What Should A Proper Fitting Skate Feel Like?

[Sichy 6]

I'm not quite sure what a proper fitting skate should feel like. So what components make a proper fitting skate? Should it feel snug, and to what point is it not considered snug? Should your big toe feather the toecap, etc.? Also, what time of day is it best to try on skates?

The reason I ask is because I'm terribly confused. I tried on the Nike Flexlite 10's in size 10D (a week ago), and my big toe was touching the toecap and my feet felt very snug in the skates (to the point whereby I felt like my foot was wrapped and sealed tightly). Then today, I tried on the Nike Flexlite 10's in 9.5EE, and my big toe was feathering the toecap? What is up with my foot? Should a skate feel like it's wrapped tightly around your foot when you first put the skates on? Any suggestions of what a proper fit feels like would be great (and yes, I'm aware that these are merely suggestions and preferences).

[Chadd 916]

keep trying them on until you find a pair that is too small and then go back up a size

[Sichy 6]

keep trying them on until you find a pair that is too small and then go back up a size

Thanks for the quick response. When you suggest this, do you mean go back up a full size or a half size? How about the width?

[Chadd 916]

sounds like you need the wider width to me, but that's purely anecdotal. Try them on until they're too small, then go back up to the last one that wasn't too small.

[Sichy 6]

Okay, thanks Chadd. I've never had a skate (that is the D width) that wraps around my foot like a glove when I first put it on for the first time. My last skate was a 2E width, but I sometimes wonder if I'm really a D width. Should a skate feel snug based on the first time you wear the skates? I realize that when I use the skate more, the skates will work in, but at the same time, when a player plays in a game and his foot gets warm, his foot tends to expand abit, so I'm very much in a catch 22.

[hurricane 0]

I'm not quite sure what a proper fitting skate should feel like. So what components make a proper fitting skate? Should it feel snug, and to what point is it not considered snug? Should your big toe feather the toecap, etc.? Also, what time of day is it best to try on skates?

The reason I ask is because I'm terribly confused. I tried on the Nike Flexlite 10's in size 10D (a week ago), and my big toe was touching the toecap and my feet felt very snug in the skates (to the point whereby I felt like my foot was wrapped and sealed tightly). Then today, I tried on the Nike Flexlite 10's in 9.5EE, and my big toe was feathering the toecap? What is up with my foot? Should a skate feel like it's wrapped tightly around your foot when you first put the skates on? Any suggestions of what a proper fit feels like would be great (and yes, I'm aware that these are merely suggestions and preferences).

This is what I learned and have noticed when buying and breaking in new skates.

I did what chadd suggested and thats how I found out I wear a 9 Bauer. the skate should'nt feel like your sneakers. Snug without losing circulation. your archs should feel good not a killing pain then its just the wrong skate for you. your tips of your toes should brush the toecap. I found out my biggest problem with the 8090 was boot depth. when I would tie my skates the 2 top eyelits were only about 2 inchs apart-- to deep-- I have skinny ankles. I like my skates snug not to tight. so you should be able to tie your skates tight enough to support your ankles but loose enough for forward flex( if you can't do this, again the wrong skate). when I break in my skates the sides of my feet kill and my ankles are sore-- this is how I now that I picked out the right skate and usually goes away within 3 to 5 skates.

this is the tell tale signs that the skate dose'nt fit you right:(I got these from the many experts I talked to.)

1) Blisters/ bone spurs.

2) horriable pain in your archs.

3)top eylits are close-- (boot to deep)you will not have the correct forward flex and that area of the skate will break down fast.

4)ankle won't lock in-----Boot size to big.

5) any type of ankle joint problems, brusing

Normal foot/ankle pains (Break in)

1) ankles sore.

2) sides of feet hurt/sore

3) fatigue in your lower calfs/ ankles

4) arch's may have a little discomfort

I would like to thank a few customer service reps at bauer for this info.

[Chadd 916]

Having a snug fit or pressure isn;t a bad thing, pain is bad. Wear them for 15-20 minutes in the store, walk around, see how much forward flex you can get. Don't just buy them based on a quick 5-minute trial fitting.

