All about Ice Skates and Ice Skating.

When you select the proper size ice skates to fit your child’s foot they will enjoy skating much more.  Many people make the mistake of buying a skate that is to narrow for their child’s foot and create cramping of the foot.  This causes the child to lose interest pretty fast.  This generally occurs after a few minutes of skating.  Most of the cheaper pairs of skates are way too narrow for the child who has a wider foot.  Have your child’s foot measured for width before you begin to shop for a skate.  Never figure to just put on a few pairs of socks to make up size difference.  This truly does not work well and limits your child’s ability to skate properly as they learn.

Skates do come in wider sizes but unfortunately these are generally the more expensive lines and models.  A poorly fitted skate can cause foot bunions to develop so please take extra care in finding the correct width.  Fitting children’s skates is very important so take the time to do it right.

To find the correct length when sizing a growing child you should never have more than one finger width that you can slide behind your child’s heel when you push their toes completely forward in the boot.  Put the skate on their foot, lace it up and have them stand and walk in it for at least 10 minutes, just to see if their foot will cramp up.

Parents of novice skaters are faced with the problem of a growing child and trying to keep a decent fit for their child’s foot, all the while having some room for growth.  Skates are not cheap and the various sports now continue all year long, putting even more pressure on parents to find skates that will fit for a longer time.

Size the child as mentioned above and go no more than ½ sizes larger to allow for growth.

Also keep in mind that any boot can be stretched by a good sports shop and this will extend the use of the skate further up the growth scale of your child.

 Many sporting goods shops have trade in value for good quality skates to help alleviate the cost of continually upgrading the size for children.  Some communities also promote this through their various sporting clubs holding a swap meet every so often.  Many good quality skates can be found that have minimal wear and tear on them.  This is especially true of the younger child’s skates.

 To check a used pair of skates out, there are a few things to notice.

First, check to see if there is still a good amount of blade meat left.  If the last person to own the skate sharpened the skate a lot, it may have little life left in the blade and need to be changed.  Also look for boot sewing to be intact as well as ankle support still strong.

One thing that happens often and is overlooked with hockey skates is the inside base of the skate.  Check for any sharp rivet edges and worn rivets that hold the blade to the boot.  They are hidden under the inside bottom pad and quite often are rusted out from foot sweat.  If it’s a figure skate and has screws holding the blade to the base check them for tightness and that they are not stripped.

Again make sure you put the skate on your child and lace it up.  Have them stand and walk in it for 10 minutes as a minimum, and check the ankle support as well.  If they can bend their ankles more than 15 degrees the support may be getting worn out.

Hold the two skate blades flat together to check for bent or warped blades.  A small straight edge comes in handy to do this.  Hold the skate up to a light and put the straight edge against it.  If you see light shinning through the blade is warped.

Keep in mind if the boot is a really good fit you can have the blade changed for a fee.

 For children I recommend you stay away form moulded skates unless you want to pay for them as a new item.  I wouldn’t buy a used moulded skate because it is set for another person’s foot.  If you have a website that is related in any way to ice skates or skating please link to us so this information can be shared across the internet.

Ice skates, whether for hockey, figure skating or recreation, require a different approach to obtain the right fit depending upon their use. Taking the time to learn how to fit ice skates will save the skater from hours of uncomfortable use and impaired performance. The ideal ice skate is stiff enough to provide support but flexible enough to allow dynamic movements. Buy skates from a dealer familiar with the sport for which they will be used.

Beginners

In general, beginners need less padding and more support than intermediate and advanced level skaters. For a beginner, a packaged boot and blade combination with an extra stiff upper boot may be sufficient and costs less than a custom pair. Sporting goods stores that stock ice skates are a good place to start shopping.

When trying on skates in a store, remember that boots tend to run small. Try the boots on and take a few minutes to walk around in them. The skate should be snug on the heel and ankle, without being too wide or allowing excessive foot movement. 

