May 06, 2019

Inline Skate Fitting Issues

All brand new skates have a "Break-In" period. This is when the memory foam liner molds to your feet over a set period of time. New skates may feel stiff and tight out of the box even when you have the correct size.

The first step is making sure all paper is out of the liner. Sometimes manufactures jam stuffing in the toe area and it is hard to remove without taking the liner out.

It is normal for skates to feel a bit tight initially even if they are your normal shoe size but they will break in and loosen over time. Most experienced skaters will squeeze into the tightest skates/shell possible.
A bigger one might be more comfortable initially but get sloppy over time. Many companies share shell sizing. For example a 6 or 7 is the same shell size with either a 6 or 7 liner in it. In this example it is best if you are a size 7 to stay in that range vs going up to an 8. Which would be a 8-9 shell w/ 8 liner in it.

Here's some common tips for troubleshooting the size.
- Remove the liner from the skates and put your foot in the shell. There should be plenty of space all around.
- Put your foot in the liner to see how it feels outside of the skates.
- Remove the insole from the liners and try on again.
- Put the liners back in the skates and your feet in the skates. lace up and tighten all closures. Stand up with you knees bent.
When you are in the forward skating stance your toes will come back a bit and as these break in you'll gain space all around.

Below is an example of a Seba FRX 310 purchased that was thought to be too small by customer:

When I first tried the skates on they fit really well, but once out on the trail, there was a major pressure point that makes it impossible to skate any distance at all. I feel the pressure on the bone on the top of the arch of my foot that is just getting hammered, hard plastic on bone essentially.

They came from skating K2, Rollerblade style soft-boots and emailed us worried that they might need completely different boots altogether. Hot spots and discomfort with new skates is expected. We reassured them that this is normal and common on many of the more supportive skates from various brands like Powerslide, Seba, FR, and Rollerblade. It's fairly easy to troubleshoot the ways to alleviate those pressure points. Almost all skates have a break in period and if you're having pressure you can tolerate, you can skate them until they break in. Some folks prefer to heat mold or modify the boot to speed up the break in process.

In this case above, the customer easily remedied with some heat molding using a head gun and a blunt object to pack the shell out a little bit in the areas he was experiencing pressure.

He emailed us and said he was able to use his heat gun on the problematic areas and the boots are significantly more comfortable now and don't put pressure on the bone on his foot.

One thing that he noticed (and might serve as useful feedback) was that the captive nut (the nut that the velcro strap loop screws into) had not been fully set into the boot plastic from the manufacturer. This was also posing a problem and one of the main sources of his discomfort. It was underneath a little glued-on foam pad, but still stuck out far enough to be a problem. It's always a good idea to inspect your skate and feel around with your hands to ensure everything is screwed on

Once he took care of that, the boots and skates were fitting great. He's almost to the 12 hour break-in point but already feels a difference and is loving the skate!

Below are some example videos on how to custom mold skates yourself. If you do not feel comfortable doing this on your own please visit a local skate or ski boot fitter and they can likely do this service for you, for a small fee.

The following products can also help with break-in period and comfort with your skates:
RB Mens High Performance Skate Socks
RB Womens High Performance Skate Socks
Ennui Ankle Guard
Ezee Fit Skate