Kit

What a figure skate is made of and why it is shaped the way it is, so that the rest of the guide makes sense, and so that the questions of a skater's first month have somewhere to land.

• The bladeThe rocker, where on it each element sits, the toe pick, and the hollow that makes two edges.
• The bootFit, stiffness, lacing, and why a boot that is too stiff stops the knee bending.
• Looking after skatesGuards, soakers, drying, and when and where to have the blades sharpened.
• The kit bagWhat to take to the rink besides the skates: water, tissues, a lace puller, and the rest.

For choosing a boot or a blade, ask a coach and a skate shop. They can see your feet, your weight and how you skate, which no page can, and a good fitting is worth more than anything written here.