| With so many ice hockey skates on the market, | | | | The more expensive skates will be lighter weight and |
| determining which pair is right for you is the first step in | | | | have stronger, thicker material around the ankles and |
| becoming a hockey player. Comfort is the most | | | | toe region. Nearly all ice hockey skates are made of |
| important objective to help you avoid those painful | | | | carbon fiber and composite boot technology. Some |
| blisters and chronic pains that come from a bad pair of | | | | skates are even covered in Kevlar material to |
| skates. | | | | strengthen the outer boot against pucks and sticks |
| So many companies make ice hockey skates that it is | | | | during play. |
| easy to get overwhelmed. With manufacturers like | | | | Most ice hockey skate suppliers will have a skate |
| Nike-Bauer, Easton, Graf, CCM, Mission, and RBK | | | | oven in their store to "bake" the skates to fit your foot |
| Hockey, the choices are endless. There are plenty of | | | | properly. This is a good idea because comfort is the |
| choices for the recreational player as well as the | | | | most important attribute for a skate. Lightweight |
| serious player. Prices range from $59 to upwards of | | | | technology is good, but preventing blisters and ankle |
| $600 or more. However, remember, you do not have | | | | and foot pain is far more critical. |
| to sacrifice comfort to save on the price. | | | | Again, because they come in all prices and all sorts of |
| The first thing to keep in mind when selecting skates is | | | | brands, cost is a factor in purchasing ice hockey |
| the size difference between shoes and skates. | | | | skates. A recreational player can play with a pair for |
| Generally, ice hockey skates tend to run about one | | | | less than $100 the same way a more advanced |
| and a half sizes smaller than shoes. Therefore, a | | | | player can pick up a pair for $300 or more. Keeping in |
| person with a size eleven shoe will likely wear a size | | | | mind the budget needed for other equipment and the |
| nine and a half skate. The right size skate will likely | | | | cost of playing the game, ice hockey skates do not |
| leave a gap of three to four inches between the | | | | need to break the bank. |
| longest toe and the toe of the skate. | | | | |