Why new skates almost always feel weird

Just what is muscle memory?
I spent a fair amount of time talking to a customer today about muscle memory. It was clear when I was done that that they didn't get it. Hopefully I'm a better writer than orator, because I'm going to try to make sense of it here.

While in skating we tend to call the adaptation to new skates or adjustments to old skates muscle memory, the more clinical term would be gross motor skill. Essentially we have two sets of motor skills which we use to complete physical tasks: gross motor skills and fine motor skills. Let's quickly talk about what fine motor skills are and be done with that. Tasks such as writing, feeding ourselves and getting dressed involve the use of small muscle groups and hand eye coordination. These are fine motor skills. Another term for this is manual dexterity.

Gross motor skills, on the other hand are things that we do with minimal thought. These are actions such as standing, walking, even jumping and kicking. While fine motor skills require a conscious thought and planning, gross motor skills happen pretty much automatically. These are almost as automatic as breathing and blinking the normal person.

How does it factor into skating?
Unless you were that rare mutant individual born with metal blades protruding from your feet, skating wasn't exactly natural when you first started, remember? But now that you've been doing it for a while it's developed to something that's pretty much as simple as walking. Don't get me wrong, it will always take a lot of thought for a figure skater to launch and land a triple axel or a hockey player to carry the puck through the defense with a spin move. But just going out and taking a few laps around the rink doesn't require watching your feet I hope.

This is here just in case you didn't believe that kids can
be uncoordinated at times. See, I told you!

So let's back up a second and talk about how gross motor skills and how they change. We've all seen growing kids go through crazy awkward states where they are so uncoordinated their limbs seem like their mortal enemies at times. And yes, even though I remember my young self as the acme of athletic grace, apparently we were all that kid at one point. So just what is the issue with the poor kids in this state? Simple they are growing so fast they they have to readjust their gross motor skills to adapt to bigger feet, and longer legs, arms, torsos and heavier heads (It's possible that I made up that last one).

If your skates fit properly, they are an extension of your body. This means that when you get a new pair of skates, you're essentially going to go through that brief awkward growth spurt where you need to readjust your gross motor skills. I'm not going to go into a lot of detail on what might be different from one skate to the next as I did that in two previous blog entries here. But I will point you in that direction in case you missed them. Check out - Decaffeinating the Horror of New Figure Skates and/or New Hockey Skates, tougher than your feet? if you want more info on what changes from one skate to the next.

So what should I expect?
One of the amazing things is that even putting on the same exact model and size of skate is going to often require adjustments to your gross motor skills. Skates are still primarily made by hand. As a result, no two skate boots are exactly the same. The blades, also installed by hand on every pair of skates, aren't always in the same place. This means, that while the adjustments are going to be smaller when staying in the same model and size, there will still be some.

Perhaps a better way to explain this for an adult would be to compare it to an injury. Let's say you've broken your foot. In fact let's say you've done such a number on it that the only way they can set the bones results in your foot being turned outward, off by 90 degrees from where it should point. Yes, once you've gone through rehab and learned to walk again, you look like half a Charlie Chaplin impersonator. Then after a many years go by and you're tired of people pointing their finger at you and laughing, you find someone with an actual medical degree who can fix your foot so it points the proper way. The adjustment to walking on your foot which now points in the proper direction might take less time than it did after the first injury, but there will still be an adjustment. Your gross motor skills would take weeks, or even months to re-map your newly aligned foot and walk naturally.

While it looks painful, this is actually a new exercise class
combining yoga and pairs skating.

On skates we balance on a blade which is a mere eighth inch wide for hockey or three sixteenths inch wide for figure skating. The tipping point between your foot being neutral and off balance can be as little as half the width of that blade. Think about that. If your blade is off by a mere sixteenth of an inch it could mess up your skating. Further, the older we get, the less adaptable we become to these changes. I'm chalking it up to the fact that we haven't had a growth spurt for a long time, but I'm guessing there are other factors involved.

The Verdict
Don't get frustrated if your new skates don't feel perfect right away. Anyone who has bought a few pair knows this is the case. Just like you'd have to adjust if I replaced your feet with a different pair (not that I'm qualified or interested in doing that) you won't entirely have to re-learn how to skate. Sometimes the gross motor skill adjustments will be slight and this is typically how it should be. However, even slight adjustments can take weeks to make. It took six weeks before my last pair felt natural on my feet, but I did switch skate brands.

If the adjustments are serious you're probably going to need some help from your friendly pro shop staff. Blade alignments can help both figure skaters and hockey players. Sometimes it's just a matter of shifting the blade. Of course if you bought your skates from us, we're going to take care of getting that fixed for you. If you bought them elsewhere, we can help with that too, it just isn't included in the price.

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© 2013 Scott Noble

All Rights reserved. Reproduction of this article in whole or part is strictly prohibited without the author's prior express written permission.

Ten mistakes you didn't know you were making by buying your skates online

Buying Skates on the internet is a great idea right?
Recently, a customer showed up in my shop with a pair of skates he had purchased online. I try not to take it personally when people do this and it's usually easy enough. I don't mind losing a sale to price once in a while. The economy is crap, we all do what we have to do to get by. However, In this case, I was appalled. He attempted to save $26 by buying online. But what he really did was purchased a much lower level skate ($100 cheaper retail price) with none of the services I include for free on new skates and saved exactly TWO dollars.

The simple fact is, unless your nearest hockey shop is in another state, there's only one reason to buy skates online--price. I'll be honest with you, sometimes that's enough of a reason in itself. But that's the exception rather than the rule. If you're trying to save twenty or thirty or even fifty bucks, you're at risk for shooting yourself in the foot. If you found a pair that's on closeout at a hundred bucks or more off retail, it might be a good deal.

The following is a list of ten things that just may go very badly for online skate purchasers

1 - Those aren't the skates you tried on (assuming you tried some on)
The single most important factor in purchasing a pair of skates is fit. It's a simple premise, if the skates don't fit right, they aren't comfortable, they don't work properly, skating is a miserable experience. While most skates in the same model and size are going to offer a very similar fit, no two skates are exactly the same. The problem here is that much of the skate assembly process is still done by hand.

I had a customer years ago who came in, tried on a pair of skates and decided that he wanted to mull it over before making the purchase. He came back the next day and I grabbed a pair in the model and size he'd tried on the previous day. Once they were on his feet he told me, "There's no way this is the right pair, the top of the toecap feels like it's cutting into my foot." In fact he tried on the second of the three pair and had the same sensation. When we got to the last pair in his size he said they felt great and bought them.

Figure skaters have known for years that you cannot order skates online. While they are all similar, no two pair fit exactly the same.

2 - Those aren't really on clearance, they are defective
We've all heard the saying, "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is." While most brands of skates are on a redevelopment cycle, not all of the skates on sale are there because they were last year's model. One of the problems with the hockey industry is that they are notoriously cheap when it comes to R&D of new products. The end result of this means that the majority of product testing falls in the lap of unwary consumers. It also means that skate brands typically have leaders and losers.

