Hello parents and future skaters!

Are you new to skating or hockey and wondering what you need to get ready for the new season?

Here are some tips that will help you zip around the ice in no time!

For LEARN TO SKATE

Above all, SKATES!

Hockey or figure skates are both fine, but each kind has their own “quirks”:

Figure skates typically have picks on the front of the blade, which make it easier to trip forwards, but the blades are longer which gives skaters a little more stability.

Hockey skates don’t have toe picks and are generally slightly easier to learn on at the beginning, however the blades are shorter and rounded, which makes it easier to trip backwards.

No matter which style of skate you choose, we VERY STRONGLY ADVISE AGAINST any type of plastic and/or adjustable-size skate. Moulded skates may look fun with their favourite cartoon characters on them, but they are generally flimsy and cheaply built, and more importantly, actually prevent skaters from bending their knees and getting a good fit. (A better alternative is to buy good quality skates and put stickers of your favourite superheroes on them instead!)

What to look for in a skate:

Whether buying new or used, here are some guidelines to ensure a proper fit.

 SIZING:

Skate sizes are generally one size smaller than street shoe size, but do not go by number alone; it is very important to try the skates on first.

DO NOT BUY SKATES THAT ARE TOO BIG! It is tempting to buy skates that skaters will “grow into,” but this actually hurts their development because they can’t move their feet properly if their feet are swimming inside their skates. It is far better to buy second-hand skates of the right size and “trade in” once they outgrow them, than to buy brand-new skates that will take them several years to fit into. (For this reason, adjustable-size skates are not recommended either — all they do is ensure the skate will not fit at any size.)

Toes should touch, or almost touch, the end of the skate inside the boot. An easy way to tell (since kids can’t always explain) is to take the insole out of the skate if it isn’t glued in and see how the foot fits. The foot should just reach the end of the insole; there shouldn’t be more than a pinky-finger-width of space between the end of the big toe and the edge of the insole. Anything more means the skate is too big; on the other hand, if the toes pass the end of the insole, the skates are too small and you should move up a half size or full size.

SUPPORT:

Strong support in skates is very important; this will help your skater learn how to push properly, as well as protect their ankles from injury.

We strongly advise against vinyl skates, whether common figure (white) skates or hockey skates, as these offer NO SUPPORT WHATSOEVER. You will have to tie the skates very tight to give any kind of support to the ankles, and this in turn can lead to blisters and sore feet. If you can hold the top of the boot (around the ankle) and move it side to side (like socks!) they are not supportive enough.

Instead, look for skates that can hold themselves up, meaning they do not fold over or feel “squishy.” While you do not want the skate boots to be hard like cement blocks (like ski boots!), they should be reasonably padded and sturdy.

TYING SKATES: When tying skates, you should generally be lacing up all the way to the top hook/eyelet for kids’ skates; adults who like extra knee-bend can get away without tying to the top, provided they are tight everywhere else. Regardless, if you can fit more than one (adult) finger between the foot and the tongue of the skate, they are too loose and should be tightened. You should not be able to pull laces loose from the top of the foot until the bend of the ankle. Again, we advise against skates with click-buckles (like plastic skates) because they cannot properly be adjusted to your feet.

When standing in skates which are tied up, legs should be straight. If knees/ankles buckle inwards (or outwards), the skates are TOO LOOSE. Tighten up the laces as much as possible (while still being comfortable). If after tying them tight  and the buckling persists, this means the skates are not the proper fit — either they are too big, worn out or do not have enough support in them.

SECOND-HAND SKATES: Used skates are an affordable way to get equipment for your skates and “pay it forward” with your gently-loved skates, as long as you take some precautions. Not only do you want to keep everything above in mind when finding a good pair of skates, but take care to inspect the ankles of the boot. If they are creased more than an inch or so, they are “broken down”, and will not support your ankles on the ice.

✔︎ Examples of what to look for in skates:

❌ What to avoid in skates:

 BLADES:

Most beginner skates come with the blade attached to the boot and thus you have little options on these; only more advanced skaters and players purchase these separately (at a much higher cost).

If buying skates second-hand, look for signs of rust. Some rust is normal on used skates and generally doesn’t affect skating once they are sharpened. However, if the rust is so deep that even a sharpening by your local skate sharpener doesn’t remove the rust from the bottom of the blade (the part that makes contact with the ice), you probably should not purchase them. Rust on the bottom of the blade will prevent you from skating properly, as it will make you “slip” when you try to push because it “sticks” to the ice.

To prevent your skates from rusting prematurely, you must wipe down the blades with a rag after you get off the ice and take them off. (We suggest leaving a rag inside your skate bag so you don’t have to worry about it.) We also recommend placing “soakers” on the blades to help with the moisture.

Other required equipment:

• Helmet with full cage/visor (Mandatory!)
• Gloves/Mittens (Hockey gloves are fine, but younger kids are probably better off with warm outdoor mittens; we do not recommend thin stretch gloves, as they get wet easily.)
• Warm clothing: At minimum sweater and sweatpants. We recommend splash pants/jacket.
• Optional: Snow suit. (The rink gets pretty cold in winter and this is advisable; weekend classes in particular would be advised to wear snow suits during the Winter session, as Rink 3 gets very chilly in cold weather!)
• Optional: Elbow pads/Knee pads (Hockey pads not necessary; we recommend smaller pads like you would wear for biking/rollerblading/volleyball if you feel padding is necessary.)

For HOCKEY CLASSES

For all our hockey classes, full hockey equipment is MANDATORY:

• Hockey skates (see advice above for fit)
• Helmet with full face mask/visor
• Shoulder pads
• Elbow pads
• Shin pads
• Hockey pants
• Neck protector
• Jock/jill strap (with cup)
• Garter belt
• Hockey socks
• Hockey gloves
• Hockey stick

If you need help with this, your local sporting good retailer should be able to help you out with sizing and fit — just tell them you need full equipment!

If you’re looking for a place to buy your equipment, we recommend Play It Again Sports located at 2973 Boul. St-Charles, Kirkland, QC, H9H 3B5 (corner Hymus), just a few minutes down the street from our location. They have both new and used equipment.