What To Look For
Hockey skates are what you make of them. Every new pair needs breaking in to mold to your feet. This takes patience and a little pain. Once the boots of the skates mold to your feet, the skates should feel more like extensions of your legs than a pair of shoes or strap-on roller skates. To ensure the perfect fit, try on a wide variety of skates from multiple manufacturers and remember that skates should fit snugly. Bauer, CCM and Graf are the top selling hockey skate brands; begin your search there.
Common Pitfalls
Do not shy away from tight skates. Players who have been skating for years must push with moderate effort to secure their feet into even their well-worn skates. Be sure to ask many questions about the type of skates you are interested in. Hockey shop employees are experts on the characteristics associated with the several skate manufacturers. Look around before purchasing skates; there are always sales and discounted skate prices in stores or on-line.
Where To Buy
Always try on potential new skates. If you are a seasoned player and know what size, type and brand of skates you like, ordering on the Internet can save time and money during hockey sale season. If you are newer to the game or want to change skate brands, head into a local hockey shop to try on a variety of skates. Avoid lager sporting goods retailers, since they cannot offer you the same level of help and knowledge as shops that sell only hockey gear. Great Skate, Perani's and Total Hockey are popular Internet-based hockey equipment retailers.
Cost
When buying senior hockey skates expect to pay at least $200 for quality skates. Top end skates reach $800, but generally you can find great skates between $200 and $400. Bauer and CCM skates fluctuate within the same range, while Graf skates are priced consistently around $400. A bonus of buying skates in a store is the use of a heating oven, which heats the skates up to a moldable temperature while your feet are secured tightly in the skates. This speeds up the breaking in process, so that you incur less foot pain when skating for the first time.
Comparison Shopping
All types of senior hockey skates can be heat-molded to shorten the breaking in time. CCM skates have the reputation of a shorter and easier break-in period, while Bauer skates take longer and a fair amount of actual skating time. Graf skates take to the heat molding well, but generally have a stiffer boot than the other two brands. All three manufacturers produce high quality and reliable senior hockey skates.
Insider Tips
If you purchase new skates from a catalogue or website, you can perform a similar heat-molding action at home as is done in hockey shops. Place your skates, blades up, on a rack over a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil and let sit for at least ten minutes. Allow the skates to cool enough for you to place your feet inside with socks on. Lace up your skates tightly from toe to tongue to increase the molding potential. With skate blades fastened, walk around your house until the skates cool. Repeat as desired.
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