A common deal a few years back was a free high end stick with a pair of skates (which were heavily discounted). Here's how that deal translated:

• People bought the skates and weren't happy with them. 
• People bought the stick and weren't happy with it. 
• Major retailers realizing they were carrying a bunch of inventory that people hated asked the manufacturer to help them out with the garbage they produced. 
• Manufacturer, pressured by their biggest dealers made them a nice offer to keep them happy.
• Retailer bundled two horrible products into "the deal of the century"
• Unwary consumer got stuck with two products they were unhappy with for a low price

The only way to make sure you know exactly what you're getting is to buy it in person.

3 - Sneaky Skates
The big online retailers have enough buying clout to order SMU (Special Make Up) and Limited Edition skates. These essentially are skates that are produced in such limited runs that only the biggest two or three online retailers sell them. The problem with these skates is that the online retailers control all the information and pricing on many of them. While most of the Limited Edition skates are in the brand catalogs, the SMUs are always going to be a skate that you cannot see in person.

Often these skates cut corners and lack features that you would expect to see in the price point they are being sold in. There's no way to know until you get them. While the price might seem good, be prepared for disappointment.

4 - You don't understand the real price
The individual I mentioned at the start of the article had been looking at a pair of closeout skates in my shop that were marked down to $85 below retail cost. We spent a fair amount of time talking about skates, fitting him the proper size and discussing the bonuses he'd get by buying them from me. A week later he showed up with a pair of skates that were $26 cheaper online.

Somehow, he forgot that every skate we sell include the first three sharpenings which come to a $24 value. So, in reality he saved only $2 on the purchase price. We also throw in the heat fitting with skates we sell which is normally $19. The most important detail he failed to understand is that we stand behind what we sell with lifetime boot punching, free blade alignments if required and free labor on customization such as heel lifts. The online retailer was done helping him with his skates the moment they put the shipping label on the box. Even worse, he was duped into buying a model with a $100 lower retail price, so rather than saving $2, he bought an entry level skate for the same price he would have had an elite level skate.

So remember you get $43 worth of free services right up front when you buy skates at Rocket Skate. Down the road, you're going to get our support to make sure that your skates fit and work properly for as long as possible.

5 - Murphy's Law
Sometimes skates just aren't put together right. The case of another customer who bought a pair of high end skates online comes to mind. When he came to me looking for them, he asked if I could match the price. On the particular skates he was interested in, I couldn't even come close to the online closeout deal he found of about $100 below wholesale. I told him he should take that deal online.

When his skates arrived he struggled skating in them for weeks. Eventually he brought them in to me concerned that the blade had been installed incorrectly. In fact, the entire skate had a significant manufacturing flaw; the outsole had been installed about a half of an inch off center. This put the blade impossibly out of alignment to the point where they couldn't be corrected without a serious amount of work.

He contacted the manufacturer, who told him the online retailer would have to determine if it was a defect. After sending it back to them at his cost, they shipped the skates back to him (again at his cost) claiming there was nothing wrong with them. He was left with a pair of skates that needed a repair costing more than the skates were worth as well as some headaches he shouldn't have had.

I've also had customers break a skate under warranty that I was able to repair on the spot. Sometimes the manufacturer warranties the repair sometimes they don't. But if you bought them online, you'd have to ship your skates to the retailer and wait for them to fix them and ship them back. That generally takes longer than a few hours.

6 - The two size down rule is a lie
If there's one piece of gear that has to fit you properly it's your skates. Online retailers give you a rule of thumb telling you to calculate your skate size by deducting anywhere from 1 to 2 sizes from your shoe size. Even if I hadn't been fitting skates since 2001 I could tell you there's a flaw in their guidelines--they cannot agree on a number. Aside from that consider the obvious, do you buy shoes without trying them on? Do you always wear the exact same size shoe? I don't. Further, width, instep height, arch height and foot shape are all important factors in determining which skate will fit you best.

I've fit thousands of people for skates and the only rule I can tell you is that the measuring stick is just a starting point. I've had people that had perfect fits four and a half sizes smaller than their shoe size, and people who had a perfect fit a half size smaller. The only way to know for sure is to have a professional fit you. But, don't be the guy who wastes their time getting fit so you can buy online. If you don't value the service they offer enough to at least consider buying skates from them, don't take advantage of it. Best Buy is about to close almost a quarter of their stores claiming internet show rooming as the issue; think how much harder it must be on the small business you rely on to sharpen your skates.

7 - Blade alignments
Even when a pair of skates is put together right for the average person, it doesn't mean that they are going to work for every person. I've seen enough feet in my lifetime to tell you there aren't two the same (even on the same person). Thus, a pair of perfectly set up skates might not be perfectly set up for the individual using them.

What does that mean? It means you might not have to pronate (that's the horrible feeling that your ankles are too weak to keep your skates from tipping in). For most people pronating is the result of either wearing skates that are too big or lacing them too loosely. However for about 10% of hockey skaters, it's because their skates aren't set up properly for their feet.

We can fix that and if you bought skates from us, we'll do it for free. If you didn't, it's $50.


8 - Customer support
If you were considering two electronic products at pretty much the same price, customer support might be the major determining factor in the decision. I just picked up a new cell phone at Best Buy even though it was a few bucks cheaper on Amazon. Why? It was worth it to have them migrate all the data and apps from the old phone.

Skates can be as big a nightmare as electronics if you're on your own breaking them in. The difference is that electronics give you mental distress when they don't work while skates give you physical pain AND mental distress when they don't work. Most people need a little more help than they get from just a heat fit. Skate buyers average 2 to 4 punches on new boots (punching is an isolated boot stretching technique which customizes the fit of the boots).

Four boot punches is going to set you back $20 to $40 for skates purchased elsewhere. Of course there is no guarantee that four punches is going to do it. I had a young skater who came in so frequently that she would have spent over $200 in boot fitting services had she not bought the skates from me.

I've also helped people by adjusting the pitch of their skates on new boots. Pitch is the angle of the skate boot relative to the ice and it's one of the most difficult things to adjust to when switching skate brands. It's pretty easy to correct, but if you didn't buy the skates from me, it's going to set you back $26 instead of $10.

9 - The same price isn't as good as our price
Rocket Skate can special order most skates priced over $450 and match the prices on the internet. We can fit you for the skate you're interested in and have them here in less than a week. Add in our $42 worth of free services, professional fitting, the assurance that your skates will be comfortable and our support for the life of the skates and tell me who has the better deal now, us or them?

10 - Because it feels good
So let me see, we have better value, better service, you know what you're actually getting, we're going to take care of fitting and warranty issues and we actually care if your skates work for you after you've paid for them. If for some reason that isn't enough, maybe you should just buy them at a small local retailer because it's just feels better to do. The odds are pretty good that your friendly hockey shop owner isn't in the business for the money. If he is, I feel sad for him. Personally I do this because I love what I do. If I was in it for the money, I would have boarded up the shop a long time ago. Don't get me wrong, it's hardly lucrative but I don't love it enough to move into a cardboard box when things go bad.

If you feel good supporting a faceless out of state corporation that actually does make a lot of money selling hockey gear, by all means, do spend your money there. Personally I feel much better spending my money a small businesses who provides local jobs and outstanding service to their customers. I like keeping my cash in the local economy when I can. I don't mind that my sales tax supports local programs either.

