Frequently Asked Questions Index

1. Ice Skates

How do I figure out what size ice skates I should buy?
What type of ice skates are right for me?
What ice skates accessories do I need?
How often should I sharpen my ice skates?
How do I know what size figure skating blades I need for my figure skating boots?
What's the difference between different ice skates brands?
Breaking in ice skates
My ice skates are hurting my feet, what can I do?

2. Figure Skating Blades

What size of figure skating blades do I need for my skate boots?
What figure skating blades do I need for my level of skating?
Can I install the figure skating blades by myself?
How often should I sharpen my figure skating blades?
What is the difference between different figure skating blades brands?

3. Ice Skating Accessories

What types of ice skating accessories are there?
What accessories do I really need and which ones are just for fun and I can do without?
What kind of skate guards should I get and why?
What do I need to know about skate soakers?
I need tights for ice skating but there are so many options, where should I start?
I have a skating related injury, what type of protective equipment do I need to help me keep skating without injuring myself further?
What type of ice skating accessories will help me become a better skater?

4. Zuca Bags

What different types of Zuca Bags are there?
Which Zuca Bags are good for travel, and which Zuca Bags are good for sports?
Regular Zuca Bags are so big, do you have anything for toddlers?
What kind of warranty do Zuca Bags come with?
What accessories can I buy for my Zuca Bag?
I want to take my Zuca Bag on a plane, will it fit into the overhead storage?
What's so cool about owning a Zuca Bag?

5. Skating Apparel

I'm buying clothing items, how do I figure out my size?
Which dresses should be used for practice, which should be used for testing and which should be used for competition?
My daughter just started ice skating classes, what clothing should I get her?
I'm afraid my kid will freeze to death on the ice, why are all outfits so thin?!
What is the difference between apparel brands in ice skating

6. Figure Skating Dresses

How to choose a figure skating dress?
What types of figure skating dresses are there and which one do I need?
Everything you need to know about a practice figure skating dress
Characteristics and application of a test figure skating dress
How to choose the right figure skating dress for a competition
Manufacturers

Answers to FAQ

1. Skates

1. How do I figure out what size ice skates I should buy?

Stand up on top of a piece of paper, take a pencil and trace around your toes and behind your heel on both feet.
Take a ruler and place it on two imaginary point on the traced lines in order to make the biggest line possible within the outline of your foot
Write down the measurement in inches compare both feet and pick the largest measurement, then plug it into the sizing charts of the appropriate skates manufacturer which can be found here
If choosing a pair of skates for a child (who's foot will grow) get half a size bigger than their foot, but never bigger than 1 full size.

2. What type of ice skates are right for me?

There are recreational skates (which hare usually called Softec, or soft skates) and then there classic skates which are used to learn the figure skating discipline (this however doesn't prevent you from using them for recreational skating)
Ice Skates come in many different levels of stiffness which are designed to support the skater's weight when landing jumps or performing various ice skating moves on the ice. The stiffer the boot - the more expensive it is and the more advanced of a skater you have to be to use it to it's full potential.
Recreational skates vary in quality and can range anywhere from $60 all the way up $180 like Jackson ST3950
We have specifically designated categories beginner skates, intermediate skates, advanced skates to help you choose the correct set
We strongly recommend that you consult your (or your child's) ice skating instructor about the choice of ice skates they recommend

3. What ice skates accessories do I need?

We recommend that every skater should have soakers and skate guards
Soakers protect your ice skating blade from rust and help to protect the skates and other gear from getting damaged by sharp blades and toe pick
Skate Guards help to protect the blades from various conditions which could dull your blade or even worse put a nick in it. The more you have to sharpen your blades the faster you will have to change it as each blade comes with only a limited amount of skate sharpening you can perform

4. How often should I sharpen my ice skates?

That depends on how well you take care of them and how often you skate. Typically you can perform a finger nail test, hold you skate in your hand and slide your nail carefully (please don't cut yourself) on one of its edges just as if you were trying to shave it, if the nail shaves then your skates are sharp, if it doesn't then you probably need to have them sharpened.
Another thing to look for are nicks in the blade, if you have them it's a good idea to sharpen your skates

5. How do I know what size figure skating blades I need for my figure skating boots?

Take the boot and measure the length of it's sole with a ruler. The rule of thumb is that you want to get a blade that is 1/4 " or smaller then the length of the sole. It should not be any shorter than that, but typically anywhere from 1/4" to 1/14" shorter than the sole length.

