Skate Stiffness

[Dare to Dream 1980 0]

Hey i was wondering what exactly does the stiffness of a skate help do or help make worse?

[jjtt99 0]

In my opinion...keeping in mind I'm not an expert, I just pretend to be one on the internet:

If you're heavy, more stiffness is required so the boot won't break down as fast.

If you're an advanced skater, stiffness helps with the power transfer from you legs to the blade.

If you're learning to skate, you want less stiffness so you can develop ankle strength and get comfortable with the full range of motion of a skate.

Really unstiff/floppy skates aren't good for anything.

[Mike - MN 1]

I think alot of it is also personal preference. Plenty of pros don't wear overly stiff skates. Crosby specifically has plastic sidewalls instead of carbon fiber because the plastic is less stiff. Many centers seem to wear a less-stiff skate.

[MLSman 22]

I agree on the personal preference. Stiffness is more a topic of "feel" than general function. From a science perspective, stiffness provides rigidity and less flex in a boot. Once provided by plastics, almost all skates today use thinner, lighter carbon material to provide stiffness. Carbon has substantial weight advantages, but also some negatives. Carbon, unlike plastic, does not warp or bend out of shape. Look at a composite stick. It will flex but return to its normal shape. But when carbon goes.....it cracks and shatters. Luckily, most skates have outer and inner materials that inhibit the amount of flex of the carbon in the boot. With skates today your liners and outer material will in most cases be the reason a boot needs to be replaced.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

I think alot of it is also personal preference. Plenty of pros don't wear overly stiff skates. Crosby specifically has plastic sidewalls instead of carbon fiber because the plastic is less stiff. Many centers seem to wear a less-stiff skate.

Dude...none of the RBK skates have carbon fibre in the boot. Either you got bad info or you misunderstood. What I *think* you mean is that he has a plastic outsole instead of carbon.

[barrett 0]

It is really a preference, but i think a stiffer boot will have a longer durability rate at least with the boot becoming soft.

[Mike - MN 1]

I think alot of it is also personal preference. Plenty of pros don't wear overly stiff skates. Crosby specifically has plastic sidewalls instead of carbon fiber because the plastic is less stiff. Many centers seem to wear a less-stiff skate.

Dude...none of the RBK skates have carbon fibre in the boot. Either you got bad info or you misunderstood. What I *think* you mean is that he has a plastic outsole instead of carbon.

Well perhaps the RBK skate guy was miss-informed then because I'm just repeating what he told me. He said that Crosby has plastic ankle supports in his boots rather than the carbon fiber in the 9k.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Actually - you're right. Looked over the specs, I was wrong.