November/December, 2007 

BUYING, FITTING, LACING AND BREAKING IN SKATES

The quality, fit, manner of lacing, sharpening, and maintenance of your skates all affect performance. A cheap pair of skates is a bad investment. To skate well, hockey players must have well-constructed boots that fit properly with blades made of well-tempered steel, properly sharpened.

•  The function of the skate boots is to support the feet firmly while allowing skaters to lean their boots inward and outward. Good boots have reinforcing material in the counter (instep) area. The reinforcing material makes that area of the boots especially supportive for the arches and ankles. If boots are well made, you should not be able to squeeze the counter and ankle areas together.

•  Top-of-the-line boots fit better, provide more support, last longer, and offer better protection against injury from pucks or sticks. Choose your skates wisely—they are instrumental in preparing you to develop the skating skills necessary for speed, agility, and power.

•  Lack of good ankle support almost guarantees that correct skating will be difficult and even uncomfortable. Ankles that cave in cause pain!

     Note:  Unless there has been a specific injury to the foot, weak ankles are generally a myth. If ankles cave in, the cause is usually boots that are ill-fitting or have poorly constructed counters.

Buying and Fitting Boots

Boots should fit like a glove—snug but comfortable—and should hug the feet firmly.

•  Your toes should come up to the fronts of the boots but should not be pinched or curled up on one another. Boots should fit snugly at the insteps and across the balls of the feet. If you can move your feet sideways within the boots, they are too wide. If you can lift your heels when you lean forward, the boots are too long.

•  Skate sizes usually differ from street shoe sizes and from one brand to another. Each manufacturer builds boots on a different mold so while one brand might fit well, others might not.

•  When being fitted for new boots, wear the same weight of sock you will wear when skating. A sock of different weight can change the fit.  Do not wear two pairs of socks, as this “disconnects” your feet from the boots.

•  Before putting your feet into them, unlace your skates most of the way. Trying to jam your foot into a boot that is three-quarters laced is an exercise in frustration—your feet just won’t go in and you’ll think the boots are too small.

•  When the skates are laced up there should be a spread of 1.5 to 2 inches between the eyelets on the same row. If the laces are closer together than this, the boots are too wide for your feet and your ankles will cave inward when skating. If your heels slip or you can lift them, the boots are too long.

•  Be fitted for skates only at a specialty hockey shop. They are knowledgeable about skates and will help you find the skates that best meet your needs.

•  Today’s skates tend to be extremely stiff and difficult to break in.  High level players who skate hard and wear them for hours at a time prefer stiff boots because they last longer. But youngsters, small adults, females, and recreational skaters will have a hard time breaking them in. These skaters should consider a brand or model that is a bit less stiff. Another option is to buy secondhand skates that are in good condition. It’s better to have good-quality used skates than poor-quality new skates.

•  When choosing used skates, be sure the blades are in good condition and not sharpened down excessively. Many hockey shops carry used skates. Hockey organizations often hold skate swaps (usually at the beginning of the hockey season).

•  It’s fine to wear corrective orthotics in your skates - they will improve your balance and performance. But the size of the boots must accommodate the orthotics so bring them along when being fitted for new skates.

Lacing the Boots

Proper lacing of one’s skates is essential to good performance.

•  Many players lace their skates too tightly. This limits foot mobility and also cuts off circulation, which in turn causes numbness and cramps in the feet. Boots should support the feet, not immobilize them. Properly laced skates support the feet while allowing players to readily bend their knees roll their ankles and boots inward and outward. 

•  The tightest area of lacing should be from a point above the ball of the foot to a point just above the ankle because this is where the most support is required. The toe area and the area high above the ankles should be just moderately snug.           

  Note: Many elite players lace the area above the ankles fairly loosely; some even choose not to lace the top set of eyelets.

•  Do not wrap tape around your ankles. It is unnecessary and it inhibits foot mobility! 

Breaking in New Boots

During the breaking-in process lace your new boots loosely ! 

•  Wear new skates at home - put the skate guards on and walk around in them for several minutes at a time. Some players like to wet their feet (with socks on), then put the skates on and walk around in them. Water acts like sweat; it is sweat that breaks in the boots.

•  Never wear new skates for an important skating or hockey event. Break them during practices or at public sessions. 

•  Some players wear their new skates on the ice for short periods and go back to wearing their old ones for the rest of the session. The hope is to limit the uncomfortable breaking-in time and to avoid blisters.

•  Blisters during the breaking-in process are an unfortunate reality that all players must deal with. If you feel a blister starting, take off the new boots or insert a “second skin” material on the affected area. You can also cut a hole in a foam sponge to make a “doughnut” and place this over the affected area; this helps eliminate pressure between the boot and that part of your foot.

•  Once broken in, boots should feel as though they are a natural part of your feet.

The next internet tip will deal with skate blades.

You will find more information on this important subject in my book, LAURA STAMM’S POWER SKATING.

SKATE GREAT HOCKEY!

LAURA STAMM

Copyright, September, 2007.

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