Top 5 Best Youth Hockey Skates in 2021: -Buying Guide

Ice hockey is one of the most expensive youth sports. The cost may round up near to $500 in a year with basic stuff only. If you’re new to hockey, you better accept the fact.

Among all the hockey gears, the skates are the most crucial one. Regular maintenance makes the skates more expensive. So, it’s mandatory to pick the best skate considering the value for money, quality, and personal preference. Without proper guidelines, you might end up buying the wrong pair.

In this guide, we will provide the required guideline to find the best skates for you. Along with the guideline, we will show our best picks from the current market. 

5 Best Youth Hockey Skates

In this list, we have added the best youth hockey skates. In the many companies We picked the 5 best skates of the 5 companies.

Best Picks

Botas Draft 281

Getting a perfect skate at the beginning isn’t a piece of cake. You have to try a few skates in the initial year or months. Botas Draft 281 is an excellent option for tryouts as a beginner. 

This award-winning skate comes with excellent built quality. Besides, included features make the skate of a high-end kind.

Highlighted features:

• PA Fabric: The top of the skate is Polyamide. The fabric doesn’t get worn out or distorted too easily. Additionally, it is waterproof and tear-resistant. These combined features make the skate top long-lasting. For a beginner, durable skates will let you do more trial and error. 
• TST: Toe collisions with the inner makes it uncomfortable sometimes. Total Stability Technology lowers such probability of irritation. It keeps your foot well balanced inside. 
• DDP: The synthetic lining and foam padding boost up the build quality. The ankle padding has double-density padding. It helps you to generate more energy with more inner grip. Additionally, it toughens the heel area.
• Anatomical Tongue: This part of your skate can ruin your day. A simple irritation can cause performance hindrance. The anatomical tongue in Draft 281 offers more comfort and a better skating mood.
• ICEHAWK: The skates come with ABS outsoles. It is famous for being non-toxic. With the outsole, Botas offers its own Botas ICEHAWK Carbon Ultra Steel White blade. Copper rivets tie the sole and the blade together. 

Bauer Supreme S25

Bauer has already set a standard of high-end skate equipment in the market. For a beginner, it is tough to grab high end-skates. Bauer has acknowledged this face very elegantly.

The Supreme S25 is a low budget skate with high-end specs. Let’s drop a spotlight onto the features. 

• True Form Tech PU: This outsole has an excellent reputation in the NHL. Polyurethane has all those tick marks to be the best sole. It is incredible at shock absorption. For entry-level ice hockey, PU is a superb option for practicing long hours. 
• Light Speed Pro II: Previously, Pro I founded a performance standard. After the launch, Pro II has almost become the ideal holder. In the NHL, pro II is one of the most prioritized features among players. 
• Blade: S25 comes with TUUK blade. It is quite famous for its stunning quality. With irreplaceable blades, Bauer put effort into keeping the price down. It’s a good move. 
• 30 oz Tongue: In ice hockey, the ankle takes the most hits. The tongue plays a vital role in saving your ankle from slapshots. S25 presents superlight tongue with injected foam inserts. There’s no way to underestimate it. It’s a great match. 

K2 F.I.T. Ice Boa Skate

K2 is a world-famous brand for manufacturing skates. F.I.T. ice B.O.A. skate is an ocular example of this statement. You might wonder why? The answer is the exquisite features. It has become ideal for youth or beginners. 

The skate is very reliable for recreational purposes too. The particular features below make the F.I.T. one of the best skates for newcomers.

• Softboot: The self-explanatory title says it all. The resilient build material makes it more adjustable with your foot. The waterproof inner keeps the foot dry.
• B.O.A.: The skate comes with an amazing B.O.A. enclosure system. It gives you the flexibility to set the most precise fit. 

B.O.A. enclosure works via a regulator. It eradicates the pain of lacing up the skate during any practice time. You can even reach it with your gloves on too. Ultimately, you get an effortless way of substituting the traditional lace tie.

• Stability Plus Cuff: It supports the players in multiple ways. For beginners, it enhances your balance. It also minimizes skate comprehensively. 
• Stainless blade: K2 F.I.T. offers an irremovable injected blade. It is easy to sharpen. The rivets hold the blade firmly with the base. 

K2’s BOA ice skate adds another dimension to modern-day skating. It redefines recreational skates with enhanced technology.

Jackson Ultima Softec Sport Women’s Skate

Jackson’s Softec project has reshaped the recreational skate market. Traditional entry-level skates were unable to deliver premium comfort. Softec has brought this concept to life.

The skate comes with 3M Thinsulate liners inside. It completely blocks the cold to enter the skate. Besides, it is one of the most durable skates in the market.

The skate also maintains all the traditional hockey skate features. Such as, the lace along with velcro helps the kids to practice tie-untie at their early stage. 