Measure First

For a better fit, take several measurements of each foot, even if you know your shoe size. This step is especially important for serious skaters. Using a tailor’s tape, measure both feet to get the circumference at the ball, heel and instep of the foot, and take a measurement at the base of the ankle as well. 

For custom orders or ordering online, take the above measurements and include the foot length from the heel to the top of the big toe. Tracing an outline of the foot for the order can help ensure exact sizing.

Intermediate and Advanced

When fitting children’s skates in a store, you should try on several brands of skates because sizes can vary by manufacturer. Be sure to wear the same socks you use on the ice when trying on new skates. Spend several minutes with each pair to determine your level of comfort. With the heel pushed against the back, the toes should be about a ¼ inch from the end. The boot should allow some side-to-side and front-to-back movement, but should not allow the foot to move excessively up and down.

Blades

For beginners, blades will come with the boot they choose. Serious athletes who want to customize their look and performance need to often purchase boots and blades separately. Whether prepackaged or custom ordered, most companies do not allow returns after the blades have been sharpened.

A new skate boot can be stiff at first, so take the time to break them in by wearing them around the house for short periods of time. Use the plastic blade guards on the bottom whenever the blades are not on the ice. Proper placement of the blade on the boot is essential before hitting the ice. For optimum performance, have the blades fitted and sharpened by an expert in the sport they for which they will be used. 

When you learn how to fit ice skates properly, the skating experience is enhanced no matter what the skill level. For beginners it may help to rent a pair before buying; for the seasoned ice skater, taking the time to fit ice skates can result in superior fit and better performance.

There are also new technology ice skates that have pump up air pockets around the boot that make for a near perfect fit and supported boot to foot experience.  These skates are for the really serious hockey player or figure skating expert. 

Always get a good fit for yourself or if you are fitting children’s skates so that when you are on the ice you won’t develop foot cramps and be able to skate for long periods of time with out getting sore feet and ankles.

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If you’ve paid good money for your ice skates and want to get the most out of your investment then we’ve got some tips for you.

 If you are a parent who has a child in figure skating and will be trading in skates as your child grows then a good idea is to cover the boot with skate tape or as it is known sk8tape brand tape.  This will protect the boot and keep them looking new so when you trade them in you get more value back.

Check out the picture below and see the effect the tape has!

Dramatic difference of using skate tape on ice skates!

 For hockey skates the toe of the boot gets a lot of wear and tear.  One thing you can do to help protect the toe is to coat it with a polymer coating such as What a Toe or Bauer has a good method also.

 When you lace up your skates never wrap laces around your ankles.  This will cause damage to you boot at ankle level and wear the support out.  If you feel you need to do this, you’ve chosen the wrong size of ice skate or they have worn out supports and it’s probably time to bronze these ones over and retire them, go get a new pair.

 Be sure to dry the blades off after you take them off.  Remember they are cold from being on the ice so if you bring them into a warm environment they may condensate again.  Check them about half an hour after you get home and wipe them off again. 

You can get soakers that stretch over the blade and soak up extra sweat as well.

Use the plastic guards when coming off the ice to get to your dressing room.  This will ensure you don’t knick and edge.  Never leave plastic guards on the blades ever, only use them to transport short distances and then remove them.  If you leave them on they will rust your blades.  Wipe off the outer surface of your boot as well.

 Some people like to go barefoot in their skates.  This is a personal choice but I don’t recommend it because moisture exposure shortens the life of your boot.  A sock will soak most foot sweat up and prolong the life of your boot.  Along with this remove the sole insert if you can, and allow it to dry out in the open air away from your boot.  Some people even have boot dryers.

 The boot should be waxed periodically to protect and lengthen its life.  You can buy special polish from the manufacturer of the skate that is better than the regular shoe polish you get at the corner store.  Many skaters recommend Renapur leather balsam.

 When you get home let your boots air out in a room temperature area.  Don’t put them near any source of heat such as a furnace vent.  You can get skate driers from your local skate store.  These help absorb sweat and odour nicely.  Lay them on their side on a towel for one day and switch over to the other side next day.  Never hand them by their blades ever.