Here's another bonus for you. Did you know that the first 10% of all Rocket Skate profit goes to charities that feed the hungry, help people afford housing and take care of orphans? Probably not, since we don't talk about it much. We don't do it so we can brag about it, we do it because it's the right thing to do. I'm talking about it now because you help us to continue doing it with your patronage and feel good about that too.

So what's a skater to do?
You'll have to figure that one out. You can gamble on the possibility of a better deal on the net or you can have a conversation with your local small business owner. To me it comes down to who you want to trust. I'd personally pick the guy who is going to see you regularly and sharpen your skates. I'd pick the guy who you've known for years over the voice on the telephone.

The bottom line is that no one is going to work harder than Rocket Skate to make sure that you have the best experience in your new skates that you possibly can. If you do the math, our prices are almost always better than the online shops. Bring in your best deal and if it's really that good, we'll let you know that you should take it. But at least do yourself the favor of checking first.

If I can leave you with some math, here is the deal the guy from the first story ended up with by trying to save $26:

Rocket Skate Deal - Total price $275 +tax

1. Elite level skates ($359 retail value) - $275
2. New Skate Sharpening - Free
3. Two sharpenings for later - Free
4. Heat fitting - Free
5. Boot punching - Free for the life of the skates
6. Peace of mind - Free

Deal he took - Total price - $307 +shipping

1. Recreational level skates ($249 retail value) - $249
2. New Skate Sharpening - $12
3. Two Sharpenings later - $12
4. Heat fitting - $19
5. Boot Punching - $15/average
6. Peace of mind - unavailable

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Find us on the web at www.rocketskate.net

© 2013 Scott Noble

All Rights reserved. Reproduction of this article in whole or part is strictly prohibited without the author's prior express written permission.

Never Buy Used Hockey Skates (but if you do, read this first)

Never say Never

Generally, it’s tough to find a good pair of used skates. Kids skates tend to go both directions. While they can sometimes find a pair that hasn’t been beaten to within a hair of their life, many used skates have been handed down so many times they should have hit the scrap heap 10 years ago. For adults it’s pretty rare to find a decent pair. While it makes slightly more sense for kids than adults, I don’t generally recommend buying a pair of used skates for anyone. The problem is that someone else’s feet have been in there. Used footwear is one of the reasons that I gave up bowling for hockey (that and apparently body checking opponents while bowling isn't acceptable).

Avoid skates made in the Soviet Union. 

But even if you don’t care what sort of foot fungus or flesh eating toe jam the previous user of a pair of skates might have left in your newly acquired used skates, there is the problem that a pair of used skate often doesn’t fit properly. You see skates form to a player’s feet over time. Once broken in, they aren’t going to fit a second pair of feet as well. This is one of the reasons that rental skates are one of the most evil instruments of torture the world has ever devised. The aforementioned toe jam and foot fungus would be another.

Now that I’ve mentioned a couple of the bad things that about used skates, I will say that once in a while there actually is a killer deal available. A guy recently offered to sell me a pair of skates he'd owned a week. I almost bought them because they were the model I wanted at less than wholesale price and he hadn't broken them in. You might find a pair that someone use two or three times before realizing that all their athletic ability resided in their imagination. You could find a pair that was incorrectly sized and returned. You might find the pair that belonged to the guy who was horribly injured from running into the guy who imagined he had athletic ability. The goal of this article is to help you determine what is important in a pair of used skates and how to judge their condition.

Fit 

Anytime that you look at skates, new or used, fit is the single most important factor to consider. Different brands and models of skates have unique boots that will fit certain foot shapes best. This is even more important in a pair of used skates. You don’t want to end up in a pair that was broken in for someone who has vastly different feet than your own. I’m not going into the details here of how to fit your skates as that’s an article’s worth in itself (one that I already wrote). Please read my previous blog entry Hockey Skates Demystified if you haven’t already.

Judging the Condition 

Sometimes it’s pretty easy to tell that a pair of skates has done a few laps around the rink. Other times, it can be difficult. The bulk of the remainder of this article will focus on how to judge the condition of a pair of skates. I’m going to break the skates down, part by part and tell you things you should look for.

Something like this might be worth a lot of money, but likely won't skate very well (even if you do need extra ankle support)

Runners 

Replacement runners cost about $25 each for hockey skates. So not judging the condition of the runners properly on a pair of used skates could drive the price up quite a bit. Another thing to consider is the type of runners as they are normally an indication of the original quality and price of the skates.

Runner Type 
There are two basic types of steel used in hockey skate runners. These are carbon steel and stainless steel. Stainless is harder and generally found on the more expensive skates. I wouldn’t bother with a pair of used skates that have carbon steel runners as they were likely under $100 anyway. If you can buy a new pair for $50 or $75, why bother with used? Or maybe that’s just me. Another factor is that most carbon steel runners are not replaceable. Once they are worn out, it’s time for a new pair of skates.

Telling which type of steel is on a pair of skates can be a little tricky sometimes. Many brands stamp “stainless” right on the runner. While this is a pretty good indication, the lack of the obvious doesn’t really mean they aren’t stainless. Often with sharpening and use, the logos and text on the side of the steel runner wear off. The more telling sign is that carbon steel blades have a chrome finish on them. Sometimes the chrome is even flaking off around the bottom of the blade which makes them very easy to identify. Sometimes the chrome has a brushed appearance to it. Once you compare a few pair you shouldn’t have too much trouble identifying what type of steel is on a pair of skates.

If you do have issues identifying the steel, you can probably hire a welder to come along with you. They’d be able to tell you which is stainless and carbon steel. Of course at the cost of $100 an hour or so, you might not do as well on the used skate price as you hope. Maybe you have a friend who works in a steel mill, that might help too.

Alternatively, you can look for screws that attach the runner to the plastic blade holder. CCM, Reebok and Easton all have two screws that are pretty obvious. Graf skates have a single screw in the heel of the holder. Bauer is the trickiest as they hide the screws. Bauer’s screws go through the sole of the boot. You can check these by looking under the insole for a small plastic access cap in the heel of the skate. In most cases stainless runners are attached with screws and carbon steel runners are permanently bonded to the holder.

Runner Condition 
Some factors are more obvious than others when looking at the condition of the steel. Obviously you don’t want any cracks or breaks in a pair of runners. Rust can be a problem as well. Even stainless runners can rust if they aren’t properly cared for as most skates do not feature marine grade stainless. Still, stainless won’t typically reach the cancerous levels of rust that might plague a pair of carbon steel runners.

A small amount of rust on a pair of stainless blades will normally come off once they are sharpened. However, pay attention to the sides of the runner. If there are small dark dots on the side and the bottom of a runner, it can be an indication that rust has penetrated the entire runner. While this isn’t the end of the world as far as runners go, it will slow you down slightly on the ice and could lead to premature breakage of the runner. More importantly it can be an indication of how the skates were cared for.

Perhaps the most important and tricky part of judging the runner quality is determining how much steel is left. Each time a pair of skates is sharpened some of the runner gets used up. There are two problems which eventually occur as the runners get shorter. First, on hard turns the boots will hit the ice. When boots hit the ice in a turn, the player wearing them falls down the players on the near bench tend to make some sort of wise remark, like, “Careful, there’s some ice there.” The second issue is that eventually the skates can no longer be sharpened. Of course if you wait until they can no longer physically be sharpened, you’ve been spending a lot of time falling down on the turns.

