How do you store your skates?

[Done like dinner 0]

I'm betting that starting this topic is going to get me another lesson in using the search function but I haven't figured out the right search term I guess so here goes...

I use my skates (Kor Shift 1) 5 days out of 7 so I'm always trying to get them dried out properly etc. and store them infrequently for more than a weekend. But how best to store them skates even during that short term (over the week/weekend) or long term (the summer)?

Being a 34 year old Dad who works for a living I kinda want my expensive skates to last as long as possible; besides, once skates (even heat formables like my Kors) reach that sweet spot fit-wise, you want to keep them in that sweet spot as long as possible.

People keep those shoe trees inside their expensive shoes while they're sitting on the shelf, should I do that with my skates? I'm pretty sure that stuffed in my gear bag isn't the way to do it. Laces tightened up or left loose? Should I be careful to keep my heat moldable skates away from even low sources of heat if they are going to be there a while (like on top of the dryer)? Any new ideas out there?

[colt45 0]

i guess im just fortunate..but i have a room with a de-humidifier, and air vents in it. there's a shelf by the air vents and i always loosen my skates curl the tounge down to let air in and sometimes even take the footbeds out...

i hang up my gear up after every time i skate and get a lot of years outta it...a de-humidifier is key if u ask me and air flow is also good to have...make sure u take off your soakers or your runners will rust too....

i think thats about it though.......

[tomh7 2]

I just hang mine upside down from a wire shelf in my basement. I have a dehumidifier right next to the shelf. I leave the laces loose, pull the tongue forward, pull the footbeds out, and the blade covers off. I also wipt the outside of the skate off with a dry towel before I put them in my bag after skating.

[Done like dinner 0]

I just hang mine upside down from a wire shelf in my basement....

tomh7 would you/do you leave them like that long-term? Or, for a while even after they're dry?

What do pro equip managers do? Keep them hung up in player stalls?

[tomh7 2]

Yep... I play once per week and when I get home I hang everything up and it stays there until the next game.

[colt45 0]

I just hang mine upside down from a wire shelf in my basement....

What do pro equip managers do? Keep them hung up in player stalls?

no they take care of them and dry them and then before practices/games, they hang them back in the players' stalls

[Ogie Oglethorpe 14]

As others mentioned, take the liner out and hang upside down would be great - near an A/C vent or de-humidifier would be great, too.

Another solution is a Kor product (or I suspect that other companies offer the same thing). They have this "dry-pac" thing. Not sure where you can get one, but it's a blue beanie-bag looking thing that "whicks" moisture and stink from the skate.

[Done like dinner 0]

no they take care of them and dry them and then before practices/games, they hang them back in the players' stalls

well yeah I sort of figured that, but thanks colt45.

OK, specifically: I wonder if tightening, but not really reefing on, the laces in order to store the skates will help the skate keep the shape more like the shape it takes when on my foot? Or should I loosen them up like crazy and let the skate "relax" while sitting around?

[Chadd 916]

I'm working on something but it's not going to be ready for a few more months.

[bbruins8 0]

I bring mine into my room, it's the only piece of equipment I even allow in my room for fear of it smelling like a farm in here...or something like that.

[djosbun 0]

I have my wife blow her hot air into my skates.

[wetwilly17 6]

i've been thinking of getting a dehumidifier too. the thought came to me during a vegas tournament i was in last spring. the air out there is ofcourse extremely dry. i sweat more than anyone i know and my gear is completely saturated after each game. it didn't matter that we were playing multiple games in vegas because all i had to do was take my gear out of my bag and it would be completely dry in only a couple hours.

we discussed how it would suck living in vegas. i brought up how it would be cool because of how fast my gear dries (as opposed to humid texas). she thought it was stupid that i would even bring that up. she doesn't understand gearwhores...

[stock07 1]

I have my wife blow her hot air into my skates.

Now thats funny....

[jbyun04 7]

I hang mine upside down with skate guards on them in my garage off a stick supported by 2 hooks

[heatley015 0]

i hang mine upside down on hooks in my basement, right beside the furnace after every game , and all through the summer

[jimmy 194]

I think the best way to make skates last is to dry them out from the inside, and not just hanging. You have to get air circulating inside. Use a fan on them with opened up tounge, or better yet use a boot dryer. I use the Dry-Guy, it forces warm air all the way inside to the toe cap. Completely dries the skate quick. Only air can do that.

[Nealoc187 10]

I've always kept mine loose (not laced up tightly), tongue pulled out a bit and the footbed pulled out. I just set them inside my bag (the rest of my gear is pulled out of my bag and hung up on hooks and shelves.) I don't bother with skate guards.

[jcp2 2]

I dry off the skates after playing, then I put soakers on for the trip home. As soon as I'm in, all the gear gets hung in the basement and the skates are put on their sides on a towel with the soakers off. As I have Kor Shift 1,s like you, there is no footbed to pull out, although I pukk them out for other skates. Since I only play once or twice a week, everything is dry by the time I need it again.

[Jarick 5]

I just lay them down on floor sideways, shoot a bit of Febreeze antimicrobial, and leave them until my next game.

[moose77 0]

I bought a boot dryer and throw my skates on after skating. Mine doesn't have a fan, it's just hot air that rises through two tubes and slowly dries them out. By morning, I just put my Superfeet back in them and they're good to go.

[Dougie8 0]

I just hang mine upside down/semi-upside down on my gear tree. I always wipe'm off and make sure there's no more snow on the holder or blade before putting them in my bag. If you're in a hurry, toss a fan in the direction of your skates/any piece of equipment and it dries way quicker.

[JPB_69 0]

I have my wife blow her hot air into my skates.

Now THAT'S signature worthy....

Sad thing is if I did that my skates would be subject to 20+ hours of hot air. That might actually speed up the aging process.

[Sven 1]

I have my wife blow her hot air into my skates.

Now thats funny....

I had to chuckle.

I personally just hang em upside down in my basement. I also remove the insoles and pull the tongue down. Works like charm for me!

When they are REALLY wet, i take dry packs.

[Jim A 4]

Certainly there are similar items to dry packs in the athletic shoe industry..

if you are using dehumidifiers just be careful not to have them on too high, i put my skates as far away from them as possible and use a medium to low setting for any of your gear, nothing worse than putting on dry stuff that feels as if its been in your garage for a year

[roscoe6 1]

Wipe the blades dry, remove the liner, unlace the top two eyelets, fold the tongue out and let be. Nothing worse then cold, wet, HEAVY skates.