The Perfect Fitting Hockey Skate

The Perfect Fitting Hockey Skate.

Is there such a thing? Well, yes. The trick is finding the skate that is best suited for your feet. Everyone makes a decent product (heck for $700 or more for top end skates they better be decent. No, they better teach you how to skate and open your beer for you after the game) but finding the skate with the right support, shape, flex, and features that you want without breaking the bank is not exactly easy either.

So where to start? What is the biggest thing to think about when buying skates. FIT! They need to fit correctly or your feet are not going to like you, not even a little bit! Now people think that if they are skating outside they will need a bit more room for thick socks, heat packets in the toes, fuzzy slippers, and a butler to pour your Earl Grey tea for warmth as you zip around the Emera oval like Sydney Crosby. The perfect fit is a skate that hugs your foot, with your toes just barely touching the end of the boot (or toe cap) when you are standing up. The easiest way to measure this is to loosen up the laces and place your toes at the front of the skate unweighted. then check to see if you can fit a) a pen behind your heel snugly if your a child, or b) a finger if you are an adult. Keep in mind the size of a skate isn't the same as a shoe. You have to go down between 1-2 sizes from your shoe size to fit correctly. For example I'm a 9.5 shoe and I wear a 7.5 2E skate.
Make sure that once you have the skate on and laced that you can flex it, there is no sense buying a skate that is too stiff and keeps you off the balls of your feet. Also you will probably find that the ankle is tight and it might actually be sore. The reason for this is that skate these days are meant to be heat molded around the heel pocket to give you a custom fit and help with heel retention. Make sure this step is done and done correctly (worn for10 minutes sitting) as it greatly improves the fit experience. Most skates you can heat 3 times
So what skate fits which way? I'll tackle the skate giant of Canada first, Bauer. There are two series of Bauer hockey skates, Supreme and Vapor. The Vapor line (X1.0 to 7.0 and APX) is aimed towards players looking for maximum acceleration, 2 to 3 strides and they are flying (think Phil Kessel or Mike Camalleri). It's a light weight, nimble boot with great lateral stiffness for cornering and stopping and starting power. It is also has lots of volume with a narrow heel pocket, medium wide mid foot and wide forefoot, so a wide, muscular foot would work well in this skate.
The other side of Bauer's line up is the Supreme line (One 20, 40, 60, 70, 80, 100, and Total One) that want a bit less volume overall and need a bit more "beef" in their skate (think Luke Schenn, Steven Stamkos). This is Bauer's tried and true line that they have been producing for years.
CCM and Reebok are quite the same fit as each other to be honest, Reebok has the "Pump" technology that allows you to customize the heel retention and they need it because the heel is quite wide and deep, so be warned. CCM fits a bit like a rectangle but the good thing is they are very light weight and seem to fit wide feet without having to move to an E width skate unlike Bauer. I found the Bauer Supreme really pinched my feet where my arch is and I had to go to a 2E to make it fit.
One of the best features we have at Sportchek is the Junior Trade in Program. How it works is you purchase a junior skate (they go up to a size 5.5) and within 1 calendar year if they outgrow it you get 50% of your original purchase price back towards a new pair of skates. If they keep it for more than 1 but less than 2 years you get 25% back. It's an awesome way to keep skates affordable and also have your child (or children) it proper fitting skates when it matters most. This goes for any junior skate, hockey, figure, recreational, it doesnt matter. The credit is good for and new skate, junior or senior.
This should give you some insight as to what to expect when you buy a pair of skates. Dont be suprised if when your trying them on you may need a footbed to help with the fit, they help with body alignment and support the foot exceptionally well.
If you ever have questions you can ask here or find me at the Sportchek in Dartmouth Crossing. 902-468-6506