Proper Skate Width out of the Box

[Campoli 9]

Hey guys (and gals), when you fit skates how are they supposed to fit in the sides of your foot? Based upon a recent Fitting, I am deemed to be a 6.5-7EE size. When I try on a Supreme (bet fit for my foot shape) a 6.5 or 7D the length is fine but the width there is snugness and even a tad discomfort. With a 6.5EE the length is great and width eliminates the pressure points but there is hardly any snugness but I do feel the sides slightly with my hockey socks.

Which is the correct fit? Can a narrower skate be stretched to accommodate the pressure points or is the EE the way to go?

I know this topic has been exhausted but I could not find info on this specific issue.

Thanks all

[CathyGo 15]

When you skate your foot swells slightly and spreads out more. I'd go with the wider.

[Asian Tomatoe 30]

was this tried on baked or unbaked? and was this at the end of the day? I usually go with slightly tighter fit before bake since it will break in. I've had skates get too loose after breaking in over a bake and several skates to where I had to wear thicker socks.

by pressure points do you mean pain or lots of pressure?

I'd go try them on again and leave them on your for awhile. which one is a better fit for volume and your heel?

[fbvnyc 12]

When you skate your foot swells slightly and spreads out more. I'd go with the wider.

Agree. You'll also get longer holder on half size EE skates.

[Vet88 673]

Heel lock and volume. Get the smallest width that your heel will fit into with comfort. You can always get the rest of the skate stretched to accommodate any hot spots but it is very hard to shrink a skate to give you better heel lock.

[Zorlac 22]

Vet88 has it right... Get the SMALLEST width you can cram your foot in. Remember... Too small, no problem.... too big, too bad. I have supremes, and can tell you they will relax a great deal once baked, and skated in a few times.

[Pappa 11]

The front 1/3 of most manufacturer's skates made these days are anatomically designed to eliminate fitting problems for MOST foot geometries. They don't simply have an anatomical toe-cap design (eg. Bauer). The BEST skate fitting for WIDTH ahead of the arch should be TIGHT. Almost uncomfortably TIGHT. That tightness will relax over a few skates. The heel, of course, should 'lock in'. The best way to test this (in the retail store) is to tie the skates normally and walk around for quite a while. Then, to test the heel fit (lock), go up and down on the toes (ballet style) several times. If your heel leaves the 'pocket' in the quarter area of the skate and you can feel your heel rise off of the insole.......try another pair (same size). That heel should 'lock in' even BEFORE baking. Unfortunately, some of us with wide feet (EE or more) can still have a thin, a AA heel. Baking and even an occassional 'clamping' during the bake process can help to get a AA fit. The baking is primarily designed to soften the QUARTER area of the skate, to mould the quarter area (ankle area). Of course that 'soft' skate will also modify and stretch a tad, along the wide part of your foot. However, some mechanical stretching might be necessary there. A tight TOE CAP (width and height) is a tougher stretch, but can be done. Of course, a youth's foot can grow big time, over a 6 month period, so parents are reluctant to buy skates that fit like a glove......for very sound economic reasons. Today's skates can be heated and stretched quite a bit......length and width. You will find that manufacturers (and RETAILERS) do not recommend excessive baking and stretching. "Glue and composit materials break down.....you will ruin the skate...5 minutes at 180 degrees, etc., etc."

Some of this is bull.......as thet want to sell new skates. I have streched skates almost a full size.......not RECOMMENDED of course. But agressive boot stretching is easily done to get those cramped toes back to where they just 'feather' the toe caps. Get the MOST out of that pair of EXPENSIVE skates by asking a skate tech to AGGRESSIVELY heat and stretch your awesome fitting, but too SHORT skates. Nothing to loose, as you were going to spend $$$$$ on new ones any way. Remember that retailers......especially employees that are trained to SELL skates are under 'pressure' to NOT stretch used skates.....over selling new product.

