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Ice Hockey SkatesI

Hockey skates are comprised of two basic parts: the boot and the blade.

Boot

Most skates are manufactured with a combination of leather and synthetic materials for durability, performance, and comfort. The exact mixture of these components, with names like Kevlar® and graphite, depends on the quality of the skate and the cost.
Hard plastic boots offer better protection against pucks and provide more support for your ankles
Goalie skates are similar in construction to regular hockey skates but are designed differently with a wider blade and lower boot with more ankle and foot protection

Blade

Skate blades are made of steel and have a concave (hollowed out) shape
An important factor in performance is blade radius, or the amount of the skate blade that is actually in contact with the ice
The radius is measured by placing the blades together, bottom to bottom, and holding them up to the light. The length where the blade edges make contact is the radius.
If you are a beginning skater you will want a radius of about five inches. This increases your ability to propel yourself along the ice while providing stability.
A radius of 3-4 inches helps in cutting and turning
Forwards prefer blades with a shorter radius to help with maneuverability
Defensemen look for longer radius blades for extra stability
- Players can also grind their blades to sharpen the edges and create a double edge for extra contact with the ice
- The deeper the grind, the more maneuverable
- Goalie blades have a less hollow grind and a larger radius

Tips

Choosing the proper size for your hockey skates is different than choosing the size for a pair of sneakers
Hockey skates need to be tighter for more stability and less abrasion when skating
Remember to measure yourself wearing thick hockey socks

Do not buy larger sizes for children to grow into. This hinders their ability to learn how to skate and could hurt their feet and ankles.

FLAT-GROUND BLADES

FIG. 1. Thin flat blade Grain size: >0.02 mm. Gap at arrow: <0.020 mm. Edges are honed, nonetheless. A truly flat abrasive would cause the blade to ‘dig in’ and wear duller.

HOCKEY & DANCE

FIG. 2. Deep blade hollow Unflexed round cylnder fits 19 mm [1/2"] ROH perfectly. Blade width: 2.79 mm [0.11"] RETROFIT KIT is best for 5/16-3/8 inch ROH.

FIGURES & FREESTYLE

FIG. 3. Shallow blade hollow Flexed oval cylinder fits blade hollow perfectly from 25.4 mm [1"] ROH and up to 50 mm [2"] ROH. Blade width: 3.82 mm [0.15"] Good for goalies.

The differences between cheap skates and good skates are mainly in the construction - good brands use better quality materials, and they use enough of them to give the skater good support. Never buy skates more than ½ size larger than your foot measures – other wise the skate will break down too quickly and you’ve lost your investment anyway.

Sharpen skates as soon as they are purchased Re-sharpen skates after approximately 30 hours of skating (depending on usage and care)
How they should feel
-skates should fit snugly around the ankle and heel with some room to wiggle your toes
- there should be no looseness or creases in the boot the tongue should be well padded and wide enough to cover the front of the ankle and stay in place
- the tongue should be well padded and wide enough to cover the front of the ankle and stay in place
- walk around in the skates off the ice; they should feel comfortable