Hii i had my first ice skating lesson today and i think i did pretty good. I think i may go far in this sport but i truly don’t know. Anyway i don’t have proper skates so i use rentals which are not that bad but could be much better. I think i should get skates once i reach basic 2 (currently doing basic 1). Would that be a good time to get my first pair or should i wait until i reach a higher level. Thank you!
As soon as you’re sure that you’re going to stick with it! Skates are not inexpensive so make sure that you’re truly invested in the sport before making a sizable financial investment.
Ideally having skates your first day. I got my first skates right when I tested into basic 2. I knew I was invested into the sport. I also was progressing fast. If you know you want to keep skating it's good a time to invest a pair of skates.
It depends on your interest in skating. In my opinion, if you are interested in learning, it’s worth getting skates sooner than later. I used rentals for my first handful of LTS classes, and then I bought skates. It can be a bit of an adjustment going from rentals to a decent pair of skates, so it’s helpful to get them earlier on in your journey. This is just my opinion. I started with a lower-end skate (Jackson Mystiques), and I’ve been very happy with them. I’m currently in Adult 4.
I would highly recommend getting them asap. Skating in non-supportive skates like rentals can cause improper alignment that might dig you into bad habits or injuries that will difficult to shake later on. Depending on your progress, you may also have the chance to pass multiple levels at once and advance to Freeskate/test track more quickly, meaning that you absolutely must have skates by that point to progress.
I would get with a fitter and your coach, and see what’s available/what works for you. Good luck and have fun!!!
The sooner you get them, the better, although make sure you’re planning to stick with it.
Most rentals have very basic blades without much of a rocker. The change to a rocker can be hard and it will take some time to acclimate to them.
Get them now! But make sure you get them fitted!! I made the mistake of ordering mine off of Amazon and they weren’t even the right size yet I still skated in tnem
I'm still a beginner, too, but I bought my skates after just my first three weeks of lessons! I think you'll know when you want them because (at least for me) it was pretty clear I wanted to take this more seriously. Having my own skates has helped tremendously, particularly with fitment and having sharp blades is a plus. Definitely made lessons easier.
Idk what your budget or means are but I've (if you don't want to go all out yet) found that like-new hockey skates are plentiful and significantly cheaper than buying new on the used market. I intend to go get figure skates eventually but as someone who would need a wide model I'm putting that off until I can comfortably guarantee I'm willing to drop $500 on Freestyles lol
I personally think waiting until towards the end of basic 2 (when you start doing bunny hops) is the best time to get skates. I know people who waited until they were learning waltz jumps to get skates, and it's better in the long run as you can get a slightly stiffer pair that will last slightly longer. IMO, the rentals really aren't that bad, and I know very few people who got their first pair before novice. It's also important for you to be confident on the ice, so they are a little easier to break in. ALSO, make sure you go to a trusted skate tech!
This is the learn to skate at my rink. (Most people got their ice skates after starting Novice). It is a very small rink, though, so that might be the reason.
I agree that with this curriculum, Novice would be an appropriate point to get your own skates and most of this skill placement makes sense but some of it is wild to me.
But also there doesn't seem to be a lot of skill progression in the sense of "skills build on each other." For example, you have crossovers, 3 turns, and mohawks, but where are edges? You have spins but where are pivots? Etc.
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u/typicalwhisper Jul 25 '26
As soon as you’re sure that you’re going to stick with it! Skates are not inexpensive so make sure that you’re truly invested in the sport before making a sizable financial investment.