This is one of the most important things when choosing skates - right after you choose the model.
Answer to this and several other important questions.
NEVER BUY SKATES THAT ARE TOO LARGE FOR YOU!
Skates, like ski or snowboard boots, are designed to transfer and distribute the load during skiing, so that they are comfortable and at the same time easy to control. A poorly selected skate size leads to an incorrect position of the foot in the boot, which in turn contradicts the above requirements.
Most skates offered by well-known manufacturers have an anatomical boot shape. This means that the inner shape of the boot follows the shape of the foot and has structural accents that ensure the foot is in the correct position for safe and comfortable skating. Buying the wrong size skates leads to discomfort, poor control and rapid boot wear, similar to wearing shoes that are too big or untied.
Children's skates are manufactured with adjustable sizes, while skates that meet certain styles have both very small and large sizes to satisfy consumer interest.
Buying bigger skates "just in case" is not beneficial.
So, how do we choose the right size?
Experience proves it!
1. Always try on both skates! When you stand up with one skate, all your weight is transferred to the foot that is not wearing the skate. This leads to a false perception and an unnatural position.
2. The skates must be laced and/or tightened with the laces, if they have them. All elements responsible for tightening them have a role in the correct position of the foot in the shoe. Only with a tightened skate will the foot take the correct position. Untightened skates may initially bring a deceptive feeling of comfort.
3. After putting on both skates and tightening them, assume a natural skating stance.
- Knees slightly bent (lower center of gravity)
- The body is slightly bent forward.
- If in this position the heel does not separate from the bottom of the skate and the toes touch, but are not bent at the front, then the size has been selected correctly.
Of course, many people will ask "How do you choose skates from an online store?"
In our online store, on the homepage of each skate, there is a "Sizes" tab with a table with detailed information. You should know that there is a difference between the sizes of different manufacturers and models. This difference can reach 4-5mm, which would mean a different number of the selected boot. You should also know that if the measured foot length falls between two sizes from the table, it is always better to choose the smaller size.
Choosing a particular model of skates involves understanding their design and construction. Different types of skates have different constructions, determined by their use.
All models displayed in the store are arranged by styles:
- Freeride
- Freestyle
- Street
- Fitness
- Speed
- Downhill
- Junior
- Hard boot with removable sock
- Soft boot without sock
- Soft boot with sock
- Carbon and composite skates without socks
- Children's skates with adjustable sizes
Choosing a hard boot with a removable sock.
The hard boot is made of plastic, composite materials or carbon fiber. The removable sock is placed in it. Like ski boots, the outer shape of the boot is made to accommodate 2 - 3 different sizes of socks (liners) . This means that for two sizes of skates we have one size of boot and two sizes of socks. For example:
Sizes 40 and 41 of the Seba FR1 have the same boot size, but different liner sizes.
The information about which shoe corresponds to which size is very important, especially for people who fall between two sizes in terms of foot size. As an example, we can give the same skate - Seba FR1. For sizes 45, 46 and 47 there is the same boot size. When the foot length falls between 44 and 45, we must choose for this model whether it is:
- boot size 44 with sock size 44
- boot size 47 and sock size 45
A larger boot weighs more. It is a mistake to think that skates with a hard boot have good support, even if they are larger. If you have skates that are too big for you, the first thing that breaks is the sock. It breaks and tears, and when you put it on, it can also lead to injuries.
Soft boot skates (with or without socks) use a hard plastic base that provides stability in the foot and ankle area. The rest of the skate is made of a soft material that, after fully tightening the laces and stirrups, takes the shape of the foot. This in itself answers the question of what the effect will be when skating if the skates are loose - uneven and improper wear and shaping of the boot, which would lead to discomfort when skating, at the very least.
This model perfectly distributes the load from the body over the entire skate. At the same time, thanks to the materials used, the cooling of the inside of the skate is better than in models with a plastic boot. The weak points are the small base for absorbing shock loads and, accordingly, they protect the foot less. This is the reason why skates with a soft boot should be chosen with a correctly selected size. When initially wearing, this model may create a feeling of pressure in the front or sides. This is because the sock material has not yet formed on the foot. Over time, this will change.
High-quality models of this type begin to take the shape of the foot after 10-15 minutes. In skates with a hard boot, the "shaping" may take a shorter time. In cases where the skates have a removable sock, it is possible to try it on independently. This would lead to an accurate assessment.
The last group is carbon and models made of composite materials. In these models, the sock is not removable and is built on the inside of the skate. In most cases, these skates meet certain requirements for riding styles - speed skating, slalom, freeride and aggressive. They are characterized by lower overall weight, greater stiffness and a perfect fit to the shape of the foot. All this leads to greater control when riding. Skates in this class have the smallest tolerance for deformation. The size of these skates should be especially well selected, since their shape will not change much, even with a longer period of use. Some models in this class are available with a thermally forming interior - the shape is modeled using the temperature of the foot. But this factor should not be decisive when choosing a size. This improves comfort and control.
In summary, you should note that not every model will fit every foot perfectly. The anatomy of the foot, the Achilles tendon, the arch of the foot, the shape of the heel, the placement of the toes, these are some of the factors that affect the feel of each individual model. Unfortunately, even the exact size you choose does not guarantee that it is right for you, so a good tip would be to try on at least two pairs of skates of different styles or at least two different sizes.
When shopping online, remember that the law gives you the right to return or exchange a product within the established period.
Materials used: How to choose a size of the skate