Making a boot work

[betterhalf 0]

My husband bought Easton Synergy EQ9.9's and has been having issues with his feet cramping when "horsing around" on the ice. He says they're ok when he's just skating normal laps, but when he starts pivoting and stopping they start hurting. Reading up on these boards, I've figured out that he's probably in the wrong size in the completely wrong skate. The best solution would be for him to be properly fit into a new skate, but that's probably not going to happen soon (you can read the explaination below for the whys), but I'm trying to see if there's anything we can do to adapt them to work in the interim. He has flat arches, low instep, wide midfoot that continues widening through the toes and I think the arch and width is the issue as I'm now reading the EQ line runs narrow with a high arch. Maybe some sort of insert (retail or diy) to try to level out/flatten the footbed, I don't know if anything will help the width? Anyone with any experience "making it work" with something like this would be appreciated.

Why the trouble, why not new skates? He's stubborn. I've been trying to get my husband (actually the whole family) on the ice on a regular basis during public skates to help get him into better shape with the ultimate goal of getting him playing hockey again. He hasn't played since he was a child, is half heartedly trying to be more active and this is the activity he's always spoken fondly of. The first few times we went, he grumbled each time about issues with the rentals. Having just recently purchased my first pair of skates and seeing the crazy difference it made getting out of rentals even to used, slightly too big skates, I pushed him to look for a pair of used skates as he was resistant to put out the money for new ones. We were at a local used sports equipment shop and they had these as new, old stock. After much debate he grabs an 11 off the shelf and purchases them without trying them on. *eyeroll* (11 being the size he would tell the rink attendant when getting rentals, so _naturally_ that is his size). If I can get him to go enough to get to the point that maybe he/we can go to stick & puck or something where he feels like this is something he'll continue to do I think I can talk him into going, getting fit and letting me buy him proper skates, but I'm sure he's not going to get there if he keeps having issues with his skates that pulls him off the ice in pain each time we go.

[sss1987 55]

theres nothing that can make a boot work if they are too big..unless your feet grow :P . However if they are the right length, and causing issues in certain areas, then its possible to have those parts "punched out" to make more space for the foot in that area.

Please have a look online at inline warehouse. They have a great guide to how to fit skates. You can do a simple check at home to see if the skates are too big...simply pull the insole out, and tell your husband to stand on them to see how his foot lines up. you will instantly see if the skates are too big.

Take it from me..having skates that are too big isnt fun!

[JaniV 9]

Hit him to head with a brick and tell him to be less stuborn. :D

Im sorry, but if you buy wrong skates, they are going stay wrong.

If I were you I might try some custom footbed. If It doesent help I would go to LHS and buy new skates (with a professional help) . And use the footbeds in them.

[strosedefence34 176]

Where does his foot cramp? If the skate is too big length wise the arch of the skate could be in the wrong spot the first thing I would try is cutting another foot bed in half (think Dr Scholls) and sticking it under the existing foot bed in front of the skate at the toes and leave the back half out. It will make the toe box feel smaller, but it will flatten out his arch and make it more comfortable and if it doesn't work then you only spent $10 trying to fix it.