers bundle them together, most do not. Another thing, there are so many options! Although it was a bit overwhelming, the skate shop employees were very helpful and knowledgeable. There are perhaps 10 boot manufacturers that most skaters tend to use, including Riedell, Jackson, Risport, GAM, Klingbeil, and Edea.

Some resources I would recommend that will help you research some of the brands are:

• kinziescloset where they have good information on skate boots

• usfigureskating where they have a skate boot comparison chart

The important thing to remember when selecting a boot is to focus on a few key areas of the boot: the toe, heel, and ankle. The toe box is the area where all the toes sit. The toes should be able to move up and down. The toes should not feel tight or feel like they are pressing against the end of the boot. Your heel should fit snugly into the back of the boot and should not slip. And there’s the ankle, which should feel secure yet able to bend in the boot when needed. In general, the boot should feel comfortable. If you feel that it squeezes you in any way, try it again.

The two most common brands beginning skaters start with are Riedell and Jackson boots. The Riedell brand offers a cool feature where once the boots are fitted to a skater, they are actually removed and placed in an oven that looks like a microwave. This warms the lining so it can mold itself to the foot. I always thought this was a cool concept! Jackson can do this now too, but they’re both great boot boots. And they both have a series of boots that come with blades.

Once you select a boot that feels good on your foot, there are four basic things to consider when it comes to proper boot thickness or strength: 1) your height and weight, 2) how often you skate, 3) your skating level and 4) the width of your foot. Your height and weight: As an adult skater, depending on your height and weight, you can get more leverage in a boot and you’ll need something a little stronger. Also, since adults don’t lose their skates, you should select a strength level that lasts a little longer than the average skate. So be sure to ask the person who fits your skates for the proper force based on these factors.

How often you skate: If, as a beginner, you only skate during the lesson and at other times during the week, then your boots will last longer and you won’t have to consider boot strength as much. If you skate more often they will wear out faster and you may need a boot with a little more punch. When I first got back into skating as an adult, I was skating 3 or 4 times a week! As you can imagine this broke down my skates quickly and I needed a new pair of skates within the year. So going up a strength level can help with this.

Your skating level: If you’re just learning, it’s unlikely you’re already jumping and spinning, which puts a lot of extra stress on your boots. As you progress and perform more challenging movements, the stronger your boots will need to be to withstand the activity. As an example, towards the end of my competitive years, I would buy double bonded boots, which is twice the leather to withstand my jumps and spins. While I’ve only done double jumps and double combinations, there are skaters who do triple jumps who need an even stronger boot.

The width of your foot: This is a factor just like trying on normal everyday shoes. Each pair fits your foot differently. As an example, I started with a used pair of Harlick skates that fit the width of my foot perfectly. Then, when I bought my first pair of new skates, they convinced me to buy a pair of SP Terris, which tend to fit wider feet. Those boots almost ruined my feet. SP Terris are not bad boots, they were just bad for my feet. I immediately went back to Harlicks and my feet were much happier. (As a side note, you might want to consider asking about used skates at the skate shop. While they may not present them to you as an option, they all have them!)

Once you progress in your skating, you can (and probably should) move on to a custom boot. The great thing about custom boots is that the skate shop tracks your foot, takes your foot measurements, and sends your personal specifications to the boot manufacturer. You can order different types of lining, padding, and channeling that make the boots more comfortable. When they come back, they fit almost perfectly, like a glove. The reason I say almost is that sometimes boots need a little adjustment, but most fit the first try. Custom boots reduce break-in period and feel amazing! While the cost of a custom boot is higher, if you spend many hours on your boots, the cost is well worth it!

For all you creative souls, another advantage of buying custom boots is that you can order them in all different colors and patterns. I took full advantage of this option. Throughout my skating career I’ve had tan, aqua blue, purple and blue veined, gold, silver boots and now I have a beautiful bronze pair with a rose pattern printed on the leather. I had so much fun selecting the colors!

Now let’s talk about the other important piece of skating equipment: the blades. There are fewer manufacturers of blades than boots. Some of the major blade manufacturers are Wilson, Paramount, MK, Ultima, and Eclipse.

Skate blades are usually made of carbon steel and coated with high quality chrome. Lightweight aluminum and stainless steel blades are also becoming more common. The blades are about 3/16 inch thick and may have a variation in how they taper. They come in a 7 or 8 foot radius. The radius refers to the curvature of the blade. A blade radius of 8 feet is less curved, or flatter, and will give you more speed. A smaller 7 foot radius will make it more agile and allow for quicker response and turns. A beginning skater often starts with a 7 foot radius and then moves up to the 8 foot radius. Personally though, I always preferred the 7 foot radius and never made the switch. Every skater has their own preferences.

The radius also plays with the rocker. The rocker arm is the part of the blade just behind the toe box. It’s where the turns on the blade are made and it also helps with jump takeoffs. I liked a more prominent rocker, so that was another reason I preferred the 7-foot radius blade.

Last but not least is the dreaded punch. Those are the blade teeth. Anyone who has seen the movie, “The Cutting Edge” remembers how the punches can cause some terrible falls! As a beginner skater, you might be a little hesitant to have a strong toe box at first, but whatever the size of the toe box, you just get used to it. The purpose of toe picks is for jump takeoffs and landings and they are also used in a variety of ways in spins and flying spins. I skated the first 20 years of my career with a soft toe, but then I discovered the MK “Phantom” blade. If you’ve ever seen your toe on that sheet, it’s terrifying, at first. However, after I got used to it, I must say that the blade made a big difference in my skating career. My jumps really started to fly and the rocker is also wonderful on these blades so my turns got better too. great sheet!

For beginners, MK blade called Cornation Ace blade is good. It can take you through the intermediate level. There are less expensive non-MK equivalent blades that are also good. But once you can afford it, check out some of the prettier leaves, you’ll be glad you did! Pattern 99s are an older skater favorite that have been around for a while and there are plenty of newer blades out there too that are just wonderful. And don’t overlook Phantom blades as an intermediate to advanced blade as well.

There is so much more I could tell you about boots and swords, but I have intentionally kept it simple. Basically, it comes down to selecting a boot that is comfortable on your foot, a quality upper that is above your current level for skating, and all within a price range you can afford.

Happy skating!