Pros and Cons of skating barefoot? Does anyone in here skate barefoot? Please tell me about it! Im thinking of doing that from now on :) :nvm: Tried walking with it at home it, the tongue kept rubbing my foot. But still tell me about it!
I skate barefoot. I originally did it because my first boots were fitted wrong and even a thin layer of tights cut my couldn't feel feet time in half- barefoot I could make it 10 minutes with pain, but with feeling. Tights- 5 minutes, socks lost feeling when I stood up. It was a bad situation.
When I got new boots, I stayed barefoot because I was used to it. Those boots cut my ankles so I got gel sleeves to wear (I bought one sleeve and cut it in half for both feet.)
My new boots I don't need the gel sleeves, they have better padding at the ankles. As they broke in, I added the gel sleeve to prevent shifting since the padding compressed.
I can 'feel' what my feet are doing well in the skate. I know when I'm in ballet slippers I prefer the feel of the floor barefoot over the feel in tights, but I'm not sure that is as much of an issue in skating.
I've never skated anything but barefoot, so I don't really know what the pros actually are- just that it works great for me and I never forget my socks or tights (the Moms are constantly running next door to Target when kids forget thin socks.)
Never had issues with the tongue- did you lace it up even, or was the tongue shifted?
Con: my skates smell bad, but I've seen some of the skaters who wear tights/socks and theirs smell pretty bad too.
After skating with tights for about 20 years, I just tried skating barefoot this past Tuesday. I had done it once or twice before in my coaching skates when I forgot socks and did not like it. Those skates are a very old pair of SP Teri's. The lining is cracked and there is a hole in the lining on the inside of both heels, so that may have contributed to the discomfort. The worst part was that, due to the materials of the SP Teri's, when my feet sweat, I get stuck to the insole and feel like I lose control of my skates.
Now I am wearing Jackson Elite Supreme. I was fitted barefoot because I forgot my socks but I wore socks/tights the last six months because that is what I always did. I wondered if I would feel more comfortable without socks since that is how my skates were fitted. I do not have the same problem with my feet sticking to the bottom of the skate. The tongue is not exposed sponge, which I think would bother me barefoot.
I think my skates might smell a little more immediately after skating, but I try to air them out after skating all the time. I also do not think my feet get as cold barefoot as with tights.
You should still try it. Walking around with your skates on at home is not the same as skating.
Lots of people skate barefoot; lots of people don't - and this is at every level from elite on down.
Whatever gives you the best, most comfortable, most "I can forget about how my feet feel and concentrate on what I need to concentrate on" feeling is best for you. Like so many other individual choices in skating there is no 'best' or 'should', just what allows you to work most effectively on your form and elements (for which there are definite 'bests' and 'shoulds'!).
Switched to barefoot recently. For me the main difference is having fewer socks to keep track of.
I tried doing it barefoot a few times. The feeling gives me a queasy feeling in my stomach. My foot sticking to the leather insole was a nightmare. Never again.
Quote from: Purple Sparkly on January 17, 2013, 10:27:18 AM
Now I am wearing Jackson Elite Supreme. I was fitted barefoot because I forgot my socks but I wore socks/tights the last six months because that is what I always did. I wondered if I would feel more comfortable without socks since that is how my skates were fitted. I do not have the same problem with my feet sticking to the bottom of the skate. The tongue is not exposed sponge, which I think would bother me barefoot.
I have the same boots and I wear them both with and without tights... I don't find any difference really.. I think because the microfiber lining is really comfortable against the skin and not at all "grabby" like a clarino lining would be :)
Most of the time when I skate barefoot it's because I didn't wear tights and forgot to bring socks or knee highs... it's usually not intentional!
Quote from: sarahspins on January 17, 2013, 06:57:17 PM
Most of the time when I skate barefoot it's because I didn't wear tights and forgot to bring socks or knee highs... it's usually not intentional!
Me too. It's creepy enough that I now carry extra mismatched knee highs so it won't happen again.
I skate barefoot. My coach does too and suggested it, and I haven't looked back. I like the freedom and seem to feel the ice and what my feet are doing more.
I've tried to switch back into trouser socks or something similar but always give up after one or two skates. I think part of it is my feet are almost too wide for my skates, and the extra fabric, no matter how slight, makes them even tighter.
I will definitely try to skate barefoot! But is it a good idea if your skates aren't really broken in? :o
Quote from: sk8great on January 17, 2013, 09:24:42 PM
I will definitely try to skate barefoot! But is it a good idea if your skates aren't really broken in? :o
Unless you have some kind of major fit issue it's unlikely to be a problem.
Can I skate without an insole? I have Jacksons Marquis. So like Barefoot and without an insole?
usually there are stitches under the insole.
Quote from: sk8great on January 18, 2013, 12:05:29 AM
Can I skate without an insole? I have Jacksons Marquis. So like Barefoot and without an insole?
