Riedell 110 Opal Ice Skates - Recreational Ice Skates with Stainless Steel Spiral Blade

After skating lots this winter and using vintage skates that were eroding, had no foot support, and some of the eyelets pulled through, I thought it was time for some new skates. I wanted to make ice skating my new hobby, hoping that picking out skates would not be too painful. After scouring my local sports stores, and not finding any skates (since most skates were only sold online), I looked on Amazon, hoping to find some that would be in my price range (<$100), and got good reviews.Out of the hundreds that Amazon has, I picked these, and I am so glad that I did! These skates fit me perfectly, with a bit of room at the end, so I will be able to wear thick socks with them to break them in. Since I had not tried on skates before, I had no idea what my size would be. From the comments on these skates, I determined that my best bet would be to order my shoe size (Women's 9). Sticking with the 9, I ordered them, and they arrived right on time! These are great skates, and I highly recommend them for anyone looking for inexpensive skates to have some fun in!

I find, at least for the men's version, this skate is rather true to size. I wear a 9.5 US men's for most shoes. I ordered a 10. It fits great. Just enough toe roe to be comfortable, but not loose enough for my feet to slide around. They are sharpened enough for a good test run, but will probably need resharpining before anything serious.These things are a little stiff at first. So if you can get your skates baked I would. A blow dryer could kind of work, as some do. But it'll fit better with a professional bake.Nice, cheap enough for someone getting back into skating who knows rentals are the devil.

So why 4 stars? Well, at $79 on super sale they are way better than comparably priced “recreational” skates. I got lucky with the sizing. According to the manufacturer sizing foot chart I should have been a 9 so I figured a half size up would give me a little wiggle room for a thicker sock. 9.5 fits perfect with a regular trouser sock. Thicker athletic socks are a no go. But they are super supportive. Much more than a “soft skate”. And the blades are great for entry level. Unfortunately one of the rivet hooks popped out the first time I laced them and another hook has bent under the pressure (I like to lace pretty tightly). I will contact the company directly to see if they can send replacements - I’m pretty handy at crafty things so I think I can glue them in myself. As it is they are wearable for my purposes so I can’t complain for the price.

I have not skated in these yet but they do feel comfortable when trying them on. Especially for the price. Stiff and sturdy but cushioned around the ankle.SIZE: I wear a women’s 8 in shoes and 7.5 in boots. I ordered a 7 in these skates based on other reviews. They fit snug (not too snug) with normal socks although I’m assuming they will stretch slightly with use.**Blade covers were purchased septately**Boxing was a disappointment. They were not in the original box.These were NOT sharpened. Wherever you plan on skating they usually have a sharpening center there. Make sure to specify they are for recreational/figure skating. Whatever you’re planning on doing.

Love the boot! It's perfectly rigid, laces are a good length. I was able to get the blades perfectly sharpened. Wish I had known they didn't come already sharpened though.

I was going to buy another pair of skates that were also recommended, but settled for these as I thought they were made in America. I was disappointed when I saw that they were made in China. Their website does not disclose this information. I had checked and thought they were selling a made in America product, for those that care of country of origin. The skates themselves seem fine. I just received today and plan to skate next week with them, unless I decide to return and order the Botas Stella Skates instead.

I bought the size 12 for my older son, and even with sizing up, the width was too narrow. We had to get Jacksons for him.(I bought these for my younger son in a size 6, men’s, black boot. I measured his feet according to Riedell’s sizing charts and instructions. He was supposed to fit between a 5.5 and 6 in their skates. It fit him perfectly and comfortably. He says they are much better than the rentals and he LOVES them.For women: This is where it gets interesting. My daughter and I have exactly the same size foot and we measure a 6-6.5 WIDE according to Riedell’s charts and directions. I ordered size 6 wide in Riedell Emerald. It was torturous. No way we could wear it comfortably. Both width and length were just not a fit, in our opinions. SO, we try my son’s black, size 6, Opals, and they are a perfect fit for us, and they are not wides. Huh. I hope this helps someone out there. Perhaps the men’s opal is the equivalent of a slightly larger and wider women’s boot. The sizing charts seem to reflect that, but the difference is substantial in width and for people with wider feet, this might be the answer since the lower levels of skates don’t come in widths or 1/2 sizes. A mens size might be cheaper and a much better fit for women with wider feet and/or needing 1/2 sizes.)

Bought these for a skating class and they were great. Took a few sessions for my feet to get used to them so it might be worth it to get them heat molded at a shop. I typically wear size 9-10 shoes and the 9 fit me well. If you get them heat molded, I’d recommend getting a half size smaller. I recently upgraded to some fancy Jackson skates but I’d say these are a great value for learning to skate!