Breaking In Skates

[The Kabinet 0]

So two weeks ago i sprung for the Tour Code Carbon skates. I loved how the skates feel although I am getting use to the different feel as I am coming from Mission Hi-Lo skates. I had the skates baked but still got major blistering on my heels. I wear a standard crew sock as I always have with my skates. Any suggestions on how I might be able to prevent this from happening again?

[Darkbyte 0]

Try a thicker sock?

Personally, I use atheltic strapping tape. If you have a spot that you know will blister, strap it before you skate. Using this method, I seem to get away without blisters.

I have a spot on one of my big toes that has all of a sudden decided it wants to blister after 6 months of skating. Strap it up and 3 hours later, still no blister (as opposed to 1hr of skating and a huge blister without).

Another idea is to try lock lacing to hold your heel in place. See here: clicky clicky

I dont know whether you can heat the skate and squeeze the heel area to stop excess movement. Perhaps someone else can comment on whether this is possible.

[Vishi05 0]

Use women's stockings and I guarentee you won't get a blister. Pantyhose are a little too gay for me but I go with the knee high underneath my socks and that will keep you blister free.

[vnderachiever 3]

I just picked up the cobalt Q's and skated the first day, baked them that night, and then skated in a practice 2 days later. I now have a blister the size of a quarter on my left ankle lol. I think it could be the way that the heel is shaped in their skates... try wearing a longer sock that way it doesn't slip and cause the blister. Otherwise it could just be the aches and pains of breaking in a new skate all over again lol. I'll let you know after i skate again on thursday.

[fawn111 0]

I used to wear cotton crew socks, and would get blisters very badly.... I switched to a super thin dress sock that has a lot of lycra and nyon in it as opposed to cotton. The cotton retains moisture and when enough moisture builds up in a certain area the sock will lose it's flex and will not move with your foot. This could be a reason your having problems... or most likely it's just a new skate

[The Kabinet 0]

I appreciate all the suggestions. My blisters are almost fully healed so I'll try some of the suggestions this week.

[Brokensticks 0]

If you are getting blisters on the back of your heel, it may be that you aren't getting a good heel lock. Tour skates seem to me to have a wider heel pocket and don't lock down as well. To correct this, I've changed the way I've laced my Carbons to ways some have suggested on this site including ladder lacing. That seems to have helped out my situation.

[The Kabinet 0]

If you are getting blisters on the back of your heel, it may be that you aren't getting a good heel lock. Tour skates seem to me to have a wider heel pocket and don't lock down as well. To correct this, I've changed the way I've laced my Carbons to ways some have suggested on this site including ladder lacing. That seems to have helped out my situation.

Do you have a diagram on how this ladder lacing technique looks?

[Brokensticks 0]

This is the method that I use currently. My skates don't come loose at all and I can get them as tight as I want. It takes a while to lace and get on and off and you need a bit longer laces to do.

Ladder lacing

There are other people that prefer this zipper method.

Zipper lacing

And then there is this method that is simpler than the other two.

Lock lacing

[Bender 0]

If you are getting blisters on the back of your heel, it may be that you aren't getting a good heel lock. Tour skates seem to me to have a wider heel pocket and don't lock down as well. To correct this, I've changed the way I've laced my Carbons to ways some have suggested on this site including ladder lacing. That seems to have helped out my situation.

Do you have a diagram on how this ladder lacing technique looks?

Another idea is to try lock lacing to hold your heel in place. See here: clicky clicky

The site he was talking about is in linked in the thread that darkbyte linked to. Otherwise, click here despite what it says, once you get used to how to lace them up, it's not very hard to tighten, and it really can hold your skate very tightly.