Which skates are easier for just plain old ice skating? Figure skates or Hockey skates?

I have only ever used figure skates, but you should try both, and choose which you like best. No one can tell but you. ♥

Try out both, but don't switch on and off too much unless you think that's best. Getting used to one would prolly be better for your skating.

To a non-skater, figure skates are going to be the easiest to skate with. Believe it or not, that toe pick will not get in your way or hinder you as many think it will. It's not big enough. ;-) It will actually help as the natural instinct is to push straight back, and if you do that in hockey skates you'll end up falling. Hockey skates have a shorter, rounder blade that is harder to balance on with little to no skating experience.

I've tried both...I prefer figure skates, but it really is a matter of preference. In hockey skates, you really have to keep your knees bent and make sure you're pushing off your edges. In figure skates, you can get away with pushing off your toes -- it ain't pretty -- but you can get away with it. Hockey skates are going to be more like pushing on rollerblades. If you're going back to skate, you'll probably have to re-adjust to the hockey skates if you go with them this time.

Hockey skates have no razor teeth in the front of the blades, figure skates do, with hockey skates you need to know the trick on how to accelerate. They have their own little quirks. Figure skates have those teeth and are designed just for that figures.

hockey skates, no toe pick to get in the way~ But I'm a bias hockey player so!

i'm not just saying this cuz i'm an ice skater, but i pretty much think that figure skates are easier!! much easier! (not the sport but the skates!) but i wouldn't try using hockey OR figure skates unless your sure you want to do it and your sure oyu can be carefyl, don't just start speeding and not know what your doing!! it can be dangerous!! but i have my own riedell figure skates, and they are still clean and in good condition!! well good luck!! P.S.: no one get offended or anything but usually when i see boys skating (ice skating) i usually think its kind of creepy and it makes them look girly! no affense, but i have no idea even why boys do ice skating or bellet, it just looks wierd and un-boy like!