You can invest in your own equipment any time. Generally, skaters with their own skates learn quicker because they become more familiar with the feel of the skate boot as well as the edge on their skates. When you purchase your own skates, Skatetown’s ProShop provides an initial skate sharpening free of charge.
Our ProShop does not sell used skates. One thing to consider before purchasing used skates is that skates conform to the foot of the owner, so be sure they are fitted properly before spending too much money on something that might not be right for your skater. However, if you do find a used pair of skates that seem to fit well, the ProShop can heat bake the skate to better fit your foot.
You are mostly paying for the amount of protection and materials going into your skates. Some skates are built a lot stronger than others. Make sure your skates meet all of your needs.
Buying skates that are too big for your child can actually be dangerous and cause foot issues down the road. If a skate fits too big, the skater’s foot will move around in the skate which can cause blisters, corns, bunions, and even bone spurs. Also, if the skater is practicing jumps and the skate is too big, the skater’s foot will “slam” forward every time they start a jump which can lead to foot issues down the road. Boots that are too big for the skater’s foot will break down much quicker and cause the skater to lose performance. The boot will start to “crease” at the ankle and if worn long enough and cause the boot to lose support. Also, skaters in boots too big will tend to “buckle” inward on the inside edge of the skate too much. This will cause the skater's ankles to bend, reducing performance.
A properly-fitted boot is the most important part of your time on the ice. A secure fit can prevent painful blisters and improve performance. In addition, your boot and blade combination should be level-specific and should perfectly fit your abilities and needs.
(1) Pre-assembled sets are a good start to learning skating skills and techniques
(2) Moderately stiff boots give your feet and ankles good support, while being flexible enough to break in quickly and feel comfortable to new skaters
(3) It takes time to break in skates and feel comfortable in them
(4) Be sure to look at the boot's tongue for stiffness and padding to protect your legs and feet from injury
We encourage you to make an appointment with one of our trained teammates to help you select the right boots for you
You should make sure your toes do not touch the end of the skate. You should still be able to wiggle them. Also make sure your heel does not raise up in the boot and make sure the sides of your feet are comfortable and not being pinched.
These are two different sports and the skates are made specifically for each sport. Hockey skates are much thicker and padded for protection, with the blade being held in place by a holder. Figure skates are actually shaped more like a low-cut dress boot and the blade isn't held in with a holder; it's attached directly to the boot and screwed in, not riveted, so the skater can easily change blades. Figure skaters usually buy the boot and blade separately and have the blade attached. The blades are also different, as a figure skate blade has a specially designed serrated toe to let them dig into the ice while performing routines.
This all depends on your age, how often you use the skates, how you treat them and how your opponents treat you. If your skates are taking a lot of abuse from sticks and pucks they may not last as long in the blade area, but the blades and holders can be replaced. They will also need to be replaced if you sharpen them a lot as the blades will eventually wear down. Sometimes the eyelets where your laces go through will come off or may even tear away. You can also have these fixed. Also, if you are young and still growing your skates will not last as long, as they soon won't fit you. For a full-grown person who plays an average of two times a week, skates should last several years if they are properly taken care of.
Many of the new brands are equipped with a heat activating system. Skatetown has a small oven to heat up the skates and when you lace them up they will mold to your personal foot shape.
The heat molding will break the skates in to an extent, but basically the more you skate in them, the more heat your feet will produce and this will eventually break them in by softening and stretching them.
This became popular when Bobby Orr revealed he skated in bare feet. It's just personal preference, though we don’t recommend it if you get blisters.
Skates are not always completely black as they are now being made in a few other colors. Some skates are a combination of black and other colors. When skates were mainly made of leather, they were actually a dark brown rather than black.
When your skates no longer protect you or give your feet and ankles the support they need they should be replaced. Also replace them if they start to become uncomfortable and hurt your feet.
Goalie skates have a lower boot and wider blades. They are stronger and have more padding to stop the puck. They also come with an outer boot protector.
