Skates – Tips On Selecting The Correct Skates

By: Lucy Bartlett

Skates can be used in many different ways. Some of the most common activities with skates are figure skating, ramp, hockey, stair riding, up and down hills, speed skating, commuting and so on. Before selecting a pair skates decide whether it is to be used for speed, hockey or multi-purpose.

The skating sports boom occurred in the 1880s and from that time onwards roller skates were mass produced to meet the demand. Richmond, Indiana based Micajah C Henley was producing more than a thousand pairs of skates every week and selling all of them. These skates were the first model to hit the markets with a provision to adjust the tension through the screws fitted at the base.

Multi-purpose skates are also known as fitness or cross-training skates and recreational skates. Correct translations of these sales terms will be “expensive skates” and “cheaper skates” respectively.

Multi-purpose skates with rugged shells, smaller and harder wheels and grind plates made of either plastic or metals are ideal for aggressive or street skating. These types of skates are very popular. For inline skating, multi-purpose skates form a large share of the market. They are made of plastic and contain an inside foam liner. Some models have only laces for tying and some have only buckles and some have a combination of both laces and buckles.

Hockey skates are made of stitched leather. They are good for use only in rinks and may not withstand the abrasion and shocks of the rough surface of the outdoors. Hockey skates can be properly fastened by using the Velcro straps and the laces.

Speed skates are provided with a wheelbase which can fit in 5 wheels. Speed skates are usually made of leather. Speed skates are sold only specialty stores.

When purchasing speed skates ensure you get a good fitting. Sit down and fasten the skates as if you are going to skate. When you stand up your toes should reach or touch the end of the skate. Bend your knees in the standing position. Straighten your legs and bend them again. Do these exercise a couple of times and check your comfort level. A small toe room should be created when you bend the knees during skating which ensures a good fit. If the toes are touching and feeling the tip of the skates, it indicates a good and proper fit. By using custom insoles you can get a perfect fit.

When the inside of the wheels appear worn or your speed is not picking up, it is time to change the wheels. Your weight, skating downhill and the terrain are some of the factors causing the wear and tear of the wheel.

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How To Get The Best Out Of Your Bont Boots-Custom Fitting and Maintenance

If you’re a newbie in the racing world and you’ve just opened your first pair Bont Semi’s, you’re realizing on thing.

“Man, these things are hard and a little uncomfortable.”

Hold on there all you Bont worshippers. By uncomfortable, I mean not as cozy as a pair of new GT-50’s.

Fortunately, the brilliant folks over at Bont have realized this and given us some great pointers on how to custom fit your boots to your feet and some great general maintenance tips.

QUESTION

How can I make my Bont boots more comfortable and better fitting?

ANSWER

Heat molding your boots will provide a custom fit perfectly molded to your foot, which will provide added comfort and a better fit. The heat molding process can be done as many times as need to get the right fit.

Bont boots have been made with a special heat-moldable material. The areas made of this plastic like material can be easily heated with a hair drier on the inside and outside of the boots.

Using your hair drier, heat the boots until they are almost too hot to touch. Be sure to move the drier in a circular motion so you don’t scorch any leather on the boots. Immediately put on the boots and lace them tightly. Your feet might get pretty warm, but it’s important to leave the skates on until they have completely cooled to normal.

Once they’ve cooled down you can take them off and your done. That’s it. Pretty easy.

For those of you who are just as impatient as I am and think to yourselves, “Dude, I can just nuke them in the microwave and be done in like 2 minutes.” DON’T!!

Microwaves are not for skates!

QUESTION

Can I heat them in the oven?

Answer

WARNING – IF YOU END UP TURNING YOUR SKATES INTO A $500 PIECE OF PLASTIC                           GOO, DONT GET MAD AT ME!

Sure! Now that I’ve said that part about the microwave, lets talk about the oven.

The oven is fine, you have to be very careful and keep a close eye on the boots. The key here is to heat up the skates, not cook them.

1. Preheat your oven to 185 degrees

2. Remove the wheels, frames, and any hardware like nuts and bolts. Leave the laces in.

3. Put your boots in the oven for 20-30 minutes. I would definitely be looking in on them around the 18-20 minute mark. Not all ovens are created equal and not all ovens maintain an accurate temperature.

4. Once you pull them out of the oven, let them cool for just a minute. You don’t want to cook your feet. A good way to test the temp is to stick your hand in the boot. You’ll figure it out pretty quick if it’s too hot or not.

5. As soon as you can, put the boots on and lace them tight. Leave them on until they’ve completely cooled and then your done.

Now lets go over a few quick maintenance tips.

WET BOOTS

If your boots get wet, it’s very important to let them dry in the shade. Never lay them out in the direct sunlight to dry. This can cause the leather to shrink and crack. Also, if you’ve have a great training session or race and your skates are wet from sweat, use a cloth to dry them as well as you can. The enzymes in your sweat will eventually start to break down the leather.

HARDWARE

Speed skating can rough an skates and cause your bolts and axles to loosen. Make sure that everything is good and tight before every session or race. Be careful not to over tighten because you might strip the threads or the hex head.

Of course, I hope you know by now that racing can be dangerous and you should always wear the proper safety gear.

If your not sure you like your Bont boots, you definitely want to think about that before you start sticking them in the oven. Although these are Bont’s recommendations for heat molding, I’m pretty sure the process voids any warranties. So proceed with caution.

And as always, if you have any other concerns or questions, let us know by leaving a comment in the comment box.

Thanks