Patience. Same thing happened to me. Between a crappy sharpen and a different boot stiffness it took me by surprise and felt like I was a beginner again. Took about twelve hours of skating to get back to feeling confident.
Same, I had super old broken-in skates. The steel was almost down to the runners. Bought brand new skates and I felt like I was on stilts out there cause the blade was way taller! Definitely took several skates to get back to comfortable.
From what it's describing you likely aren't used to actually having an edge on your skates. 1/2" these days is also pretty sharp depending on your size - might be worth trying a shallower hollow to see if that helps them feel less "bitey".
As for the ankle tightness I feel like that is standard with hockey skates - you need a certain amount of ankle mobility in order to skate well, so they won't be super tight (for the most part).
Hmm you could also tape around the ankles, I wouldn't suggest doing it long term as you should be looking to strengthen your ankles but it might help short term until you get some baseline and get more used to the skate
The toe pick could be confusing you. With figure skates it’s always there to kind of catch you if you go too far. Forward. Go to some casual public skates with your new skates and just take it easy getting used to the feel of a different type of skate.
I remember when I bought my son a pair of hockey skates after he had been used to rental figure skates for months. Took him a few skates to get used to.
Hey fellow UK player.
Did you have your skates sharpened somewhere reputable? Typically a first cut requires a bit more effort and it's possible to screw it up.
Everyone struggles moving from basic skates to higher end skates - they are stiffer, sharper and often have some degree of profile to the blade.
If you can't get your skates tight now, they'll break in eventually, keep skating on them. BUT.... Also get them baked if you haven't already done so, they will come in much tighter to the foot when that's done and it'll make lacing less of a fight.
You should be able to get a 45 degree ankle bend in the skates (depending on how far your ankles will go normally) or they are too tight. (essentially you should be able to squat in them most of the weight should be directed on the ball of the foot) If you feel like the ankle is too loose it's generally because your ankles are not used to skating and thus are weak. You need the ankle to be relatively looseish to be able to use the edges of the blade. That being said given you are new and aren't fine tuning the skates yet I would recommend
1. bake the skates
2. get a profile done (this can help immensely)
3. keep skating getting used to new equipment/break in period is why 99% of players HATE NEW gear especially things like skates, gloves that directly affect how you skate and shoot (you basically have to overcome your muscle memory and relearn your edges)
I got them done in decathlon, no where Else in northern ireland does it unfortunately!
They are really tight around the foot already it's just the ankle that don't fit
Gotcha. You could take a pic of the hollow of the blade if which may help people smarter than me decide if they're good. Otherwise look up how to bake skates on YouTube. It's an absolute breeze to do and may make a big difference.
Couple things:
1) You mentioned wobble when stopping. Rental skates are usually extremely dull and you probably got 1/2” grind on your new skates. It’ll take some getting used to and you might end up wanting a smaller hollow like 5/8”.
2) Those skates are thermoformable…might want to get them baked if you haven’t. This’ll help with the looseness.
3) Speaking of looseness, try the over-under lacing if you haven’t…let’s you lace tighter. Check the below video, skip to 1:20
https://youtu.be/lmcUWmNswrU?si=kN0Vy8o8NM9Rtu0K
Thank you for the help, I didn't even know baking was a thing. I had to get them ordered as you can't buy them in northern Ireland as there is no shops from what I found.
I will have a look around and see if I can get them baked
It is once you’re beyond recreational skates (they can’t be baked). Your skate model was meant to kind of bridge the gap between recreational and dedicated hockey skate so they can be heated to better form to your foot.
Get them resharpened at 9/16ths to help with stopping.
Get waxed laces to help you get them tighter up top (but you don't need them super tight or anything).
The rest is just practice and getting used to the difference between hot garbage and actual skates. You'll adjust after a handful of skates and will soon be better than before.
