Your roller skates shouldn't fit like your shoes probably do.
Roller skates are different than shoes for walking or running because we push forward leading with our toes in a gliding motion to stride. They are also a lot heavier than normal shoes, which means that if you have space in front of your toes or behind your heels, your foot will move back and forth in the boot creating an enormous amount of friction thus giving you blisters. It might also make it very hard to control the skate. If wheel placement is off and not falling underneath the ball of your foot or directly under your heel, this could actually be dangerous to use. A skate that is too big or too small additionally could lead to the creation of foot injuries or problems with your feet while rolling.
Generally speaking, the golden rule for proper skate fit no matter the brand or kind of skate is as snug as possible without being painful or uncomfortable, with the ability to still wiggle the toes up and down. Skates stretch A LOT, we promise! Once they do stretch they will fit you like a glass slipper and be personalized to your individual foot shape.
Attributes of a CORRECT skate fit that sometimes make folks skeptical but are NORMAL OR GOOD for Roller Skates are:
- Light pinching or very slight pressureon the sides of the foot/boot. This is simply associated with the width of your foot being a little wider than the shape of the bottom of the boot and may mean the fabric needs some time to stretch and mold to the specific shape of your foot. For suede, this means 4-6+ uses. For leather this could mean 1-3 months. For Vinyl or Synthetic fabric this could be 1-3+ months (this of course depends on duration of each use for each material. Try to use your skates for at least 1-1.5+ hours when breaking them in.)
- Lack of room to generally push the foot forward or backwards. We want your foot to fill the skate boot but still feel like it can extend comfortably in the boot without cramping, pain or discomfort. The ability to wiggle the toes tells us that the length is perfect.
- Feeling like your toes slightly touch the end. Sensing the end of the boot akin to a slight kiss of pressure that is extremely minimal. That is fine, just as long as it does not feel like your toes are about to bend or are experiencing discomfort.
Attributes of an INCORRECT skate fit that we do not recommend are:
- General pain or discomfort.We want your skates to be wearable and fun to use.
- Bent toes or the inability to wiggle the toes.This means that they are too smallfor you. There is not enough room in the toe of the skate boot for your foot to sit comfortably. While they do stretch and change shape width/contour wise, they will not grow longer. It's important that we get this correct right away before we visibly use or change the condition of our skates from new to used, and pay attention to exchange policy time constraints in case we need to make a size exchange.
- Space in front of the toes or behind the heel.This means that they are too big for you. If you can lift your heel up while standing (make sure the laces are on the hooks of your roller skate boot/that the boot is adequately tightened around your foot properly before determining!) or if you can clearly slide or push your whole foot forward or backward in the boot, it is the wrong fit and will ultimately cause aforementioned problems while you skate/after the boot has been used or worn.
- While skates are not supposed to hurt at first, the initial snugness of the boot in a correct fit should be an unfamiliar feeling for most new skaters, unless they are familiar with wearing other kinds of leather shoes.
So simply put, snug as a bug!
FAQs
Generally speaking, the golden rule for proper skate fit no matter the brand or kind of skate is as snug as possible without being painful or uncomfortable, with the ability to still wiggle the toes up and down.
Is it better to size up or down in roller skates? ›
Most skates are made in whole sizes and do not have half-size options. If your everyday shoe is a half-size, we typically recommend sizing UP as opposed to DOWN (unless recommended otherwise on the listing). For example, if your shoe size is a Ladies' 6.5, we recommend ordering a Mens 6 (Ladies 7).
How do I know if my roller skates are too big? ›
Skates Are Too Big If: You can scootch your foot forward in the boot and make a space behind your heel. If you can fit your finger down the back of the boot and touch the bottom that's a size too big. When the skates are laced up, hold the back wheel and pull your foot like you're pulling out of the skate.
How do you know if your skates are too small? ›
It's normal to have your little toe and the fourth toe close to the edge of the insole or completely off the edge. Signs your skates are not the right fit include very little space at the toe, zero space at the toe and having your toes hang over the front edge, and the third toe hanging off the side of the insole.
Should my toes touch the end of my skates? ›
There should be no slippage of your foot in the skate boots. The skate boot should fit snug, not loose not like your slippers you wear around your house, or your slip on shoes. Your toes should either barely touch the end of your boot or be almost touching.
Should skates be tight around the ankle? ›
The toe area and the area high above the ankles should be tied so they are moderately snug or even on the loose side. The tightest area of lacing should be from a point above the ball of the foot back to a point just above the ankle bone i.e. the top 2 or 3 eyelets. This is where the most support is required.
How do you know if your skates are the right size? ›
Hockey skates should be snug, but not uncomfortably tight. When unlaced, your toes should just barely touch the toe cap. When standing in your skates with them fully laced, you want your heel snug in the heel pocket, so your toes have a bit of space at the end.
How much room should you have in your skates? ›
Players should aim for less than 1/4" of space between the longest toe and the end of the footbed. Any more space than that will cause the foot to slide around in the boot, resulting in bad skating technique.
Do you want skates to be tight or loose? ›
The skate should fit very snug for proper support to enable a good push-off without any movement of your foot inside the skate. And finally, it takes a few wears to break in a new pair of skates. Baking your skates is another option that helps expedite the break-in process to get a more custom fit.
Is it OK to wear skates that are too big? ›
In addition to causing a width issue, as discussed above, skates that are too long can also result in these sort of problems: When too much growth room is given length-wise, in addition to sliding to the inside of the boot, the foot will also slip forward and back, making it difficult for the skater to balance.
