****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
Jackson makes an excellent skate for several levels. This is a wonderful ADULT beginner skate which does not necessarily mean you have never skated before. I am a 62-year-old woman who has not skated in 30 years and got these to get back on the ice and take a few lessons. I've had these skates for 3 years and maybe 50 hours on the ice and I love them.1. Low profile boot (sits lower to the ground) better for balance but not for doing really deep side to side leans b/c the boot will come in contact with the ice the deeper you go. A more elevated (advanced) skate is better for this.2. The toe pick is basic non crosscut and the first pick is not as low as a more advanced skate. This is good for a beginner, so you won't be constantly tripping on the toe pick. But again, the higher toe pick is not suited for jumping, an elevated toe pick is found on a more advanced skate.3. Sole is PVC which is great for low maintenance (you don't have to worry about it getting wet) but PVC and sole is not rated for any rotation jumps. The ankle and sole are enough for ½ jumps or no rotation jumps, just bunny hops, ballet jumps and so on.4. Ankle has good support -above a level 15 (which is pretty low) but does not have enough support for jumps (see #3).5. It has a small flex notch at the ankle for good forward leaning6. Blade is fully mounted (riveted not screwed) on the bottom so you cannot adjust your blade. If you are a skater who knows you will be adjusting their blade, these are not the skates for you. I recommend a few things. First, these are not hiking boots so don't get nice think fluffy ankle socks for them. Socks that don't go up your calf will slide down constantly and will also cause irritation at the ankle. Socks with texture and thickness will give you hot spots and/or blisters. Knee high nylon support socks work well or skaters' socks. Also, since the boot is fairly stiff around the ankle, try to leave the top two hooks unlaced for the first 10 hours of skating, then lace up one hook for another 5 or so hours and then all the way up.These have been incredible for my daughter and she hasn’t once had sore feet. At 8, she’s able to toes these herself and still have them be stable/supportive enough.I ordered youth size 11, they sent me youth size 12. Surprisingly it fits well on my daughter, so I won’t complain about it…..Good skates for beginners, my daughter has been using it for a couple of weeks now, seems good so far, she loves it.Love, Love, Love! We have had so many compliments on these toddler sized ice skates. As my three year old says, "they are big girl skates". I like that they have a very sturdy construction and aid with ankle support. Many of the people at the rink including the instructor have asked for the brand of the skate because my little one is able to walk off the ice and stand up readily on the ice. The laces are a bit long, but we have learned to tuck them in. We discovered that ordering about 1.5 sizes up from the street shoe size is the perfect fit with thin socks. You will have to sharpen the blades upon arrival. I like that there is a toe pick on these skates as my little one will be able to learn how to use this aspect of a blade sooner than some of the others in the class as many of their skates have double runners or no toe pics. Her skates are size 10 so we ordered guards that fit a 170 blade and they look so cute with her flashy guards.I highly recommend these skates. I think the price is perfect as you are getting a very high quality product. I also think in a resell situation you can retain quite a bit of the skates original value. They are perfect for beginning skaters as they provide excellent ankle support. These skates have also proven to be warm and easy to clean, both perks when you pull your tiny totcicle of the ice.I started taking skating lessons with my daughters but was having a terrible time trying to find skates that fit my wide feet. After three different pairs I found these skates and am very pleased. My feet are not squished and my toes don't rub on the sides. I have found that leaving the lower laces a bit looser helps with the fit. The fleece lining wasn't a selling point but is rather nice. The tops don't cut into my ankles. The laces feel pretty flimsy and will surely need replacing soon. Also, be advised that these do NOT come sharpened at all, so be sure to allow time for sharpening before you plan to wear.We bought these for our 4 year old after the first three weeks of lessons. We were tired of taking back rental skates at least once every lesson for laces that were broken, too short, too long, etc. Plus the skates were so used that they seemed not as supportive as they should be.These are lovely skates. She's excited to wear them, they were comfortable on her feet, and they are a bit wider than the rental skates.A couple of notes:- they absolutely are not sharpened at all. We are taking them to be sharpened before her lesson at the rink. I think the charge for this at our rink is $7 and takes 15 minutes.-they are pretty close to Stride Rite sizes. My daughter is in a 12.5 in Stride Rite and measures in a 13 on the Jackson measuring stick. We bought size 1s based on the website and they were really too big, but we are saving them for her to grow into and buying these in the size 13.-the uppers are quite hard. This is what you want. They need the stability to allow their ankles enough support.Overall I am very happy with this purchase. Now I'm just hoping the blades hold up until she's outgrown them.
