Boot quiz · 7 questions
Which figure skating boot is your match?
Seven quick questions about your skating and your feet, and you'll get a support range and three boots to try on. It's a starting point for your fitter, not a fitting.
What the quiz asks
Your level, goals, time on the ice, weight and ankles set a support range. Your feet and what matters most to you pick the boots.
- Your levelSets the softest and stiffest boot you'll see
- Your main goalFun, progressing, competing or ice dance
- How often you skateMore hours on the ice, a little more support
- Your weightBoot makers factor it into stiffness
- Your anklesTired ankles nudge the range up a little
- Your feetMatches boots to your width and instep
- What matters mostComfort, support or light weight
Boot quiz
What to do with your result
Your result is a starting point, not a fitting. It gives you a support range and a few boots to try on, so the conversation with your fitter starts in the right place.
- A fitting
- Get fitted in person if you can. A fitter can measure your foot, check how your heel sits and watch you move. Go in the afternoon, when your feet have swelled a little, and bring the socks you skate in.
- Your size
- Skate sizes usually run smaller than street shoes, and the gap varies by brand. If you're buying online, measure your foot and use each maker's own size chart.
- The support numbers
- Each brand rates stiffness on its own scale, so compare numbers within one brand rather than across brands, and treat them as a starting point for the chat with your fitter.
- Fit first
- An uncomfortable boot will hold your skating back whatever its rating says. If you're torn between two stiffness levels, go slightly stiffer, but only if both feel comfortable.
- Break-in
- How long break-in takes varies from skater to skater. Some soreness is normal; sharp or shooting pain isn't, so stop and have a fitter look at it. The boot guide walks through the first sessions.
More on boots
The ultimate boot guide for adult figure skaters
Stiffness ratings, fit problems and their fixes, heat molding, break-in and the buying mistakes to skip.
Read the guide
Best figure skates for adult beginners
Starter boots from Jackson, Riedell, Edea, Risport and Graf, and the stiffness to look for at your level.
Read the guide
New vs. used figure skates
What you gain and give up with each, and how to check a used pair before you buy.
Read the guide
Which figure skating blade is your match?
Six questions about how you skate, then a blade tier and a short list of models to ask your pro shop about.
Take the blade quizBoot questions
Can a quiz tell me my boot size?
No. It suggests a support range and a few models, not a size. Skate sizes usually run smaller than street shoes and the gap varies by brand, so get measured at a shop, or measure your foot and use each maker's own chart.
Why does the quiz ask about my weight?
Weight changes how much support you need. Boot makers factor it into stiffness, and a heavier skater usually needs a little more support than a lighter one at the same level, so your answer moves the range up or down a bit.
What do the support numbers in my result mean?
They're the makers' own stiffness ratings, and a higher number means a stiffer boot. Every brand uses its own scale, so compare numbers within a brand, not across brands.
Should I buy boots and blades separately or as a set?
For a first pair, a set is simpler and the blade in the box is fine for basic skills. Once you're working on harder jumps, buying boots and blades separately lets you pair a good boot with a good blade, and the blade quiz can help with that part.
How long does it take to break in new boots?
How long boots take to break in varies from skater to skater, and Riedell says the more you skate, the sooner they mold to your foot. One skate technician, Scott Cooke, wrote in a 2017 column for U.S. Figure Skating's SKATING magazine that boots should take between two and eight days to break in properly. Some soreness is normal, but sharp or shooting pain isn't.
Where do the shopping links go?
The shopping links open an Amazon search. As an Amazon Associate, Adults Skate Too earns from qualifying purchases.