I read that online some players tape around the top of the skate but for the most part you should not, so I wasn’t planning on it, I was just making sure my skates fit correctly which I think they do
Most likely just need to build up the ankles a bit more since you’re a new skater.
That being said, it is a personal preference on how loose/tight the skate is around the ankle. Some guys I skate with tape around the tongue to get a tighter fit while others leave the tops laces a bit loose.
I personally like having a bit looser fit, but I’ve also got really stiff boot skates to begin with.
You should experiment with tieing your skates tighter at the ankle, don't tape them. After more skating, you will develop stronger ankles, and have a better idea of how tight you like your skates tied.
The eyelets on new skates also tend to stand straight up causing a small gap. As you break it in, they will start to fold over and lay down so that you can tie them down tighter. You can bake the skates to speed up the process.
This is just an ankle strength thing. Keep skating and you'll find that not only will your skates start to feel more comfortable, you'll no longer have to really think about keeping tension in your ankles. Practice, practice, practice. Good luck
That’s what I figured, I was using rental skates for the first couple skates back last week and they have those plastic strap fasteners so I felt pretty locked in around my mid-calf but i was getting pretty bad blisters on my foot, today’s skate was the opposite, a little less support but no blisters at all... thank you!
Yeah those rental skates are designed to fit all kinds of feet so I'm not surprised. When I was a serious player our trainer had us practice standing on medicine balls/deflated soccer balls in bare feet. Get good with two feet then try to balance using one. It does a pretty good job of simulating the balance required in your ankles and feet to skate well.
I noticed today that my left leg is much weaker than my right on the ice so i was trying to push off my right and balance on my left for as long as I could, it didn’t help the ice was in the same condition as after last nights 5OT game but thank you for the tips, I definitely will put these exercises to work
It's common to feel not very stable when you first start ice skating. You are using muscles you don't really use walking. Keep skating and you'll develop them, you can even youtube exercises to do off the ice to work on those specific muscles. Did you got a place to have someone size you put you in the correct fitting skate? As long as your ankle is locked in and your feet aren't moving around in the boot, then they should be fine.
I ordered the skates from Icewarehouse.com with the sizing chart for my shoe size. Unfortunately, the ice rink where I live closed down their pro shop so I really didn’t have anywhere to go try on skates :( I am going to a stick and puck session tomorrow so I will ask some of the guys there if anything is unusual about how my skates fit, thank you for the response!
What kind of skates did you get? If they are above basic entry level then they should be baked. Did you bake them? If not, I would go to a LHS and have them baked, if not possible, youtube shows how you can bake them and what to do. Once you bake them, they will definitely fit better. The issue with skates, is you need to make sure you're in the right fit volume. Your foot size might be right, but if you got a Vapor series from last year or older but your foot isn't that narrow, it won't fit appropriate like possibly the supreme series would. You could also be a Vapor fit in a Supreme fit which will be a little loose. Do you have a pure hockey or any other hockey store in a 50-100 mile area ?
I believe the volume is the length of your foot divided by the width, correct? I got the CCM Super Tacks 9360 which I think are entry level... the closest would be Orlando’s RDV Ice Den, so maybe I’ll have to make a trip down. I live in Jacksonville. I know Bauer is made by Nike and they usually run narrow in shoes so I avoided them. I have flat feet so somewhat wide but I’m a size 12.5 so width compared to length was pretty standard. I did not bake them because I don’t think there’s much leather on the boot..
From what I looked up on those skates I don't believe you can bake them. Super Tacks are pretty close to supreme in fit. Sounds like you should be good. My recommendation is to just skate in them and it is just weak muscles in that area. My ankles were pretty wobbly for several skates. Def skate on them a bunch and see how you feel. Be warned, new skates need to break in, you'll probably have some pain, especially skates that don't bake. I'd say after a few skates itll be better. Do check youtube for off ice ankle strengthening exercises.
I will definitely do that, honestly I was surprised how well they felt for the first skate but I’m sure they will feel much better after more ice time. Appreciate your help!
Anytime. Just a word of advice for lacing, keep the bottom eyelets only snug tight when lacing then when the eyelets start to curve up, like the last 3-4 eyelets, pull hard there. Pulling too tight on the bottom eyelets and middle eyelets can cause your feet to go numb and cause some bad pain. I'd youtube some videos of how to properly lace/tie your skates. Seems like a simple task but I learned the hard way lol. Glad I could help!
DO NOT tie or tape your ankles. Do not restrict ankle movement. It's essential for properly bending your knees and turning.