Another thing that you can tell by the runners is how much use the skates have seen. If the steel is down to about half of its original height, the skates are probably pretty well used. It is possible that they were just sharpened quite often, but generally players who sharpen their skates are doing it because they are using their skates.

The best way to tell how much steel is left is to compare the used skates to a new pair with the same type of runner. Most skates within the same brand use the same type of runners. If the difference is significant, you might consider a different pair of skates. Things start getting marginal somewhere around the point where 2/3 or less of the steel is remaining.

Holders 

The holder is the plastic piece that attaches the boot to the blade. Holders sometimes break and, like runners typically cost about $25 to $35 each to replace. Look for any cracks along the holder and around all of the rivets. Check to make sure that the holder appears to be square to the bottom of the boot as sometimes the holders are improperly installed or replaced. If you can see that it isn’t square, it’s pretty bad.

It’s also a good idea to make sure that the blade isn’t loose in the holder. While having your runner fall out on the ice is always good for a laugh, it’s a laugh at your expense my friend. If a runner is loose, check to see if you can fix the problem by tightening the hardware. (You will need a special tool for some Bauer skates to do this). A little blade looseness will often occur over time and can cause issues with skating. However, both Bauer and Graf skate holders do sometimes have issues as the result of over-tightening which cannot be corrected without replacing parts.

The overall condition of the holder can tell you something about how much use the skates have had as well. If it looks like a doggie chew toy that you’d find in your neighbor’s yard, the skates have probably been used pretty long and hard (or chewed on my a dog). A few scuffs and nicks are normal for even a short amount of use, but major deterioration, numerous gouges on the steel and chunks of missing plastic indicate a skate that has seen many, many hours on the ice.

Rivets 

There are two types of rivets in most skates: steel and copper. Some skates only use steel rivets, but I don’t know of any that use only copper. Rivets are relatively inexpensive and quick to replace. They typically run about $1 each and can be done while you wait. However, most skates have 14 rivets each. So, if all of them are bad, it’s going to run around $28 a pair to fix them. Further the rivets can be another good indication of how well the previous own took care of their skates.

Check the copper rivets on the bottom of the skate. Make sure that the washer (technically called the burr) is in place on each of them and isn’t loose. Sometimes you can see that some of the steel rivets are popping up. If a steel rivet isn’t flush, it is bad. The best way to tell the quality of the steel rivets is to look under the insole of the skate though. Once you pull out the insole, you can see the “flowers” of the steel rivets. A small amount of rust here is normal. But skates that have seen better days will often have a gob of rust where the flower used to be.

Skates with more rust than metal indicate two issues to me. First, the insoles were likely never removed after use. Taking out the insoles is easy and the best way to take care of your skates. It allows things to dry out. Significant rust on rivets that will likely need to be replaced soon is just one of the issues it creates. The accelerated breakdown of the boot through trapped moisture is another.

As long as you have those insoles out, take a look at what was under them. If the plastic footbed inside the skate is cracked, the odds are good that the skates are on their last legs. Once the plastic starts cracking, repairs are often difficult to impossible on everything below that portion of the skate. Also check the insoles themselves how are they? Is that something you want to have your feet on? I once had a customer drop off a pair of skates to have new holders and steel installed. When I took out the insole there were dozens of tiny centipede-like worms crawling around under it. I told him we couldn’t fix his skates. If you see centipedes, you might want to look for a different pair (or it’s possible that I’m just squeamish when it comes to sharing my footwear with dozens of bugs). Still, it it were me I might shop at another used skate store.

Outsoles

Many skates currently use composite outsoles. These tend to look like fiberglass (and often are). Some contain graphite, carbon fiber or some other top secret compounds. While these are lightweight and strong materials, they also tend to break without any sort of warning once in a while. However the main issue that you will find in composite outsoles is splintering edges. If the edges are pretty badly frayed, the skates might have serious mileage on them. Minor fraying can be checked with a small amount of clear silicon caulk. Serious fraying is going to be impossible to repair and will continue to deteriorate.

Other issues to check are gaps between the outsole and the boot. Many models of skates tend to separate here when they get older. This can be a little tricky to determine since the skate blade holder and rivets often hold things in place. However, if there are major gaps at the toe or around the arch of the skate it is a potential problem. Large gaps might indicate that the outsole is ready to completely separate from the boot. Small gaps aren’t uncommon in new skates, so don’t worry if there are small gaps and everything seems tight. Again, I recommend a little bit of silicon caulk to keep moisture out and help keep things in check here.

Eyelets 

The laces aren’t something that I’d worry too much as about $4 will get you a new pair. The only important thing with the laces is to make sure you know what size you need. If the pair in the skates are the proper size, measure them so you know what you need when you pick up a new pair. They come in 1 foot increments and the most common sizes are 120, 108, 96 and 84 inches.

While laces are cheap, a lot of eyelets are not. You should check all the eyelets. Make sure to check both side of them as well. The back should have a flat washer. I’ve seen some skates where the inside of the eyelet had completely disintegrated on every single eyelet. Also make sure that there are no sharp edges as these will shred your laces (which is inconvenient and expenseive). New eyelets will run about three bucks each. Count how many you need and do the math. With 20 eyelets on most adult skates, you could spend more than the cost of a new pair of entry level skates on repairs.

If eyelets are missing or torn out I’d probably skip the skates. While replacing a couple eyelets isn’t a big deal, if a skate has been used without the eyelet for a while, the hole is often stretched out and will no longer hold an eyelet. Eventually the hole will tear out without the reinforcement of an eyelet and the repair will cost anywhere from $20 to $50 to repair. Even if the hole isn’t stretched, it takes a lot of miles and moisture before eyelets pop on most skates. A missing eyelet is an indication that a pair of skates has seen either considerable use or was poorly treated.

Lining

Check the lining of the skates carefully. Tears and holes in the liner are only going to get bigger. Any type of hole or tear has the potential to be a very annoying issue as well. These will repeatedly rub you and can cause blisters, bleeding and even profuse swearing.

In one pair of skates that I owned, the lining tore because the plastic support inside the skate had poked through it. It literally stabbed me the last couple times I wore them and ended up bleeding both times. The scary thing is that at only three months old the skates looked (and were) almost new. With a $450 retail price tag on a new pair, a skate like this might make the market and sell for a pretty high price. It would be sad to not notice the tear only to have their new-used skates stab them repeatedly and painfully in the foot.

If you end up with a pair of skates that needs to be re-lined, the cost is well over $100. I charge $160 to do this at my shop. Again, it doesn’t make much sense to do on a used pair of skates.

General Breakdown

Look for any serious creases in the skates. These are most common in the ankle area. If there is a crease where someone might have wrapped the laces, it’s a good bet that most of the support in the skates is shot there. (By the way wrapping your laces is one of the worst things you can do to your skates). Creases anywhere in the skate indicate that the skate is going to bend there more easily then it should, essentially the boot is worn out if it has creases. Skip any skates that have any creases in them. The only way to repair these is a rebuild and re-stiffen which will cost over $120.