Let’s put an eye on the top advantages of the skate:

• Boot: With the traditional design, it blends in the top class skates with the look. Especially for female skaters, Jackson offers girly outlooks. The nylon top layer makes it durable and match-ready.
• 3M Thinsulate: The liner provides optimized warmth and comfort. Also, it has literally no weight in a diplomatic sense, even when it’s wet. Therefore, the skate itself becomes lighter and adds more fun to skate.
• Velcro: The integrated velcro system helps to quick fit.
• Blade: Softec women skates come with a pre-sharpened steel blade. Buyers complemented this action calling it “ice-ready.”

K2 Skate Women’s Alexis Ice Skate

It’s our last in this list but not the least. K2 Alexis ice is one of the most-rated skates for beginners in the market. The skate ticks almost every box required for a novice girl in the skating sport. 

Alexis ice is highly valued as a recreational skate. Yet, you can bring it to the hockey skating rink without worrying. The water resistance makes it a better option for longer practices. However, the skate brings other mind-blowing facilities. 

Let’s peek at the features:

• K2 Softboot: With approval and appraisal from Pro-Level skaters, K2 brought their Sofboot tech to the newcomers’ skate also. The mesh structure increases the breathability of the boot. The vents keep the airflow running through the boot. It helps the foot to dry. 
• Stability Plus Cuff: Lateral support is way more important than other features. Because in the learning period, you tend to trip over a lot more than you expect. Proper ankle support makes your learning sessions faster.
• Water Repellent: K2 introduced their Alexis Series with Thinsulate liner. It keeps the foot warm. Also, this synthetic insulation material is water-resistant. Melted ice sparkles won’t be able to enter the boot. 

Lastly, the blade comes pre-sharpened. You wouldn’t have to worry about sharpening or spending a few more bucks to do so. 

All the best skates may be the best for you. It varies on the type of your foot, style of play, and preferences. Some players love hard outer shells, where some require a softer shell for flex. 

Are you unclear about your preferences? Do you need more information to choose the most compatible skate among the best skates? This guide should be your manual. Let’s not waste more time. 

We’ll start from the beginning.

Construction of Hockey Skates

Hockey skates have two basic parts:

1. Boot
2. Blade

The boot keeps your foot in and the blade glides on the ice. The comfort of wearing a boot depends highly on the boot construction. 

Boot

Features in a boot determine the price and the class of a skate. The following parts sum up a skate boot:

• Toe cap/toe box: It’s the beginning of a skate. The hard shell around the toe keeps your toe safe. You should look for skates that give a snug fit to your toe. Otherwise, you might end up with aches and blisters.
• Quarter Package: It is the most crucial part for proper fit and comfort. Quarter package expands from toe cap to ankle. In this part, moldable materials allow you to bake the skate and get the most customization for your feet.
• Tongue: It is one of the significant parts of a skate. The tongue supports your bends with comfort. Your feet get relief from lace bites for it. Previously tongue used to be filled with felt materials. Recently, in exchange for felt liners, players love foam liners more.

The foam liners are more comfortable and fit very well.

• Liner and Footbed: Right after the tongue, liners and footbed are great determiners of comfort.

Liners serves in different sectors. Such as moisture absorption, warmth absorption, water resistance, and comfortability. Liners lie beneath the outer surface. It covers your feet.

Your feet rest on the footbed. It provides the grip you require to stride. The footbed is also called the insole. Elite class skates include extra layers of liners in the sole to provide more comfort. 

• Ankle Support: You have to bow or tilt in different directions while skating. You have to move a lot. Ankle support provides a comfy rest position for you. It is at the back of the skate. 

This feature enhances your balance and control. If you’re an absolute beginner, you should get a pair of skates with stability cuff support. 

• Laces: You might know about laces earlier. Cause we all tie laces for shoes in daily life. In hockey skates, lace has the same as regular shoes.

Experts suggest trying different lacing styles to get more lace.

Blade

In the blade section, you get (i) Blade (runner) and (ii) Holder.

Blade holder is specially composite materials or hard plastic. The blade is attached with the holder with rivets. The entry level skates only offer irremovable blades. As you go upward the tiere. You’ll get removable blades in the high end skates. 

How to buy ice hockey skates?

The following factors are important for buying ice skates.

Price:

We’ll have a budget range in buying anything. For that, hockey skates come in different price ranges. Look for the skates within the price range you have set in your mind. 

Fit:

Nobody wants an ill-fitted skate. It not only spoils your performance but also injures the feet. Try to find the right fit for you. You’ll get a lot of options within your budget range. 

Usage

The mantra in buying the best skates is – the more you invest, the better you get. You might ask – “How better do you need?” It depends on your regularity. Do you skate occasionally? Or, are you pursuing to be a professional?

