I know for me, getting new skates is exciting! Well at least, until that dreaded first skate when you leave the ice with your feet throbbing and in pain. You remove your skates to find raw skin, blisters, or you wake up the next morning not able to walk because you have a major case of lace-bite. Ouch!
Here's a true story:
I had my goalie skates ruined from a flood in my basement. The blades had rusted out so bad that there were pits in the steel. Unfortunately, my skates didn't have the replacement systems that most of todays skates come equipped with. So, I was stuck with going to get a new pair of skates.
After trying on about 8 different skates, I ended up with the Bauer Vapors. These skates have the Heat-Fit moldable liner, where they throw the skates in these tiny ovens that are specially made to heat the skates without damaging them (do not try to put your skates into your oven at home, you will ruin your skates). After they are heated they slide the skates on your feet and lace them up so they are tight. You wear the skates for about fifteen minutes while the liner cools and molds to your foot. This process drastically reduces the amount of time it takes for your skates to break-in. Which sounded great to me and they were on sale. So, they molded them to my feet, sharpened the skates and off I went, a happy little camper.
The next morning I go to get out of bed and I can hardly bend my right foot. I looked down and noticed major swelling around the top of my ankle and bottom of my shin. I really didn't think too much about it and went on my merry way to work. A few days later my leg was still hurting pretty bad and the swelling was still there. I immediately began a regimen of ice and ibuprofen for the next few days to see if I could get the swelling to subside. Eventually, it did a few days later, and let me tell you when it did... whew! man-oh-man the pain was excruciating! My ankle and shin had turned a beautiful reddish-purple and I could see a lump on the tendon that runs from my shin to the top of my foot. It took a full 3 weeks for the pain and bruising to go away.
So what caused this? Lace-bite.
The salesperson that had been helping me out was cranking the laces as tight as possible and making me flex to see how they felt. By flexing, I was putting a lot of pressure on the tongue of the skate and the laces were pinching and cutting through the tongue and into the soft tissue of my foot and leg. Never again will I let that happen!
Okay, so let's get back on track with breaking in your skates.
First - I don't recommend cranking your laces to tight, as mentioned above. I would make this a gradual tightening. As you skate you will feel your skate getting loose, that's when you snug it up. You may have to do this a few times while you skate.
Second - If your skates don't have the Heat-Fit system you have no choice but to resort to breaking them in the old fashioned way. If they do have the Heat-Fit system, lucky you as this will help to speed the break-in period.
Third - (If you don't have the Heat- Fit system) Take a pair of socks and get them damp. Wring out the excess water and put them on your feet. Throw your skates on and wear them around the house. I've done this multiple times and it does help soften the inner padding. Again, be careful with tightening the laces. I would recommend using the first step here, too.
Lastly - Skate, skate, skate. This is the best way to get them to break-in and the more you do it, the faster they will.
I hope this information helps. If you have some other ways to break-in skates that you've had success with, please leave a comment for everyone to see.
Tomorrow, I will follow up with "What to do when your skates are painful and won't break-in".
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