Large bulges or indentations are signs that the skates have been heavily punched (fitted) for an odd shaped foot. These indications may or may not have a bearing on how well used the skates are. However, they do indicate that the skate might not fit you as well as it should. Certainly, there isn’t going to be much left to break-in to your feet if they’ve been punched to where you can see them. Break in makes your skates bigger in spots, nothing I know of can make them smaller.

Check the tongues for creases as well. Many players fold their tongues down to fit shin guards under them. If the tongue creases, it can create a pressure point and lead to a painful skating condition called lace bite. It’s essentially where the tongue digs in to your foot and causes it to swell painfully. It isn’t something that normal people want or enjoy. You can replace tongues on skates, but again it isn’t cheap. A new pair of tongues is about $70, labor to install them another $20.

Check the stitching all around the skates. The stitching around the top edges of the boot isn’t too hard to fix, but lower areas can range from difficult to impossible. The areas just behind the toecap on either side of the skate are problematic in some models of skates and nearly impossible to fix, so pay particular attention there.

Tendon guards can be another major issue on skates. The stitching around tendon guards is an area to check carefully. Also check the bottom of the tendon guards for any tears. There are a lot of skates where this is a weak spot. The lining and the outside of the skate are prone to tearing at the tendon guard. Most importantly, check to make sure the tendon guard is still stiff. While a small amount of flexibility is inherent, the tendon guard shouldn’t be floppy by any stretch of the imagination. Most importantly make sure the edges of the tendon guards are not torn. Depending on the skate design and extent of damage, repairing a tendon guard will typically range from $20 to $50 a skate. If there is just a little stitching of the boot liner around the tendon guard, the repair might not be too bad. If the tendon guard is broken or there is tearing, it may be prohibitively expensive to fix.

Parting Thoughts 

If you buy a decent used pair of skates there are a few things you should do to get them ready to go. First, spray them with copious amounts of disinfectant. You don’t know where those things were or who perspired in them and you’re going to put your feet in there.

Next, have your skates sharpened before you use them. The odds are that used skates weren’t sharpened recently. Even if they were, who knows where they were last sharpened? Further, if there is any rust on them, a quick sharpen will take care of it. If you found a pair in good shape, I see many used skates that were never sharpened (I wonder why they gave up?)

Take care of your skates by picking up a pair of terrycloth blade guards. When you’re done playing, wipe the snow off the runners and put the terrycloth guards on the skates. These will help to wick the moisture off the runners and keep them rust free. Rubber guards are for walking in, not storing skates in as they promote rust.

Lastly, remember to take out the insoles when you’re done playing. This is the single best way to take care of your skates and to keep them free of centipedes.

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Find us on the web at www.rocketskate.net

© 2012 Scott Noble

All Rights reserved. Reproduction of this article in whole or part is strictly prohibited without the author's prior express written permission.

Hockey Skates Demystified

A previously published version of this article has had over a quarter million page views, enjoy.

Arguably, skates are the most important part of any hockey player’s gear. They are also the most mystifying piece of equipment to buy. Skates have to fit properly and be of the appropriate level or the experience will simply be miserable.

In this article I will review the following, 

1. How to pick a skate that fits properly 
2. Some things you should know about used skates
3. Modern techniques to make skates more comfortable 
4. What sort of feet different brands of skates fit best 
5. How to select the proper level of boot stiffness 
6. When and how to get skates sharpened 

Selecting Skates That Fit Properly
One of the hardest things to understand for players who are new to the game of hockey is the way that their skates should fit. Unlike shoes, skates should offer a snug fit, tight but not painfully so. The worst thing that a skater can do is purchase skates that are too big. If they are too big, they will only get worse as they stretch. Skates that are a little small can be easily fixed. Most hockey shops employ a couple of fitting techniques to enlarge skates. These include: punching – a quick process in which a small and very specific portion of the boot is stretched out; and power-stretching – an overnight process where the boots can be lengthened sometimes up to a size or more and widened by at least a full width.

Skates that are too big are almost impossible to fix. Most people think a second pair of socks will help here. Contrary to what our mothers taught all of us, wearing an extra pair of socks is one of the worst things you can do in a pair of skates. The more room you have for your foot to move about, the more likely you are to develop blisters and even painful, semi-permanent bone spurs on your feet. Serious figure skaters never wear socks. Most wear thin tights no thicker than heavy panty hose would be. Many hockey players and figure skaters forego socks altogether in favor of bare feet. While this ensures a better feel for the ice, it is very hard on your skates. They will eventually smell like rotten, stinky feet and actually wear out faster as they soak up all the perspiration from your feet. I prefer a very thin pair of socks, think dress sock thin.

So the question is how do you determine proper skate size? The first and most important rule in buying skates is to never buy a pair that you cannot try on first. As internet shoppers this probably isn’t what you hoped to hear. Nonetheless, it is possible to buy skates online, but I’d never recommend doing so without finding them in a shop to try them on first. That said, your local shop should be willing to order a pair at no obligation to you if they don’t have what you’re looking for in stock.

Having fitted hundreds of people for skates, I can tell you that it is annoying to have people come in and take up a long period of your time only to tell you they are going to buy the skates on the internet. If you do try skates on at a local shop, you might ask what services they include in the price. I still spend on average at least half an hour with each skate customer. Rocket Skate offers the first 3 free sharpenings, a heat fit and lifetime comfort adjustments (free boot punching). Even when our prices are slightly above the average internet price on skates, by the time you do the math you’re getting a much better at Rocket Skate. We also guaranteed the fit of our skates. Most importantly, if there are issues with your skates we will fix them quickly rather than forcing you to send them back and wait several weeks while it is sorted out.

Often times when you factor in free sharpenings and a heat mold of the boot, the price with shipping on the internet isn’t very different. I charge $12 to sharpen a brand new pair of skates and $15 for a heat fit in my shop, but throw these in for free if you buy the skates for me. Try to factor in the amount of time and service you’re getting before saving a few dollars. If these benefits don’t appeal to you, remember that your local retail shop is NOT a showroom for Hockey Monkey or Hockey Giant.

All of that said, there are sometimes killer deals on the net, and not all players will benefit from all of the services offered by local retail shops. Obviously if you find a pair of $450 skates on clearance for $199, you will be hard pressed to beat that deal anywhere. However, it never hurts to ask your local shop if they can meet the price. If someone find a deal that’s that good, I’m never opposed to them taking it. In fact, if you find a deal that good, I’m going to tell you it’s a good deal and you that you should take it.

So back to trying on skates, it isn’t like trying on shoes. If you put on a pair of skates and they feel as comfortable as slippers, I can almost guarantee that you will have serious issues skating in them. It is important that you can feel the end of the skates with your toes. A perfect fitting on a hockey skate is best described as this:

When sitting with the boots first on and not laced, they might feel uncomfortably short. Don’t panic. First you should kick back into the boot. Kick the heel of the skate on the floor a couple of times to make sure your heel is settled back. Next lace the skates up and make sure they are tight. The forefoot area should be snug, but not crushing. As you get to where the eyelets start to turn towards the vertical portion of the boot, tighten these up a little tighter. This will pull your heel back into the proper position. When laced and still sitting, you might still feel like the skates are too short. Don’t make your judgment yet. With both skates on and laced tight, stand up. You should notice a little less pressure on your toes at this point. Pay close attention though as they should still touch the end of the skate. Now the important part, bend your knees so they are over your toes. You should feel your toes pull off the toecap or still be just lightly brushing against them. This is the perfect length of boot for you.