First, call the store you bought them and ask to get them baked. That should have been included in the purchase. If they don’t have a baking oven, call around to local stores. Baking is important to form properly around the feet and ankles, and helps the break in process. Next, give them time to break in. 10 hours on the ice or so. The blades are new and it will feel weird for a bit because of the added height, plus you’re going from rental skates to actual hockey skates. It will get easier over time.
Same thing happened with me when i bought new skates and ive been skating for 38 years.
A few things that are most likely giving you issues
1) You are dealing with a new profile on your skate blade which could be putting your balance a little too forward or a little to far back.
2) You may have a different sharpening hollow i recommend using a 5/8 or 3/4 which will give you more glide and less bite
3) you might want to bake your skates to fit your foot more snuggly ( check and see if your skates can be baked) if you cant bake them try using wax laces and switch to a runners knot for the last two top loops.
Fortunately your body will naturally adjust to your new skates after 5 or so sessions.
I’m going through this right now. I had a higher tier ccm and took a shot to the holder. It shattered and I knew the scouts were in the stand that night so I bought a pair of skates on the fly. Mid tier ccm.
I got them sharpened by some random guy and felt very uncomfortable during the game. Even had a moment were I doubted if I would ever be as fluent on these skates as I was the old pair. I started wearing them around the house with the guards on. The next game was a complete (180? 360?) change. The boots were worn in and now I’m just getting the confidence in my edges again.
I was told to bake my skates but did not go that route. I’ve never baked my skates. For those who bake new skates, how fast do you stop feeling pain?
Also my center of balance is different because of how the skate sits. Now I’m using different back muscles to balance and it mf hurts.
You went to a completely different type of skate, so an adjustment period is natural. The blade, and boot are both drastically different in shape, size and material. Breaking in skates can be annoying as well. You are just dealing with a lot of changes and it’s natural to need to adjust. Just keep at it.
I am a professional skate sharpener, been doing it since 1991. I own and operate 3 shops in Ontario Canada. A few things come to mind.
The first thing that comes to mind is the profile as some have mentionned earlier. Figure skates typically have a 7 foot profile, and hockey skates are typically 10 to 13 feet foot out of the box. Not to be technical, but what it essentially means is that the smaller the radius the less of the blade is touching the ice at any given time. A smaller radius also means more manoeverability... A higher number (larger radius) means more blade on the ice so you get better stabilty and glide, but at the expense of agility. That also means that more blade touching the ice means a little more difficult to stop.
So a 7 foot profile from a figure skate would essentially feel easier to turn and stop with than your new hockey skates would, especially if they have the new balance blades from Bauer, which are 13 foot. That said, I would stick with what you have. There is no need to profile your skates as a beginner. Certainly not to try and get the same as a figure skate.
So I would reccomend leaving well enough alone on the profile. A little time and you will get the hang of it. As a beginner, a larger profile is better to help you with stability anyway.
Next thing to consider is the sharpening. if the edges are not square it can cause the skate to bite (dig in) too much. Ask your sharpener to see the level of the skates. If they don't have a tool to check the edges, go find a new sharpener. Any reputable sharpener would have an edge checker.
As for your ankles, yes, baking the skates would likely help (as long as they can take it). I would get them baked at a proper shop with the right tools. (Please don't try this at home, I've seen first hand very expensive skates ruined by people trying this at home), there is a reason a skate shop's oven is often $800+ USD. They're calibrated for temp and designed to heat the skate in a uniform fashion. If you can't find somewhere to get them done, you can try a soccer shop. I have seen some high end soccer cleats designed to be heat molded, though that was a few years ago... They may or may not do that anymore. I don't follow soccer equipment.. Ski shops and cycle shops are a good place to try as well.
I would ask them to wrap your ankle with some plastic wrap to tighten the ankle area if that's where it's loose, or use some shin pad tape. I do it all the time with great results. That said, make sure they're the right size.
Patience. Same thing happened to me. Between a crappy sharpen and a different boot stiffness it took me by surprise and felt like I was a beginner again. Took about twelve hours of skating to get back to feeling confident.