6. What's the difference between different ice skates brands?

There are many ice skates brands on the US market such as Jackson, Riedell, Graf, GAM, Edea, SP Terri, Harlick, Lake Placid, American Athletics, Roces, Bladerunner, K2 and few other less known brands
In the United States the market is split up approximately in the following way: 40% Riedell 40% Jackson 20% All other brands combined
Jackson and Riedell heavily invest into marketing and development of their products, also their production potential allows them to produce higher quality skates at lower prices. These two brands are in direct competition with each other, while other companies struggle to maintain different niche areas of ice skates consumers market.
Edea ice skates are at the moment considered a number one sold brand in the US when it comes to high end skates. Edea skates are worn by almost all Olympic, world and national champions. Their most successful models are The Concerto and The Ice Fly.
If you are choosing a pair of ice skates for a beginner skater we would recommend you to stick with the choice of either Riedell or Jackson due to their warranty and level of customer service.

7. Breaking in ice skates

Breaking in ice skates can be very painful process. It takes weeks and sometimes well over a month to break in a pair.
Thankfully with the development of certain technologies, leading skate manufacturers have began implementing the use of heat molding materials in their high level skates. These skates usually have a heat moldable attribute in their description.
With the help of a skate oven a skater can hope to cut the break-in period nearly by 80%
We suggest that the heat molding process is done at local pro-shop under the supervision of a trained skate technician
There are certain pads manufactured by Absolute Athletics (Bunga Pads) which can remove or reduce the pain associated with the break in process. These pads can be found by clicking here

8. My ice skates are hurting my feet, what can I do?

There are several things you can do if skates hurt your feet. Let's take a note of several situations and see what the proper way of action is in each given case.
Situation 1 - You just bought a new pair of ice skates from a trained skate technician and everything fits great but your feet start hurtin in certain spots once you start ice skating. This is called the break-in process and can take up to a month (skating 2-3 per week) In order to ease the pain we recommend the use of protective gel padding which can be found here. There is a pad for just about any skate break in problem. We recommend ankle sleeves, Achilles heel pads, bunga boot bumper, various toe caps, bunion pads and other awesome pads that will take the misery away.

2. Figure Skating Blades

1. What size of figure skating blades do I need for my skate boots?

In order to figure out what size your figure skating blades should be, you need to take a ruler and measure the bottom of your boot from toe to heel (draw an imaginary longest line possible on the outsole of the boot) and measure it in inches. Deduct 1/4 inch and you got your recomended blade size. The blade should not be shorter then 1/4 inch less then the length of the sole (it can be bigger however)

2. What figure skating blades do I need for my level of skating?

We have separated figure skating blades into three levels: Entry Level Blades, Intermediate Blades and Advanced Blades to make it simple. However when choosing your blades, there isn't a better advice anyone can give you except your own figure skating coach.

3. Can I install the figure skating blades by myself?

The answer is no unless you have been doing for some time and know what you are doing. Please contact your local skate technician to install your figure skating blades on your boots.

4. How often should I sharpen my figure skating blades?

We recommend that you allow a skate technician to examine your figure skating blades when you start losing your edge while skating. If you fall alot because the skates don't grip the ice, it's time to sharpen them.

