Skate Sizing

This is always a proviso when buying new skates. Skate sizing differs from regular shoe wear. Put simply, your hockey skate size is different from your shoe size -substantially so. In fact, hockey skate sizing can vary by as much as two sizes. This applies not only to hockey skates in general, but also to specific companies. Each hockey skate has its own size issues for you to deal with. Furthermore, the skate manufacturers do not help-out the consumer. They seem to live in their own world, where other company’s versions of a size do not resemble their own interpretations. In other words, you are on your own.

Take, for instance, size 13 Bauer hockey skates. A size 13 adult Bauer skate is designed to fit adults with a size 14 foot. A size 13 youth Bauer skate, however, fits a size 1 foot. Consider the differences by looking at a comparison of different adult size 13 hockey skates. A size 13 Easton adult skate fits someone with a size 14.5 foot, while a size 13 adult Nike skate fits a size 13.5 foot.

As you can see, there are differences between hockey skate size and shoe size. The only company that seems to match skate and shoe sizes is Mission. There size 16 hockey skates, for example, fit size 16 adult feet. The rest of the companies conform to their own standards.

Bearing this in mind, always try your skates on for size before you purchase them. They should fit comfortably and snugly. Place your foot inside the boot and push your toe to the front of the skate. Place a finger behind your heel. If one finger fits, you have the right size. If there is room for two or more fingers, the boot is too big.

Keep in mind other factors when buying your hockey skates.

• While trying them on, wear the type, thickness and number of socks, you plan to wear during a game.
  
• Do not buy skates you can “grow into.” These can actually cause damage to feet and ankles and impede playing the game properly.
  
• Make sure neither your toes nor heels rub against the inside of the skates.
  
• Depending upon the boot material, your skates are unlikely to stretch considerably.
  

Above all, make sure the skates fit comfortably, snugly and provide you with stability. If they do not, you will probably blister your feet, causing poor performance and, ultimately, not skate or perform to your full potential.