Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Baking ice skates in the oven
• Part 2 of 2: Shaping your skates

New hockey skates can be very uncomfortable and cause pain and a rash if your feet don't fit properly. Fortunately, you can bake them, a process that softens the material and molds around your foot. This way you avoid the long running-in process and you get tailor-made skates. Most hockey shops bake the skates for you for a fee, but you can also do it yourself if you prefer. The steps are easy to follow.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Baking ice skates in the oven

1. Preheat the oven to 80 degrees Celsius. To make the material of the skates more flexible, you have to heat it. This softens the molecules without causing the material to disintegrate. 80 degrees is the ideal temperature for this process, as it is not hot enough to melt any plastic on the skates.
   • Use an oven thermometer if you have one. Sometimes ovens do not display the correct temperature. To avoid inaccuracy, check the temperature with an oven thermometer.
2. Turn off the oven once it has heated up. Most ovens somehow show you when it's heated up. Some make a small noise, while others have a small light that goes out. Close the oven door tightly to prevent whole air from escaping.
   • Applying constant heat while baking ice skates can cause permanent damage. Placing your skates in a preheated oven that no longer produces heat will only bake and not break.
3. Place a single skate on a baking sheet and unclip the lip. Hockey skates are large, so only one can fit in most ovens at a time. Even if you can put two in your oven, baking the skates one at a time is less stressful, especially if it's your first time. Next, untie all the laces, put them over the center of the skate and untie the lip.
   • If the lip is not loosened for baking, it can be more difficult to push your foot into the skate when shaping.
4. Bake the skate for six to eight minutes. Set a timer so you don't forget the time. By the time the skate is ready you should be able to smell a faint plastic scent and the shoe will be soft. Take the skate right out of the oven and begin the shaping process.
   • You can check whether everything is going well halfway through the baking process. Open the oven door and press lightly on the outer material of the skate, which should have softened.
   • Do not over-fry the skates. This can permanently damage the skate.

Part 2 of 2: Shaping your skates

1. Put on socks that you normally wear when skating. The thickness of your socks can change the overall shape of the shoe when you skate on them. So wear the socks you normally wear in your skates to get the most accurate fit.
2. Take your skate to a chair after removing it from the oven. Time matters when it comes to shaping the skate. As the skate cools down, the shaping begins. So you have to be ready for that as soon as possible.
3. Bend the lip forward and push your foot into the skate. Slide your foot into the skate so that your heel is snug against the back of the skate. Tap the skate against the ground a few times to secure your foot.
   • If you have heated the skate to the right temperature, the skate will be warm, but not so hot that you burn yourself.
4. Bring the lip back to your shin and tie the laces. Once your foot is in the skate, push the lip back against your shin so it's upright. With the lip in this position, tighten the laces as comfortable as you would when skating.
5. Wait 15 minutes while the skate forms. Keep your foot still as the skate wraps around your foot. The material around the skate starts to harden and molds around the shape of your foot.
   • If it is comfortable for you, you can tuck your heel under the seat and keep the front of the tray against the floor. This position is similar to your skating foot and will result in a better fit.
   • If the skate needs to be wider, stand up in the skate so that the material is pushed out. Walk around in the skates. Stand on it only with an evenly distributed weight.
6. Take the skate off and let it cool for 24 hours. After 15 minutes, untie the laces and take off your skate, then fasten the laces again. Then put the skate in a cool place for at least 24 hours so that the material can harden.
   • If you wear the skate too soon after shaping, you risk losing the shape you created and damaging the skate.
7. Repeat this process for the other skates. Once you are done baking and shaping the first skate, start the whole process over for the second skate. It's best to bake your skates one at a time so you can focus on getting the best fit.