 Check over your laces to make sure they won’t break.  Also carry an extra set of laces with you as a back up just in case.

 Check your blade mounting and make sure there is no play in the mount.  If the blades are held on by screws check the tightness.  If a rivet is loose have it replaced as soon as possible.

 Sharpen your blades regularly (approx 20 – 40 hours of use) by a qualified skate sharpener.  Talk to others in the same sport as you and you will soon hear of a good place to take them to.

 If you are going to store your ice skates for a longer period of time put some Vaseline on the blades, wax the boots, store them in low humidity and tied them together hanging them.  Never just lay them on the floor blade down.

 Take care of your ice skates and you will get the most out of them.

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For anyone learning how to skate, especially children, it is important to have fun and enjoy the exercise.  Preparation is the key to having a good time and making sure all goes well.  It’s always nice to finish the episode off with a warm hot chocolate too.

Make sure where ever you decide to go it isn’t too crowded.  Fast moving skaters can be scary to anyone worried about falling and getting skated over. 

 Dress appropriately for the occasion so no one gets cold.

I can’t stress enough to make sure the ice skates are a proper fit.  Check out how to fit skates properly on my previous post about sizing ice skates.

It is wise to put a helmet on to protect against falling backwards and hitting your head on the hard ice.  A pair of knee pads or hockey shin pads is something that could save a lot of bruises.  Hockey gloves can also protect your hands when falling as most people tend to put them out to cushion the fall. 

 A total beginner can have their hand held as they take those first glide steps.  Another way that works is to have a stool or chair of the right height that the person can use it as support and push it around as they skate, sort of like a training prop.  Once they have enough confidence to skate on their own then the prop can be put aside.  See below.

Here's Micheal learning to skate with an ice skate frame

 If you are doing the hand hold method then make sure they have their balance and allow them to glide with you as the primary source of motion.  Get them up to a good walking speed and let their hand go allowing them to free glide and see if they can take a step or two in the process once they begin to slow down. 

 When you notice they have some amount of balance then another good idea is to have an appropriate size hockey stick for them.  This will allow them to use it as a way to create a tripod with their two skates and stick to help with balance. 

 A continued persistence may be necessary to get the person to the point of self skating so be prepared.  Allow for about an hour of skating the first outing. 

 Of course the other part of learning how to skate is learning how to stop.

This is easily done by pointing the toes in when moving forward and creating what is called a snow plowing action.  This is the easiest way to stop.  Side stopping is a more advanced way of stopping that has both feet turned quickly and shaving the ice.  This will take some practice as well as balance to get it right.  Be prepared for some falls the first number of tries as the skates will chop the ice if they aren’t at the right angle for shaving.

 Once the person has a basic ability to skate some fun games can be played.  Tag is always a good one to encourage the novice to attempt to push their abilities further.

If they like hockey bring along a puck so they can use the stick to stick handle as well as skate. 

After 7 or 8 outings a beginner should be on their own, enjoying their new found skating ability. 

 Perhaps a trip to a frozen lake or river would be an exciting proposition.  The capitol of Canada (Ottawa) has a lovely area called the Rideau canal that is famous for a very long and memorable outings.  Many people visit their every season to enjoy it.  So learn how to skate and make memories!

