How can I tell if my skates don't fit?

[darthlampe]

Sorry, dumb question, but I just bought my first pair of skates and really don't know. I got measured at my rink, so I ordered my skates based off of that. Anyway, they came in today(Koho 590's, the ones on sale at GoalieMonkey). I tried them on and they're painful(I didn't even lace them up). My foot can't move at all forward or backward, and it's pinching my toes. I know that they obviously don't fit, so I'm exchanging them for the CCM 1252 on clearance(I only have about that much to spend, or Graf would be what I'd buy and I'd rather have an older top model then something new and low end) in the next half size up. When those come in, what are some signs that they'll fit right? I heard you need to be able to have one finger between your heel and the back of the boot, but is there anything else?

[junior1cats]

Originally Posted by darthlampe

Sorry, dumb question, but I just bought my first pair of skates and really don't know. I got measured at my rink, so I ordered my skates based off of that. Anyway, they came in today(Koho 590's, the ones on sale at GoalieMonkey). I tried them on and they're painful(I didn't even lace them up). My foot can't move at all forward or backward, and it's pinching my toes. I know that they obviously don't fit, so I'm exchanging them for the CCM 1252 on clearance(I only have about that much to spend, or Graf would be what I'd buy and I'd rather have an older top model then something new and low end) in the next half size up. When those come in, what are some signs that they'll fit right? I heard you need to be able to have one finger between your heel and the back of the boot, but is there anything else?

first off they are skates , not shoes....not the most comfortable things when not broken in. Lace em up and walk on them....your heel shouldn't come up more than a half inch. Everybody has their own prefence though....some like tight, some loose. Usually size , size and a half smaller than your shoe size. I take an 11 shoe but wear an 8 1/2 skate.....I like them as if they are part of my feet with no movement in them what so ever. But that's me and I'm talkin player skates. Good luck !

[raiders]

In general, push your foot all the way up to where your toes touch the end. Should be able to put your small finger (if you have meat hands use a pen ) between your heel and the end. ie. 1/4" 3/8" ish (for growing kids you usually go with 1/4 to 1/2 inch for growing room (but not TOO big). Width of course you can feel, if you can slide side to side with them done up, then they are likely too wide, if the are tight across the widest part, by a little, they will/may stretch, JUST A LITTLE. You can also get them punched out or stretch by a competent skate seller.
Modern skates are so full of "ballistic nylon" and "synthetic" stuff, they don't realy stretch too much until they fall apart.

Yours sound too small! general rule is about a size + 1/2 smaller in a skate than US shoe size. (my experience 40+ years of buying skates and two kids). With a kid it is usually a size smaller than shoe size.

hope it works out...I wear a 6 E Bauer IX goal skate and a 6 E 1152 CCM player skate. I am a 7.5 US shoe. I find the CCM width a bit bigger than bauer and the bauer size (length) a bit longer.

[darthlampe]

See, I don't know what my shoe size is. I wear all different sizes. Some shoes are like a 10.5, others are 9. My skate size is about a 6(But the guys who measured said they spread to a 6.5, so for comfort a 6.5 would be better). I ordered a 6.5 from Goaliemonkey, and was informed they only had a 6 in the width I needed(I knew going down in width would have been a horrible idea and I was right). So I'm now hoping the CCM 1252 6.5 E fit me well. My CCM roller blades are a 9(Or so the bottom heal says), so I hope they fit when I get them in. If not, I'll have to buy a brand new skate, which would suck. But I'm really worried about width, as the Koho's were bending outward with my foot in them. I'm going to need to buy a lot of lace too, cause I couldn't really get to the top 3 holes.

I know skates will ease up after playing, baking, etc., but I need to know before I do that stuff so I can return them if need be. I think 6.5 should work with the CCM, if not I'll have to save and just spring for some expensive Grafs(Which I'd rather not do).

[CubanPuckstoppr]

Don't go by shoe size, they are even worse than skates for variability in sizing.

If this is your first pair of skates go to a pro shop that can get the models you want, keep trying on skates until you are satisfied, and strike a relationship with the pro shop owner/manager. These are skates we are talking about, one of the most important pieces of equipment you can purchase. I would advise against the folly of buying skates online unless you are replacing the exact skate you currently own.

[darthlampe]

If I could do that, trust me, I definitely would. However, I'm in central PA in the US, and there's nowhere close to do that with at all.

[estogoalie]

I think the guy who sized you at the rink was really off. My shoe size varies too from a size 9 work boot to a size 10 or 10.5 in sneakers. I wear a slightly large size 9 Graf skate, could wear a 8.5 Bauer 7000 and once squeezed my foot into a size 8 Reidell skate. But NEVER could i fit into a size 6 or 7 skate. If the 6.5 skate was unbearably tight, you'd need to go up at least a full size. I'm guessing your foot size is roughly the same as mine, and you should be looking at somewhere between a size 8-9 skate size.

[darthlampe]

UPS just delivered my CCM 1252 Pro Tacks (size 6.5). They feel a tad better, but I still think they're too small.

They're still tight without laces on, and when I try to lace them up I don't have enough lace for the top 3 holes or so. Lengthwise they seem okay, but I still can't really move my foot up to be able to put my finger down to the heel of the skate. I'm guessing my real size is probably an 8. Oh bother. Pisses me off that the guy that measured me was so far off.

[Huntster]

I wear a 12 runnning shoe and an 11 dress shoe. I wear 10.5 CCM's as reference.

6.5 sounds way too small for you..

[Evoq]

Are your toes curled when theyre on?

Is there a uniform opening for the tongue to show(on top, between with two sides of teh skate) that would catigorize a skate a s a good fit?

[darthlampe]

I'm not sure what you mean.


My Nike Shox (Running shoes), are a size 10.5 US.

[Fleury29]

For what its worth, i wear a size 10.5 Nike Shox sneaker and a size 9 CCM Pro Tack Goalie skate....

[Seventytwo]

I wear 10.5 Nike shoes and 9 RBK skates. Since they are not tight I guess I could wear a 8.5...but not below!!!

[darthlampe]

I see. Seems a 9 would be far more fitting then, which is indeed the 1.5 size less rule. Too bad that means I need to pay significantly more then. Darn.

[scissors]

Unless you are still growing, you do not want any excess room in the length. If you are still growing, slide your foot to the fron of the skate so that your toes are just brushing the front when straight. You want about the width of a pen down the back of the skate.

If you are done growing. Put the skate on, kick your heal firm to the back and lace them up. Walk around on them and make sure that your heal is planted and not moving up and down or side to side AT ALL. The heal is the most important part of the fitting process, You want it to fit nice and snug with no movement.

Now, with the skates laced up stand straight up. Having your toes just barely brushing the end is a good thing because when you bend your knees it will actually force your heal and foot a little further back in the skate and shoud cause your toes to ever so slightly come off the end of the skate. This is how you want the lenght to fit, as the break in your foot will move slightly back and take your toes ever so slightly off the end.

Now on to width. Now you dont want it to hurt but if its tight on the sides of the balls of your feet then that is the easiest place to stretch out, either a good heat molding or taking the skates ot a local proshop and gettign that area punched out is often enough to ease the pain in that area and of course, over time the skate will break in and stretch out.