How to Choose a Figure Skate Support Level
Every Jackson Ultima boot carries a support rating — a number from 2 to 90 printed against the model. It is not a quality score and it is not a skill grade. It measures one thing: how stiff the boot is, and therefore how much it holds your ankle when you land.
Choosing well matters in both directions. A boot that is too soft cannot support a landing. A boot that is too stiff will not let you bend your knees and ankles properly, which slows a developing skater down and is uncomfortable from the first session. Skaters are frequently sold “room to grow into” in stiffness, and stiffness is the one thing you should not buy ahead.
How the numbers group
Jackson names the bands, and we carry boots across all of them. The band name is printed on the product alongside the number.
| Band | Ratings we stock | What the stiffness is built for |
|---|---|---|
| Medium Recreational Support | no number | Recreational skating — rink sessions, learn-to-skate, skating for fun. Jackson assigns this tier no number, so it sits alongside the numbered scale rather than at the bottom of it. |
| Light | 2 · 5 · 10 · 15 · 19 · 20 · 25 | Soft, flexible boots for beginners and skaters in lessons working through basic skills. |
| Moderate | 30 · 35 · 40 · 45 · 49 | Developing skaters. Jackson recommends its Debut boot, in this band, for skaters working on the axel and double jumps. |
| Firm | 50 · 55 | Noticeably stiffer, for skaters consolidating jumps. |
| Strong | 65 · 69 · 75 · 80 | Competitive boots for skaters landing multiple double and triple jumps. |
| Premium | 85 · 90 | The stiffest boots Jackson makes, for the highest-level freestyle skaters. |
Which boots sit where
These are the models we stock, by rating:
- Medium Recreational Support — Glacier GS180, SoftSkate JS180, the whole Jackson Classic line (Classic 200, Classic SoftSkate 380, Classic 500 and Classic 552), plus the Softec range — Vista ST3200, RAVE RV2000, ST2300, Sport, Elite and DIVA
- 2 · 5 Light — Excel JS1290
- 10 · 15 · 19 Light — Mystique JS1490 and JS1592
- 20 · 25 Light — Artiste JS1790 and JS1792/JS1793, Evo Fusion FS2020
- 30 · 35 Moderate — Elle DJ2130 and Elle Fusion FS2130, GAM 470 Concept
- 40 · 45 · 49 Moderate — Freestyle DJ2190 and DJ2192, Freestyle Fusion FS2190/FS2191 and FS2192, Classique JS1990, Marquis JS1992, Debut DJ2430
- 50 · 55 Firm — Debut Fusion DJ2450 and DJ2452, Competitor DJ2400 and DJ2470, GAM Select 490
- 65 · 69 · 75 Strong — Premiere DJ2500, DJ2800, DJ2802 and Premiere Fusion FS2800, Elite DJ4200 and DJ5280
- 80 · 85 · 90 Strong and Premium — Supreme DJ5410, DJ5500 and DJ5580, Elite DJ4500, GAM Silver Label G0780, GAM Gold Label G0980
Why some boots show two numbers
Several listings carry two ratings — for example 20 and 25, or 45 and 49. That is not a mistake or a range. Those listings sell two model numbers, and each model has its own rating. Check the model number on the size you are buying and read the rating that belongs to it.
Support is not the same as width
Support and width are separate decisions. Support is stiffness; width is the circumference around the ball of your foot, not how wide the sole looks. Our boots run A, B (N), C (M) and D (W) from narrowest to widest, and on Jackson’s combined widths R covers A–B and W covers C–D. Getting the width right matters as much as the stiffness — a correctly stiff boot in the wrong width will still hurt. The full width and length tables are on our Jackson Ultima sizing chart, and every brand we carry has its own chart under Sizing Guides.
Still unsure?
Tell us what you are working on now — not what you hope to land next season — and we will point you at the right band. Email [email protected] and we respond within one business day.