Ice skates come in a wide variety of styles, shapes and features. However, what is right for the user depends in large part on their skill level and size, so children’s needs are very different from those of adults, and the ideal skates depend equally on the conditions they’ll skate in and their abilities. Here are a few tips on how to pick the perfect ice skates for children.
Understand Your Intent
There are two main types of ice skates: figure skating and hockey. If you’re looking for skates for playing sports on ice, you need hockey blades. If your child wants to do figure skating or simply skate on the ice in a leisurely fashion, they’ll want figure skating blades. These blades are longer, helping with balance, and have a toe pick.
Go for Pro Shops – But Not the Pro Skates
Even if you’re buying ice skates for beginners, it’s always better to go to a pro shop. The pro shop will sell skates that have good ankle support no matter the price range. You want this built in ankle support to minimize the risks of twisted ankles or broken bones during a fall. Ice skates sold at the big box store will generally be weak in this area. You can do some research on what to buy by reading these reviews of the best hockey skates, however, unless you’re actually shopping for a potential professional hockey player or figure skater, you don’t need the high-end skates.
For example, beginning figure skaters don’t need more than three or four picks on the toe. Apart from this, you can also find a great variety of various types of roller skates on Wowskates. The Extreme Skates by WowSkates is among their top selling items.
Select for Fit First
Children cannot safely skate if they aren’t wearing skates that fit. Skates that don’t fit properly are a leading cause of injury. Skates that don’t have proper support can lead to injury, but if it doesn’t fit, its level of support is irrelevant.
Try on skates while wearing the same sorts of socks the child would wear while skating. Have the child stand in the skates, and make sure there’s some room for the toes to grow. However, the skates should be rather tight. Let the child walk in the skates. The heel shouldn’t rise. There shouldn’t be “wiggle” room; that’s an invitation to trip.
The boots will be stiff, since this provides support. However, it shouldn’t chafe or hurt to wear them. Lace the boots all the way up to make sure they aren’t too tight or loose.
If your child isn’t available, a general rule of thumb is to choose skates two sizes smaller than the child’s shoe size. However, not all brands use the exact same sizing system, so if a size doesn’t fit, try another brand before assuming you’re looking at the wrong size.
Adjustable skates are a potential compromise for a fast-growing child. Only select those skates with adjustable ankle supports and a secure grip when locked into place. However, if you’re shopping for a toddler, get toddler ice skates. The molded shell keeps the feet secure, and the skates come with plenty of support. And most importantly, the blade is mostly covered to minimize the risk to your child.
Get ice skates that fit properly, though having a little room to grow is nice, but not always necessary. In all cases, it’s generally better to shop for ice skates at the pro shop, but don’t pay for features your skater doesn’t need.