Boot softening and wax melting?

[CTB 32]

I purchased a pair of Bauer Vapor X7.0 about a month ago and was really impressed with how stiff the boots were. I have a narrow foot with naturally "wobbly" ankles so boot stiffness is an important aspect of how a skate fits for me. I also threw on a pair of Graf wax laces to keep them nice and tight during games/open skates.

I've been using them about 2-3 times per week in the past month. However a couple of weeks ago I left them in my car on a hot summer day for about 2 hrs. When I pulled them out to use them that day they felt very much like they felt after having them baked when I initially bought them. I ended up skating on them anyway and ever since have noticed that they don't feel quite as stiff as earlier.

So I'm wondering if keeping them in a hot car (and subsequently skating on them) loosened the boot up a bit and/or melted the laces somewhat or if this is just a natural break in of the skates and the laces start to lose their coating after a certain amount of time.

[Souldriver 64]

Most boots recommend that you bake to around 200 degrees farenheit to get them soft. But temps in a car can get well over 100 and can soften the boot. Do you have any idea off hand how hot it was in your car? Were the skates in a bag where they may have been a little bit more protected or out in the open. Trunk or main area? These all effect how hot it could of gotten.

Short answer is yes there is a possibility of it. As far as the laces the wax would of re hardened pretty fast right where it should be so those are ok.

What you may also be feeling is that after a month of using it almost 3 times a week the boot is slowly breaking down naturally and this incident just made you focus on it so much you now feel it.

[TeamHonda401 54]

Your skates can absolutely get messed up by leaving them in a hot car for prolonged periods of time, especially if you skated on them right after you got them out of the car.

[CTB 32]

Most boots recommend that you bake to around 200 degrees farenheit to get them soft. But temps in a car can get well over 100 and can soften the boot. Do you have any idea off hand how hot it was in your car? Were the skates in a bag where they may have been a little bit more protected or out in the open. Trunk or main area? These all effect how hot it could of gotten.

Short answer is yes there is a possibility of it. As far as the laces the wax would of re hardened pretty fast right where it should be so those are ok.

What you may also be feeling is that after a month of using it almost 3 times a week the boot is slowly breaking down naturally and this incident just made you focus on it so much you now feel it.

If I recall correctly it was well into the 90s that day. I figure they were in there for about 2 hrs. No idea what the temp inside the car could've been.

I'm going to throw on a new pair of wax laces to see if that helps any. They're still stiff, just not as stiff as I first remember them being.

Your skates can absolutely get messed up by leaving them in a hot car for prolonged periods of time, especially if you skated on them right after you got them out of the car.

Gulp, I'm hoping a new pair of wax laces adds back some if the stiffness. The current pair I have on seemed to have lost some of their "grip".

[Souldriver 64]

You may have done some damage, 2 hrs in a car sealed up with no windows cracked especially in the sun could get well into the 100s (worst case scenario speaking). But skating on them right after before they may have cooled is what could do the big damage.

New waxed laces won't do a thing about stiffness. They're just there so your laces don't loosen during a game.

[Nealoc187 10]

you can pretty easily see 140-150 degrees inside a car on a hot sunny day. not even talking about arizona heat here. weatherchannel measured 140deg inside a car after sitting closed for one hour in 90deg outside temps.

[CTB 32]

You may have done some damage, 2 hrs in a car sealed up with no windows cracked especially in the sun could get well into the 100s (worst case scenario speaking). But skating on them right after before they may have cooled is what could do the big damage.

New waxed laces won't do a thing about stiffness. They're just there so your laces don't loosen during a game.

I'm thinking some of it might be in my head. I think some of the lack of responsiveness in the boot my also be from skating on softer ice these past few times. At least I hope that's the case.