Keep in mind two things if this type of fit seems a little too short. First the heel pockets of the boots will compress as they break in and actually give you a little more room for length. Second, if by some chance the boots are uncomfortably short after breaking them in, you can still have them stretched for length. Had you erred on the side of buying a pair that was too long, you would have to replace your skates.

If you are unsure of the length even after trying skates on, a good way to double check is by simply taking out the insoles of the skate and standing on them. An adult’s toes should come right to the end of the insole. A child who needs room for growth should never have more than about a finger’s width of toe space. This will get them through about a year without having skates so loose that they cannot skate without their ankles bent. I highly recommend this method of sizing skates for younger children who often do not express how the skates fit in any certain terms.

Now the other factors of width and foot shape are a little more abstract. If you have a full service hockey shop, (by this I mean a place where they fit you instead of handing you a box) competent sales people will be able to recommend skates based on the width of your foot and height of your instep.

The skate fitter should know what questions to ask you to determine the proper fit. If they don’t, this will be up to you as the purchaser to determine this part of the fit. Again, make sure that your skates are snug, but not uncomfortable. Pay attention to the fit of your heel, does it move? Try on another pair. Do the laces feel like they are digging in to the top of your feet? Try another pair. Does the forefoot feel loose? Try another pair. Eventually one will likely feel significantly better than the others did.Used Skates 
I am generally not a fan of putting my feet into something that other people have worn and sweated in profusely. No amount of Lysol can make a pair of hockey skates seem clean enough for my comfort. Nonetheless, there is a pretty large market for used skates. Even if you aren’t worried about some exotic, new foot fungus that you might develop, there are a lot of other reasons to buy a new pair of skates rather than used. If you are thinking about buying used skates there are some factors to consider. 

The biggest reason to buy a new pair of skates is simple. Unless a used pair has only been used for a few hours, it is already broken into to someone else’s feet. Everyone has different shaped feet. In fact, you might be surprised how unique feet can be. The problem with a pair of skates that someone else broke in is that they will never fit you as well as they should. Think about rental skates, they never fit. The simple fact is, dozens of different shaped feet have broken them down. While a pair of used skates will not be quite as bad, they will likely have a number of spots that fit loosely and shouldn’t. 

The steel is another factor. How many sharpenings will you get out of the runners on a used pair of skates before you have to replace the steel? On most brands, new steel will cost you in the ballpark of $50. There are a number of skates out there where it will cost closer to $100. Often times used skates are being sold because they need new steel.

The boot might be broken down. Stiffness is a major factor in hockey skates. Without the appropriate level of stiffness, a boot cannot and will not perform properly. Many used skates on the used market have outlived their usefulness and become soft. If the support is gone, the boot is worthless.

All this said, I have seen some very good deals on used skates. Some shops will exchange a boot that a skater wasn’t satisfied with and then sell the slightly used skates at cost. If you can get a pair that has only a couple of hours on it for half the price of new, it is certainly a good deal. Used kids skates can also be worthwhile. With growing feet, kids are less likely to be affected by the less perfect fit of a broken in skate. Do pay close attention to the other factors, such as the stiffness of the boot and the amount of steel left on the blades though.

How Major Brands Fit 

Bauer has three lines:

The Supreme line skates fit average to slightly wide feet. They are wider in the mid-foot than CCM, but similar in the forefoot. Instep height is low to average. The Vapor line runs a little narrower, fitting narrow and average feet best. Instep height on the Vapors is average.The Nexus (formerly Flexlite) is still the widest boot on the market. The Nexus will fit an average instep height, but even in the D width has been a favorite for skaters with Fred Flilntstone feet.

Graf skates come in a number of different styles which will accommodate numerous foot shapes. The Graf number system designates the stiffness and shape of the skate boot. The first digit on the skate is the boot level. A G or 7 describe an elite level skate. A 6 would be advanced, 5 intermediate, etc. 

The second part of the model number designates the last, or shape, of the foot the boot fits. The 3 is the narrowest skate while the 5 is the same last but 2 millimeters wider. The 35 has the wider forefoot of the 5 and the narrower heel of the 3. The 9 is a high volume skate for players with thick, wide feet. Lastly, the 7 is a special skate originally designed for players wearing an ankle brace. The ankle and foot of the skate are almost independent allowing for the highest level of forward and lateral flex on the market today.

Thus a Graf 709 is an elite level skate for wide, thick feet. A 503 is an intermediate skate for people with narrow to average width feet and a G35 is an elite skate for players with a wide forefoot and narrow heel. Further setting Graf apart is the fact that they are one of the only companies offering most of their skates in 3 different widths, so if you find Bauer Vapors too wide, Grafs in a narrow width might be the best bet.

CCM's current U+ and CL line is something of an intermediate width skate which will cover a fair range of foot shapes. It uses a similar last to the Vector line but fits more narrowly than the discontinued Tacks line did.

Easton skates are best for average width feet. The Easton models have a little bit narrower toes than do some wide models of skates. Their skates aren’t great for players with higher insteps. 

Reebok makes some of their models in three widths becoming only the second major skate maker (after Graf) to do so. Reebok skates fit more like the traditional CCM line. (As confusing as this might seem as Reebok owns CCM and seemed to claim the next generation of would-be -Tack as their flagship skates when they bought the company). 

Modern Skate Fitting 
Up until recently there was a common feeling that hockey skates simply weren’t comfortable until you had quite a few hours of break-in time on them. This was more or less the truth of it. However, in recent years there have been a number of developments that have decreased the break in time of skates. 

Heat-fitting is a process in which the skates are actually baked in a special oven (don’t try to bake your skates at home, they will melt). By heating approved skate models up to approximately 200 degrees, then lacing them very tightly on the skater’s feet, it actually helps to round out the stiff sides and upper of the boot. The boots conform to the shape of the player’s feet. Heat-fitting shortens the break-in period often times by about half. Heat-fitting will notchange the size of a boot significantly. A heat fit will cost $20 - $30 and takes about half an hour. Obviously the skater will need to be there for the process.

Punching is a term used to describe the process for expanding a localized portion of the boot. This method can help with the fit by eliminating hot spots in a boot. If you have a bone spur or a toe that is a bit too tight, punching your boots can eliminate these problems. Punching is done on a manually operated machine. It basically entails a small ball or finger shaped piece inserted into the boot with a cup on the outside of it. By pulling a lever, the skate tech applies pressure and loosens up the localized area. Due to the nature of the equipment used, not all areas of the boot are addressable with punching. Most notably, areas that are right on the edge of the boot (i.e. the eye stays and the cuff), and the top and ends of the toecap are difficult or impossible to fix. Also, the heel of the boot is a very critical part of the skate and great care has to be taken to not over do punching in this area. Punch jobs usually range from $5 to $10 a session and are done while the player waits. It is very important for the player to be available during punching sessions as they will have to try the skates on and it might take several tries to get the punch just right.

