Ice Skates Purchasing Guide for Youths and Grown-ups

Discover your choices when selecting the ideal beginner ice skates for children and adults. Hockey skates offer great speed and agility, along with excellent foot support, making them a suitable option for novices. With their soft boot, hybrid ice skates are also a good selection for those interested in pleasant outings. If you're looking to perfect jumps, spins, and other technical routines, figure skates are the way to go.

If your aim is to skate just a few times annually, there's no requirement to invest significantly in ice skates. Budget-friendly ice skates can be purchased for around 25 pounds. However, more costly options often provide superior comfort and better ankle support.

Purchase the Correct Size for Your Ice Skates

Ensuring your ice skates are not oversized is crucial, particularly with figure skates, where precise control over the blade is needed for performing routines and leaps. Skates should have a snug fit without being overly tight. When laces or buckles are loosened and your foot is fully forward, there should be just enough room for one finger behind your heel. It’s advisable to try the skates on with the same socks you plan to wear for skating.

Many children’s ice skates come in adjustable designs, allowing the boot's length to stretch. This permits growth accommodation of about 3-4 sizes. Adjustable skates are suited for leisure skating only, and quality-wise, they're as good as standard models. We recommend adjustable skates if your child is still growing and only needs them for occasional use.

We strongly advise consulting the size guides if uncertain about which size to choose. A link to the guide is available on each product page.

Ice Hockey Skates - Ideal for Speed and Novices

Ice hockey skates, as implied by their name, are crafted for ice hockey but are just as fitting for normal ice skating if you are starting out or have a penchant for speed.

These skates feature a rigid outer shell to shield your feet from impacts during hockey games. Inside, they are well-cushioned, providing comfort in spite of the rigid exterior – another reason they suit beginners seeking comfort. They are designed to offer substantial support to both ankle and foot. The blade, being short and curved, promotes easy manoeuvrability and ensures swift acceleration, although it may not be the best for extended skating sessions. Unlike figure skates, hockey skates lack front toe picks, so as not to catch the blade in the ice unexpectedly, causing a loss of balance.

At SkatePro, we also offer hybrid ice skates combining the ice hockey skate blade with the soft boot of fitness inline skates. If you're accustomed to a soft boot from recreational inline skating, this switch will feel more familiar, as they provide similar comfort. Hybrid skates are intended solely for standard ice skating.

Figure Skates - Ideal for Performing Tricks and Manoeuvres

Figure skates cater to those wishing to perform manoeuvres on ice. Equipped with toe picks at the blade's front for pushing off, traditional figure skates enable performing routines like spins and jumps. Three to four toe picks are usually adequate.

Figure skate boots can be made of either leather or synthetic materials. Leather is typically found in pricier models for professional use. Such boots are generally more rigid and less comfortable but offer enhanced ankle support. Synthetic leather boots are often more comfortable but provide less support. However, some contemporary figure skates made from synthetic materials offer better support than leather boots and have improved padding for added comfort.

Hybrid Ice Skates - Suitable for Children, Beginners, and Intermediate Skaters

Stability and comfort are the hallmarks of hybrid ice skates. They feature a soft boot, similar to fitness inline skates, and the blade can be an ice hockey blade or a figure skate blade with toe picks.

Figure skates typically don’t match the comfort level of hybrids, which is why opting for hybrid skates with figure skate blades might be wise for younger children who want to practise maneuvers without compromising on comfort and support. However, these skates will not maintain the traditional figure skate appearance.

Multi-Use Skates for Children

If your child wants to skate in various forms, 3-in-1 skates are available. These enable fitting the boot with an ice blade, inline wheels, or quad roller skate wheels. Therefore, the skates are usable during both summer and winter without needing three separate pairs. While the combined quality and performance are not as high as individually purchased versions, these skates are suitable for occasional use.

Should you remain uncertain about which ice skates to choose, consider hiring a pair at your nearby skate venue, bringing you closer to determining your preferred style.

Browse our extensive range of ice skates

You may also explore our guides: Purchasing Ice Hockey Skates and Ice Skates Maintenance

Do not hesitate to contact us for further assistance should you have any other queries. Our customer support team is always ready and happy to assist you. :-)