Inserts for youth skates and skate question

[ahbroody 1]

Okay my son who is 3 seems to not be able to wear most skates. The NBH we have been able to try are not deep enough causing lace bite and cramping pretty quickly. He wears a x to XX wide sneaker and has a high top of the foot.

The main issue complicating finding the right skate is that here in northern california most shops stock 1-2 skates in youth size 8-9. Rigt now stock is almostnon existant also. We had success with reebok 1k in size 8 but over the last month or so he has out grown them. I picked up a pair of S15 form HG in size 9 on clearence for 29.00 thinking they would work. 20 min into his class he started saying his feet are cold on the side arch(this is how he describes cramping). He is real particular about his shoes and now skates and foot comfort. At three if they cramp up he is done and wants off the ice. So its important to dad to make him happy.

Questions are

1) Is it worth it to try to salvage the s15 youth by finding an insert as they seem to run 30.00(quality of skate)?

2) does anyone sell youth inserts in size yth 8-9, superfeet seem to start at 13.5yth?

3) would an insert help?

4)Is the CCM vector line in youth like the adult being more narrow then the tack line or reebok?

5) U+ in youth wider like reebook or not?

6) anyone with experience in this have any recomendations?

He was progressing great in the 1k over the past few months and wantto keep him on the ice. He has a pair of externo bandit roller blades that are real comfortable for him also if that helps give any ideas. Found a pair of externo 10 youth skates on line which could buy also as I imagine the fit identical to the badit.

sorry for the long post but this is important to dad.

[reyno2ac 0]

I don't have a solution to your problem I'd just like to comment that I'd glad you are working so hard to make sure your son is enjoying hockey!

[monoclub 5]

My son is now 4 and a half (and weighs 62lbs!) and I had the same problems when he was 2 and started skating. Size 8 is very small, the smallest you can buy a skate in. It fit my boy length wise but not width, and I put him into a 10 after a couple of sessions with the 8. I may get shot down for this, but I believe skate size on kids this small isn't as critical, they aren't working the edges or getting any real thrust in their skating for it to make that much of a difference in fact it will help him to be more stable while the larger size will give him a little more width. If with a 10 he still has some cramping just punch the skate out (thats what I did as even the 10 was tight).

How you lace is also very important. With us the lacing over the top of the foot is almost loose, tightening as it goes vertical and very tight on the last 2/3 holes.

Good luck!

[forbs02 20]

My son is now 4 and a half (and weighs 62lbs!) and I had the same problems when he was 2 and started skating. Size 8 is very small, the smallest you can buy a skate in. It fit my boy length wise but not width, and I put him into a 10 after a couple of sessions with the 8. I may get shot down for this, but I believe skate size on kids this small isn't as critical, they aren't working the edges or getting any real thrust in their skating for it to make that much of a difference in fact it will help him to be more stable while the larger size will give him a little more width. If with a 10 he still has some cramping just punch the skate out (thats what I did as even the 10 was tight).

How you lace is also very important. With us the lacing over the top of the foot is almost loose, tightening as it goes vertical and very tight on the last 2/3 holes.

Good luck!

This is one of the easiest things to do to fix how a youth skate fits. When I was in retail I saw parents come in with their kids complaining of foot pain all the time. I'd have the parent tie the skate like they normally would and they would crank them down way too tight. I'm not saying you are tying them that tight, but its worth evaluating.

[ahbroody 1]

Reyno thanks for the positive. I just want him to love the skating, the game, and have fun. So far he does. Even if he is sick he wants to go to class or skate in the garage on his blades.

Well Forbs I definetly tightened up the skate. Infact I remember now retightening the skate a little because he was having some issues with this skate. He was falling a lot at class which he had not been doing in his reeboks. I think it was partly the boot is too big and the pitch might be different from the reeboks. I have no other way to explain the issues he was having skating. Wierd though as I had always tightened his reeboks up pretty good also and not had any cramping issues even when the length was just barely enough. Infact the week prior when they were clearly to tight I remember him saying they were tight but it was okay

Mono I have seen some issues with kids wearing skates to big. I see so many kids at his roller and ice class with over sized skates. They are putting stress on their ankles and it definetly effects their learning as they develop bad habits. My son is often much more stable on his feet then other kids in these oversized skates. Being your boy has a wide foot you likely skipped most of these as the only issue would be length. As to length I could see the skate being more stable as to the extra length for the kid. The down side to that is that it may make the child focus less then they should on their balance. I can see positive and negatives to what you are saying basically. I think it is very child dependant though. My boy is 3years 2 months goes about 40lbs but is taller than most 4 year olds and within an inch or so of many 5 year olds. He is long and lanky. Hilarious as my wife and I are not tall people

Lastnight I checked ebay and found a pair of externo 10's in a size 8 shipped for 28.00. They run 1.5 sizes bigger which explains why his ccm externo bandits in size 8 fit him so well and are comfortable while the 1k's are now too tight.

I have another issue going to post in a different section. My boy likes to check kids already. He is always taking out kids. Especially ones slightly bigger. He actually got introuble at class for checking some 5 year old. Having issues explaining that while its not a bad thing, he cant do it now.

[jcp2 2]

I got Vapor VI skates in 11EE for my son (5.5, wide foot), but I did the pencil test first to check the depth. I also do not lace the skates up very tightly (switched to waxed laces immediately), with the tightest portion just at the ankle bend area. When I did the top up too tightly, he was unable to flex forward and fell backwards a lot. This is his first year in hockey skates. He started skating 2 years ago, but I had him in skates that looked and felt like sneakers, but with a figure skate blade (Jackson Softec). He's in a hockey class now.