Ice Hockey Skates Built for Performance and Comfort

Ice hockey skates are built to withstand the intensity that comes with the game of ice hockey. While there is a large range of designs and price tags, they are consistently made with robust materials to provide ankle support and protection against hockey sticks, pucks and other ice skaters. Separate women's and men's hockey skates do not exist, as they are made as unisex models.

Which Hockey Skates are Right for Me?

The best pair of ice hockey skates for you might not be the best pair for someone else. When choosing a new pair, there are a number of factors to take into consideration.

Your Own Feet

Narrow or wide feet, high or dropped arches or other pressure points that might require a heat-moldable shell, are things you have to keep in mind. It is common for skate brands to make a boot model in a number of different widths. They use a simple letter scale C, D, R, E, EE going from narrowest to widest, to indicate which boot width it is. This information is normally presented in the size chart or product specifications of the ice skates.

Sizing of Hockey Skates

When you are choosing the size of skates, the easiest method is to use your shoe size, but a more accurate method is using the mondopoint measurement. This is the length of your foot in millimeters that most brands will include in their size charts. A good fitting pair of hockey skates should feel snug, tight and comfortable around your whole foot to give you maximum control.

How Often You Use Them

The frequency of use and the level you intend to play at are other important factors to think about. Recreational players are more likely to appreciate a softer boot shell for more comfort, and an experienced player would favor a hard boot shell to increase control and energy transfer. If you plan to use them 2 or 3 times a week, then having a stainless steel runner is a good choice as they can be easily resharpened.

If you want to see more ice skates that aren’t specifically designed for ice hockey, then check out our Recreational Ice Skates page.