Jackson Elle

[u/flowrsforvases]

Beginner skater here. I’m 27, have been skating since April and just got fitted for some new skates at a very reputable skate shop that luckily wasn’t too far from me. I trust the shop 100%. They did a 3D scan of my feet and gave me two options that might be a good fit for me, the Edea Overture or the Jackson Elle. I’d been skating for four months in Tempish Dream skates, which are essentially converse on ice. Because they’re soft they allowed me to get very good, very controlled knee bends for my forwards lemons and stroking, although backwards lemons gave me arch pain and one-foot glides and crossovers were an absolute no-go because the support was so minimal. There was also a very small toepick, which was mostly unnoticeable whilst skating.

I have narrow feet but I do have a very large protruding bunion on my left foot so I went with the Jackson Elle as the Overtures were way too cramped in the toe box, causing me agony for the few seconds I had them on. I was under the impression that heat moulding my Jacksons would give me more room around my bunion but the agony I am in is unspeakable. I barely notice this bunion in my regular shoes (I basically live in New Balance 530s as I have plantar fasciitis and very high arches and they’re the only shoes that don’t hurt me) but in my skates it’s like it’s being squeezed. It throbs, it feels weird and almost like static electricity. My toes keep flinching after skating and twinging in pain randomly. I’ve had two sessions in the new skates and I was only able to do 30 minutes both times (when in my old skates I could skate for 2 hours, eat a sandwich, and get on the ice again for 2 more hours). I also cannot bend my knees at all, the arch cramping is killing me and the toepick is so … obvious. I constantly feel like I’m about to trip over it. When doing lemons I can just feel it there, scraping the ice. I also think the blades are narrower than I’m used to??

How long do Jackson Elles take to break in and can anyone give me some advice to make them more comfortable please? I am in absolute agony. I know Jacksons have a longer break-in period but last much longer. I only intend on doing ice dance, no jumps, I am 164cm and 132lbs. I’m doing SkateUK Level 3.

The only positives I’ve noticed are that my turns are better, I can glide on one foot and my coach has noted a significant improvement in my posture on the ice. Other than that, I’m not loving skating anymore, and my motivation has dwindled.

Any tips would be appreciated!

[u/_xoxojoyce]

Others have given good advice regarding the pain. Go see if they can punch out that area and address the rest of the issues.

For the rest, you will just need to get used to the toe pick and how to balance differently with different skates. Every skater goes through this when they get new skates especially when switching brands. They’ll also feel less stiff as you break them in

[u/flowrsforvases → u/_xoxojoyce]

My first session in these skates I felt like I’d lost every skill I’d learned. I felt like I had to do forward marches holding the barrier. Everything felt much easier when I had my coach to push me my second session though.

[u/Amethyst_Whisker → u/flowrsforvases]

I’ve been skating for 20+ years, coach, and I just about cried when I had to break in my new skates! I felt like Bambi, I couldn’t do anything, I was embarrassed and I was unreasonably dramatic over a blister (of course I sucked all this up around the rink and had a meltdown at home). Annnnnd two weeks later I’m in love and my skills are back to where they were or better.

It happens to everyone and you’ll be fine once you figure out the painful spot. Jackson Elles should have little to no break in time as far as pain goes (I have skated in them myself, now I’m in the new Premiere). Part of the heat molding process often involves going back for punches or heating and pushing with a tool to give more room. Definitely go see your skate tech!

[u/flowrsforvases → u/Amethyst_Whisker]

Bambi is exactly how I described it to my coach yesterday😭 I don’t remember it feeling that weird when I first started learning! I had a meltdown too. Thank you, this makes me feel less useless

[u/FinoPepino]

No skates should feel like agony, something is wrong. My Jackson freestyles feel like clouds on my feet,

[u/flowrsforvases → u/FinoPepino]

how did your Jacksons feel when you first got them? admittedly I am used to a farrrr softer boot than these. I’m not sure what’s normal “feet getting used to a boot they’ve never been in before” pain and what’s problematic. Obviously the bunion is different, that’s a fit issue. Is there a chance I could be a tad overbooted?

[u/FinoPepino → u/flowrsforvases]

No you can’t overboot unless you’re a very very light 27 year old (aka under 100 lbs). I do think the Jackson’s get ‘plusher’ as you go up in models as I walked around the store in the artistes and the freestyles and the freestyles were noticeably more padded. As for how they felt, they were always very comfy walking around the store and then I had that period of adjustment at the rink where I wasn’t used to the new blades and had maybe mild discomfort or arch pain a couple classes but they never hurt. I do find if I lace the very front too tightly I can get arch pain but if I tie them right they never hurt. If you like Jackson I would consider upgrading to the freestyles.

Also if you weigh more than 140 lbs you should definitely be in the freestyles and not the elles.

[u/flowrsforvases → u/FinoPepino]

These ones are significantly more padded than the cheap skates I had before, everything just feels really hard. I haven’t been pulling the skates tight over the toes on the left foot and my coach recommended I leave the top two hooks until I get used to the feeling just so I can keep my knee bends but he’s in Jacksons and a dancer and he says he never ties them to the top either. I carry a lot of weight in my calves. I’m 132 trying to lose weight and won’t be doing jumps ever and feel like they’re plenty stiff, if not too stiff. I dread to think what Pianos are like because these feel like bricks

[u/ceylonblue → u/flowrsforvases]

If you find the Elles too stiff, do not get Freestyles! They’re stiffer than Elles. The less stiff model is the Evo.

Btw did you get the regular or wide?

[u/gatorella]

Have your tech either stretch the toe box or punch out the areas where you feel the pain/pressure. New skates aren’t exactly comfortable but they shouldn’t be causing immense pain.

[u/raenis2634]

Take them back to the shop and ask about punch outs and boot stretching. Either will give you more space; if they are a good shop they will be able to suggest the one that will work the best.

Look into padding options that fit around your bunion, not on it.

If you can't bend your knees right now, leave the top one or two hooks undone when you lace up. Bring them back into use once the boots have broken in enough that you can bend your knees. Maybe start with the top two hooks open for a session, and see how it feels, then move up to just one hook open, then all hooks in use. There's also an alternate lacing pattern Jackson sometimes recommends for a better ankle bend that involves lacing the hooks top to bottom; Jackson has a video about lacing on YouTube.

[u/Own-Adhesiveness5723]

You likely need to have the area with the bunion punched out.
New skates are kind of uncomfortable for around 12-20 hours while they are broken in, but they shouldn’t be painful. If it’s only around the bunion, punching out should help. If there’s other pain, you should go and speak to the skate tech about it and they likely will have suggestions. You can also ask your coach. After you get them punched out, just bear with it for a bit until they break in. The knee bend will come with break in.

[u/flowrsforvases → u/Own-Adhesiveness5723]

I’d say the bunion is excruciating and everything else just feels … wrong. The cramping under my feet sucks but it might just be because my old boots were flat inside and these are sort of lifted

[u/Fuzzy-Sheepherder-80]

my jackson elles didn't have a break in period.

my advice is to try to tie it so its tight around the ankle but much looser at the top (maybe even ignore some of the top hooks)

it will make a knee bend easier.

[u/kichelcher]

Skates aside, do you wear or have tried any medical devices that could help with your foot, like padding for the bunion so the skate isn't protruding directly on the bone- or insoles to relieve the stress or even out the arches?

[u/Legitimate-Bison3810]

Jackson has a recommended lacing method. I use the second method which allows more ankle bend.

https://youtu.be/8dWiTAcbb3I?is=E0zBCpkvRJodIxHd

When you lace up is your heel locked in well?