Eit

Friday, January 9, 2009

How to Buy Hockey Skates

You can't underestimate the importance of skates. Your feet need to be one with the ice. You need speed, control and protection. Skates are the foundation that all other skills are built on... so don't put your son or daughter behind the 8-ball, by messing this up.

I've put together a helpful guide for you. Don't get fooled by flashy designs, it's important to interpret the features and benefits, and narrow down the right pair for your kids game.

WHAT'S THEIR GAME?

Crosby, Hanson Brothers or shinny? It's essential to know what type of player your son or daughter is in order to determine the skates they need.

If hockey is a big part of your life... Look for a stiff boot to give your player ultimate power transfer. Go with carbon-reinforced outsoles and heat-moulded or memory foam.

SKATE COMPONENTS

Boot: Comfort from custom fitting, protection from reinforced toe caps, and tough nylon for durability can improve your performance. For most players, the boot is the most important part of the skate. On top of fit, you need protection, comfort, durability and support.

Get the right protection

The only thing standing between your foot and a puck travelling 80 km/h is your skate. Look for features that offer protection. Tendon guards protect vulnerable areas of your ankles while reinforced toe caps prevent injury to your toes and forefoot.

Keep your feet dry

The big technology story in skate liners is moisture management. If your skate soaks up your sweat, it becomes heavy. Your feet will also stay wet leaving you prone to blisters and chafing. A liner engineered with moisture management properties will wick sweat away from your foot, transporting it to the outer surface of the liner. From there, the moisture evaporates leaving you dry in a lightweight skate.

Take the bite out of your laces

Lace bite is when the laces pinch your skin between the tongue and boot. To prevent it, look for a skate that has a non-slip tongue.

Durability for longer play

Top manufacturers engineer skates to withstand cuts, abrasions and the force of a slapshot. Look for tough materials like carbon reinforcements and Ballistic nylon.

Ankle support

Hockey skates are built to give you the ultimate in support. Memory foam inserts, reinforced nylon quarters and heel locks help to keep your feet stable and your ankles supported. Look for those features. This prevents loss of power.

Pro tip: Hardcore players should go with a stiff boot while active players should look for a moderately stiff boot. Recreational players should opt for pure comfort. Also, consider your weight. Heavier players generally benefit from a stiffer boot.

Outsole: To accelerate, turn and stop, you need a responsive but rigid platform. I'll explain which materials to consider in a second. Think of the outsole as the platform the boot sits on. It contributes to the lightweight properties and responsiveness of the skate. It also acts as the blade-to-boot interface, giving you torsional rigidity and maximum energy transfer.

Some high end skates have a carbon or graphite reinforced outsole. It gives the skate its lightweight properties and maximum energy transfer that hardcore players thrive on. Other skates have outsoles with partial carbon or plastic reinforced outsoles.

Holder: The holder transfers energy from the boot to the managed hosting to give you maximum power. Much like the outsole, the holder gives you the benefit of torsional stiffness and maximum energy transfer. It transfers energy in three ways:

By focusing the energy generated by the boot and the outsole directly to the runner.

By remaining torsionally rigid; therefore, storing and transferring the energy that the player has generated with his or her stride.

By being lightweight, reducing fatigue on the player.

Pro tip: Hardcore and active players should look for lightweight, stiff holders for improved energy transfer. Recreational players should look for a plastic holder for value.

Runner: Also known as the blade, look for stainless steel (higher end) for durability or carbon (lower end) for value. Also known as the blade, the runner gives you the benefit of side to side stability with sharp edges, friction reduction, agility and durability.

You have two materials to choose from. Stainless steel will last longer and is more durable. Carbon steel is less durable than stainless but it's ideal for the value conscious player.

Most skates come with stainless steel runners.

Pro tip: While recreational players could benefit from the value of a carbon runner, hardcore and active players need the durability of stainless steel.

A Quick Heads Up...

Most of my high-end clients have two pairs of skates. If you play more than three or four times a week, you should consider it during the season. You can rotate one pair every four to six months. This ensures you'll always have one dry pair, broken in and ready to wear.

Well there you have it...be sure to check in with us often. We update our articles and blog all the time with the stuff to help you have the latest information on everything hockey.

Train Smart!

Eric Morrissette Master Trainer and Coach

Eric Morrissette is a trusted trainer to many of the NHL's best players. People from all over the world have come to his training facility in Edmonton, Alberta Canada to train with him and attend his camps. Numerous coaches and trainers have gone through his extensive 'Hockey Insiders' Mentorship Program to learn how to build successful hockey businesses of their own. To get more information and tons of free videos and articles visit: www.yourhockey.comhttp://www.yourhockey.com or www.yourhockeytraining.comhttp://www.yourhockeytraining.com

