The Best Ice Skates

Buying Guide

If you’re shopping for ice skates for yourself or others, you might not know which type to look for, but there are three varieties they typically fall into. Depending on what type of ice sport you or your child may be getting into, they can look for skates that are either made for hockey, figure skating or speed skating.

Hockey skate blades are curved at each end and flat in the middle. Hockey boots have a high ankle and are made out of or encased in rigid materials, such as plastic. The short, rounded blades increase maneuverability, designed for lots of sudden starts and stops, as well as sharp turns. The boots limit flexibility but provide more power.

Figure skates have longer blades, which are rounded and have spikes called toe picks at the front. They are flat at the back. Figure skate boots are also high-ankled, still fairly stiff, but made of more flexible leather. The longer blade allows the wearer to build up more speed for jumps, and the toe pick allows the skater to perform jumps and control their landings.

Speed skate blades, meanwhile, are the longest of the three, flat at both the front and back. Long-distance and high-speed skates have a hinge at the toe, allowing the blade to remain on the ice for as long as possible, while short-track speed skates are fixed at the heel to give better control for wearers making frequent corners. Both versions have reinforced heels.

When buying skates for yourself or your little one, a good fit, comfort and safety are primary concerns, of course. Use any measurements provided by manufacturers to ensure the skates will fit because an ill-fitting pair can slow your technique on the ice.

• Most new skates will need to be sharpened before use. The edge will have a generally correct shape, but it will not have the sharpness nor the particular grind radius best for your little one’s skate style or experience.
• Smaller grind radii (i.e. deeper) are better for smaller and more lightweight skaters, as it allows the skate to cut deeper into the ice and provide more fine control and acceleration. Sharper blades will have a lower top speed as it loses more energy into the ice.
• Larger grind radii (i.e. flatter) will allow larger and heavier skaters to move faster and more efficiently across the ice, but it offers less explosive acceleration and stopping.