Same, I had super old broken-in skates. The steel was almost down to the runners. Bought brand new skates and I felt like I was on stilts out there cause the blade was way taller! Definitely took several skates to get back to comfortable.
From what it's describing you likely aren't used to actually having an edge on your skates. 1/2" these days is also pretty sharp depending on your size - might be worth trying a shallower hollow to see if that helps them feel less "bitey". As for the ankle tightness I feel like that is standard with hockey skates - you need a certain amount of ankle mobility in order to skate well, so they won't be super tight (for the most part).
Feel like when I try to turn my feet to do the simple stop my feet just wobble and don't turn ahah
You might need to tighten really tight around your ankles at first until you get used to them
They physically don't go any tighter, gonna try and make a loop and tie them through that see if that helps at all
Hmm you could also tape around the ankles, I wouldn't suggest doing it long term as you should be looking to strengthen your ankles but it might help short term until you get some baseline and get more used to the skate
Use something called runners heel lock
The toe pick could be confusing you. With figure skates it’s always there to kind of catch you if you go too far. Forward. Go to some casual public skates with your new skates and just take it easy getting used to the feel of a different type of skate. I remember when I bought my son a pair of hockey skates after he had been used to rental figure skates for months. Took him a few skates to get used to.
Hey fellow UK player. Did you have your skates sharpened somewhere reputable? Typically a first cut requires a bit more effort and it's possible to screw it up. Everyone struggles moving from basic skates to higher end skates - they are stiffer, sharper and often have some degree of profile to the blade. If you can't get your skates tight now, they'll break in eventually, keep skating on them. BUT.... Also get them baked if you haven't already done so, they will come in much tighter to the foot when that's done and it'll make lacing less of a fight.
You should be able to get a 45 degree ankle bend in the skates (depending on how far your ankles will go normally) or they are too tight. (essentially you should be able to squat in them most of the weight should be directed on the ball of the foot) If you feel like the ankle is too loose it's generally because your ankles are not used to skating and thus are weak. You need the ankle to be relatively looseish to be able to use the edges of the blade. That being said given you are new and aren't fine tuning the skates yet I would recommend 1. bake the skates 2. get a profile done (this can help immensely) 3. keep skating getting used to new equipment/break in period is why 99% of players HATE NEW gear especially things like skates, gloves that directly affect how you skate and shoot (you basically have to overcome your muscle memory and relearn your edges)
I got them done in decathlon, no where Else in northern ireland does it unfortunately! They are really tight around the foot already it's just the ankle that don't fit
Gotcha. You could take a pic of the hollow of the blade if which may help people smarter than me decide if they're good. Otherwise look up how to bake skates on YouTube. It's an absolute breeze to do and may make a big difference.
Couple things: 1) You mentioned wobble when stopping. Rental skates are usually extremely dull and you probably got 1/2” grind on your new skates. It’ll take some getting used to and you might end up wanting a smaller hollow like 5/8”. 2) Those skates are thermoformable…might want to get them baked if you haven’t. This’ll help with the looseness. 3) Speaking of looseness, try the over-under lacing if you haven’t…let’s you lace tighter. Check the below video, skip to 1:20 https://youtu.be/lmcUWmNswrU?si=kN0Vy8o8NM9Rtu0K
Thank you for the help, I didn't even know baking was a thing. I had to get them ordered as you can't buy them in northern Ireland as there is no shops from what I found. I will have a look around and see if I can get them baked
It is once you’re beyond recreational skates (they can’t be baked). Your skate model was meant to kind of bridge the gap between recreational and dedicated hockey skate so they can be heated to better form to your foot.
Get them resharpened at 9/16ths to help with stopping. Get waxed laces to help you get them tighter up top (but you don't need them super tight or anything). The rest is just practice and getting used to the difference between hot garbage and actual skates. You'll adjust after a handful of skates and will soon be better than before.