Also, tough to get an 'honest' fit from your feet if you have NOT been skating, or wearing dress shoes all summer. Running shoes, sandals, flipp flops, bare feet over the summer WILL make any skate fitting TIGHT and uncomfortable. Also, get fit EARLY in the day, before your foot flattens and swells.

[Pappa 11]

I have seldom seen 'CLAMPS' in a retailer's skate pro shop. Clamps can be used quite successfully to give a player a GOOD heel lock. Some players.......especially teens who NEED good heel lock as they grow in strength and size.......becoming stronger, longer stride skaters, competing at higher levels.

A simple pair of the clamps that are used in 'woodworking', to hold pieces together for fit or gluing of wood, can be used. Bake skates, insert feet, tie laces about 80 percent (to avoid stretching the eyelet areas. Stay SEATED.....skates flat on floor. Then clamp the 'quarters' LOW, on the heel, just above the sole plate and just below the ankle bone. Tighten the clamps with enough pressure on the clamps to see the quarters are being tightened. you will SEE this area squeeze a bit. Not TOO MUCH pressure. Leave the clamps on until the foot is removed from the skate......after cool down......about 15 minutes. Then remove clamp.

Simple......effective.

[Campoli 9]

Thanks for the great replies everyone. I have placed an order of some supreme one.7s in a 6.5ee to see how those fit in comparison to the 7d I purchased. In the size 7 my heel feel ok but a very slight bit of lift. Can I attribute those to the size being a half size too large? Would going down a half size in an EE width make a big difference? I've tried a 6.5 d and it was torture even getting my foot in with the outside forefoot area severely cramming in.

[GunRunner 28]

Going along this same question regarding heel lock, I have always skated in Vapors and just recently ordered a pair of the JetSpeed's. The skate feels good but the heel and ankle area fits VERY snug and eventually makes the bottom of my heel go numb throughout the course of a game. No other part of my foot goes numb, just the bottom of my heel. The boot puts the pressure below my ankle and on the sides of my achilles tendon. Does this sound like I need more volume? The numbness was with and without baking. I also demoed these skates before they were released and did not have this issue with the demos.

[Pappa 11]

Gun Runner, Bake skates AGAIN.....a full 5 minutes....180 degrees. Immediately insert feet, BANG your heels into the hot skate a couple times.....HARD, as if you want to kick through the floor into the basement. Tie laces 80 percent tight and STAND for 15 minutes. Do NOT walk in the skates, or flex forward. Just STAND there. Lean back a bit into the achilles, if you want to.

Don't be afraid to bake skates multiple times.

Thanks for the great replies everyone. I have placed an order of some supreme one.7s in a 6.5ee to see how those fit in comparison to the 7d I purchased. In the size 7 my heel feel ok but a very slight bit of lift. Can I attribute those to the size being a half size too large? Would going down a half size in an EE width make a big difference? I've tried a 6.5 d and it was torture even getting my foot in with the outside forefoot area severely cramming in.

Don't understand why you would go down to a size 6 1/2EE skate, when the 7D fits you well in all aspects, except for a 'slight heel lift'?? If your foot is still growing......maybe the 7D with Superfeet insoles might help with gaining more 'heel lock'. Bake those skates (again?), bang down your heels and use clamps on the heels.......below ankle bone.......this WORKS !!! I would NOT go to a EE skate if a D skate fits well. Your foot will be sloppy in the width and volume of a EE.....if that D is a good all round fit. Only reason to go down a size would be if you had LOTS of room length wise. Toes should just 'feather' the inside of the toe cap when trying on NEW skates.......unless you are a growing teen, or youngster. Then, some toe box room is desirable, so that you aren't strtching the skates, or looking to jump a size in a few months. Bauer skates run WIDE. A person like me with a WIDE foot, can easily take a D width in most Bauer skates.

