Stretch Toe

[2nhockey 21]

My daughter’s skates are just a hair too short on her right foot and the toe cap puts uncomfortable pressure on the great toe on her right foot. The left skate is fine. What options do we have, if any, to get that skate to fit?

Thanks for any insight. 

[IPv6Freely 2092]

Try getting them stretched, or get new skates.

As an aside, I've never heard it called a "great toe". 

[boo10 323]

Going to depend on what materials the skates are made of, and how broken in they are, (among other things). 

What model skate?  Are they new or already broken in?  Are you sure they are the correct width?  Does she use the stock insole or something like Superfeet?  Have the skates been baked?

Depending on the answers to the above questions, you may have some success, but with modern skates there isn't a whole lot you can do to get some extra length.  In older skates, the materials would allow for stretching, but newer materials are less forgiving in that regard.

Edited June 11, 2020 by boo10

[2nhockey 21]

Thank you. 
 

heh.., great toe... son’s foot doc calls the big toe the great toe. Guess it differentiates between the big toe and if the second toe is longer... idk. 
 

The skates are Graf PK7700. They are broken in, but because the toe cap pushes on her big toe at the tip they aren’t worn beyond that at all. The width is a proper fit. I’d have to look at the insoles to be sure but I think Bauer Speedplates are in them. If not, then it will be the original Graf insole. 
 

She just needs to find 1/4” or so of space on that one spot. If new skates are the only answer - fine, I’ll get her new skates but I don’t want to if I don’t have to, cost being one consideration but the other being the 6-7 hour drive to the nearest hockey store. 
 

Thank you!

[caveman27 208]

1 hour ago, 2nhockey said:

Thank you. 
 

heh.., great toe... son’s foot doc calls the big toe the great toe. Guess it differentiates between the big toe and if the second toe is longer... idk. 
 

The skates are Graf PK7700. They are broken in, but because the toe cap pushes on her big toe at the tip they aren’t worn beyond that at all. The width is a proper fit. I’d have to look at the insoles to be sure but I think Bauer Speedplates are in them. If not, then it will be the original Graf insole. 
 

She just needs to find 1/4” or so of space on that one spot. If new skates are the only answer - fine, I’ll get her new skates but I don’t want to if I don’t have to, cost being one consideration but the other being the 6-7 hour drive to the nearest hockey store. 
 

Thank you!

Needs a 1/4" of space?  Going up a half-size would help.

[2nhockey 21]

Probably less than that. If new skates are only answer then that’s what it is but hoping to not have to do that. 

[boo10 323]

You could try shimming under the heel of the footbed to see if it will pull her foot back a bit.  Easiest way is to cut the heel out of an old insole, or one of those dollar store spongy insoles, and place it under the skate insole.  If that provides some relief, then you could stick with that, or try some Superfeet yellow insoles.  Superfeet Yellow have a slightly raised heel.

Graf PK line is a composite shell, so not sure how well they will respond to stretching, but if you're considering a new skate anyway, then it won't hurt to try a stretch before giving up.

You can try punching the heel too, but there's a strong possibility that will negatively affect the fit in other ways.

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

Honestly stretching a hockey skate like that is a tough ask.  Even if you are successful with the rate kids grow how long would you get out of it?  Depends how old she is I guess...

[Vet88 674]

You will have to ring around but find a shop that has a custom skateworks boot punch, watch at the end of this where they do the toe 

 Mark the area you want punched and then send the boot to them. They should be able to get near to 1/4" but that is a big punch in the toe. There is a downside, if the toe is sitting in this little pocket and a puck hits it, it's going to hurt.

A length stretch is very hard to do and it comes more from deforming the boot or moving the toe cap instead of stretching the material in the sides. A guy I know who played pro in Canada had a 1/4 sized diff between his feet. He would buy the smaller sized boot then modify one by heating the toe cap area up and then pulling the toe cap out by 2mm. Really risky if you get it wrong as its very easy to rip the toe cap right out and then the boot is stuffed.

The easiest way to get a longer boot is to buy a bigger size but I understand why that may not be your desired first option.

[2nhockey 21]

She’s 17 so not growing anymore. 
 

thanks for explaining the risks and process. I don’t have a lot of hope but it is a really nice skate so hoping to salvage them. 

[mickz 107]

Yellow Superfeet footbeds would help stabilize the heel and bring the toes back slightly.  They come with a 60 day money back guarantee if they don't end up working for you.

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

On 6/11/2020 at 7:55 PM, Vet88 said:

You will have to ring around but find a shop that has a custom skateworks boot punch, watch at the end of this where they do the toe 

 Mark the area you want punched and then send the boot to them. They should be able to get near to 1/4" but that is a big punch in the toe. There is a downside, if the toe is sitting in this little pocket and a puck hits it, it's going to hurt.

A length stretch is very hard to do and it comes more from deforming the boot or moving the toe cap instead of stretching the material in the sides. A guy I know who played pro in Canada had a 1/4 sized diff between his feet. He would buy the smaller sized boot then modify one by heating the toe cap area up and then pulling the toe cap out by 2mm. Really risky if you get it wrong as its very easy to rip the toe cap right out and then the boot is stuffed.

The easiest way to get a longer boot is to buy a bigger size but I understand why that may not be your desired first option.

Correct.  CS's Boot Punch is best for this. And on Graf skates, it's the most pliable toe cap around too.  

[VegasHockey 1280]

On 6/11/2020 at 9:45 AM, 2nhockey said:

My daughter’s skates are just a hair too short on her right foot and the toe cap puts uncomfortable pressure on the great toe on her right foot. The left skate is fine. What options do we have, if any, to get that skate to fit?

Thanks for any insight. 

Where you located? 

[2nhockey 21]

Located in Rapid City, SD. 
 

We were at A skate camp last weekend and had the local shop try to stretch the skates. The Grafs didn’t really take the stretch but they did move a touch. Then we put some Superfeet heel lifts in and she said it got her toes far enough off the cap that she could skate. It isn’t really the solution we wanted but they didn’t have the ability to punch the toe cap, either. 

[SirJW 207]

When I had a pair of Graf, I  was told to use a heat gun to help push the hot spot on the toe. 

Edited June 17, 2020 by SirJW

[shoot_the_goalie 281]

Lots of good advice here.  The Superfeet was a good idea to try.  It'll buy you a little room, but it sounds like you need a bit more still.  What kind of socks does your daughter wear?  Can she switch to a really thick sock, like sock liners?  Maybe even go barefoot?  Also, instead of trying to stretch the toe (which is really hard), maybe you can try to compress the heel a bit more, though that might not buy you enough room still.  Finally, weird question, but maybe relevant...how long are her toenails?  Can she cut them back further, or is it the actual toe that's hitting the toe cap?

Edited June 17, 2020 by shoot_the_goalie