Thursday, September 6, 2012

Big Bag of Skating Stuff

Actually, it's two duffel bags, a cardboard box, and a plastic storage bin.

Five years into skating, I've got a 'skating stash'.

Right now I have a card board box filled with 2 pairs of men's skates and two pairs of women's that I can't get rid of. The men's skates are 2 pairs Jackson's Premiers size 13 with parabolic blades. I'm thinking of renaming them after aircraft carriers: the  Ranger, the  Midway, the Forrestal, and the Independence. Hey, they're men's size 13s you could land airplanes on them....and they are retired. Except they could be sold to the skating equivalent of a 2nd World country for littoral action with helicopters...a male beginner skater with feet 'of size'.  These are the second biggest boots I've ever seen. They are like hiccups, I can't get rid of them.

Also stored are various levels of worn out parabolic blades, Mirages, gloves (matched and unmatched), drying towels, several unmatched blade guards,  hair clips/scrunchies/pony tail holders,  extra silipos ankle protectors, and a big bag of moleskin/callus donuts/blister protectors.

HEY! We have a match! I found the other pink soaker!
This is my life. I woke up and realized I have work clothes, and things I can skate in. It's been a decade since I went on a date--maybe more--and I have no flirty little dresses, no high heels, and the only bustier I have is for wearing under a dance test dress. It makes my boobs look fantastic! Which considering gravity has been dragging them down to my knees since Eisenhower was president, is a triumph of fabric engineering and materials science.

I also have a box full of things I could make costumes out of. A shorty black trench coat for a spy number, gold sweaters, patterned tights, belts, scarves, adorable sparkly hair bands, man I can't resist a sale after Christmas--so many sparkly things to choose from!

Now if I only had talent and power and a program. But right now, I'll settle for someone who needs 2 pair of broken in Jackson Premiers. Who need 2 pair?

Why yes I do need two pair men's skates. Why do you ask?



8 comments:

  1. My figure skating stash is quickly growing, though I've tried to be careful about not buying things I might need (read: want) before I need them.

    Yesterday, I realized that the only reason I keep up with my laundry is because the number of times I skate a week has become roughly equal to the number of outfits I have for skating.

    Also, I have a pair of ladies' Jackson Freestyles size 10C if someone here is looking for women's skates, too ;)

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  2. Are there rink/club sponsored skate swaps? My last pair of skates were quite broken down and the pro shop did not want them on consignment, sold them really cheaply to a lower level skater thru skate swap.

    Looking at my laundry, practice outfit is easier a third of it :o

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  3. If you aren't adverse to risk there's always eBay, myskatingmall, and Skatingforums.com stuff for sell section.
    So far my efforts at getting rid of the men's boots are looking at the feet of larger skaters in Adult 1-4 and asking what their shoe size is.

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  4. Wow -- my husband is a size 13, and the kids just convinced him to try skating. I had just concluded that used men's skates in size 13 were not going to happen, and then I read this... So how do I get in touch with you?

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    1. I did a quick check. They are 12 1/2 inches long exterior measurement from the back of the boot to the tip of the toe. That's not absolutely a perfect measurement since as you know the sole of the boot is gently curved. Does he have a pair of cowboy or work boots that have a stacked heel over 1 inch? See how long those are.

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  5. If they were 12's I'd totally want a pair for my husband.. but I think 13's are probably pushing it on the "would it really fit well enough for recreational use" scale :(

    I am curious how you ended up with not one but *two* pairs of those though!

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    1. My male skating buddy went through 2 pairs of premiers a year. When he quit (injury) he asked me to sell these. There's probably one good pair between them.

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  6. While my husband wears size 13 shoes, I have to sadly say he skates in hockey skates. I am, however, interested in the bustier that makes boobs look fantastic! I too, suffer from the long-term effects of gravity, and need a crane to hoist the girls up...

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