Skate Depth

[raygunpk 0]

A little off topic but other than getting lace bite, does having skates not deep enough affect anything else?

Lateral support?

i would say it affects the amount of forward flex that you get

Did not want to thread jack so I'll start a new one. What does lateral support exactly mean? Are you talking about cross-overs/backward skating?

And affecting the forward flex...would that make me slower?

My foot does kind of bulge out near the skate lock on my Vectors. I don't tie the top eyelet up and I have superfeets in there..I've skated without them one game to try it out and I fell all over the place.

I only noticed this when I was playing roller the other day and the depth seemed flush on the rollerblades.

[Griff 2]

Lateral support is the support the skates provide on the sides of your feet and ankle. A stiffer skate will generally provide more support. The lateral support affects pretty much everything related to skating in hockey, stablity through turns, efficency while skating in a straight line, support while checking or being checked...ect. Forward flex will be influenced more by the cut of the boot and how high you lace them up.

Hope this helps

[raygunpk 0]

Hmm that might explain why I feel more stable in on my roller blades.

[Griff 2]

Are your inlines stiffer that your ice skates?

[raygunpk 0]

Nope my inlines are the Mission BSX which I believe are the lowest of the new Mission line. Ice are Vector 6s.

[schrempsky 0]

you may feel more stable on the inlines because they are a softer boot so you are able to work the boot all the time. you may just prefer a softer boot. the missions are definitely deeper than the vectors, so that could be it as well. the missions may very well just be a better fit for you, providing a closer fit, which makes you feel more stable.

[raygunpk 0]

So you don't think it's a depth issue? Because it really is bulging out near the top arch of my foot and I don't think it should be doing that.

[schrempsky 0]

i do think the missions fit you better, as you saying the depth in the mission was flat across is good. i do think that depth is always an issue that should be addressed if present. if you feel more confident in you mission, perhaps it would be best you invest in a pair of ice skates that make you feel as confident on ice as you do at inline.

maybe a pair of mission ice skates would be the best skate for you!

i do think that your skate should essentially fit you perfectly, and that the skate wearer shouldnt have any issues.so hopefully your depth issue can be resolved!

[raygunpk 0]

I'd hate to shell out money for a new skate ! Could be just in my head too and I just suck at skating on ice lol.

[boganz45 0]

I'd hate to shell out money for a new skate ! Could be just in my head too and I just suck at skating on ice lol.

Hey, I 've got CCM Vector 10 SE Ices and CCM Vector 10 Inlines. I need the volume of a size 10 boot but the length of a 9.5 boot, both being a width D. While the 9.5s are what I am using, after a bake and a lacing of the skates in an inverse pattern as to avoid lace bite, the volume feels better and while the pencil test is borderline, the skates feel good. Try it and see. Later,

[raygunpk 0]

boganz, so lacing up inverse increased the volume?

Does anybody have a picture, maybe a side view, of how a skate SHOULD fit in regards to depth?

[TheBert 0]

Have you tried the pencil test, ray?

[boganz45 0]

boganz, so lacing up inverse increased the volume?

Does anybody have a picture, maybe a side view, of how a skate SHOULD fit in regards to depth?

I think so - although marginally so - but just enough in my case. Okay, so for my laces, I would always lace under-over (i.e. the lace enters the lace hole from underneath the skate by the tongue - the inside of the skate - and then would be laced through the hole coming out on the outside of the skate ready to move up to the next lace hole). I was borderline on the pencil test which suggested my volume was borderline not enough. When I laced and tightened normally, the lace holes 2-4 from the top lace holes were painful - not enough volume and lace bite. By inversing the lacing pattern (i.e. over under - so each lace goes over to the lace hole and then comes through in by the tongue and then goes to the next lace hole to go over-under), it makes for a little more room, helps eliminate lace bite, and while it is more difficult lacing, tightening, and unlacing, it holds tighter better when tied. Unnatural to do but feels the same when playing (actually better with the added room). Do a search for 'pencil test' or 'volume' and you will see what is too much / not enough. Hope this helps,

[raygunpk 0]

Resting the pencil across the 4th eyelet, which is the skate lock, touches my feet. It doesn't even touch the skate.

[boganz45 0]

If that is the case with the pencil perpendicular to the skate and the tongue pulled all the way up and out the way (the tongue should not be a part of the test), then you probably need a boot with more volume. Later,

[raygunpk 0]

Just checked the pencil thread...it seems if there is no pain then there isn't much to worry about. Not sure still if it affects performance but probably not as much as I think.

[vectoranalysisgo 3]

for what it's worth, I fail the pencil test miserably and have in every pair I've owned; I've tried deeper skates but none felt comfortable or fit right at all (for various reasons).. but I've never had lace bite or any other pain associated with shallow/deep boot issues.. so I'm living proof that you can fail the pencil test and still have a good fit that allows you to play well..

just my $0.02, but I think the pencil test is a good rule of thumb, especially if you're having other suspicions about a skate, but if everything else about a skate feels great, don't let the pencil thing make you doubt yourself..