FAQ: How Should Ice Skates Fit?

Are ice skates supposed to be tight?

The skate should fit very snug for proper support to enable a good push-off without any movement of your foot inside the skate. And finally, it takes a few wears to break in a new pair of skates. Baking your skates is another option that helps expedite the break-in process to get a more custom fit.

How do I know if my ice skates are too small?

Your ice hockey skates are likely too small if they:

1. Produce persistent discomfort, even after several uses.
2. Make your feet cramp during practice.
3. Are giving you an excessive amount of blisters.
4. Feel like they are “pinching” your feet.
5. Are not more comfortable after making adjustments.

How much room should you have in an ice skate?

Players should aim for less than 1/4″ of space between the longest toe and the end of the footbed. Any more space than that will cause the foot to slide around in the boot, resulting in bad skating technique.

How tight should figure skates be?

Figure skates should not be too tight. If a skater can’t bend his or her knees, the skates are too tight. Make sure the tongue of the skate is straight and does not slip under the laces. Wear a sock that fits and make sure that no wrinkles are in the sock as the foot is placed inside the ice skating boot.

Do you wear socks with ice skates?

It’s important to wear the same type of socks to your fitting that you plan to wear when you skate. Also, if you have your skates thermoformed, wear your game and practice socks when your skates are baked. Choosing your >skate socks is personal: Try a few options and wear what makes your feet happy.

Can hockey skates be too stiff?

Trust the material of hockey skates these days to provide you with all the ankle support you will need. High end (read: expensive) skates are built for performance and may be too stiff for kids or smaller players to use.

Should my toes touch the end of my skates?

Almost all skaters worry about their toes touching the end when they first put on skates. This is perfectly normal.

Why do ice skates hurt?

There should be no movement at the heel of your skates; if there is, the skates are too big for your foot. If you wear skates that are too big, you are apt to get blisters, which will make it painful for you to skate. Skates that are too small will cause bunions and other foot problems.

How long do skates take to break in?

For most people it will take about 12 hours to break in a pair of skates over the course of roughly a month. Start out with shorter skate adventures and build up to longer skate adventures.

Is ice skate size the same as shoe size?

Ice skates are not the same size as street shoes. You should wear skates that are about 1 – 1.5 sizes smaller than the normal-size shoe you wear.

Do you size up or down for figure skates?

The general rule of thumb is 1.5 sizes down from your shoe size. Since shoe sizing can vary from brand to brand, it’s best to measure your feet in the following manner.

Do you buy roller skates one size smaller?

Most roller skates are going to fit the same as your standard shoe size. So, if you wear a size 8 in your everyday shoes a size 8 in roller skates will fit. If your toes are curled or crunched the skates are most likely too small.

Why do figure skaters wear tights over skates?

In addition to the style, wearing tights over figure skates serves a practical purpose — to keep the figure skater from tripping over her own laces, which could be as painful as it would be embarrassing during an Olympics competition.

What do figure skaters wear under their dresses?

They’re leggings, made up of stretchy fabric that can endure things like the bottom of a skate sliding over it, or jagged ice after a fall. “The tights are made from stretch Spandex, and they’re pretty resilient and strong,” Weir says. “It isn’t just your drugstore tights they are wearing.”