5. What is the difference between different figure skating blades brands?

There are a lot of figure skating blade brands out there and most of them have good product. The premiere brands are John Wilson and MK. All the other figure skating blades brands model their blades , toe picks and radius of the hollow on the blades after them. This however does not make them bad, infact they are a lot less expensive and provide nearly the same effect. There have been many new inovations in the figure skating blades business, the companies however all tend to borrow ideas from each other eventually.

3. Ice Skating Accessories

1.What types of ice skating accessories are there?

There are many different types of ice skating accessories but the most important ones are skate guards and soakers. Skate guards and soakers protect the blades of your ice skates from damage from the outside elements as well as physical damage. When walking around in skate guards any type of hard surface will not be able to dull down the edges of your blades. Soakers absorb the moisture preventing corrosion as well as damage to other equipment which can occure from the sharp blades and toe picks. Some of the other ice skating accessories include ice skating tights, laces for ice skates, various protective pads which prevent injuries or help injuries heal and lots of different training tools.

2. What accessories do I really need and which ones are just for fun and I can do without?

The two most important accessories are skate guards and soakers because they protect the most important part of your equipment - your skates. Everything else you can live without. Accessories for ice skating are needed for various purposes, for example if you have a blister - get bunga pads for blisters. Lace bite from wearing skates? No problem! Get Lace bite pads. There are pads for just about any skating related injury. If you are working on your spins then a spinner is a great tool to assist you with your training. Laces getting untied? Get an Edea Lace Strap. There are lots of accessories for various applications and they are necessary in each specific situation they were designed for.

3. What kind of skate guards should I get and why?

Regular two piece skate guards come in many different colors, some come with lights or rhinestones and some even light up. The truth is, it doesn't matter which ones you get as long as you love the way they look. It's purely a matter of personal liking. Skate guards serve one purpose and that is so that you can walk around the rink without the risk of damaging your blades, so when making your choice for a pair of skate guards make it according tro your aesthetic taste.

4. What do I need to know about skate soakers?

Soakers are used to protect your blades from corosion and for protection of your other equipment inside the ice skating bag from the sharp blades. Some soakers have a special strip on the bottom and can double as skateguards. When making your choice for soakers, base your decision purely on aesthetically, a pair of soakers is a pair of soakers so they do the job no matter how they look

5. Figure Skating Dresses

1. How to choose and ice skating dress?

Form or function, which one is more important?

When it comes to figure skating there is no need to choose. The effect of a most skilled axel or a breathtaking spin is remarkably intensified by the beauty of a skating outfit. A great figure skating dress along with the choice of music and performance style may become an ultimate factor in a decision of judges at a competition amongst the skaters with equal skating skills. In the time of routine practices, a comfortable, well fitting practice dress of your favorite color will keep your spirits high through hard times of exercising. Finally, girls will be girls. A reasonable collection of figure skating dresses is only natural to have when you are a dedicated skater. Just like you will not wear the same shirt to school or work every single day you would want to have some variety in you figure skating wardrobe.

2. What types of figure skating dresses are there and which one do I need?

It is hard to underestimate the importance of a well-chosen figure skating dress. However you can easily get lost in a big variety of choices which the figure skating apparel market presents. So how do we shop for a perfect figure skating dress, when we need one? Let’s go over a few aspects that are important to consider when choosing the figure skating dress to fit your needs.

DEFINE THE PURPOSE. PRACTICE, COMPETITION OR TESTING.

The first and the foremost rule in choosing a figure skating dress is to know what this dress will be used for. What purpose does it have to serve? According to their functionality the figure skating dresses may be essentially classified into 3 groups: practice dresses, testing dresses and competition dresses.

3. Everything you need to know about a practice figure skating dresses

The practice dresses are intended to be used daily. When choosing a practice dress, go for a comfortable, perfectly-fitting, durable, washable, stretchable dress of preferably a neutral quiet color. Consider a practice dress to be your work uniform and select a simple style with no or little adornments. Nothing should distract you from the skating routine. On the other hand, high quality material is a plus for a practice figure skating dress. You want to buy a dress that will not get stretched and loose its color after the first washing. In view of the above reasons, we recommend buying practice dresses of trusted brands that will be well tailored and made of professional sport fabrics.