[Sichy 6]

Okay, I went to my local hockey store yesterday, and I got my foot measured again, and once again my foot was a size 9.5. I tried on the Nike Flexlite 10 Hockey Skate in 9.5 D and EE, and 10 D for a good hour. Both widths for the size 9.5 fit, the only problem was that I was unsure what width would be the right width for myself. When I had my foot measured, my foot width was an E width. I talked to the sale rep. about this and he suggested that since both widths fit, I should just go with the D width. However, when I got home with the D width, I wore them for a good 45 minutes, and the sides of my foot started to hurt, and when I took the skates off, and took my socks off, I noticed that the sides of my foot had gone numb. So I was wondering if you guys could tell me if this is normal or should I have gone with the EE width.

***Chadd, if you could provide any further advice, it would be greatly appreciated.***

[Project_2501 0]

Yeah, make sure they're not too big, my Vector Pro's are a half-size too big, and it's starting to bite me in the ass.

[Chadd 916]

Okay, I went to my local hockey store yesterday, and I got my foot measured again, and once again my foot was a size 9.5. I tried on the Nike Flexlite 10 Hockey Skate in 9.5 D and EE, and 10 D for a good hour. Both widths for the size 9.5 fit, the only problem was that I was unsure what width would be the right width for myself. When I had my foot measured, my foot width was an E width. I talked to the sale rep. about this and he suggested that since both widths fit, I should just go with the D width. However, when I got home with the D width, I wore them for a good 45 minutes, and the sides of my foot started to hurt, and when I took the skates off, and took my socks off, I noticed that the sides of my foot had gone numb. So I was wondering if you guys could tell me if this is normal or should I have gone with the EE width.

***Chadd, if you could provide any further advice, it would be greatly appreciated.***

If two skates fit the same, you can usually get the more narrow width to expand a little during baking. There is nothing you can do to make a wider skate more narrow.

[Sichy 6]

I was just wondering what exactly is the difference with a D width and a EE width, like where exactly is the difference. Is the width different in the upper third region of the skate, (the lower region beginning at the heel and the mid region in the arch area). I forgot to mention yesterday that in an EE width, I have some negative space where I can move my foot inside the skate in the upper third region of the skate, but my foot is locked into the skate in the mid and the lower region. When I wear the D width skate, it's the mid region that hurts. So it is natural for me to feel pain on the sides of my foot or is the D width not the right width? Let say if someone had an E width foot and there is only D and EE width skates, would you suggest a D or an EE? The reason why I ask all of this is because I need to make a decision. Once I get my skates sharpen, I cannot return or exchange the skates for a different width.

For example, is the difference in width as follows:

D width:

____

|____|--> upper region (toes area-to-mid area) (3)

|____|--> mid region (arch area) (2)

|____|--> lower region (heel area-to-mid area) (1)

EE width:

_____

|_____|--> upper region (toes area-to-mid area) (3)

|____|--> mid region (arch area) (2)

|____|--> lower region (heel area-to-mid area) (1)

http://img307.imageshack.us/my.php?image=skates019de.jpg

[Sven 1]

Now that looks like rocketscience to me... it took some minutes until i got it :)

[hurricane 0]

I was just wondering what exactly is the difference with a D width and a EE width, like where exactly is the difference. Is the width different in the upper third region of the skate, (the lower region beginning at the heel and the mid region in the arch area). I forgot to mention yesterday that in an EE width, I have some negative space where I can move my foot inside the skate in the upper third region of the skate, but my foot is locked into the skate in the mid and the lower region. When I wear the D width skate, it's the mid region that hurts. So it is natural for me to feel pain on the sides of my foot or is the D width not the right width? Let say if someone had an E width foot and there is only D and EE width skates, would you suggest a D or an EE? The reason why I ask all of this is because I need to make a decision. Once I get my skates sharpen, I cannot return or exchange the skates for a different width.

For example, is the difference in width as follows:

D width:

____

|____|--> upper region (toes area-to-mid area) (3)

|____|--> mid region (arch area) (2)

|____|--> lower region (heel area-to-mid area) (1)

EE width:

_____

|_____|--> upper region (toes area-to-mid area) (3)

|____|--> mid region (arch area) (2)

|____|--> lower region (heel area-to-mid area) (1)

http://img307.imageshack.us/my.php?image=skates019de.jpg

Ok , I am just going to say what bauer customer service told me and I Quote: "the difference between D an EE is only a 1/4 of a inch the complete length of the boot"--Weather this is really true and it applys to all the manufactors is another question.