You need to make sure your skates fit comfortably no matter which way your ankles point. You may want to get a pair that can be heat treated, meaning you can heat them and when you put your feet into them they will mold to the shape of your feet. Also, Skatetown’s ProShop has a boot-stretching machine that can “punch” areas of the skate out if they are putting too much pressure on your feet.
Blade mounting is extremely important as it’s a key factor in achieving optimal balance and avoiding injury. In order to achieve proper balance, it is very important that the blade lay as level as possible across the sole and heel of the boot. If not, takeoffs, landings, spins, and skating in general will be more difficult. Also, an improper blade mounting can lead to chronic leg and back problems.
This comes down to personal preference. Some players sharpen them every game while others may only sharpen them a few times per season. We recommend around every 15 - 20 hours of skating time.
(1) More powerful strides and better glide
(2) Higher speed, less fatigue, improved two-way play
(3) Better edge control, agility and balance improves shooting and crossovers
(4) Overall improved confidence and enjoyment in your skating
The hollow of the skate blade is a concave grinding of the blades bottom surface. The function of this hollow is to increase grip on the ice surface. A deep hollow means a deeper concave cut into the blade which increases grip, but at a cost of increased friction thus decreasing a skater's acceleration. A shallow hollow is a shallower cut which gives less grip on this ice surface, but also less friction. Less friction allows for better glide and grip is necessary for explosive starts. At Skatetown, we recommend hockey players skate at a 1/2" hollow and figure skaters skate at a 7/16". Beginner skaters are recommended to try a 3/4" hollow for better balance.
There are several things to look for to make sure your skates have been sharpened correctly. The first is to make sure the blade edges are square. Take a coin and set it on top of the blade surface. Look to make sure the coin is level; if it is tilted to one side the blade is off square and needs to be sharpened. The second thing to check for is that your blade is sharp. The most common way to do this is to scrape your fingernail on both edges of the skate blade from the heel to toe. If light pieces of the nail are removed on the blade edge, the skate is sharp. Lastly, you should check for nicks in the blade. Hold the blade up to a light and see if you can find any shiny pieces along the blade edge. You can also feel any small gouges in the skate blade, which would indicate that the skates should be sharpened.
Skate ‘rockering’ is the process of reshaping the curvature of the blade. Most hockey skates come from the factory with anywhere from a 9’ to 11’ radius on them. This means that if you take the radius of a 9’ circle, that circle will be the shape of your hockey blade. The radius from the factory will fit most skaters, however it is catered toward the mass market and not specific to the individual skater. What we can do is customize the blade to the skater by creating a “flat spot” on the skater’s blade that is based on their height, weight, and skating style. This flat spot enables the skater to get more blade on the ice which elevates power and stability of the skater on the ice. The process of grinding a measured flat spot on the blade is considered a gold standard in the skating industry and is used by both the National Hockey League as well as many European Leagues.
Improper boot maintenance is the main cause of boots breaking down prematurely. Water and sweat get trapped in the boot and without air circulation, causes the boot to lose rigidity and eventually breakdown. Skaters should take skates out of their bag and allow them to air out until they are dry. Also, removing the foot bed of a skate is recommended as water and sweat get trapped underneath it.
The heel and sole plates of figure skates are generally made out of leather which is not only pliable, but very absorbent and porous as well. If a boot is not waterproofed, water will eventually make its way into the boot. When this happens, the heels and soles begin to swell up and rot which causes the blade to loosen. If too much damage is done to the sole of the skate because of water, a skate blade cannot be properly secured to the boot. Ask about Skatetown’s waterproofing services.
Blade soakers and blade guards are two entirely different items and serve their own purpose. Blade soakers are made of felt material and are used to help absorb excess water left on the blade after skating. Even if a skater wipes their blades off with a towel (we recommend a microfiber), small deposits of water will still remain on the blade. If these are not removed, the blade will eventually rust and you will have to resharpen your blades. Blade guards are made of plastic and are designed to protect your blades from dirt and debris on the ground while walking. Many skaters like to put their skates on at home and use blade guards to walk from the parking lot to the arena as well.