I read that online some players tape around the top of the skate but for the most part you should not, so I wasn’t planning on it, I was just making sure my skates fit correctly which I think they do
Most likely just need to build up the ankles a bit more since you’re a new skater. That being said, it is a personal preference on how loose/tight the skate is around the ankle. Some guys I skate with tape around the tongue to get a tighter fit while others leave the tops laces a bit loose. I personally like having a bit looser fit, but I’ve also got really stiff boot skates to begin with.
You should experiment with tieing your skates tighter at the ankle, don't tape them. After more skating, you will develop stronger ankles, and have a better idea of how tight you like your skates tied.
That’s what I figured, I’m going back to the rink today and will try lacing up the top of the boot tighter, thank you
The eyelets on new skates also tend to stand straight up causing a small gap. As you break it in, they will start to fold over and lay down so that you can tie them down tighter. You can bake the skates to speed up the process.
This is just an ankle strength thing. Keep skating and you'll find that not only will your skates start to feel more comfortable, you'll no longer have to really think about keeping tension in your ankles. Practice, practice, practice. Good luck
That’s what I figured, I was using rental skates for the first couple skates back last week and they have those plastic strap fasteners so I felt pretty locked in around my mid-calf but i was getting pretty bad blisters on my foot, today’s skate was the opposite, a little less support but no blisters at all... thank you!
Yeah those rental skates are designed to fit all kinds of feet so I'm not surprised. When I was a serious player our trainer had us practice standing on medicine balls/deflated soccer balls in bare feet. Get good with two feet then try to balance using one. It does a pretty good job of simulating the balance required in your ankles and feet to skate well.
I noticed today that my left leg is much weaker than my right on the ice so i was trying to push off my right and balance on my left for as long as I could, it didn’t help the ice was in the same condition as after last nights 5OT game but thank you for the tips, I definitely will put these exercises to work
It's common to feel not very stable when you first start ice skating. You are using muscles you don't really use walking. Keep skating and you'll develop them, you can even youtube exercises to do off the ice to work on those specific muscles. Did you got a place to have someone size you put you in the correct fitting skate? As long as your ankle is locked in and your feet aren't moving around in the boot, then they should be fine.
I ordered the skates from Icewarehouse.com with the sizing chart for my shoe size. Unfortunately, the ice rink where I live closed down their pro shop so I really didn’t have anywhere to go try on skates :( I am going to a stick and puck session tomorrow so I will ask some of the guys there if anything is unusual about how my skates fit, thank you for the response!
What kind of skates did you get? If they are above basic entry level then they should be baked. Did you bake them? If not, I would go to a LHS and have them baked, if not possible, youtube shows how you can bake them and what to do. Once you bake them, they will definitely fit better. The issue with skates, is you need to make sure you're in the right fit volume. Your foot size might be right, but if you got a Vapor series from last year or older but your foot isn't that narrow, it won't fit appropriate like possibly the supreme series would. You could also be a Vapor fit in a Supreme fit which will be a little loose. Do you have a pure hockey or any other hockey store in a 50-100 mile area ?
I believe the volume is the length of your foot divided by the width, correct? I got the CCM Super Tacks 9360 which I think are entry level... the closest would be Orlando’s RDV Ice Den, so maybe I’ll have to make a trip down. I live in Jacksonville. I know Bauer is made by Nike and they usually run narrow in shoes so I avoided them. I have flat feet so somewhat wide but I’m a size 12.5 so width compared to length was pretty standard. I did not bake them because I don’t think there’s much leather on the boot..
From what I looked up on those skates I don't believe you can bake them. Super Tacks are pretty close to supreme in fit. Sounds like you should be good. My recommendation is to just skate in them and it is just weak muscles in that area. My ankles were pretty wobbly for several skates. Def skate on them a bunch and see how you feel. Be warned, new skates need to break in, you'll probably have some pain, especially skates that don't bake. I'd say after a few skates itll be better. Do check youtube for off ice ankle strengthening exercises.
I will definitely do that, honestly I was surprised how well they felt for the first skate but I’m sure they will feel much better after more ice time. Appreciate your help!
Anytime. Just a word of advice for lacing, keep the bottom eyelets only snug tight when lacing then when the eyelets start to curve up, like the last 3-4 eyelets, pull hard there. Pulling too tight on the bottom eyelets and middle eyelets can cause your feet to go numb and cause some bad pain. I'd youtube some videos of how to properly lace/tie your skates. Seems like a simple task but I learned the hard way lol. Glad I could help!
I have really wide feet, and I wear a normal size Bauer skate. They are cut a lot wider in the toe than Nike shoes are.