Help finding the right skate

[tdellaringa 1]

Hi there, new to the forums.

I'm having a bit of trouble finding a good skate, and I was hoping to get some help. I'm very familiar with inlines, having owned one of the first pair of mass market "rollerblades" in the mid 80's. They weighed a ton, but we used them to play hockey anyway :)

Anyhow, I've been doing inline speedskating (outdoor) for the last 7 years, but I no longer have the time to do that. I wanted to get back into hockey if even just to skate around the local rink for exercise. So I probably will not be playing in games right away. I just need a solid skate that fits properly.

Fit is an issue, because I have a wide foot, particularly in the mid-foot area. I have always had a problem with skates squeezing my foot and causing a lot of pain. In speedskating this isn't an issue, because we get skates custom molded to our feet, and then the skate is built around the mold. I know many hockey skates can be "heat molded" but it's not quite the same thing.

I was hoping to spend less than $200. Maybe that's not realistic, I am not sure. However, I could get this skate in an E width:

http://www.hockeygiant.com/misinhds6sktsr.html

But reading here, there seems to be lot of positive talk about Alkali skates. They are totally new to me. I found this page of them:

http://www.hockeymonkey.com/alkali-inline-skate-sr.html

But I have no idea about the differences in model. I just don't know nowadays what the key features are of a skate. For me, the most important thing is to have a skate that is wide enough so I can skate without pain. (Also it does not seem they offer half sizes? I am a 7.5)

I also wonder if there are many inline hockey players that use fitness skates vs. hockey specific skates. For years, I played inline rat hockey, and in some of the earliest Chicago area roller hockey leagues with fitness skates - back then there were few if any hockey inlines skates. The nice thing about a lot of fitness skates is that they are incredibly light. I would think that if the fit was right, it may not be a big deal to use fitness skates if you have the right size wheels. Even if I do play, I won't be playing in any top leagues or anything like that - it would be recreational/light competitive leagues. I'm 49 and no longer a spring chicken - I just want to get exercise and have fun.

Welcome any and all advice. Thanks!

[Vet88 673]

Sizes have changed a lot since you last had some skates. You really need to try some on to get sized again for length. Alkali generally fit a 1/2 size up, ie 7.5 Bauer = 8 alkali.

If I were you I'd be trying to spend some extra $'s and look for Alkali Shift (last model) or Team+ (current model) on clearance. Very heat moldable and known to fit wide feet very well.

The DS6 is a pretty basic boot and I suspect you may struggle with the width, at the very least they don't take well to additional punching if needed.

[tdellaringa 1]

I actually did try on 3 pairs at Total Hockey yesterday. One Mission, and two Bauers. All were 7.5 and the length was fine on all of them. It was definitely a width issue. What do you mean by "additional puching?"

Also what is your take on using fitness skates for hockey?

[Vet88 673]

Additional punching is where you have hot spots or sore areas on your foot and you take the boot to a LHS (local hockey shop) and they use a punch to push the area outward thereby relieving the pressure on your foot. Also punching / stretching doesn't work well on low end boots, this is because the amount of stretchable material (eg carbon fibre) in the boot is at a minimum so instead of stretching the boot the risk of separating the sides from the base is greatly increased.

You can use any skate for hockey but there are some trade offs. With recreational skates the sides are generally soft, you don't get as much lateral support for stopping and turning sharply and you definitely do not want to take a puck to the foot.

[tdellaringa 1]

Yeah, I figured the puck to the foot thing would be a risk. The punching makes a lot of sense.

So the Alkaline Crew would not be considered a good enough boot to punch if need be? I know it's on sale, but $300 was way more than I wanted to spend considering I'm not sure if this will work for me or not. I may skate for a month and be done, or not be able to find a team or my foot may not cooperate.

Maybe I ought to go and buy a used pair of skates first, even though they may not be great, just to see how things go. Aside from eBay and Play it Again Sports, are there any other good outlets for used skates?

Also, is Hockey Monkey the best place to buy online?

[Vet88 673]

The Crew is a good skate for the price, on the Alkali forum a few have purchased it and have good things to say about it and you can punch it. Or the Crew+ is on sale in your price range.

Now you know your size then ebay is a good place to look for used skates, something always comes up but it may take a while. This is the path I'd recommend to get back into skating and if you are handy enough with tools (a couple of c-clamps and some blocks of wood) you can stretch your skates yourself to get a comfortable fit, there are a threads here and in the ice forum about how I have done it at home and easily get another 1cm across for width.

For example on ebay, spend an extra $50 and get these in a size 8, they were the 2nd top model from the previous line:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Alkali-RPD-Shift-Inline-Skates-/281745286156?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item419953e40c

The sell forum here is another place for gear.

The other large online store for inline gear is inline warehouse, either them or Hockey Giant or Monkey are all good places to deal with.

[tdellaringa 1]

Thanks for the tips. I think I'm going to see if I can first find a pair of used and see how things go.

