How to Choose Ice Hockey Skates

Step-by-step Instructions

Here is what you need to do...
Step 1

Step one in choosing the right ice hockey skates for you is in identifying the shape and size of your feet. Determining the width of your heels/ankles, thickness of foot and width of your front toe are the three key elements that help narrow down and determine which skate is right for you.

Step 2

Step two in choosing the right ice hockey skates for you is determining your comfort level. With various shapes and styles, skaters can now tailor elements of a skate boot based on the following elements; boot shell, ankle padding, heel support, tongue stiffness/flexibility and width, outsole(underside of skate), footbed and liner(the “inner sole” within the skate). Making sure to test which of these elements are most important to you will be necessary in allowing you to take the next step.

Step 3

Step three in choosing the right ice hockey skates for you is in determining the right combination of Step one and Step two. Determining fit and comfort level will then allow you to proceed to the type of skate best suited for you. Makers of ice hockey skates now individualize pairs for better fit based on the abovementioned factors and have a broad range of skates such as deep or shallow skates, wide or narrow skates, flexible and stiff skates, and various combinations in between.

Step 4

Step four in choosing the right ice hockey skates for you is based on your skating style. Continuing with the trend of personalization, you can now modify your skate blades to be the size and length that best suits your stride, not to mention positioning them in a way that compliments your skating style. After finding the most comfortable balance of fit and function, placement of the blade is the final touch.

Special Attention

Difficulties people often experience or parts that need special attention to do it right.

Skate sizes vary depending on the maker so it will always be to your benefit to try on each pair of skates yourself to determine if they are right for you. For best results when purchasing skates, it's recommended that you make sure the following items are on your checklist: - Lightweight - Highly durable - Thermo-form foam; for best fit you can now have your skate boots heat-moulded to the shape and size of your feet. - Stiffness and ankle support - Maximum padding in "danger" areas (i.e.. Ankles, laces and toes) - High quality workmanship

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Funny or interesting story about this topic...

From time to time, forgetting a piece of equipment can be very annoying, especially if you are playing a lot of hockey. But forgetting your skates is another matter entirely. This had never happened to me until I found myself playing on two teams in two different tournaments. With time to spare in between games (and arenas), I went home to rest and air out my equipment. Unfortunately, in my haste to get to my next game, I left one of my skates at home. This was a disaster. I always knew I had a specific foot type, but it wasn't until that game when I had to borrow some unknown persons skates that I realized just how important it is to wear skates that fit you properly. After wobbling around for 60 unproductive minutes, I knew that I would never make that mistake again.

When did you first do this & how did you get started?

The first time I made the mistake of forgetting my skates was at a tournament, yet it turned out to be a fortunate mistake as it was the catalyst in forcing me to find and buy the right skates for me. Older style skates used to be very generic in shape and size, but after skating in someone else's boots, it was clear to me that having a skate that is specifically molded and tailored to your foot's shape and size is a very important key in becoming a better skater.

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