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Ice Skates for Novices and Intermediate Skaters: Purchasing Guidance
The ice skates you select greatly affect your time on the ice. Whether you're purchasing your initial pair as a novice or choosing the perfect skates to hone your intermediate skills, considerations such as the type of ice skating, fit, and ankle support are crucial.
This guide aims to assist you in making a well-informed choice. Before we delve into further details, here are a few essential aspects to ponder:
- Varieties of ice skates: Is your preference recreational skates, figure skates, or hockey skates?
- Fit: Tight enough for control yet comfortable for extended use.
- Comfort vs. performance: Is your focus on comfort or reaching peak performance?
- Blades: Would you opt for flat blades with toe picks for stability or curved ones for speed and dexterity?
- Initial blade sharpening: New skates necessitate thorough sharpening initially.
Varieties of Ice Skates
This section provides a synopsis of the available ice skate varieties. Identifying which skates match your interests and proficiency level assists in narrowing your choices and makes selection easier.
Every skate type offers distinctive balance and feels quite different on the ice. To determine what best meets your needs, you may read about the different skate types below or, ideally, try various rental pairs. Experiencing them personally can reveal the style that feels most natural and comfortable for you.
Recreational Ice Skates
For beginners and those who skate occasionally, recreational ice skates are an excellent choice. They strike a good balance between comfort, support, and performance, and are often perceived as lying in the middle ground between figure and hockey skates.
If you decide to concentrate on either discipline, you will eventually require a pair specialised for it.
- Cosy, insulated liners to maintain warmth and dryness.
- Simplified lacing and buckle mechanism.
- Ideal for casual skating and basic manoeuvres.
- Ankle support and stability.
- Slightly curved blades for easy turns (some recreational skates do, however, have flat, stable figure skate blades with toe picks).
Recreational ice skates, with their soft, comfortable boots and ankle support, share a lot with fitness inline skates. If you are familiar with fitness inline skates, you will likely enjoy a reliable pair of recreational skates.
Figure Skates
Figure skates are an excellent option for adults interested in artistic skating or those who seek stability on the ice. Their flat, stable blades with iconic toe picks make them sometimes suggested as a starting point for absolute beginners aiming to learn skating fundamentals, especially if pursuing figure skating ultimately.
- Flat blades with toe picks provide added control and stability.
- Softer boots enable flexible ankle movement but offer less ankle support.
- Ideal for acquiring skills like jumps, spins, and other figure skating techniques.
Owing to the minimal ankle support in figure skate boots, many beginners feel more secure using recreational skates. Although some novices find toe picks daunting as they may obstruct their movement, others value the extra traction for initial steps on the ice.
Hockey Skates
Hockey skates are tailored for speed and agility, making them suitable for adults interested in playing ice hockey or those seeking a dynamic skating experience focused on speed and agility.
- Curved blades aid quick movements and acceleration.
- Sturdy boots offer protection and ankle support.
- Best suited for rapid skating and hockey-specific techniques.
Hockey skates can be excellent for beginners. Entry-level models tend to be more budget-friendly and are specifically designed with novices in mind, often featuring comfortable interiors and more flexible boot shells, easing the learning process.
Securing the Right Size for Ice Skates
Securing the correct size is fundamental for both comfort and performance. Here are some tips to guide your online shopping:
- Measure your feet: Stand with your foot against a wall and measure from the wall to your big toe's tip.
- Consult size charts: Use the size chart that comes with each product to align your foot length with the suitable skate size.
- Consider width: Some brands provide varied width options for a more accurate fit.
For some skates oriented towards performance, beginners may find it beneficial to choose one size larger than what charts recommend. This maximizes comfort, a priority while learning basic ice skating. Consult the product description and size guide for detailed sizing information.
Breaking in New Ice Skates
The period needed for breaking in new ice skates varies significantly, but the following tips can reduce the risk of blisters during this phase:
- Short sessions: Begin with brief skating sessions, allowing breaks to adjust your skates and rest your feet.
- Lacing: Ensure your skates are laced properly, perhaps looser than usual.
- Basic movements: Focus on foundational movements rather than tackling complex routines or rigorous hockey matches.
- Home usage: On days without ice sessions, work them in by wearing around the house. Hard skate guards allow for safe walking, helping your feet acclimatise to the skates.
These suggestions support a gradual break-in process. In essence, exercise patience—new skates need to conform to your feet, and both require time to adapt to each other for optimal comfort.
Heat-Mouldable Ice Skate Boots
New ice skates often come with a standard anatomical shape, which may not precisely fit your feet. If you're serious about progress in either figure skating or ice hockey, consider heat-moulding boots for a customised fit, enhancing comfort and performance.
It's best to have the moulding done by a professional, as attempting to bake your skates at home can damage them—the heat could jeopardize glue joints and stitches, impacting their longevity and performance.
Heat-mouldable skates are generally priced at the higher end, and they should only be moulded if explicitly specified as heat-mouldable.
Insights into Ice Skate Blades
The blades are integral to the glide properties of your ice skates. Constructed from different metals, frequently with some carbon content, blades vary in design and quality. Although new skates might seem pre-sharpened, they're often quite blunt initially.
A proper initial sharpening is essential as it establishes the blade’s hollow—a groove that enables the blade to grip the ice, crucial for control irrespective of skating skill level.
Professional sharpening is recommended for new skates. SkatePro offers expert sharpening services to ensure your blades are primed for superior performance from the outset. Properly sharpened skates greatly enhance user ease.
Maintaining your blades between sessions can be facilitated by handheld skate sharpeners. While they lack the precision of professional sharpening, they are convenient for maintaining edge sharpness and performance.
Different Ice Skate Blades
Blades of ice skates typically fall into two categories: figure skate blades and hockey skate blades, tailored to each sport's unique requirements.
Hockey skate blades: Featuring a curve, these blades have less ice contact, enhancing agility, manoeuvrability, and speed—all crucial for hockey’s sharp turns and rapid acceleration.
Figure skate blades: Flatter blades afford greater stability for figure skating’s elegant movements. The toe pick, distinctive to figure skates, aids powerful jumps, rotational momentum, intricate footwork, and controlled, sudden stops.
Remain Safe!
Don’t let concerns of falls or avoidable injuries hinder your enjoyment. Protective gear can bolster confidence and expedite progress. If aesthetics are a consideration, opt for gear that can be worn discretely beneath clothing.
Have protective gear from inline skating? great news—it's equally effective on the ice. If not, we've got a vast selection of gear, including helmets, knee pads, wrist guards, and impact shorts to safeguard your tailbone and hips. Stay secure and relish the experience!