With the right answers to these questions, you have to pick the right skate. If you want to be a pro, you might need to spend a little more. You’ll need a skate with more longevity, stiffness, comfort, and better blades.

Where do you get ice hockey skates? 

Online:

The Internet is a great medium to find anything nowadays. You’ll get ice skates on every popular e-commerce site.

Buying online is comparably a better way. 

• You get it from any part of the world.
• There are reviews from the buyers. You can read these. It helps you to understand the skate better. 
• Most importantly, you get access to many shops, vendors sitting right in your house. 

Skate Stores:

Stores are the best option for newcomers. Initially, you might not know about the specific skates you need. You need to find the right size and fit. It is not possible if you don’t get the skate physically for trial.

At a skate shop, you can put on skates. It helps you to pick the right fit with the actual size. Along with the designs, you will get offers of different quality skates. You should evaluate that easily too. 

Lastly, if you pick skates unsharpened, most of the shops will sharpen the skate for you. They might cost you a little more.

You’ll find skates shops nearby any ice rinks. You might search for skates in supermarkets and sports markets too.

Do Not Buy Second Hand Skates

Second-hand skates are an option to get expensive skates for a lower price. Amature skaters tend to buy second-hand skates sometimes. They think it’s a way of getting better skates at a cheaper rate.

It’s a misconception. Let’s point out the reasons:

• These skates aren’t durable. It might cost you less at first. Most likely, it will cost you another pair of skates.
• You don’t know about the last user. There is a question mark on hygiene. Unhygienic skates may cause diseases. 
• The blades will be worn out quicker. If the blade isn’t replaceable, it’s a loss.

We always encourage people to start with entry-level skates. It is better than pre-used skates. 

How To Check the Fit of Your Skate?

Most people make mistakes checking the fit of their skate. They compare the fit with regular gestures or regular stances. Remember, skates on the ice ground. In the rink, you’ll be in a hockey stance most often.

To check the fit, you should mimic the posture at the store too. It helps you to find the right fit. You can sort out errors in the skate easily also.

Keeping this guidance, let’s make a sequential checklist to test the fit.

1. Pick your size from the size chart.

Each manufacturer comes with its size chart as per their production line. These charts always have a common ground. Also, charts are the same for most of the manufacturers.

2. Wear hockey socks

Without socks, you probably return home with an undersized or tight pair of skates. In the rink, slight discomfort may result fatally some often. 

3. Choose your favorite skate (color, brand, etc.)

Your skate will carry your personality. You should go for a color that suits your personality. Also, it should be a good composition with the dress you’ll be wearing in the rink. 

4. Wear the skate you chose

It is the best way to examine the proper fit of a skate. You should put on the shoe properly. There are tests to determine extract fit. You shouldn’t lace up already before the tests.

5. Pencil test

This process is to inquiry the depth. 

Wear skate untied. Pull out the tongue till the last three eyelets. Place a pencil over the gap horizontally. If it doesn’t roll back, the skate has proper heel depth

6. Finger test

In this test, you have to lace up properly. It’s a simple test. You have to bend forward. Now, put one/two fingers into the back of the skate. 

For adults, your fingers shouldn’t reach in easily. Otherwise, it is the wrong size for you. 

For kids, you may leave space for growth over time. 

7. Movements

For examining fit and comfort elaborately, you should be in the hockey stance. You should do lateral movements. If you feel comfortable in every case, it’s the right skate for you.

If the skate passes through all these steps, you got the right skate. 

What size do I need?

You can’t put on the wrong sized skate. Even if you could, a few minutes of skating will cause pain to your feet. 

To avoid picking an incorrect size, you should know your foot type. Let’s find out:

Skate manufacturers describe a foot combining three factors. 

• Forefoot width
• Heel depth
• Volume

Based on these three aspects, all the brands come up with three different skate divisions. 

• Traditional: It’s made for wide and bigger feet. 
• Contoured: It is the best for average feet. With standard width, heel depth, and medium volume, this class belongs to more players. 
• Tapered: For narrow and smaller feet with low volume. 

What sort of feet do you have? There is an in-house process to find the answer. 

Three simple things you’ll need to complete the process.

• Paper
• Pencil
• Scale

Now follow the steps below:

• Place the paper on a flat and lower space. 
• Step on the paper and stay still
• Draw lines at the edge of your toe, heel end, and both sides of the widest part of your foot. It should be on the line where your metatarsal starts. 
• Repeat the process for both feet.
• Now with the scale, measure the vertical line for each foot. It’ll be your foot length.
• Redo it horizontally to get your feet width. 

With these measurements in hand, you can sort your preferable skate for the manufacturers’ size chart.

The one common mistake every beginners do while choosing the size:

You have to know about hockey skates lace length. Being decisive on size without lacing the skate properly is the one big mistake. You must tie the lace properly to understand your exact fit and size. 