Add a comment

Jun 17, 2008 Jun 18, 2008 Jun 19, 2008 Jun 20, 2008 Jun 21, 2008 Jun 22, 2008 Jun 23, 2008 Jun 24, 2008 Jun 25, 2008 Jun 26, 2008 Jun 27, 2008 Jun 28, 2008 Jun 29, 2008 Jun 30, 2008 Jul 1, 2008 Jul 2, 2008 Jul 3, 2008 Jul 4, 2008 Jul 5, 2008 Jul 6, 2008 Jul 7, 2008 Jul 8, 2008 Jul 9, 2008 Jul 10, 2008 Jul 11, 2008 Jul 12, 2008 Jul 13, 2008 Jul 14, 2008 Jul 15, 2008 Jul 17, 2008 Jul 18, 2008 Jul 19, 2008 Jul 20, 2008 Jul 21, 2008 Jul 22, 2008 Jul 23, 2008 Jul 24, 2008 Jul 25, 2008 Jul 26, 2008 Aug 4, 2008 Aug 7, 2008 Aug 8, 2008 Aug 10, 2008 Aug 11, 2008 Aug 12, 2008 Aug 13, 2008 Aug 14, 2008 Aug 16, 2008 Aug 17, 2008 Aug 18, 2008 Aug 19, 2008 Aug 20, 2008 Aug 21, 2008 Aug 22, 2008 Aug 23, 2008 Aug 24, 2008 Aug 25, 2008 Aug 26, 2008 Aug 27, 2008 Aug 28, 2008 Aug 29, 2008 Aug 30, 2008 Aug 31, 2008 Sep 1, 2008 Sep 2, 2008 Sep 3, 2008 Sep 4, 2008 Sep 5, 2008 Sep 6, 2008 Sep 7, 2008 Sep 8, 2008 Sep 9, 2008 Sep 10, 2008 Sep 11, 2008 Sep 12, 2008 Sep 14, 2008 Sep 16, 2008 Sep 18, 2008 Sep 19, 2008 Sep 20, 2008 Sep 30, 2008 Oct 1, 2008 Oct 2, 2008 Oct 3, 2008 Oct 4, 2008 Oct 5, 2008 Oct 6, 2008 Oct 7, 2008 Oct 8, 2008 Oct 10, 2008 Oct 11, 2008 Oct 12, 2008 Oct 13, 2008 Oct 14, 2008 Oct 15, 2008 Oct 16, 2008 Oct 17, 2008 Oct 18, 2008 Oct 19, 2008 Oct 20, 2008 Oct 21, 2008 Oct 22, 2008 Oct 23, 2008 Oct 24, 2008 Oct 25, 2008 Oct 26, 2008 Oct 27, 2008 Oct 28, 2008 Oct 29, 2008 Oct 30, 2008 Oct 31, 2008 Nov 1, 2008 Nov 2, 2008 Nov 3, 2008 Nov 4, 2008 Nov 5, 2008 Nov 7, 2008 Nov 8, 2008 Nov 9, 2008 Nov 10, 2008 Nov 11, 2008 Nov 12, 2008 Nov 13, 2008 Nov 14, 2008 Nov 15, 2008 Nov 16, 2008 Nov 17, 2008 Nov 18, 2008 Nov 19, 2008 Nov 24, 2008 Nov 25, 2008 Nov 26, 2008 Nov 28, 2008 Nov 29, 2008 Dec 1, 2008 Dec 2, 2008 Dec 4, 2008 Dec 5, 2008 Dec 6, 2008 Dec 7, 2008 Dec 8, 2008 Dec 9, 2008 Dec 10, 2008 Dec 11, 2008 Dec 12, 2008 Dec 13, 2008 Dec 14, 2008 Dec 15, 2008 Dec 16, 2008 Dec 17, 2008 Dec 18, 2008 Dec 19, 2008 Dec 20, 2008 Dec 21, 2008 Dec 22, 2008 Dec 23, 2008 Dec 26, 2008 Dec 27, 2008 Dec 28, 2008 Dec 30, 2008 Dec 31, 2008 Jan 1, 2009 Jan 2, 2009 Jan 3, 2009 Jan 4, 2009 Jan 5, 2009 Jan 6, 2009 Jan 7, 2009 Jan 8, 2009 Jan 9, 2009 Jan 12, 2009 Jan 13, 2009 Jan 14, 2009 Jan 15, 2009 Jan 16, 2009 Jan 17, 2009 Jan 18, 2009 Jan 19, 2009 Jan 20, 2009 Jan 21, 2009 Jan 22, 2009 Jan 23, 2009 Jan 24, 2009 Jan 25, 2009 Jan 26, 2009 Jan 27, 2009 Jan 28, 2009 Jan 29, 2009 Jan 30, 2009 Feb 22, 2009 Feb 23, 2009 Feb 24, 2009 Feb 25, 2009 Feb 26, 2009 Feb 27, 2009 Feb 28, 2009 Mar 1, 2009 Mar 2, 2009 Mar 3, 2009 Mar 4, 2009 Mar 5, 2009 Mar 6, 2009 Mar 7, 2009 Mar 9, 2009 Mar 10, 2009 Mar 11, 2009 Mar 12, 2009 Mar 13, 2009 Mar 14, 2009 Mar 15, 2009 Mar 16, 2009 Mar 17, 2009 Mar 18, 2009 Mar 19, 2009 Mar 20, 2009 Mar 21, 2009 Mar 22, 2009 Mar 23, 2009 Mar 30, 2009 Mar 31, 2009 Apr 1, 2009 Apr 2, 2009 Apr 3, 2009 Apr 4, 2009 Apr 6, 2009 Apr 7, 2009 Apr 8, 2009 Apr 10, 2009 Apr 11, 2009 Apr 12, 2009 Apr 13, 2009 Apr 14, 2009 Apr 15, 2009 Apr 16, 2009 Apr 17, 2009 Apr 18, 2009 Apr 20, 2009 Apr 23, 2009 Apr 24, 2009 Apr 25, 2009 Apr 26, 2009 Apr 27, 2009 Apr 28, 2009 Apr 29, 2009 Apr 30, 2009 May 1, 2009 May 2, 2009 May 3, 2009 May 4, 2009

Eit

Friday, January 9, 2009

How to Buy Hockey Skates

E-mail this post

var a = 0; if(a == 0) {document.write('No comment');} else if(a == 1) {document.write('1 comment');}else{document.write(a+' comments');}

Add a comment