My advice would be to first decide how much you are willing to spend, first time buyers should always set a limit. The main reason for this is skaters often pick skates based on popularity or brand, not skating ability, different skates are aimed at different levels of ability. Usually the higher in price you go with skates, the more features the skate comes with, but most importantly, the stiffer the skate becomes. Stiff skates require an experienced skater that knows how to control weight and energy transfer truly utilizing all of the skates benefits.
Good quality entry level skates can run from £60 to £150 generally, the more expensive the skate, the better the material, the more comfortable, and the more durable. However, just because a specific skate is more expensive, does not mean it is a better skate for you. The biggest factor in choosing a skate is the fit on your own feet. I highly recommend going to a skate shop over buying online.
Sizing
For a start point, begin with one size lower than your street shoes. Every brand fits differently (regardless of what anyone may tell you), and there are even different fits within a brand, for example my street shoes (trainer) size is a 10 and my Mission Fuel skates are size 8 ½ ). Along with size, there is also width to consider. Most people will fit into width D, which is “normal” width. Others may need to look into width E and EE (wider).
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- C=narrow
- D=standard
- R=Wider than D
- E=Wide
- EE=widest (2 10th s of an inch in difference)
With very thin socks on, untie the boot so that your foot can easily slide in. Kick your heel fairly hard against the floor that so that your heel locks into the back of the boot.
Tie the boot up very tightly, but not so tight it cuts off circulation in your foot. Make sure they are tied through *every* eyelet. If you have never tied skates before, it may be wise to have an employee tie them for you. Put both skates on.
Once tied, stand up in the skates. They should fit very snugly against your entire foot, leaving no room for extra movement. They should feel tight, but not hurt. While standing straight, your toes should just be touching the front of the boot, or be very close to it. If they do touch, bend your knees. If your toes no longer touch, you have the correct size. One other check, is that when standing, your feet should be directly over the blades and your ankles should not be turning in or out. If they do, the skate may be too big. Walk around and make sure they feel right.
Keep in mind that if you purchase skates at a shop, they will be able to “bake” the skates for you, If they support this feature. This process is intended to help the boot mold to the shape of your feet, relieving pressure in some pressure spots, and reducing the “break-in” time. They may also be able to “punch-out” parts of the boot, this should only be done if breaking in has been unsuccessful in some areas, as the stress can damage the inner liners of the skate (damaging the skates). Sometimes a little discomfort when breaking in is expected.
