[OT] Skate Question

[shrader]

Matt, nothing you said sounds out of place to me. The skate should come up to right around where you said it does. The back and the tongue always extend well above your ankle. If your feet aren't moving, that's a good start. Really, the rest comes down to a personal preference. If you want to tape up the higher part of the skate, you can. It's really going to come down to getting out there on the ice and getting a feel for what you like the most.

 

Returning skates could be an adventure. I'd imagine it is going to depend on the type of skate and also the shop. Good luck if you decide to try to go that route.

[MattPie]

If your skates fit right, they should be comfortable, your heel should "lock" in to the back of the skate, your toes should just brush the toe cap, and you should theoretically be able to stand/hop around on one foot, depending on how good your balance is. The goal is to make sure you are wearing a stiff enough boot that keeps your foot locked in but not too uncomfortably. These were all mistakes I made when I bought my Easton's and I wont make them again.

 

OK, that's not the sensation I'm getting with the skates at all. I'd say my feet are locked in pretty well, but I can still rotate my ankle from side to side nearly as much as I can without the skates on. I'm pretty wobbly, and I'd likely break and ankle if I tried to hop. Think someone trying to walk in heels for the first time (google 'drunk in heels' if you don't know what I mean.

 

The boot is going to feel lower than ski boots, and they wont be quite as stiff side to side. But they should still provide you enough support if you have them laced up right. The first three laces and the last three are the most important. You want to make sure they are good and tight. Personally, I find that of the top three laces, the lowest two need to be tighter than the top lace, but that depends on the person and ability.

 

SNIP

 

What skates did you buy? You might be able to return them if you haven't taken them out on ice yet.

 

OK, I may well not be lacing the top part tight enough. I'll try it again to make sure. I thought I was pulling just about as hard as I could. :(

 

CCM V05, size 9D. Overkill, which is partially why I'm freaking out a little.

[darksabre]

OK, that's not the sensation I'm getting with the skates at all. I'd say my feet are locked in pretty well, but I can still rotate my ankle from side to side nearly as much as I can without the skates on. I'm pretty wobbly, and I'd likely break and ankle if I tried to hop. Think someone trying to walk in heels for the first time (google 'drunk in heels' if you don't know what I mean.

 

 

 

OK, I may well not be lacing the top part tight enough. I'll try it again to make sure. I thought I was pulling just about as hard as I could. :(

 

CCM V05, size 9D. Overkill, which is partially why I'm freaking out a little.

 

See if really cranking them tight doesn't help. Try just standing on one foot on some carpet and if you still wobble too much in the ankle, there's a good chance you need a boot with more support. I'm not knowledgeable on CCM's but I can ask around. You might want to go back to the store and bring those with you. Try on some Bauer Vapors in different sizes, widths and heel types and see if you think they give you more support. If they do, then you know what you need to do.

[MattPie]

See if really cranking them tight doesn't help. Try just standing on one foot on some carpet and if you still wobble too much in the ankle, there's a good chance you need a boot with more support. I'm not knowledgeable on CCM's but I can ask around. You might want to go back to the store and bring those with you. Try on some Bauer Vapors in different sizes, widths and heel types and see if you think they give you more support. If they do, then you know what you need to do.

 

Cool, thanks for the help. They didn't have much in Bauer at this shop, at least not for the price I was looking for.

[Sabre Dance]

 

OK, I may well not be lacing the top part tight enough. I'll try it again to make sure. I thought I was pulling just about as hard as I could. :(

 

CCM V05, size 9D. Overkill, which is partially why I'm freaking out a little.

 

I imagine they still sell lace hooks - it's a metal rod that's bent at the end. Insert it under the middle of the laces (where they cross over each other) and pull, starting at the toe and working up to the top. This will get the laces nice and tight. If your skates fit right (as described above) and are laced tight (don't cut off the circulation, though!) you should have minimal wobble in your ankles. If you try to stand and they roll right over, something is amiss. (Most skate makers recommend buying skates 1 size smaller than street shoes (some even 1 and 1/2 sizes down). You still need to try a size up and one down from that rule of thumb, though. (My street shoes are 8.5D, but I take an 8D skate - 7.5s are just too tight.)

Good luck!

