Building Champions on the World's Biggest Stage
At Jump! The Skate, Dance & Gymnastics Store in Sudbury, Ontario, we've been fitting skaters for years — from first-time CanSkaters to competitive StarSkate athletes. When families come to us asking which brand to trust, Jackson skates are consistently the answer. As an official Canadian retailer of Jackson Ultima, we stock the full range and fit every pair in-store.
What makes this sport demanding also makes the equipment matter. Early mornings, cold rinks, hundreds of repetitions — the ice skates a skater wears have a direct impact on their comfort, confidence, and development. That's why figure skaters choose Jackson skates at every stage of their journey, from beginner to competitive level.
The Story Behind Jackson Skates: One Family, One Sport
In 1962, Canadian world champion Don Jackson competed at the World Championships in Prague — and landed the first triple lutz ever performed in international competition. Don won that title and returned home with a purpose: to build ice skates that gave every skater the same competitive advantage he had on the world's biggest stage.
In 1966, Don and his brother Bill founded Don Jackson Skate Products, drawing on expertise from both figure and hockey skate design. Bringing Don's on-ice knowledge into product design set the brand apart from the start. The company ran as one family business for nearly two decades before growing into the global operation it is today — now part of the CCM Hockey family, and still focused entirely on figure skates.
Worn Jackson products continue to appear on the sport's biggest stages. Olympic champion Alysa Liu has skated in Jackson. Congratulations Alysa — and congratulations to ice dance champions Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri from Italy, silver medallists whose performances — the roses, the blue ice, the standing ovations — reminded the world what this sport can be. Shun Sato is among the elite skaters who have trusted Jackson skates through major events. Follow the athletes and discover their stories: the Jackson Ultima Instagram and video channels let fans watch smarter, cheer louder, and stay connected to the moments happening at the top of the sport.
Jackson Figure Skates Technology: What You're Actually Paying For
Jackson figure skating boots are built around the Elite last — wider in the toe box, narrower at the heel — which reduces pressure at the ball of the foot and improves heel lock for stability. Select models are heat-mouldable: our team applies heat in-store to conform the boot precisely to the skater's foot, reducing break-in time and the pressure points that cause skaters to give up on a new pair too soon. The soft top line eliminates shin irritation where the boot meets the leg — a detail that makes a real difference over a two-hour training session.
At the competitive end, Matrix series blades use aircraft-grade 7000 aluminium holders paired with hardened stainless steel runners. The practical result is measurably reduced blade weight and longer edge retention compared to standard steel holders — meaning serious skaters sharpen less frequently and land jumps on a more consistent edge. These are among the best blades and fastest blades Jackson Ultima produces, and they're designed specifically for skaters training axels, doubles, and full freestyle programmes.
Choosing the Right Jackson Skates: The Support Rating System Explained
Jackson's support rating system is the unofficial survival guide to buying figure skates accurately. Ratings run from 1 to 85 — lower numbers flex more, higher numbers are stiffer. Beginners need softer boots: ankle flexibility is essential for developing balance and basic technique. A boot rated too high for a skater's current level — over-booting — restricts that movement, slows skill development, and increases the risk of ankle injury under pressure.
One important note: the Jackson SoftSkate is excellent for recreational skating and families who skate occasionally — but it is not designed for skaters in active lesson programmes. If your child is enrolled in CanSkate or taking weekly lessons, they will outgrow SoftSkate support quickly and be better served by a structured boot from the Ascend or Fusion series. We'd rather tell you that now than have you return in two months. That's the kind of chat we have every day at Jump!.
Here's how the Jackson skates lineup maps to skating level:
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Recreational / family: SoftSkate and Finesse — comfortable ice skates for casual skaters and public sessions
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CanSkate beginners: Mystique and Excel — light support, factory-sharpened blades, designed for learning
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Early freestyle (waltz jumps, basic spins): Artiste — light/moderate support, confidence-building construction
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Advancing freestyle: Elle (Ultima Mirage blade) and Freestyle (Aspire XP) — heat-mouldable, precision fit
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Competitive training (axels, doubles): Jackson Debut with Matrix Legacy — stiff, lightweight, edge-retaining
Get Fitted for Jackson Figure Skates at Jump! in Sudbury
We see a version of this regularly: a skater comes in after a year in ill-fitting rental ice skates, their ankles rolling inward, their confidence in the sport shaken. Within one session in a properly fitted pair of Jackson skates — heat-moulded to their foot, matched to their skill level — the difference is immediate. Ankle stability improves. Edges become reliable. Training feels supported rather than fought against. It's the kind of result that makes fitting skates the most important part of what we do.
At Jump!, we fit jackson figure skates for skaters across Northern Ontario. Book a fitting at our Sudbury store — 1338 Kingsway Blvd. — or chat with our team to find the right pair for your skating journey. Jackson Ultima builds the stock, we make sure it fits.