High price tags are often associated with Ice Skating as an activity. But I believe Ice Skating doesn’t NEED to cost a fortune. It can be very tricky for newcomers to find trustworthy info without consulting an experienced Pro. So join me, a British Winter Olympian and Licensed British Ice Skating Coach. I am reviewing Bargain Beginner Ice Skates with budget busting price tags to find out what you can expect in terms of product performance and most importantly suitability for your Ice Skating needs.
Scroll to the bottom for the Vlog review and comprehensive list of top recommendations for Quality Beginner Boot and Blade kits.
I reviewed the following equipment on YouTube and these are my Amazon affiliate links to the products:
Roces Beginner Ice Skate Set – BARGAIN FOR KIDS
SFR Galaxy Ice Skate Sets – DITTO PLUS ANKLE PADDING
Jackson Ultima Excel Ice Skate Sets – WINNER BEST ENRTY LEVEL BOOTS & BLADE
I’m on a mission to help Brits know more and feel confident about learning to Ice Skate. I have many articles on this site including ways to enjoy Ice Skating on a smaller budget. Ice Skating is a very fun pass time and a challenging sport field. We can choose to dance, race or play if we can get to grips with the basics. Having our own pair of skates gives us control of the maintenance. A keen (sharp) blade is a more responsive blade. Hire skates can sometimes fall short on this important detail.
Bargain Beginner Ice Skates, Ice-road tested by an expert
What are the potential limitations of Bargain Ice Skates? The only way to find out is to give some a road test. It has been four decades since I began my Ice Skating journey. There have been big changes in manufacture and shopping trends. I started skating before the internet and online shopping so I went to a skate shop to try on my first skates. But, for various reasons for many people these days that is not an option.
How to tell the Lemons from Leaders
There are many places to buy Beginner Figure Skates online. The choice can be more dizzying than a Level 4 Spin Combo (skater joke). Red Flags are usually ratchet closures, hard plastic upper and bright colours, so I nixed any of these products from my test. Without expert knowledge choosing Ice Skates can be like playing roulette as we point and click to purchase. I’ve road tested a selection of equipment to help cut through the uncertainty of making this first purchase.
Full disclosure. I am an Amazon associate. I provide links to help you find the equipment tested in my video reviews if they fit your requirements.
Test number 1 will be of the lowest priced equipment I could find on Amazon. I made a visual evaluation of what would give reasonable functional for learner activities in a SkateUK class environment. The first review of the series looks at Roces Paradise Ice Skates. It also includes tips on correctly lacing boots and basic info about blade craftsmanship. I also talk about the skating stressor levels this product may be used for.
Watch Part 1 of this product testing series below
Digging deeper in part 2 of my Ice Skates kit review
A slim difference between Roces and SFR
Summing up test number 2. The Roces and SFR Galaxy Ice Skate sets have the smallest price tags hovering around the £50-£60 mark (Price at Jan 2024 on Amazon). Both of these kits comprise well made light support boots and a basic steel blade. They are a good fit for small children (and even teens) basic skating and learning at entry levels of SkateUK. However, the boot strength limits suitability for adults, especially if a skater is tall, has a high Body Mass Index or particularly weak ankles or dropped foot arches.
The clear winner – Jackson Ultima Excel
The Jackson Ultima Excel set I tried had a £158 price tag in Jan 2024. The difference in quality is clearly and distinctly superior. The Jackson Ultima company was founded by Canadian Ice Skating legend, Don Jackson. He was the first skater in history to land a Triple Lutz.
This entry level set of Ice Skates from Jackson deliver a high quality light support boot and most notably a superior blade to the other equipment in this product test. Check out my YouTube video for the full breakdown. Needles to say, the best bang for your buck will be the Jackson Ultima Excel. You can find them on my Amazon affiliate link below.
More of our top recommendations for Quality Boot & Blade kits – all worthy of a Gold Medal!
Jackson Ultima Excel Ice Skate Sets