Skate ‘soakers’ should be put on your blades after you are done skating for the day. This will help prevent rust from forming on them and dulling out your skates.
Skate ‘guards’ should be worn when walking around the rink while your skates are on. This will prevent small dust particles and other things from damaging your blade.
The skate blades and blade holders can break or eventually wear down. If this happens they can be replaced.
It is not recommended to walk on any concrete flooring or wood etc. because it may damage or take the edge off of your skate blade. The only flooring you should walk on is a padded or rubberized surface. If you need to cross any flooring that isn't padded you should wear a pair of skate guards. That said, you can walk anywhere inside Skatetown while you have your skates on.
You can clean the blades of your skates by wiping them with a towel to keep them dry after using them. Make sure you do this after each wearing. With the material skates are made of, there's not a lot of maintenance and cleaning needed to the boot. For figure skates, we recommend using a “magic eraser” to clean off scuff marks. If that does not help, we recommend getting a boot polish to brush over areas of your skates. Skatetown sells boot polish in its ProShop.
If your skates start to smell funny, you can insert scented insoles or use a spray to keep them fresher. Many consider these to be essential hockey accessories! See question below about sanitizing your skates to minimize odor. Skatetown’s ProShop sells skate deodorizing sprays and also offers an equipment sanitizing service that will get rid of the smell.
Warm damp athletic gear harbors bacteria which can lead to dangerous skin infections. Athletes can minimize exposure to MRSA and other bacteria by sanitizing their equipment regularly. Clothing items should be washed regularly and sprayed with a disinfectant before and after use. For items that cannot be washed, sanitizing systems have been proven effective in the fight against infection. Skatetown has invested in a sanitizing machine that can sanitize gear to control excessive odor caused by bacteria and fungi and to even help kill the MRSA bacteria if it is present. The sanitizing process (http://www.sani-sport.com) will not only kill 99.9% of all bacteria, but will also protect the equipment by sealing it with a scented bactericide, therefore lengthening the life of the equipment.
Hockey gear, cleats, helmets, soccer shin guards, baseball/softball gloves, catchers equipment, cleats for any sport, football gear, soccer gear, baseball/softball gear, ski boots, ski jackets, running shoes, wet suits, bullet proof vests, sleeping bags, motorcycle helmets and more.
Your skate blades are very sharp and therefore very dangerous. You can cut yourself very badly with them. Be extremely careful in the handling of your skates both on and off the ice. Respect your fellow players when playing hockey and always be aware of your skates' position.
Your skates should not be damaged by skating on ponds and canals, etc.
This is also a personal preference. There are colored laces and waxed laces. The waxed laces may keep the tightness better and keep out the moisture. Hockey skate laces can also hurt your hands though, so make sure you use laces that are comfortable to tie up. Figure skating laces are a matter of preference as well. Nylon laces tend to bend and flex better than cotton and are usually used during the period of breaking the skates in. Once your skates are broken in, we recommend switching to a cotton lace as they tend to hold the skate tighter and give better support.
1) All returns must be accompanied with the receipt
2) Receipt must NOT BE OVER 30 DAYS OLD
3) Merchandise being returned must not be used. It must be re-sellable as new.
4) BROKEN STICKS: Skatetown is not responsible for broken sticks or replacement blades. Customer must access the manufacturer's website and follow their policies as to warranties and replacements. We DO NOT replace broken sticks or blades.
5) NO RETURNS ON ANY PURCHASES OF DRESSES OR TIGHTS. Make sure of your sizes and styles before you buy.
6) NO RETURNS ON ANY YELLOW TAGGED OR SALE ITEMS
7) NO RETURNS ON ANY WORN SKATES, APPAREL, STICKS OR EQUIPMENT
8) No Cash Refunds, store credit only
We can special order certain products. We require a minimum 50% non-refundable deposit to order the merchandise. Shipping charges may be additional. Inquire at the ProShop for more details.