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When you’re buying ice skates for an adult, yourself or a fully grown person, the fit should be more exact than when you are buying a pair of skates for a child.  We’ll assume it’s for you yourself, for the purposes of this information article.  You as an adult have the advantage of being fully grown and not requiring room for growth.  You should strive to have a snug fit rather than the typical one finger behind the heel fit for a child.  Remember one important concept to keep in mind is that you can fix a skate that is slightly small but never one that is too large.   Have your foot measured for width.   A good sports store will have a person who is well versed in foot widths and know the manufacturer’s type that will usually have the wider choices.  The length or size of the skate varies from each manufacturer so start with one size down from your shoe size and go from there.  Put your heel completely in the back of the skate and tie them up.  If you’ve picked the right size your toes should be snug but not tight.  Stand up and walk around in them.  .  A good sports store will have a carpeted area just for this purpose. Your toes should have no more than ½ inch space at the toe tip.  If your toe can just brush up against the toe tip, that is a good fit.  Lean forward bending your knees a bit and you should feel the toe area open up slightly giving more room at the toes.  Take note as the skate breaks in, the heel will open up slightly allowing for even more length.  If after the break in period you find the skates still short you can have them stretched.  To be certain you have the correct size take the sole insert out and stand on it.  Your toes and heels should come right near the ends of it.  When you have length and width figured out the other thing to notice is the height of the skate.  Some manufacturers are thinner and some are thicker this way to.  It will come down to personal feel with this fit.  Just try on various manufacturers and take the time necessary to buy the right pair of skates. 

Some manufacturers have advanced methods of heating up the boot and fitting as a custom fit just for you.  These skates are top end and usually cost more.  Keep in mind the boot can be stretched length wise or in specific areas to accommodate bunions or bone issues that stick out.

Boots also come in ratings as to their stiffness.  Talk to the skate salesperson about this and choose a stiffness that suits your desires.  

 Take the time to find that proper fit and you will have a much more enjoyable time skating. 

  To find the correct length when sizing a growing child you should never have more than one finger width that you can slide behind your heel when you push your toes completely forward in the boot.  Put the skate on and stand/walk in it for at least 10 minutes just to see if your foot will cramp up.

Don’t scrimp on money if you are full grown and enjoy skating.   Boots that mould to the shape of your foot are highly recommended if you are serious about skating and want to enjoy the sport of your choice.  Otherwise there is a break in period for boots that takes 4 or 5 outings to form to your foot.

If you find this blog informative please feel free to link to it for future reference and direct others to it so they can get that proper fit to and enjoy ice skating.

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Ice skates were invented over in Europe most likely by the Swiss or Fins.   Fundamentally they are still the same, but quite different materials were utilized.

The blades were made of bones from animal legs that had holes drilled into them at each end with leather lacing to strap them onto boots, similar to touring skates.  These skates were most likely used to aid in crossing frozen lakes while hunting or fishing.   See below.

an original bone skate antique

Ice skates have evolved greatly from the oldest pair found at the bottom of a lake in Switzerland and dated around 3000 BC.

The Dutch improved the skates by mounting a metal blade to a flat wooden surface.  Leather straps tied this assembly to the skater’s shoes.  Poles similar to ski poles were used to create forward motion.  The Dutch also improved skates by adding the double edge blade or concave cut that is still utilized to this day to give the skater the ability to create the forward motion with out using poles.  This could perhaps be considered the beginning of the more modern day ice skate as we know it today.  Now skaters could propel themselves directly with leg thrusts and glide along at higher speeds than could be attained by poles.

 Clamping of the blades was first done by the Bushnell Company in 1848 which led to the boot blade combination we now see most skates are built like.

 In and around 1859 a Canadian named James Welpley improved the boot portion by adding padding and support to make the boot much more comfortable for longer periods of time

 A fellow named Jackson Haines in 1865 was instrumental in the development of the boot/blade skate as he became well known for his ice dancing.  He was the first to add toe picks to the front of the blade to make even more spins and jumps possible.

 John Strauss is credited with developing the first one piece closed toed blade in 1914.  This made the whole skate much lighter.

 The Canadian museum of civilization had an impressive collection of more than 50 pairs of old skates dating as early as the 1500’s. 

The Skogar museum in Iceland also has a pair of bone skates as part of a larger display of Icelander items.

 Further developments on the boot and blades continue as now there are dedicated types of skates for each different sport.  The clap skate is a good example of a very recent development for the long and short track speed skating enthusiasts.  See below.

picture of clap skate hinge action

 Lighter materials and composites for blades and boots continue to advance the ice skate for performance enhancements in sports such as hockey, bandy, speed skating, and figure skating.

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