Power-stretching entails heating up the boots as for a heat-fit and putting them on a device similar to a professional shoe stretcher. This process can deliver remarkable results, and is often the best-case scenario for people with different sized feet. Power-stretching can easily increase a quality boot by a full size in length, sometimes more. While power-stretching of a boot can also add a full width or more to a skate, it only adds width to the middle and front portion of the boot. The nature of the equipment does not widen the heel. This process usually cost $20 to $35 and takes about 12 hours.

CCM’s FIT system is very similar to the conventional heat-fit, but uses a somewhat odd-looking device to apply pressure to the outside of the boot during the boot’s cooling period. The player, with skates on, puts their feet into the top of the FIT system (a large fiberglass box). When turned on the FIT system inflates air bladders that press against the boots to help shape them to the player’s feet.

Custom insoles are another option that help solve some problems. These can range from $30 to $100 or more and come in a number of forms. The less expensive option would be a heat-molded insole that some shops offer. The more expensive would be the orthotic inserts that a podiatrist might recommend. These work fairly well to put player’s feet in a proper neutral position, lowering fatigue and actually increasing stride length. Insoles will often help with players who have a hard time keeping their skates perpendicular to the ice if their boots fit properly.

There are several models of skates that offer a “soft boot” now. A soft boot, contrary to the name, is a very hard outer boot shell with a soft lining. The advantage to this type of skate is that break in is very short. Rather than the player having to break down thick leather, the softer lining molds to their feet. Nike was the first to create this style of skate and still makes all their models soft boots. CCM Vector and Externo skates have been very popular and are also soft boots. Most recently, Easton introduced the SBX which is a soft boot. All of these are quality skates that are comfortable right out of the box.

Selecting the Level of Boot Stiffness 
There are two tendencies in buying skates that are simply incorrect. One is that the more money spent, the better the skate. While this is true in the purest sense, it might not be the best skate for a given player. The other tendency is much the opposite, in thinking that all skates are more or less the same, so the cheapest one is best. 

Skate price is generally proportionate to the level of stiffness in the boot. Novice skates will generally cost in the ballpark of $150 for a name brand senior size skate. Elite level skates will run $500 or more. Most skate makers use a numbering system to designate their skates by stiffness. The higher the number, the stiffer the skate is. Note that CCM Powerline and Bauer Impact skates are hockey style recreational skates. These are more appropriate to learning to skate than actually using to play hockey in.

The three most important factors in determining the proper level of boot to purchase are player weight, ability level and average hours of weekly ice time. Of these three, weight is probably the most important factor. A child who wears size 6 (senior) skates but is just pushing 100 pounds would never be able to flex a pair of top end skates no matter how often they are using them or what ability level they play at. Conversely, a 275-pound man will destroy a pair of low-end skates in under a year skating only once or twice a week.

Buying too much skate will result in a miserable experience in which the skate will take a very long time to break in, or possibly never break in. A reasonable break in time for skates is 2 to 5 hours of ice time. This can be cut in half by heat-fitting and is highly recommended for top tier skates such as Bauer 8090s and CCM Pro Tacks.

Buying skates that not stiff enough will cause premature breakdown. The boots will actually flex in areas that they should not. In a matter of months or even weeks a boot can degrade to the point where the skater is getting little or no support. Explosive skating is all but impossible in a boot that has broken down. Pinching and soreness sometimes occurs as well.

Sharpening of Skates
Skates are not sharpened by the manufacturer. This is one downside to internet skate sales. I have literally seen dozens of skates a year that players used, but never sharpened. How anyone even steps on the ice without realizing this is hard for me to understand, yet I had one mother tell me her son skated for several months on a pair that was never sharpened. She came back a week later to tell me how much better he was with an actual edge on his skates. Make sure to get your skates sharpened if you buy them online!

Sharpening is something of a personal feel. While some grinds are more common, there are half a dozen different hollows regularly used by various hockey players. The most commonly requested grinds are 3/8” and 7/16”.

The way a skate is sharpened is a little bit confusing at first. Essentially there are two edges on the steel (figure skaters will claim there are four, but that would be like arguing there are two edges on a knife, the right and left . . . semantics). The sharpener actually hollows out the very center of the skate blade leaving high spots on the two outside edges of the blade. The hollow is the size diameter that the section removed from the blade would be if it were a complete circle. Thus, the smaller this number is, the deeper the hollow in the blade and the more pronounced the edges on the skate are.

Goalies are the most varied in sharpening of their skates. A good starting spot for goalie skates is ¾”. However I have sharpened goal skates from 1” all the way to 7/16”. (3/8” is a practical impossibility on goal skates for technical reasons). If ¾” grind doesn’t suit you after trying it I would make adjustments, 1/8” at a time until you find one you like. (i.e. 5/8” if you want more edge control, 7/8” if they feel too sharp).

Player skates are much more consistent with the vast majority of players in my area using a 7/16” grind. Again this is a good starting spot for a new player. It is very rare that new skaters will have problems with this grind as their only point of reference might be the very dull rental skates they used previously. However, if it feels odd, I would suggest the same process as I did for goalies, except in 1/16” increments. (3/8” if you want them sharper, and ½” if you want a little less bite).

Another thing to consider is that a deeper hollow starts sharper, but it is also the quickest to need re-sharpening. Since there is a thinner piece of material remaining on either edge, deeper hollows are more prone to burrs and wear. The deeper hollows also use more steel during sharpening and will shorten blade life somewhat. If the shop sharpening your skates uses the European method and cross-grinds before sharpening, a 3/8” hollow will yield approximately 60 to 80 sharpenings before you need new steel. If they do not cross grind, expect up to twice that amount.

Sharpening frequency is another personal preference. Much of how often you sharpen your skates will be determined by such factors as things you might step on, accidentally kicking the goal posts and even the quality of ice you are skating on. As a general rule of thumb, you will want to think about sharpening your skates after five hours on the ice. Rarely will you go more than 10 hours before noticing that the edges aren’t what they once were.

Summary 
Hopefully, this has been helpful in addressing some of the questions about purchasing your next pair of skates. As a former manager for one of the busiest hockey retailers in the United States and someone who loves to play the sport, I want everyone who plays to have the best experience that they possibly can. Skates that don’t work right are probably the most frustrating thing that can happen. Don’t let the wrong pair ruin your experience. 

If you have personalized questions about skates, please drop me an email. Questions in the comment section may not be answered for several months as sometimes I don't get alerts when they are posted and sometimes I do. 

Stay in the loop with other cool people who know what's happening by liking us on facebook -www.facebook.com/rocketskate




Find us on the web at www.rocketskate.net

© 2012 Scott Noble

All Rights reserved. Reproduction of this article in whole or part is strictly prohibited without the author's prior express written permission.

Ten things you didn't know you should have in your hockey bag

Before you head off to another state or even out of town for that big game or tournament, you probably do certain things. Making sure your skates are sharp, that you have at least one backup stick and double checking that you've packed all of your gear before hitting the road is obvious. But the odds are you're forgetting to pack a little insurance. There are ten things you might not have thought about. Having everything on this list won't assure a victory for your team, but it could eliminate a lot of frustration and disappointment for you.