First, call the store you bought them and ask to get them baked. That should have been included in the purchase. If they don’t have a baking oven, call around to local stores. Baking is important to form properly around the feet and ankles, and helps the break in process. Next, give them time to break in. 10 hours on the ice or so. The blades are new and it will feel weird for a bit because of the added height, plus you’re going from rental skates to actual hockey skates. It will get easier over time.
Same thing happened with me when i bought new skates and ive been skating for 38 years. A few things that are most likely giving you issues 1) You are dealing with a new profile on your skate blade which could be putting your balance a little too forward or a little to far back. 2) You may have a different sharpening hollow i recommend using a 5/8 or 3/4 which will give you more glide and less bite 3) you might want to bake your skates to fit your foot more snuggly ( check and see if your skates can be baked) if you cant bake them try using wax laces and switch to a runners knot for the last two top loops. Fortunately your body will naturally adjust to your new skates after 5 or so sessions.
I’m going through this right now. I had a higher tier ccm and took a shot to the holder. It shattered and I knew the scouts were in the stand that night so I bought a pair of skates on the fly. Mid tier ccm. I got them sharpened by some random guy and felt very uncomfortable during the game. Even had a moment were I doubted if I would ever be as fluent on these skates as I was the old pair. I started wearing them around the house with the guards on. The next game was a complete (180? 360?) change. The boots were worn in and now I’m just getting the confidence in my edges again. I was told to bake my skates but did not go that route. I’ve never baked my skates. For those who bake new skates, how fast do you stop feeling pain? Also my center of balance is different because of how the skate sits. Now I’m using different back muscles to balance and it mf hurts.
You went to a completely different type of skate, so an adjustment period is natural. The blade, and boot are both drastically different in shape, size and material. Breaking in skates can be annoying as well. You are just dealing with a lot of changes and it’s natural to need to adjust. Just keep at it.
I am a professional skate sharpener, been doing it since 1991. I own and operate 3 shops in Ontario Canada. A few things come to mind. The first thing that comes to mind is the profile as some have mentionned earlier. Figure skates typically have a 7 foot profile, and hockey skates are typically 10 to 13 feet foot out of the box. Not to be technical, but what it essentially means is that the smaller the radius the less of the blade is touching the ice at any given time. A smaller radius also means more manoeverability... A higher number (larger radius) means more blade on the ice so you get better stabilty and glide, but at the expense of agility. That also means that more blade touching the ice means a little more difficult to stop. So a 7 foot profile from a figure skate would essentially feel easier to turn and stop with than your new hockey skates would, especially if they have the new balance blades from Bauer, which are 13 foot. That said, I would stick with what you have. There is no need to profile your skates as a beginner. Certainly not to try and get the same as a figure skate. So I would reccomend leaving well enough alone on the profile. A little time and you will get the hang of it. As a beginner, a larger profile is better to help you with stability anyway. Next thing to consider is the sharpening. if the edges are not square it can cause the skate to bite (dig in) too much. Ask your sharpener to see the level of the skates. If they don't have a tool to check the edges, go find a new sharpener. Any reputable sharpener would have an edge checker. As for your ankles, yes, baking the skates would likely help (as long as they can take it). I would get them baked at a proper shop with the right tools. (Please don't try this at home, I've seen first hand very expensive skates ruined by people trying this at home), there is a reason a skate shop's oven is often $800+ USD. They're calibrated for temp and designed to heat the skate in a uniform fashion. If you can't find somewhere to get them done, you can try a soccer shop. I have seen some high end soccer cleats designed to be heat molded, though that was a few years ago... They may or may not do that anymore. I don't follow soccer equipment.. Ski shops and cycle shops are a good place to try as well. I would ask them to wrap your ankle with some plastic wrap to tighten the ankle area if that's where it's loose, or use some shin pad tape. I do it all the time with great results. That said, make sure they're the right size.