4. Characteristics and application of a test figure skating dress

The testing dresses take a middle position between the practice and competition figure skating dresses in terms of simplicity and functionality. The testing dresses are used when performing for judges in order to determine the level of skating proficiency. Simplicity and elegance is the best mix for this purpose. As a testing dress must serve to accentuate the good points of your performance it should be perfectly snug and fit like a second skin. When shopping for a testing dress we recommend choosing solid colors and simple flattering styles. Don’t forget it is your skating skills and not the overall impression (unlike in competition) that the judges will evaluate at testing.

5. How to choose the right figure skating dress for a competition?

A different approach should be taken when you are looking for a competition dress. The right figure skating dress helps a skater to feel more confident on ice, it is a way to show the skater’s individuality, complement the music, and make a final touch to the story in order to impress the judges. A competition skating dress must attract attention. That is why in contrast to practice dresses the typical attributes of competition figure skating dresses are variety of materials, bright colors, original skirt and neckline styles, glitter and accessories of various types. Additional workmanship and adornments applied to competition dresses usually result in higher prices. However the triumph on ice is worth every penny.

Now that we have gone over the three general types of figure skating dresses you can choose the right one at our online store at FigureSkatingStore.com Here you can find a variety of practice, competition and testing figure skating dresses to serve your purpose. If you are still unsure about the kind of dress you need let’s continue our overview of the ice skating apparel.

6. Manufacturers

Professional high performance figure skating apparel is widely represented on the market. All skating apparel companies from key market players to small specialized businesses find their share of customers by offering them specific advantages in one form or another. Whether you are buying the first or the hundredth figure skating dress you want to make sure that you get a high-quality product. For that we recommend implementing one of the following strategies when shopping for ice skating apparel:

Buy products made by a renowned manufacturer. Buying trusted brands is an almost guaranteed success for many reasons. Firstly, you don’t ever have to worry about the quality of fabrics and craftsmanship. Sportswear manufacturers always have high quality standards that do not change from product to product. Secondly, once you chose one brand and stick to it, you do not have to worry about finding the right size. You get used to one size chart and repeat your orders accordingly. Being familiar with a particular size chart will make your life a lot easier even if the size is gradually changing (in case of a child). Finally, the big players in ice skating apparel usually have comprehensive product lines, are constantly engaged in enhancing their products and regularly design new collections. However, when buying products from a well-known figure skating apparel company be prepared to pay both for the quality and the brand which may not be applicable if your goal is to save. In such case you can recur to the second strategy:

Buy products from a trusted retailer. Buying ice-skating apparel from a trusted retailer entails a lot of advantages for the customers. Once you have established that a retailer has reasonable prices and sells only high-quality goods your job as a market researcher is done. You now may relax and always order your ice-skating outfits from the same store. We will take care of the main work: find good manufacturers, assure the quality of the products, provide a wide product selection, make sure there are products of different price range. Another advantage of buying from us is a convenient return policy applied in case you got an unwanted item. You can always be sure that you will get your money back or exchange an item for a different one. Finally, when you buy from figureskatingstore.com you are able to make the right choice of a dress because you can see a variety of brands, styles, colors and prices at one place.

If you are looking to buy a high-quality figure skating dress at a market price the FigureSkatingStore.com is the best choice for you. The FigureSkatingStore.com is an online store with more than 15 years of experience in retailing of ice-skating apparel. We have earned the loyalty of thousands of customers who keep returning to us to buy new skates, figure skating dresses and accessories. We are constantly striving to improve our services in order to conquer the trust of new customers. Our big range of products will allow you to find everything you need for figure skating in one place. Our big selection of figure skating dresses will satisfy the pickiest skater. We work only with carefully selected brands in order to ensure our customers get only high-quality products. We sincerely hope that you find your shopping experience with us pleasant and profitable.