[Campoli 9]

Gun Runner, Bake skates AGAIN.....a full 5 minutes....180 degrees. Immediately insert feet, BANG your heels into the hot skate a couple times.....HARD, as if you want to kick through the floor into the basement. Tie laces 80 percent tight and STAND for 15 minutes. Do NOT walk in the skates, or flex forward. Just STAND there. Lean back a bit into the achilles, if you want to.

Don't be afraid to bake skates multiple times.

Don't understand why you would go down to a size 6 1/2EE skate, when the 7D fits you well in all aspects, except for a 'slight heel lift'?? If your foot is still growing......maybe the 7D with Superfeet insoles might help with gaining more 'heel lock'. Bake those skates (again?), bang down your heels and use clamps on the heels.......below ankle bone.......this WORKS !!! I would NOT go to a EE skate if a D skate fits well. Your foot will be sloppy in the width and volume of a EE.....if that D is a good all round fit. Only reason to go down a size would be if you had LOTS of room length wise. Toes should just 'feather' the inside of the toe cap when trying on NEW skates.......unless you are a growing teen, or youngster. Then, some toe box room is desirable, so that you aren't strtching the skates, or looking to jump a size in a few months. Bauer skates run WIDE. A person like me with a WIDE foot, can easily take a D width in most Bauer skates.

Thanks for the great feedback. My foot is fully grown. The confusion I have is different sizing feedback from different shops My left foot is slightly smaller than my right foot at just over 6.5 and left foot is just about 7 long. Width is well into the EE range due to a wide forefoot just below the pinky side area and then narrows from there to my heel.

I have tried on vapors in a 6.5EE and they felt too big, supremes in a 7EE to big, and both in a 6.5D way too small. Prohockeylife is saying I'm an obvious 6.5EE so I have Supreme One.7s on order to try those out for size. I presently have the One.7s in a 7D and while they do fit okay there is definitely a bit of play in the heel area and I can fit a finger behind my left heel. Also, there is pain in that forefoot area that I'm hoping the 6.5 in Supreme anatomical fit would correct. I am just afraid it may be too sloppy. It just seems impossible to find the right fitting skate. Mind you, I am just getting into hockey and this is the first time I am being fitted the right way.

[GunRunner 28]

Pappa,

Also, thank you for the feedback. I as well am having a difficult time here recently trying to find the "Right" boot. I have been playing all my life and I guess it took me this long to actually pay attention to how a skate should fit and care about it. I skate with guys who have been playing for 20+ years and after hearing them describe how their skates fit, it's crazy how many of them are probably in skates that are wrong for their foot. I fail the pencil test in the JetSpeed's and the Vapor7.0's that I'm currently in. I tried on Bauer Supreme TotalOne MX3's and they fit nice with them being very tight on the forefoot at the boney area just below my big toe and little toe. Since I skate with Superfeet insoles, I took then standard Supreme insoles out and put my Superfeet in, only to find a lot of volume in the forefoot now. I realized that Bauer seems to cheat the fit with the standard insole by having those little tabs or wings sticking up to take away volume in the forefoot. I will most likely stick with Bauer Vapor 1X's because even after baking the JetSpeed's again last night and following your instructions, it feels like I just need more volume. The bottom of the ankle padding is resting right on the side of my heels which is what's causing the problem.

[Pappa 11]

When baking skates, make certain that you INSErT those SUPERFEET insoles. Dont have to insert the SUPERFEET in the oven.......just put them in with your feet as soon as ythe skates are out of the oven. Kick back HARD !!!

If you DO buy the 1X skates, remember that they come with that new fangled, upper and lower insole system. The UPPER insole looks 'crazy' in the arch. VERY HIGH !!! Remember to follow the instructions inside the skate box top. Important to bake skates as instructed and ADD that upper insole to the oven (sit in oven......not in skates) for about the final 2 minutes of baking.

