4 Mistakes People Make When Choosing a Pair of Ice Skates

Whether you’re just a recreational skater, figure skater, or play ice hockey, the quality of your skates is essential. A good pair of skates will be comfortable, offer the support necessary to prevent injuries, and will also offer optimal performance.

Unfortunately, a lot of people end up making crucial mistakes when investing in a pair of ice skates that they might end up regretting later. Here are some of the most common mistakes people make when buying a pair of skates.

Not Choosing the Right Fit

Buying shoes and skates are two completely different things. While you can get away with choosing a pair of shoes based on size only, choosing the optimal fit is essential when picking skates. This chart for hockey skate sizing will give you all the ins and outs on what to look for in perfect fitting skates, as an ill-fitting pair puts you at a much higher risk for injury, which is not something you necessarily have to worry about when buying a regular pair of shoes.

A pair that is too loose may cause ankle injuries, for instance. Skates that are too tight can also get very uncomfortable and affect performance. The best thing you can do is try the skates yourself first and figure out your size. If you were thinking about buying skates online, try a few in-store so you know your size; you’ll then be able to find skates online with the perfect fit.

Buying Skates Because Someone you know Wears them

This is a mistake a lot of people make when buying a pair of skates. Maybe they’ve seen their favorite hockey player wear a particular brand of skates or seen an advert and fallen in love with them. Some may want to pick a brand because they heard that’s what the pros use. However, different brands have different fits and don’t work for everyone. For instance, some brands might be better for people with broad or flat feet, while others will work for people with more slender feet and a pronounced arch. So, make sure that you understand different brands and how they fit before you make a decision.

Choosing any Boot-Blade Skates

If you’re a beginner or intermediate skater, then there are plenty of boot-blade packages available. If you do decide to go that route, make sure that the boot is stiff enough to give your ankles and feet support, but not rigid enough for them to be inflexible. They have to still be soft enough to be broken in.

You could also decide to pick your boot and skates separately. The choice is really up to you. But, if you’re an advanced skater, you’ll have to buy them separately since customization is much more important at that level.

Not Reading Online Reviews

If you don’t know which pair to pick, the internet is your friend. While word of mouth recommendations can steer you in the right direction, you’ll find great reviews online if you know where to look. Most people online will be more than happy to help you and you’ll have the chance to meet people in the same category as you. They’ll be able to give you more personalized advice on what brands worked for them.

Conclusion

Choosing a good pair of skates doesn’t have to be difficult. If you manage to steer away from the mistakes in this article, you shouldn’t have issues finding the right pair of skates for your needs.

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