How Do You Properly Fit Hockey Skates?

When it comes to a hockey player’s performance, properly sized skates are a very important piece of the game. When a player wears a skate that is not sized correctly or is uncomfortable, it can cause blisters & discomfort. To avoid this, you want to ensure your skates are properly sized.

Having strong ankle support, with good stability, is vital to a correctly sized pair of skates. You want your skates to have a solid exterior to protect your feet from other skates & pucks. A strong boot also provides proper alignment so your ankles do not lack support. Usually, your skates should be about 1 ½ sizes smaller than your normal shoe size. As you try on skates, try to wear socks similar to the ones you would wear while playing hockey.

When fitting youth skates, you want to be able to place a finger in the middle of the heel of your foot & the boot. This allows room for growth in the skates. Next, kick your heel into the back of your boot. Keeping your foot flat on the ground, tightly lace your skates so your foot stays firmly in place.

Walk around in your skates to check the comfort of them. It is important to focus on a few things. You want to make sure that your heel is laying flat and not moving around when you walk. You should have a little bit of space in the toe (if your toe is lightly brushing the toe box that is okay). This ensures that the skate is the proper length. Likewise, it is also important to make sure that the width is not too tight or too loose. Skates come in many different widths depending on the make of the skate. The skate should fit snugly, but should not feel like it’s digging into the side of the foot.

Most skates are now heat moldable, so the break-in process has become much easier, but it can take a few wears to break in your skates.

For more questions on properly fitting your skates, you can contact us at 781-646-1600 or stop by our Arlington store.