Skates
Hockey
Locker Room
Hockey Underwear
Goalie Equipment
Player Equipment
On the Ice
In the Stands
On the Road
Chalk Talk
Contact
Links
underwear
jock
pants
skates
pads
collar
chest&arm
jersey
mask
gloves
stick
equipment rack
Goalie
skates are specialized for the task. The blade is slightly wider (3.5mm)
than on standard hockey skates (2.9mm). They are flatter along the length
and have a shallower cut for the edge itself. Finally, the boot is a little
shorter, there is a plastic shell to protect the goalie's foot, and the
area between the blade and the boot is designed not to let a puck through.
Sizing
With heels in the back of the boot, your toes should just feather the inside of the toebox. Try skates one or two sizes than your street shoes.Sharpening
I get my skates sharpened with a 7/8" hollow efery two months or so. Duller skates let me slide sideways better, but I also lose some maneuverability and the ability to skate quickly. Make sure that your sharpener knows what he's doing -- I have some sharpening horror stories to tell.Breaking-In
The best way to break-in your skates is to wear them. When you get your new goalie skates home, tie them up and strap on a pair of skate protectors. Walk around the house, do some chores, watch TV. Go skating.I do not recommend wearing them in the shower, soaking them in water or any similar methods. Leather and steel don't do well when soaked like that, and it doesn't help with synthetic materials at all.
Gearing Up
Over the instep, keep the laces a little loose—you don't want to cut off circulation in your foot. At the ankle start tightening up for better support. Wrap the laces around your ankle and then tie the bow.
Some Photographs Copyright © 1997 by Raphael Vallin. All Rights reserved.