5/8 hollow / skater weight

[aal 3]

I've always had a 1/2" hollow, or deeper (in the past), but am thinking of going to 5/8". I weigh only about 140 though. I suppose it is all personal preference, but any thoughts on going to 5/8 at 140 pounds or so?

[krwwc6 0]

I'd say give it a try. I don't think weight is as much of a factor as everyone says it is. I think a big factor is how strong your stride is and how powerful your push off is from the ice.

If you don't like it you can always go back to 1/2

[sinkhole84 0]

I say go for it I used 7/16 for a long time then I used 1/2 then 5/8 and found that I love 5/8 so try it out like krwwc6 said you can always go back to 1/2 .

[Stacey 0]

There is actually a kind of little trade secret among sharpeners when it comes to the final pass and shallow hollows...If you are concerned about losing edge control but really want the benefits of a shallow hollow, ask your sharpener if he/she knows about angling the honing stone on the final pass, it gives you a little more bite than you would normally have they were to hone the blade flat.

[jimmy 194]

There is actually a kind of little trade secret among sharpeners when it comes to the final pass and shallow hollows...If you are concerned about losing edge control but really want the benefits of a shallow hollow, ask your sharpener if he/she knows about angling the honing stone on the final pass, it gives you a little more bite than you would normally have they were to hone the blade flat.

Yes, tuning the tips of the edges is a good technique, however for aal, I suggest he step up to 5/8 in small increments. What I've found is if you do it in one jump, at your weight, you'll likely be slipping out and it will feel like you have no edges. Try 17/32 next, then skate on that a while, then 9/16, then 19/32 then 5/8. No need to stop at 5/8, just keep shallowing until you find that the grip is not adequate, then back up 1 setting.

[Wolfpack_1986 154]

I was 120 lbs skating on 5/8".

I've since dropped to 9/16" because i wanted a little more bite, but there was nothing wrong with the 5/8

[Duder84 0]

I'm the same weight as you and I had no problems with dropping to 5/8 from 1/2. It actually felt better for me to go to 5/8.

[aarondevera 0]

just went from a 9/16, to a 5/8 to a 3/4 hollow in less than a month. it'll always depending on where you're skating.

... or how much steak you're eating :S

[Jarick 5]

I dropped from 185 to 165 and went from 3/8 to 11/16. I also recommend going up in 1/16 increments if possible, skate on them for a couple skates, and if you feel it's too dull, drop back 1/16. If you feel you're getting too much bite, definitely go shallower.

I also hone my edges after every skate because it keeps them where I like them. I do notice some sharpeners give me a "sharper" cut versus a "duller" cut, and I have to take that into account. That's why I try and sharpen as little as possible.

[db88 0]

im about 195 lbs my hollow is at 1/2... its sharp, works pretty well for me... can stop on a dime.. although on soft ice id go for something with a little less edge.. like 9/16

[regularjoe 1]

I'm in a similar boat - I'm about 130 and was on 1/2 for awhile.

Made the jump to 9/16 last week (had tried 5/8 in the past but wasn't a good enough skater to get the edges I needed at the time). Once I got used to it, it definitely feels much smoother and I still feel like I can dig in where required (working along the boards or in front of the net).

Would definitely recommend a public skate or stick to get used to it first.

[xaero604 0]

i'm also on 5'8"s and weigh 150. Personally, I like it more than say 3/8"s because I catch edges less and initiate stopping more easily. The trade off is not being able to stop on a dime but that has more to do with technique. If you think you have a good enough skating stride, move up, although as the others have recommended, move up in 1/16"s increments.