About 3 years ago, I spent a boatload of cash because we were going to play in a weekly roller hockey rat game. We played one time, and the game fell apart, and that was it. I dumped all the stuff a year or so later. (I think I had Tour skates at the time, and they were not great.) I just don't want that to happen again :)

One thing I do remember was being a bit too hot while playing. With the elbow pads, pants and jersey, it was hard staying cool. I played a decade of ball hockey and was used to wearing nothing but a helmet, gloves and light leg pads. I felt like I was overheating the whole time. Maybe I just bought the wrong stuff. Anyway, if that time comes, I'll ask a separate question. Thanks again.

[Vet88 673]

I find keeping cool depends a lot on the shirt. Where possible I prefer a shirt made from a mesh fabric, something that allows plenty of air flow over the body. It may not be as durable as a full knit but it sure as heck is a lot cooler. Also your girdle holds a lot of heat, wearing a light, ventilated girdle can make a big difference. Helmet, elbows, shins are just a fact of life if you want some protection from falls / slashes / pucks.

[sss1987 55]

In Alkali skates, half sizes are available in the Team+, Shift+ and the Max+.

They made the Comp+ to be a solid skate at the $200 price point. Its genuinely a great skate. Theres a video on inlinewarehouse which shows the line up..worth a watch!

In terms of width, you will be fine in Alkalis. The heat mold-ability is the key selling point. They can open from a D to EE width. Essentially it allows you to heat the skate, and tie up to give you a proper wrap around your whole foot. What you get is a great fitting skate with minimum to no wasted space.

[tdellaringa 1]

Thanks, I will see if I can find that video.

Holy cow, that's a good video... and $199 is a good price for the comp+ I think. I'm going to seriously consider those. They have one size 8 left. Hrm.

http://www.inlinewarehouse.com/Alkali_RPD_Comp_Roller_Hockey_Skates_Sr_/descpage-ACPPS.html

Couple more quick questions.

1 - I'm used to skating barefoot for speedskating, generally we do it for the best fit and feel. Seems like these hockey socks are pretty popular. Worth getting? I do know that skating barefoot over time kind of presents the issue of your skates staying wetter longer, which isn't necessarily the greatest thing.

2 - Arch supports/inserts. How good are the base inserts? I do believe I have slightly high arches which contributes to the width problem. On the flip side, I'm not paying $45 for the superfeet thing.

[tdellaringa 1]

After much deliberation, I went ahead and bought the size 8 Comp+ from Inline Warehouse. Grabbed a puck to put it over $200 for the free 2-day shipping. So I should be able to try them out this week, looking forward to it. I passed on the inserts for now as 50 bucks is pretty steep for that. I'll mold them first and see how it goes.

Thanks for the help.

[sss1987 55]

i know lots of hockey guys who skate barefoot for the same reason.

As for insoles..stock insoles do an ok job for most people. The only thing i can suggest is see how you go with them. Im currently using some CCM insoles for a medium arch. they feel a tad more supportive. But they came free with my CCM tacks haha!

[nak_91 0]

Hi guys,

please let us know your feedback for the Alkali Comp +.

@sss1987 : i was hesitating between the Comp+ and the CCM Tacks 5R52. Since you have the CCM Tacks and you are well aware of the Alkali products, maybe you can give me your advice on this ?

I have the feeling that the boot in the 5R52 is quite high compared to the Alkalis and even the CCM Tacks from the videos and pictures.

The more important for me is the heel lock. I have a narrow/regular heel.

Have you been able to compare the weight of the taks vs Alkali skates? How does it feel on the court do you really feel a difference?

Many thanks for your help !

[sss1987 55]

I have tacks (top of the line) ice skates and shift+ Alkalis. I wont comment on weight, as thats not a fair comparison. Ice skates will always be lighter. Because alkalis fit so well, they don't feel very heavy on your feet.

If i was in your position, I'd try on what feels comfier for you.

I'd personally stick with Alkali..they specialize in solely roller hockey. As long as you get the length correct, the width will be fine with a heat mold.

[tdellaringa 1]

Well, I just took my first skate out in front of the house, and it didn't go all that well. The skates are *really* tight up front. So much that they are putting a little dent in the outer part of my big toe. Honestly, the heat molding accomplished absolutely nothing. I skated for about 5 minutes, and my right foot especially started getting really sore.

I don't know what the policy is for returns, or if I should try that route vs. trying to have someone more professional mold them. I feel like going a size up would probably be too much.

The skates themselves feel like they would be fantastic if I could get them to fit properly. Not sure what to do.

EDIT: Found a measuring guide online and just measured my foot to confirm I am definitely an E width. (4 3/8" wide). I'm thinking I made a mistake thinking a normal width skate was going to work in any fashion. Crap. I don't know that Alkali makes E width skates - do they?

[Justin 1933 134]

As I said in the other topic, get a real heat fit.