Skate shoes have to be a snug fit. Otherwise, you’ll face performance hindrance. Your toe may rub a bit on the toe cap. When you lace the shoe, your heel will sit properly. At that point, your toe will get a space. You’ll get relief from toe itching. 

Besides this, you won’t get a proper understanding of fit without lacing. The boot’s contour shape fits well with the foot only when it’s buckled or laced accurately.

How to wear hockey skates?

Wearing a hockey skate is a piece of cake. Yet, there are some advanced methods of getting on a skate. There are different types of lacing methods available. The lacing technique varies on your preferences. 

Don’t forget the below steps while wearing skates: 

• Place the shin guard in the right place. 
• Wear socks. 
• Put on the skates. Don’t eject the blade covers until you finish lacing. 
• Follow any lace method. Try to learn one with a fast and easy process. Under/over criss-cross is a signature method.

Breaking Into Your New Hockey Skates:

Getting used to the new skate is difficult. Human feet don’t match from one to another. That’s why manufacturers can’t produce the pin-point fit for you. Instead, they offer you to bake the skate.

Your manufacturer may not allow you to bake. It is always better to look at the manuals first. Suppose you’re not allowed to bake the skate. You can also break in your new skate. The method is to skate.

Skate

Should you be playing real matches? Or, should you train hard with the new skate? The answer to both questions is “No.” You can’t push your limit with the newer skate. 

To avoid blisters and pain, skate gently. You should also try to sit on a side bench and try lateral movements. Try to move your ankle pushing on the ground. Continuing the process will make the skate loosen soon. 

Bake

Most of the skate shops have the facility to bake the skate. It’s much easier to bake at the shop. You should remember to wear socks for better shape.

For home baking, follow the steps below to bake:

• Put the skate in the oven.
• Keep it for 4-5 minutes.
• Wear socks.
• Bring out the skates from the oven.
• Twist and squeeze the skate. If it feels softer, you should try it on. Otherwise, try baking for more than 2-3 minutes.
• Finish the baking.
• Wear the skate.
• Lace tightly.
• Wait till it’s 20 minutes.
• Remove the skate and keep it in the freezer or a cool place to drop the temperature.

How often should you sharpen hockey skates?

The answer is variable to individual players. You should be able to understand the point of resharpening after skating for a few weeks. 

Sharpening also depends on the blade quality and way of play. 

Fast players want shallow blades. Less sharpened blades grip less on the ice. Therefore, players can stride for quick runs. 

If you want more control and a better grip on the ice, you might sharpen the skate after a couple of matches. In general, you should sharpen your blade in a 20hours skating period.

Fast worn-out blades require frequent sharpening. You should check your blades after the match. Follow the steps below:

• Hold the skate upside down.
• Run your finger on the blade edge softly
• Be careful with the finger. A slight random pressure on the blade may cut your finger. 
• You’ll feel the blade line has some irregular adjustments. It is the sign to sharpen the skate.

How to do a hockey stop on ice skates?

There are many ways to stop on a hockey skate. Stopping on the skate is very basic in this game. The more you furnish this skill, the better player you become. 

There are tons of ways how to bake hockey skates. The simplest way is T-Stop. Let’s jump below to learn the skill:

• Try to skate a little. 
• While you have momentum, push a leg to a 45-degree angle. Drag the other leg behind. 
• The leg behind will cause a grip. You’ll feel a backward push. Allow the momentum to reach down. Push more toward the angle. 
• Once the speed is falling, lean back on to the rear leg. Now, put the body weight on it. There you go. You stopped. 

FAQ

Are skates the same size as shoes?

Skates require more padding inside the shoe. It makes the shoe a little bigger. If you take a sized skate as your usual shoe, it’ll be loose. Experts recommend buying 1or 2 size down for the skate. 

How tight should hockey skates fit?

It should be neither too tight nor too loose. Loose skates may cause you injuries. Abrasion with the skate will cause blisters. Again, tight skates create pain after skating for a few hours. You should find a snug fit skate for you.

How long does it take to break in ice skates?

It usually takes 6-8 hours of skate time for a pair of skates. To shorten the breaking period, you should bake the skates properly. 

How much are ice skates?

The price varies with the brand and quality. 

Usually, an entry-level skate may cost you from $30-$120+. By increasing the budget, you’ll get better and better skates undoubtedly.

How do you take care of ice skates?

Do these two things to keep the skate in good condition. Firstly, keep the skates dry. Secondly, keep the blades sharpened and covered after the match. 

Final Words

Buying a pair of skates is not rocket science. This guide showed simple guidelines to pick the best for you.

Your skate should match your way of play. A comfort zone is a must to enhance performance. The first pair of skates is always special. A wrong choice of skate can make the game harder for you. It can demotivate you too. 

You need to follow a simple procedure: Sort your needs and pick the one with the most matched factors.