Profile for 4 year old

[HDHockey 19]

This year I purchased some Nexus skates for my son who is 4 in the hopes to get out on the ice with him. He has never been on the ice, and when I went to sign him up for learn to skate, the person in charge recommended I have him start in the rental skates because they had a flatter profile and would be an easier way to start, and once he got his feet under him, it would only take a skate or 2 for him to adjust to the "hockey profile".

Just curious others experience, should i have him use the rentals? His Nexus? Or should I profile his Nexus to be different?

Thanks

[jimmy 194]

Most of the youth skates have a flatter profile, so he'll be Ok in the stock configuration. Once he seems balanced while skating though, then get them profiled to a shorter radius with some forward pitch. This will allow him to get forward, unlock his knees naturally to allow a proper skating posture which is very hard to do with a flat profile skate.

[jonesy9020 77]

I could be wrong, but I think the instructor might just be talking about the skates not being as sharp. The hollow, not the profile, really. Lot harder to catch an edge on dulled out rentals than freshly sharpened hockey skates.

[chippa13 1844]

Also a lot harder to keep your blades from sliding out and being able to get an actual push. There is zero benefit to "dulled out" skates.

[McDougalfaschnitzer 32]

Most skate instructors will tell you to start out with the rental skates, as they can be an easier transition from walking to skating, especially with the little kids. It is more of a transitional aid and I wouldn't bother messing with the Nexus blades. I have seen some kids need the rental skate transition, and some that didn't. It wouldn't hurt to let him try with the rental skates, and then let him try with the nexus skates. If he can handle the Nexus skates, I don't see much of a reason to not use them.

[HDHockey 19]

Thanks a lot for the great feedback!

[Vet88 674]

Most kids pick up the basics of skating reasonably quickly. I find the most important thing is not what skates they are in, or profile or pitch or anything else - the primary issue is COMFORT. So try him in both and pick which one he likes the most. Sometimes it's really hard to get kids to tell you what the boot feels like on their foot, for the first few sessions after each skate check his feet for any red or raw looking areas and constantly ask him how his skates feel on his feet. I know of many kids who became reluctant to skate after a couple of sessions on the ice because the skates they were in were a poor fit and they hurt.

[tomh7 2]

When I got my son his first pair of skates (Vapor X3 I think) at age 3 I had them profiled to 28ft. His new skates he just got for Christmas (Supreme 160) have not been profiled (he is 5 now) and he seems to be doing ok with them.

T

[Zylos45 118]

My son started skating December 2013 (4.5 years old) on a brand new pair of Vapors (30's I think)... They are sharpened at 3/4ths

He is now in our town's beginner hockey program and he is progressing nicely.

I am one of the instructors.... so there should be no surprise!