When choosing skates, you need to pay attention to the material from which they are made, the quality of the insole and tongue, as well as the presence of special pads to protect the foot from damage. The blade should have a matte sheen and a sharpening radius of 11 to 15 mm.
Ice sports have always been on a special account in Russia. The victory of Russian figure skaters at the Sochi Olympics gave an even greater impetus to the development of this sport. More and more ordinary amateurs come to the rink with their children, so the topic of choosing special shoes for such activities is more relevant than ever. What should you look for when choosing skates?
Boot selection criteria
First, you need to know that skates can be amateur, semi-professional and professional, in which hockey players play. But hockey skates differ significantly from curly skates, so you need to choose based on what kind of sport you plan to do. But for whatever purposes they are purchased, they must be tried on, in no case should you buy such shoes from an online store or ask to buy someone from your acquaintances. Only by putting them on your feet, fully laced up and walking around the store a little, you can pay the seller.
It is recommended to buy skates 1 size larger so that you can wear a warm sock. If you plan to purchase skates on a plastic basis, then due to the included foam stockings, your feet will always be warm, however, due to the increased rigidity, such boots are not suitable for playing hockey. Good skates have a tough, genuine leather sole that can perfectly fix the foot. It is good if the insole dries quickly inside, the "blown" tongue has a notch that repeats the shape of the leg, and the presence of special pads will help protect the leg from damage and create support for the heel.
The leather should be tight but soft to the touch, the tongue of the boot is well stitched around the edges, and the distance between the lace holes should be wide.
Blade selection criteria
Highly hardened stainless steel is used for the production of runners. In expensive models, the runners are removable, as a result, you can save on buying new boots. Good blades have a matte sheen, if there is one, then often you do not have to sharpen the blades - they will glide very well. If the boots were bought in one store, and the runners in another, it is imperative to check the symmetry of the sole of the boot - the toe line must be a continuation of the heel line, otherwise installation problems may arise.
Sharpening the blades is very important. Usually they are sharpened with a radius of 11 to 15 mm, while the master pursues one goal - to restore the groove that divides the blade into two edges. It is easy to check the quality of sharpening: put the horse trams next to it - if they stand straight and straight, then there should be no complaints about the work of the master. It must be remembered that it is impossible to sharpen the skate too often, as a result, its service life will significantly decrease.
