Skates

[cwc2134 1]

what does it mean when you get a heal lift? ive read alot of threads that people keep talking about pitch and radius and all this stuff. ive played hockey for a long time and i have no idea what anyone is talking about. hopefully someone can fill me in

[DamnLocust 0]

heel lifts are small wedges installed in between a skate boot and holder when a player feels the lean of the skate is too far back (on the heels) It works like a spacer between the boot and holder, and will move the balance point of the skate more towards the balls of the feet or the toes.

Pitch is the factor that is affected by a heel lift or a skate profile- the balance point, and whether the skate leans forwards or back.

Radius is the curvature of the skate's blade- a shorter radius is more maneuverable, and a longer radius gives more glide.

Other useful terms regarding skate sharpening include hollow and profile. Searching these topics will bring up a ton of posts that can inform you on what can be done to fine-tune your skates to your liking. good luck.