Always! Initially, the skates must be the correct size and offer sufficient support, so that the skater is able to stand upright, be comfortable, and have sharpened blades. That should allow basic skills to be accomplished without fighting poor, ill-fitting equipment. The soft style skates with the heavy padding are only recommended until Basic 5, at which point the more complex tasks are impeded by the bulky nature of the skates. Once the skater begins learning jumps and spins, a better boot and blade will vastly improve performance. “Better” should not be interpreted as “extremely expensive”, although a better quality boot and blade will, certainly, cost more than a recreational combo. Quality advanced beginner styles are available for about $100-$125 and you may find an excellent quality used boot and blade available for less.