[jdp1]

OK, that's not the sensation I'm getting with the skates at all. I'd say my feet are locked in pretty well, but I can still rotate my ankle from side to side nearly as much as I can without the skates on. I'm pretty wobbly, and I'd likely break and ankle if I tried to hop. Think someone trying to walk in heels for the first time (google 'drunk in heels' if you don't know what I mean.

 

 

 

OK, I may well not be lacing the top part tight enough. I'll try it again to make sure. I thought I was pulling just about as hard as I could. :(

 

CCM V05, size 9D. Overkill, which is partially why I'm freaking out a little.

 

Skates tend to take a while to break in and are usually a bit difficult to tighten/mold firmly around your ankle and lower shin when you first buy them. Over time, the boot starts to shape to your foot and you can get a tighter fit. The top end skates tend to be stiffer, too. Try to tighten them as best you can, and then re-tie them as you are using them. I tie and re-tie mine at least 2-3 times a game.

 

If you're really uncomfortable in them, though, you should think about a different pair. It's amazing what a difference the right pair/fit of skates makes. I recently bought a new pair of Bauers and just couldn't get used to them. I wound up switching to the newer version of my old skates and it's like night and day.

 

If you do decide to get rid of them, Ebay is a pretty decent option. A lot of hockey or sporting goods stores also will sell used gear on consignment. You're almost certain to lose some money on them, but it's probably better than being uncomfortable or unhappy wearing them.

[MattPie]

So tried them on again tonight, and no dice. I had them tied as tight as possible (feet hurt, but not getting numb *right* away), and ankles are still flopping around. I'll take these back (they haven't been worn outside my house), and re-evaluate what I'm going to do.

 

Thanks everyone for the help, I'm certainly getting better info here than most places on the net.

[shrader]

What do you mean when you say your ankles are flopping all around? When you stand up, your ankles will roll from side to side, kind of like the motion when you would turn an ankle? If that's the case, you might have an ankle strength issue.

[MattPie]

What do you mean when you say your ankles are flopping all around? When you stand up, your ankles will roll from side to side, kind of like the motion when you would turn an ankle? If that's the case, you might have an ankle strength issue.

 

Yep, that's exactly it. And it wouldn't surprise me at all if I do have an ankle strength issue. :) So I'm even more lost as to which way to go. I suppose my ankles would toughen up quickly, as long as I don't turn or break one (or both) first. I could give up on this idea for now. Or keep looking for a skate with better ankle support. I see some make 'recreational' skates which appear to go further up, but not for men. :(

[darksabre]

Yep, that's exactly it. And it wouldn't surprise me at all if I do have an ankle strength issue. :) So I'm even more lost as to which way to go. I suppose my ankles would toughen up quickly, as long as I don't turn or break one (or both) first. I could give up on this idea for now. Or keep looking for a skate with better ankle support. I see some make 'recreational' skates which appear to go further up, but not for men. :(

 

I would say just go out and try and find some skates that give you more support. I think that will fix a lot of your problems. I have terrible ankles and through a lot of skating and good skates, it's better. But it's not always just ankle strength alone. Check out some other skates before you throw in the towel.

[MattPie]

I would say just go out and try and find some skates that give you more support. I think that will fix a lot of your problems. I have terrible ankles and through a lot of skating and good skates, it's better. But it's not always just ankle strength alone. Check out some other skates before you throw in the towel.

 

Since there's nothing else going on right now, I thought I'd resurrect this thread for a minute. :) I tried on a pair of Bauer One55's and they were much more supportive than the Vectors, but I couldn't find a pair in my size to try on due to it being late in the season. I didn't end up buying anything at this point; I had a rather painful and humbling experience with some awful rental skates so I'm putting this whole idea off until I have a chance to get in shape some other way.

 

BUT! I found a tip that some may want to try. When tying up the skates, I was having trouble keeping the laces tight after knotting them but before tying the bow. I tried using a Double-overhand knot which works great. It doesn't slip at all while you're tying the bow. Plus, it's really easy to tie. When you're typing the overhand knot (the standard 'knot' that you start tying your shoes with), tuck the end under a second time. The extra wrap provides more friction, so the laces stay in place better. It pulls apart when untying just like a normal overhand knot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_overhand_knot