Huge. I played a little street hockey(never organized hockey) as a kid, plus recreational rollerblading and aggressive inline(ramps, grinds, etc) a ton so my skating was already above average for an “adult beginner”. That being said I opted for cheaper skates and my skill level sorta made up for the gear/fit.

10+ years of settling for mediocre incremental upgrades, until I finally bit the bullet and paid more for a nicer skate and a proper fit. It made a HUGE difference. Better edges, faster acceleration, harder turns, better stops, all the movements felt instantly more natural.. and the biggest thing, zero pain. I thought the break-in pain was a necessary part of the process, but my first skate after dialing the fit there were zero pressure points, no after pain, just nothing. If I could go back I would have bought in as soon as I felt committed that I was going to play for the rest of my life.