[tdellaringa 1]

After talking to Total Hockey and Inline Warehouse, I think I am going to send them back. It's unlikely that any sort of heat molding will really add anything to the width. I need to find myself a good skate that has an E width.

There was one Mission skate that IW had. I'm going to look around a bit more. Ideally I'd find the Comp+ in E, but I don't think they had any. I do really like the skate.

[HDHockey 19]

I think if possible you should follow Justin's advice and get them properly heat molded. There have been alot of posts on here about guys with larger width feet getting the Alkali skates molded to fit great with their wide feet. I am pretty sure I read that is why they do not make widths, because with the heat molding it will mold to your width.

[tdellaringa 1]

Ok, I went to Total Hockey and got them molded there. It's definitely true that the skate was much hotter and much more pliable using their machine. However, the down side is that it really does not feel all that different. The area up front still feels pretty tight. Yesterday my big toe was pushing against the hard plastic toe box up front, and that part isn't moldable.

Anyway, I'll wait the 24 hours, and tomorrow afternoon we'll see how they feel. Finger crossed again, but I'm not all that hopeful.

[Vet88 673]

If you have toes that wide that they are hitting the sides of the toe box, then Rbk or CCM in a EE is the only chance you "may" have from a off the shelf retail inline skate for a wide enough fit.

If everything else is ok in the Alkali, you can get the toe box punched, you just have to find a LHS that has the tools to do it. You can do it yourself but it takes the right shape c clamp to be able to get right up into the toe box.

[tdellaringa 1]

Well I am trying them out now, and it's tricky. I'd say the left foot *might* be okay, but the right - the ball bone of my big toe is rubbing against the inside - pressing against it, as well as the inside of my big toe. A decent amount of pressure there.

I'm trying them out on my wood floor in my family room. So not much room to move. It's tricky to make a real good comparison without being outside and really skating normally. But it just feels like it will raise a huge blister and be very painful if I skate hard.

My question is this - what really is punching? What does it do? I thought it just relieves pressure. They say you can't punch the front toe box, either.

I just don't know that that would even solve my problem and if I punch them I can't return them, then I am out 200 bucks. I could take them out for a real spin. (I did yesterday for a couple minutes actually). But that will cement the use of the wheels and again, the return ability. Although I think if I bought a pair of wheels from them, they might do it. But if I go out and scrape up the skate, they won't take it back either.

Feel like in between a rock and a hard place right now. Stupid wide feet! Not sure what to do.

Edit: Just having them on for 10-15 minutes now, the outer edges of my feet are now sore. This is the problem I have had in the past with skates that are too tight, it can get really painful.

[tdellaringa 1]

Poking around, IW has these in EE. Hella more expensive than I want, but I think I'm foolish at this point not to buy an extra wide skate. I've always been told the Tacks are the widest skate they make, not sure if this is still true like back in the 90s.

http://www.inlinewarehouse.com/CCM_Tacks_5R52_Roller_Hockey_Skates_Sr/descpage-C5RS.html

This seems to be the only other EE they have at a reasonable price.

http://www.inlinewarehouse.com/Mission_Inhaler_DS3_Skates_Sz_80_EE/descpage-DS3.html

[jonesy9020 77]

Go to a furniture store or Walgreens, buy a pack of the thick felt sliders you put on the bottom of kitchen chairs to protect wood floors from scratches, stick that on the part of your foot where the toecap is too narrow. wrap it twice around with tape and put a sock on. Put the skates in the oven and re-mold. You need to push that area of the toecap out a bit -- short of punching, this method might do the trick.

[Vet88 673]

Punching takes various forms.

For spot punches (ie a small area) using a shape like a half ball (on the inside of the boot) and a half shell (on the outside of the boot) the LHS can "punch" the boot outwards wherever it is needed. This is often referred to as a "hot spot" punch.

Then there is a boot stretch, this is where the boot is placed onto a machine and 2 arms go into the boot, the arms are then wound outwards and where the arms are in contact with the boot, the boot will stretch outward in these areas.

A punch is not the same as a stretch.

Google "ice hockey skate stretcher" and you will see lots of examples of different machines.

You CAN get the toe box punched, the LHS just has to have the right tools and know what they are doing. They will heat the plastic toe cap up till it goes soft then use a special tool to punch it out. But if you think they have to move the toe box outward a lot you may be better off returning the skates and trying an EE in a CCM. CCM are the widest fitting skates on the market at the moment. But the downside of a wide skate may be loss of heel lock and to much width in other areas.

[tdellaringa 1]

Jonesy thanks for the idea, I think I will try a different pair though. This would be so much easier if my LHShops carried more inlines. Sadly, they don't. You would think in the Chicago burbs there'd be a lot of choice out there, but it's not the case.

Maybe not an EE but an E would be a good compromise. I'm just not comfortable going the punch route, it feels too risky. Maybe giving the salesperson all my foot measurements over the phone will help when selecting a different skate.