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.

If you're looking to get your first pair of skates, I strongly recommend these! The sizing chart they provide is accurate and the skates are comfortable! (As comfortable as skates get. You always have to expect a little pain.) After a bake and sharpen, they were lovely! I work, coach, and skate at my rink nearly every day and they have no signs of wearing at all. !!!! ALWAYS sharpen new skates. Even if the manufacturer tell you they are sharp, factory sharpening is iffy. For your safety and enjoyment, sharpening is always necessary!

I got the Riedell 110 Opal skates because I wanted something affordable to start learning on. They fit comfortably and feel supportive enough for basic skating and practicing at the rink. The quality is good for the price - the boot is soft but still gives decent ankle support, and they look really nice in person. One thing to know is that the blades come pretty dull out of the box. I had to get them sharpened before using them properly. After sharpening, they worked great and felt much more stable on the ice. If you’re just starting out and don’t want to spend too much, these are a solid choice - just plan on sharpening the blades first.

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.)

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.

Decent beginner skate for the price. These are BEGINNER skates and should not be used for spins/jumps or anything beyond basic skating. They are not real leather and are very stiff, though better than rental skates. Be sure to get your blades sharpened regularly - every 10x or so.

Great skate. My daughter is in snowplow 3 and these are great for her. She's a size 13.5 street show but we bought a 2. She has plenty of growing room. Her coaches say these are good beginner skates and should last her through basic classes. They need to be sharpened but the rink did that for under $10 on the spot. Get some blade guards for walking around to preserve the sharpness, and some speakers to keep them from rusting and you're golden. 5 year old said they were comfy from go. No break in issues