Rule of thumb: Choose about 1 size bigger than regular shoe size - unless stated otherwise in the size guide.
How tight or loose should roller skate wheels be? ›
LOOSEN THE WHEELS
Skater Tip: Your wheels should not be loose enough to move up and down on your truck screw; if you hear a noise, they're too loose!
Is your skate size the same as your shoe size? ›
It means that, generally speaking, your hockey skate size will be about 1 - 1.5 sizes smaller than your shoe size (US) for men and 2.5 - 3 sizes smaller for women. This means that if you buy a pair of hockey skates that are the exact same as your shoe size, you're going to be swimming in those skates.
Should you be able to wiggle toes in skates? ›
When a skater ties up their skates halfway and bends their knees and ankles, they should still be able to wiggle their toes and fit a pencil down the back of their ankle. Skates should fit snugly and may feel stiff or uncomfortable but should not be extremely painful.
Should you lean forward when skating? ›
Lean Forward. Your instinct will be to lean back to keep from falling, but this is the opposite of what you want to do. Leaning forward will give you more control and better balance.
Should I remove toe off roller skates? ›
Removing your toe stops allows the wearer to gain more height by lifting the heel further from the floor and continue to roll. This in turn makes balance on toes easier for long periods, as the body weight is stacked over the ball of the foot and through the heel, rather than being placed further back.
Can you break in skates by just wearing them? ›
The best way to break in a new pair of roller-skates is to settle in for the long haul. The more you wear them, the more the leather will conform to the individual shape of your foot.
How should new skates feel? ›
All skates, regardless of if they are entry level or pro level, should have some level of stiffness to them. You do not want the boot to bend or change shape much while skating. If the boot feels “flexible,” then it might be time for a new pair.
Why do my ankles hurt when I roller skate? ›
Common Causes of Roller Skating Foot Pain
This skating malady is caused by pressure from a stiff skate tongue (the part that goes behind the laces, on the front of your ankle/top of your foot). If the skate is laced tightly, the tongue cuts into the tendons of the ankle, causing pain, redness, and swelling.
How much should your ankle move in skates? ›
If you can slide more than one finger between your heel and the skate (not the tendon and skate) then the skate is not locking your ankle / heel into place and the fit is not suitable for you.
A helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards are always a good idea. Don't wear anything restrictive. Jeans are generally a little too stiff and will hamper your movements. Short or tight dresses or skirts should also be avoided as they are too restrictive.
What to do if your skates are a little to big? ›
Here's What to Do if Your Hockey Skates Are Too Big:
First, try wearing bigger socks. Bake your skates if you haven't done so already. Use power foot inserts to make them more snug overall. Re-bake your skates (only re-bake once).
Where should your weight be when roller skating? ›
Beginners and Improvers need weight on balls of the feet to maintain their balance and not fall over backwards. Intermediates I think the weight can be mid foot or just back from the ball of the foot, so the front and back will feel equal in terms of weight distribution.
What skate size is a womens 8? ›
When it comes to women's skate sizing, you will want to go down 3 sizes from your shoe size. For example, if you wear a size 8 women's shoe, you will want to go with a size 5 Bauer skate.
Are roller skates true to size? ›
Rollerblade Skates generally fit true to US sizes. For example, if your shoe size is US size 9, you would wear a size 9. A snug fit is always preferred so be sure not to buy oversize footwear especially for skating. Children skates are expandable so do refer to the corresponding with the sizes below.
Is it better to have your skates tight or loose? ›
How tight should hockey skates fit? Hockey skates should be snug, but not uncomfortably tight. When unlaced, your toes should just barely touch the toe cap. When standing in your skates with them fully laced, you want your heel snug in the heel pocket, so your toes have a bit of space at the end.
Are skates better loose or tight? ›
The skate should fit very snug for proper support to enable a good push-off without any movement of your foot inside the skate. And finally, it takes a few wears to break in a new pair of skates. Baking your skates is another option that helps expedite the break-in process to get a more custom fit.
Is it okay if your roller skates are too big? ›
Generally, if your foot slides back and forth during skating, it's too loose. Also, if the boots are too big, pronation happens. And this pronation causes the wheels to sit on the ground at an angle, which causes uneven wear. Uneven wear eventually worsens balance.
Should toes touch front of skate? ›
Your toes should barely touch the front toe of the hockey skate. The skate is too small if your toes are bunched up or pressed hard against the front of the skate. Try a smaller size if your toe doesn't touch the front of the boot.
Can skates be a little to big? ›
In addition to causing a width issue, as discussed above, skates that are too long can also result in these sort of problems: When too much growth room is given length-wise, in addition to sliding to the inside of the boot, the foot will also slip forward and back, making it difficult for the skater to balance.
Skater Tip: Your wheels should not be loose enough to move up and down on your truck screw; if you hear a noise, they're too loose!
Is your shoe size the same as your roller skate size? ›
Most roller skates are going to fit the same as your standard shoe size. So, if you wear a size 8 in your everyday shoes a size 8 in roller skates will fit. Most brands of roller skates will make their skates fit the same as popular shoe brands to make it easier to size.
How tight should roller blades be? ›
The fit itself should be very snug, allowing you to stay in control of movements. Very snug doesn't mean uncomfortable: You should still be able to wiggle your toes, and there shouldn't be any pressure points. Find the right fit.