1. A spare set of skate blades
This one might be the least obvious and possibly the most important. There are a few reasons why sixty bucks to keep a spare set of runners in your bag is a great investment:

Rocket Skate stocks Step Steel, the #1 choice of NHL teams. We carry runners for Bauer, CCM and Graf. Titanium blades (pictured), goalie and Easton runners are also available by special order (approximately 5 day turn time).

First, it's no fun to be on the road, amped up for a big tournament just to break a runner in the first period of the tourney. It's even less fun if the two shops within an hour of the rink don't have proper size in stock. Years ago, I was working at another rink side shop when a kid broke his runner on the first day of a weekend tourney. We didn't stock replacements for his brand of skates there. Having flown in from California to skate they weren't too happy about being forced to decide whether to miss his games or break in a new pair of skates during a four game weekend.

Second, when you step on something and lose your edge, you don't want to end up at the mercy of the fifteen-year-old who sharpens skates two days a month. Blown edges in hockey are pretty common, often as the result of bumping another player's skate blade on the ice. However, a bad sharpening can be worse than a blown edge and there's no guarantee you're getting a good sharpening at enemy ice. Buy an extra pair of runners, keep both pair sharpened up by someone you trust. You can change the blades on most skates in about 10 minutes and you're good to go.

Third, Most skates outlast at least one set of blades. By having a spare, you can rotate between the two pair of blades. This way you don't have to worry about suddenly being taller on the ice when you do have to replace your blades. It's amazing how difficult adapting to 3/8-inch of height can be for many skaters.

2. Skate Hardware

Bauer, CCM and Graf Screws always in stock

A broken runner is a sad reason to miss a game. Something as small as a missing or broken screw is even sadder. Keeping a couple of the appropriate screws in a repair kit in your bag is an excellent idea. I'd recommend a little box with the tools you need to replace your runners as well as the hardware. At a few bucks, this investment is a no-brainer.


3. Helmet Repair Kit

We're fans of Sport Mate's
Helmet repair kit - $9.99

Loose screws don't only affect your skates, there's also your helmet to consider. My first helmet was literally one screw from completely falling into two pieces by the time I realized that there was an issue with it. At Rocket Skate, replacing helmet screws is second only to skate sharpening in the services that I provide. It's just one of the facts of hockey--helmet screws fall out.

Some helmet repair kits are better than others, but they typically have one or two of each part and some tools. A repair kit is something that everyone should have in their bag.



4. A helmet with current HECC CSA Stickers
These Stickers are imperative. If you're playing in Canada they won't let you on the ice unless your helmet has a current CSA sticker on it. Any USA Hockey sanctioned event will also require every player under the age of 21 to an HECC certification sticker. Many leagues outside of USA hockey also require one of these stickers for play in the US.The most important, and overlooked portion of this equation is that the stickers have dates on them. HECC stickers are most important for events played in the U.S. and have an expiration date on them. CSA stickers are most relevant for Canadian events and will have a date of manufacture on them.

You'll need to get a new helmet if your stickers are expired or missing. 

Now call me crazy, but having a helmet that isn't certified seems like a dumb idea anyway. That's your brain in there. Check your helmet's expiration date and get a new bucket if you need to do so.

Howie's Laces are as good as they
come. That's why we sell them.

5. Spare Laces
Laces break, and usually seem to do so at the most inopportune times. the odds are good that the local shop has your size. Of course that doesn't mean that the local shop is conveniently located in the rink, or that you have your wallet handy when you snap one right before the game, or that you have time to stand in line re-lace your skates and get on the ice before warm-ups are over. Last time I broke one it was literally as I was thinking, "These are great laces. I cannot believe how long they've lasted." Had anyone else broken a lace just then they might have been out of luck. As it was, I happen to have the key to Rocket Skate, which is conveniently located rink side.

We've got a multitude of colors in Howie's
tape available. Only the best!

6. Tape
Tape is essential, this you know. You probably also know the guys on your team are tired of you borrowing their tape. Even if you don't care about being that guy, there are a lot of tape brands out there and the quality of the stuff varies frighteningly. Without dropping names of the offenders, the top couple brands commonly stocked at shops, are there because they can be sold at a higher profit margin, not because they are good quality. Grab a few extra rolls before you hit the road so you know what you're getting into instead of once again being at the mercy of the selection where you're playing.

All-in-one jock shorts starting
at $21.99 jr, $23.99 sr. Or go old
school with a cup and
supporter - $11.99

7. Undies
Remember the advice your mother gave you and always wear clean undies in case you're in an accident? . . . OK, this has nothing to do with that sage advice. Owning a rink-side shop, the most common emergency purchase is made after uttering the words, "I forgot my cup," or "I forgot my supporter." 
Two things here: 
1. This isn't something that you want to borrow (or loan). 
2. This isn't something that you want to play without . . . just saying.

Make sure your neck guard is
BNQ approved

8. Neck Guard
If you're playing in Canada you will absolutely need one of these. While USA hockey doesn't yet mandate the use of neck guards, many US events may still require the use of a cut resistant neck guard. Further, USA hockey does highly recommend the use of a neck guard. It only makes sense too. While a skate blade cut to the neck is a rare occurrence, it has the potential to be life threatening. A $20 investment will not only assure that you won't be scrambling to make sure you can participate, it could literally save your life. 

9. Tape Tiger

Seriously, this is easily the most clever hockey
invention since ice. At $9.99, there
really isn't a good reason to not own one.

The Tape Tiger is just about the coolest hockey invention in the rather large, but otherwise mundane, "doodad" category. This handy little device offers several helpful tools that you should have at your disposal. Its main purpose is to cut the tape off your stick, this it does amazingly well. It will cut through blade tape like butter and with a small effort even the thickest knob comes off in seconds. The best part is that it actually curls the tape back making removal of the old tape incredibly simple.

As if this feature wasn't cool enough by itself, the tape tiger has a built in edge stone. I don't recommend any of the hand-held "sharpeners" on the market as all of them work much better at un-sharpening skates. However a side hone can be very handy to take out burrs if you kick a skate blade or step on something. There is also a screw driver built in. Rounding out the utility of the Tape Tiger is a lace hook (which you probably won't need unless you break a finger) and a bottle opener, which might come in handy for post game . . . er, soda pops.

10. Spare mouthguard
Another required item, if you're under 18, the odds are good that you're not going to sneak on the ice without a mouthguard. This is another item that has people running into my shop at the last second in a panic. This seems to be due to the tendency of mouthguards to escape from hockey bags when no one is looking. A spare mouthguard in the bag makes pretty good sense. Again, it's not something you're going to want to borrow and even more importantly, it is something that you're going to want to fit first. You might be able to find a new mouthguard 5 minutes before your game, but are you going to be able to find boiling water to mold it?

Mouthguards from XO, which feature the highest level both custom fit and style on the market. These feature 8 color chips which can be inserted to match your team color - $11.99. We also stock selected Shock Doctor styles - $18 and up

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© 2013 Scott Noble

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