Hockey skates are an exciting new purchase, but they need to be treated just like any other pair of new shoes.
When you have a pair of new shoes, they need to be broken in, otherwise, you will find yourself in a lot of pain when you decide to wear your new shoes for a full day.
As hockey skates need to be broken in, what is the most effective way to do so?
You need to make sure that the skates are broken in well as they can cause you a lot of pain if not, and if you wear them for a game, you may find that your performance becomes worse.
To maintain good performance on the ice, you need to break in your skates.
This article will explain how to break in hockey skates to make sure that you are not in pain on the ice and that your performance remains to a good standard. Find out more below!
Why Do Hockey Skates Need To Be Broken In?
Hockey skates have lots of ankle support and are made from extremely strong materials.
They need to be made from strong materials as your feet need to be protected during a game, but you also need to make sure that your feet are comfortable inside the skates.
If you do not break your skates ineffectively, your feet will be very sore and you might find it hard to play as normal.
Choosing The Right Fit
One way of making sure that your hockey skates fit properly is to make sure that you have chosen the right size.
Hockey skates often run a size or a size and a half smaller than your usual shoe size, so it is important to get them fitted in a store. Trying them on is important for seeing if they fit properly.
If you choose the wrong fit, you will not be able to break your skates in to become more comfortable for your feet.
This is why trying your skates on inside a store is important for trying on a variation of sizes and comparing which ones feel the best as a professional can help you pick the right fit for you.
How To Break In Hockey Skates
If you are looking to break in your hockey skates, there are a couple of methods that you can use.
It is very important to break in your skates, but if you do not do it properly, you could damage your skates, so it is important for both the comfort and quality of your skates.
Walk Around The House
Walking around the house while wearing your skates can help to break them in as your feet will be putting pressure on your skates, which will make them more flexible.
This will make your skates more comfortable to wear. Your feet will expand the skates, making them feel less tight and stiff, which will make them feel a lot nicer to wear.
If you decide to wear your skates around the house, make sure that you wear skate guards to protect the blades.
Wearing your skates around the house without skate guards could damage the blades and make them blunt, which will affect your skating.
You could also damage your floor, so wear skate guards to protect both your skates and your home.
Skate!
The best way to break in new hockey skates is to skate in them as your feet will eventually be able to mold into the skates, making them more comfortable.
You should wear the new hockey skates outside of training sessions as they will most probably cause you a lot of discomforts, and you do not want them to affect your training and your performance.
Once your skates feel more comfortable, you can then begin wearing them for games and in training.
It is best to break your new hockey skates in while you can still wear your old ones as this means that you will not need to wear your new ones for training or games until they become comfortable.
Things To Consider
When you are breaking in your new hockey skates, there are a few things that you will need to consider.
You do not want to damage your skates or your feet, so you need to consider a few things when breaking in your skates.
Do Not Lace Up Your New Skates Too Tightly
If you lace up your new skates too tightly, you will experience a lot of pain as they will be too tight on your feet.
This will affect how you skate and you will not be able to properly break them in. Make sure that your skates are laced up so that they fit securely, but not too tight that your feet are in severe pain.
Do Not Over-Wear Them
When you have new hockey skates, you may feel that you need to wear them all the time to break them in.
However, wearing them for around 15-20 minutes every day can help to break them in without damaging your feet.
Beware Of Blisters
Blisters are extremely common with new shoes, and they are common with new hockey skates.
Make sure that you are prepared with band-aids or that you cover your heels, toes, and ankles with tape to protect them.
This will prevent you from getting blisters so that your playing isn’t affected.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, the most effective ways to break in your new hockey skates are to wear them either around the house or by skating in them.
Wearing your skates will help your feet mold to them, making them a more comfortable fit.
You need to make sure that you wear a skate guard around the house to protect your skates and your home.
Do not overwear your new skates as this can cause damage to your feet, so only wear them for a short amount of time a day.
Beware of blisters and tight lacing as you do not want to give your feet more pain!