One of the first set of questions new skaters always ask is whether “I should buy my own skate or continue to rent”. I know many would probably go with buying. I mean who want to keep renting loose ice skates with blunt blades that has been worn by hundreds of people when there are thousands of brand new ones in the market for sale? Also, it’s inconvenient renting ice skates all the time whenever you want to skate.
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To be frank, these thoughts are logical. You would be saving a lot more when you have your own skates, but owning is not always better, at least while you are still learning to skate.
The Pros and Cons of Renting and Buying Your Own Skate
Before we dive into the pros and cons of renting and buying your own skates, you need to ask yourself a couple of questions. Are you just starting out skating? Are you an occasional skater? Are you taking skating lessons? If your answer to the above questions is yes, then you should probably go with rental skates instead of owning one.
The reason is simple. If you are starting to learn how to skate on the ice, it means that you haven’t learned all that there is to learn. It wouldn’t make sense to spend hundreds of bucks to get your own skates, when you haven’t learned how to skate forward, or even maintain your balance proficiently.
Besides, you never can tell if you will enjoy skating after taking skating lessons. If you buy your own skate for the sake of buying, and then, realize that you don’t want to skate again or you don’t want to get serious with it, what happens to the skate that you bought? Even if you will decide to sell, you will be selling at a loss.
Buying your own skate while you are still an amateur or still learning is a gamble and not advisable.
One would argue that renting skates is a bad idea from the start because there is no consistency in the type of skate that you will subsequently use for practice. That’s absolutely right because rental skates are worn by different people.
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There is every probability that the skate you used to skate today will be worn by another skater the next day. The skate’s blade could be overly blunt and may be set differently from the one that you wore the previous day and are used to. They might have gone through abuse by those who previously wore them. In fact, most rental skates have low-quality blades attached to them because they are meant for recreational skating.
Many people skate better and learn faster when they practice with the same skate, but this is somewhat impossible with rental skates. There are no permanent skate boots. You probably would have used 10 – 20 different skates before your lessons are finally completed at the end of a stipulated period. All these are major cons of renting skates.
When there is no consistency in skate boots, some prospective skaters will find it challenging to adapt and make progress. But with your own skates, such issue(s) is avoided. Your skate is yours and your feet will adjust to them perfectly as you wear them more often. Plus, you will see the need to keep improving and getting better. With new skate, come with motivation, especially for children – and then, skating is much more fun in your own skates.
That’s not say that you can’t have fun wearing rental skates. You should know that rental skates are designed for recreational skating. They don’t have great ankle support, and thus, wouldn’t be a great option for spins or jumps.
If you are scared of renting skates, you can decide to buy a used one to use for the main time. That way, you won’t have to be changing skates all the time whenever you want to skate. Betters till, if you find a particular rental site good, you can ask the management to set them aside for your skating sessions till the end.
When Is It Right to Get Your Own Skates?
Once you are done with the basics of skating, getting your own skate won’t be a bad idea. It means that you can skate proficiently, and so, you won’t be needing rental skates anymore. Plus, if you have decided to become a regular skater, then you should spend to get your own.
The topic of which skate to buy is subject to personal preference based on features and budget.
Cost of Buying Vs. Cost of Renting?
Renting skates is undoubtedly cheaper than buying, but you won’t get the same convenience and comfort with renting as you would with buying.
With buying, you get exactly what you pay for. A $100 skate boot will not offer you the same value as a $400 ice skate boot. A $100 skate isn’t bad, but lacks the capabilities of handling jumps and spins. So if you are just a basic or recreational skater, this kind of boot will be okay.
Is Buying a Used Skate Okay?
Yes of course! There is absolutely nothing wrong with buying a used skate, as far as you know what you are buying, who you are buying from, and if the skate has the features that you desire.
However, you should know that when skates are bought new, they stretch overtime and shape to the owner’s feet. With a used skate, you are buying one that has already been shaped to somebody else’s feet. If your feet fit inside, it might not matter, but if it doesn’t, you should look elsewhere for your perfect fit.
If you are on a tight budget, buying a used skate will seem the most logical thing to do. It’s still better than buying an inexpensive, low-quality new ice skates.
It’s totally up to you to decide whether you want to new skate or a used one.
Tips for Buying an Ice Skate
So you have concluded that it’s time to get new ice skates, but how do you go about it? What are those things that you must consider before going down that path?
Frankly, buying a new pair of ice skates is a challenge, and if you are a newbie, you will even get more confused when several options stare right in front of you.
What’s Your Purpose?
One of the first things to consider before buying your own skates is your purpose/activity. What do you plan to do on ice? Do you want to figure skate or play hockey? Do you want to go into recreational skating? Are you also looking for skates that will enable you to move speedily?
Figure skates allows you to move in different ways. You can jump, glide, spin, turn, stretch, etc. Furthermore, figure skates permits flexibility and are snug-fit.
Ice hockey skates are more loosely on the foot than figure skates. They are very light with narrow blades. This is to give the players some freedom to play without any interference.
Speed skates are more streamlined with little resistance to make you move very fast. That’s why they are designed like that.
And of course, there are the recreational skates. They just allow you to do basic skating movements. No spins! No skills!
Irrespective of what you want to do, you need to ensure that you purchase that pair of ice skates that would be best suited to your needs.
What’s Your Skill/Experience?
Some skates are not suited to everyone. Remember we talked about speed skates – this category are for advanced or skilled skaters. It’s a no-no for beginners. You an only try speed skates of your level of experience is high.
How Often Do You Plan on Using Your Skates?
This is one question every skater should ask themselves before buying new ice skates. If you simply need a pair for a few runarounds once or probably twice in a year, you shouldn’t invest so much on skates. On the other hand, if you are competitive ice skater, skating hours daily, then you need to cough out a little more.
What’s Your Foot Size?
Wearing oversized skates is like going to the swimming pool with an oversized suit. Your performance will simply be below par, and you wouldn’t enjoy what you are doing.
If you are buying skates for your child whose feet are still growing, it wouldn’t be wise to invest in expensive skates because when he/she outgrows it, it ultimately becomes useless.
What is the Brand?
There are different, reputable brands that manufacture excellent ice skates. It’s left for you to make research, read reviews, and ask firsthand users.
Forget Cheap Skates
If you plan on buying your own skates, avoid going to department stores, discount stores, or some low-level sporting stores. The blades are blunt, and the toe picks may be absent or sharpened away due to frequent use.
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Conclusion
Should I buy my own skate or continue to rent? Its simple! If you are a beginner, new to skating, or not prepared to venture into the world of skating, it’s best that you keep renting skates. When you are advanced or have become a pro, you can decide to stop renting and own your pair of skates.
