New guy - Skate fit with wide toe box

[GerGa 1]

Hi,

I am just looking for a pair of skates for playing occasional hockey on local ponds.  I don't have any previous hockey experience except I've played a pond hockey a handful of times when I was younger.  My feet are hard to fit with a forefeet and toes that are pretty wide, yet instep is medium height and heel not wide.  I am size 9.5 in a street shoe.

I am looking for skates that fit right and it is tough because the local shops don't have much in stock.  Shop A) had a good skate fitter who advised that my foot measuring between 7.5 and 8 will not get good heel lock in a size 8.  It was a small shop that only had a size 7.5 in a CCM Ribcor Maxx and they felt like a good fit to my foot shape overall except too narrow in forefoot and toe box.  The guy said a 7.5 was good because he could fit 1-1/2 fingers behind my heel when I slip my foot forward.  Shop B)(Pure hockey) Skate fitter was sounding like he cared much about my fit.  I thought the size 8 Vapor X600 fit really well in the forefoot and toe box width and I became fixated on that one item and forgot about heel lock.   I bought the X600's, I probably should have gone for X500's for my limited used.  Now that I am home I remembered to check for heel lock by pushing off on the carpet like I'm skating and finding that just left and right of center of my heel are rubbing on the boot because my heel is lifting up.  It brought back memories of the last time I played hockey when I wore a friends skate and the backs of my heels were burning quickly due to my heel lifting.

At this point I am thinking of going to the other pure hockey that is 1 hour away to try on more.  I already bought the Ribcor Maxx 7.5EE online, coming Friday for me to try and send back if no good.

Other skates I've tried are Nexus N7000 in 8 D and Supreme 160 in 8 D.  I have been mostly limited by whats in stock at stores.  Nexus were not the right fit on my foot and Supreme, too big.

I'm almost ready to order online 7.5 EE's in CCM Jetspeed,  Bauer Nexus, and Supreme and see what fits/return the rest.  It's a crap shoot but I'm desperate at this point and want a pair of skates for this Saturday.

If anyone can shed some light on what might fit I'd be interested.

Thank you

Edited December 26, 2017 by GerGa

[kmfdm86 112]

Try the jetspeeds if the others don't work out. I have a really narrow heel and a pretty wide forefoot and they fit me great. I'm not a professional skate fitter, but I know my heel stays locked and I never feel cramped width wise in the toebox. 

[Vet88 673]

5 hours ago, GerGa said:

The guy said a 7.5 was good because he could fit 1-1/2 fingers behind my heel when I slip my foot forward. 

??? Surely not, if he can fit 1-1/2 fingers behind your heel then they are at least 1-1/2 sizes to BIG. Here's how you can easily size the boot for length and stop listening to idiots in shops. All you need is a pencil.

Completely take the laces out, this is to stop the boot binding on the sides and top of your foot. Pull the tongue right out so it flops well forward. With your skate socks on, slide your foot into the boot and push it forward until your toes are just brushing the toe cap. Bend slightly forward over the skate, get a pencil and slide it down the back of your heel. If you can slip it down between your heel and the back of the skate then the skates are at least a 1/2 size to big. Keep dropping in size until you cannot slide the pencil down the back of your heel. Now you are getting close to a boot that fits you for length.

[ChrisS8899 3]

5 hours ago, Vet88 said:

??? Surely not, if he can fit 1-1/2 fingers behind your heel then they are at least 1-1/2 sizes to BIG. Here's how you can easily size the boot for length and stop listening to idiots in shops. All you need is a pencil.

Completely take the laces out, this is to stop the boot binding on the sides and top of your foot. Pull the tongue right out so it flops well forward. With your skate socks on, slide your foot into the boot and push it forward until your toes are just brushing the toe cap. Bend slightly forward over the skate, get a pencil and slide it down the back of your heel. If you can slip it down between your heel and the back of the skate then the skates are at least a 1/2 size to big. Keep dropping in size until you cannot slide the pencil down the back of your heel. Now you are getting close to a boot that fits you for length.

Sorry to hijack the thread. Interesting point , I have been battling a heel lock/slip issue with the new 1x's . Fitted by a reputable shop (did not scan feet) I fail the above test , a pen thicker then a pencil easily slides in behind my ankle when brushing the cap leaned forward . Looks like a 1/2 size will def. create some heel slip issues . I am going to go down 1/2 a size myself 

[stick9 881]

@GerGa you’re going in like 10 different directions. Focus on one place and try to achieve the best fit possible. If they don’t have your size, try a different model in that line. All Vapors should fit somewhat the same, same goes for Supremes, RibCors ect, ect.

From what you describe, you should try a Tacks or RibCor. 

[GerGa 1]

On 12/26/2017 at 12:08 PM, stick9 said:

@GerGa you’re going in like 10 different directions. Focus on one place and try to achieve the best fit possible. If they don’t have your size, try a different model in that line. All Vapors should fit somewhat the same, same goes for Supremes, RibCors ect, ect.

From what you describe, you should try a Tacks or RibCor. 

A year has passed but I wanted to come back and say that I successfully found that Tacks are a good fit for me. 

Also, when I said I was a 9.5 street shoe in my original post, it turns our that it was just one certain brand that I am a 9.5 in.  I've bought some more shoes since then and my foot is more of an 8.5 wide, which is also what it measures to on one of those measuring devices.

Back to the skates.  I went to Pure Hockey and they were worthless and wanted me in a skate that was too big with little heel hold.  I bought a Bauer skate from them and ended up returning them.  Bauer are just not the right fit for my foot.

Finally I went to Dicks Sporting Goods and tried on some CCM Tacks size 7 regular width and knew right away that it would be the right skate in a wide width because they fit close and the toe box was wide.  I went online and bought a Tacks 4092 in 7 EE and they fit pretty good.  The heel hold is great and this skate is good for people needing a wide toe box.

Thanks for the help

Edited January 6, 2019 by GerGa

[Sniper9 517]

Thanks for the update. Everyone should use s brannock device to see what their true foot size is and go from there. I used to wear an 8 skate until one day my buddy who worked at a lhs told.me to try on a 7 because he thought it would fit better. He was right, even though the brannock says I was closer to an 8. 

In the end it is personal preference. Some ppl don't like feeling their toes brushing the to cap but I do. I want a slate to fit as snug as possible. 

Edited January 7, 2019 by Sniper9