You do know that those insoles with the 'front and side tabs' are designed to be cut off as required for fit in the toe cap. I have seen about 10 pairs of the Bauer 1X skate.....senior sizes and Junior sizes. Very impressed with that skate. Especially the lining, tongue and shape of the 'square eyelets. However, make SURE that the LS4 steel that comes in your skates is the 'latest generation'. NEWEST generation, the replacement generation, will NOT have a 'notch' on the top of the steel about an inch from the heel.......if it is the NEW stuff that just came out. If you see a single notch there....on the heel end, it's the OLDER, brittle steel that has been breaking. Ask the retailer WHEN you will be supplied 9FREE !!!) with the NEW steel. Especially if you are in an adult sized skate. Jr. steels have much less chance of snapping in two, dure to the players weight and torque.

[GunRunner 28]

When baking skates, make certain that you INSErT those SUPERFEET insoles. Dont have to insert the SUPERFEET in the oven.......just put them in with your feet as soon as ythe skates are out of the oven. Kick back HARD !!!

If you DO buy the 1X skates, remember that they come with that new fangled, upper and lower insole system. The UPPER insole looks 'crazy' in the arch. VERY HIGH !!! Remember to follow the instructions inside the skate box top. Important to bake skates as instructed and ADD that upper insole to the oven (sit in oven......not in skates) for about the final 2 minutes of baking.

You do know that those insoles with the 'front and side tabs' are designed to be cut off as required for fit in the toe cap. I have seen about 10 pairs of the Bauer 1X skate.....senior sizes and Junior sizes. Very impressed with that skate. Especially the lining, tongue and shape of the 'square eyelets. However, make SURE that the LS4 steel that comes in your skates is the 'latest generation'. NEWEST generation, the replacement generation, will NOT have a 'notch' on the top of the steel about an inch from the heel.......if it is the NEW stuff that just came out. If you see a single notch there....on the heel end, it's the OLDER, brittle steel that has been breaking. Ask the retailer WHEN you will be supplied 9FREE !!!) with the NEW steel. Especially if you are in an adult sized skate. Jr. steels have much less chance of snapping in two, dure to the players weight and torque.

That's good to hear that you are impressed with the skate, I've always been in Bauer and thought I'd give CCM a try but I think I'll stick with Bauer. I've already talked to the shop and they stated that they have added new LS4 steel to all of the 1X skates, so you get the steel that came with the skates plus the new updated steel. I may switch the LS4 out to the LS2 steel because I skated a couple times on a 10' radius it it just wierd, kind of like a kept catching the toe and heel of the steel. I have always skated 9' so it just may take time to get used to 10'. Thanks again for all your time and knowledge.

[Pappa 11]

Consider not switching out the LS4 steel to LS2 steel. Reasons for staying with LS4 are that it is about 1/8 inch higher than LS2 steel for better turning, also much MORE sharpenings or profilling life. Also, the LS4 steel will hold an edge longer than LS2 steel. Possibly about 20-30 percent longer. Less sharpening and less blade loss equals money in your pocket........not in the skate shop's pocket.

Have your skate tech take some material off off the rear 'working radius' (heel of steel.....to about 2 inches from the heel) of ANY new steel. Easily done......they might charge you a few bucks to do this.......worth it !!! You won't get caught on your butt doing a full, unweighting 180 degree switch from front to rear skating....or even on a Tomahawk Turn. Don't take material off of the front 'working radius'. Just get used to 'stabbing' the ice a bit when the runners are new. MOST sharpeners are pretty HEAVY on the 'toe' and 'heel' areas when sharpening and unfortunately that front will probably be rounded down quicker than you would like.

A simple profile would get you from 11 feet, or10 feet, down to a 9 foot radius, VERY easily with minimal loss of runner height from the process. Going the 'other way' from 9 feet to 11 feet takes away steel.

MOST players actually will be stronger skaters on a longer profile.......but are afraid to try a longer profile.

Speed, stamina and balance is really improved. Also, most players can hardly 'feel' the 'manoverability difference in a PROPERLY EXECUTED 2 foot or less change in profile radius.

Hope this helps you out.