I would leave the insole in. Jackson's don't have a leather insole, so it doesn't feel sticky inside the skate.
QuoteBut is it a good idea if your skates aren't really broken in?
I've broken in my last two pairs of skates barefoot. It doesn't really matter at all.
Quote from: sk8great on January 18, 2013, 12:05:29 AM
Can I skate without an insole? I have Jacksons Marquis. So like Barefoot and without an insole?
My daughter skated without an insole due to her very flat feet. We removed the shaped insole and replaced it with one of those very thin flat foam type just to keep her feet from rubbing the nails & stitching. Worked great for her.
Didn't you just replace the factory insole with a different one though (flat foam).
Or did she skate without one for awhile before you put the foam in there?
Skating without an insole at all would expose your feet to the nails, staples and such- and that seems like it would hurt.
Let me follow other people's lead and assume that "barefoot" :) still includes boots and blades
:BS:
Quote from: Skittl1321 on January 18, 2013, 10:46:59 AMSkating without an insole at all would expose your feet to the nails, staples and such- and that seems like it would hurt.
Some skates expose those things if you remove the insole, some don't.
My skates don't have any big bumps beneath the insole, but my feet have have a mild allergic (or other sensitive) reaction to skating without anything - perhaps a chemical sensitivity to the preservatives in the leather - so I don't skate barefoot.
You could replace the insole with a sheet of leather, paper or cardboard, or anything else, cut to the same shape, to provide similar protection. Or you can glue in your current insole, so it can't slip, which is one reason some people prefer barefoot. Use glue that doesn't stick too hard, so you can play with or replace the insole later.
If you glued Velcro or generic equivalent to your socks and boots, you could turn your socks into liners that wouldn't slip either, so would feel somewhat like skating barefoot, but with padding. (But put in the wrong place, the Velcro would create an undesirable bump.) But don't glue your socks in - without preservatives, they would soon rot, stink etc.
Quote from: Skittl1321 on January 18, 2013, 10:46:59 AM
Skating without an insole at all would expose your feet to the nails, staples and such- and that seems like it would hurt.
Didn't really bother me.
Quote from: Skate@Delaware on January 18, 2013, 10:13:44 AM
My daughter skated without an insole due to her very flat feet. We removed the shaped insole and replaced it with one of those very thin flat foam type just to keep her feet from rubbing the nails & stitching. Worked great for her.
Yup! I have flat feet too. Plus my left foot is pronated.
I can't stand bare feet in sneakers or any closed shoes (I live in sandals in the warm and semi warm weather) so I will not ever attempt to skate barefoot. I don't understand how people can do it, but to each his own.
Quote from: Skittl1321 on January 18, 2013, 10:46:59 AM
Skating without an insole at all would expose your feet to the nails, staples and such- and that seems like it would hurt.
It depends on the skate. My kids' Riedells just had stitching under the insole but the Jacksons had embedded nail heads that were painful. Maybe that's why Jackson has the sport foam insoles vs. Riedells' flat felt insoles.
Still, changing or removing insoles is not the same as barefootin', lol.
I don't like it when my kids wear slip-on shoes with no socks. Makes the shoes/sneakers smell really bad.
I don't like it when my kids wear slip-on shoes with no socks. Makes the shoes/sneakers smell really bad.
LOL! I've noticed the same - bare feet make shoes smell. I think that is why I can get several seasons out of winter shoes but need new sandals and flip flops every summer. I don't like the "patina" from sweat. ;D
Do superfeet (the yellow ones, I think) help pronation? my left foot is pronated
I did that this afternoon. I forgot to bring my thin socks and wore normal ones. My skates are half a size too small, because when I did the foot tracing measurements to submit to the pro shop for assessment, I did them on bare feet :blush: Stupid me :o, but it just didn't occur to me at that moment to wear socks to trace my feet.
I've already removed my insoles to get more room in the toe box. It fitted me ok on bare feet this afternoon. But now, I'm worried about smell in the boots :-[. I quickly aired them to dry when I got home.
Quote from: Mergen Tatara on January 19, 2013, 10:33:06 AM
I did that this afternoon. I forgot to bring my thin socks and wore normal ones. My skates are half a size too small, because when I did the foot tracing measurements to submit to the pro shop for assessment, I did them on bare feet :blush: Stupid me :o, but it just didn't occur to me at that moment to wear socks to trace my feet.
I've already removed my insoles to get more room in the toe box. It fitted me ok on bare feet this afternoon. But now, I'm worried about smell in the boots :-[. I quickly aired them to dry when I got home.
You have a Marquis too! So how was skating barefoot with them?
Quote from: Mergen Tatara on January 19, 2013, 10:33:06 AM
I did that this afternoon. I forgot to bring my thin socks and wore normal ones. My skates are half a size too small, because when I did the foot tracing measurements to submit to the pro shop for assessment, I did them on bare feet :blush: Stupid me :o, but it just didn't occur to me at that moment to wear socks to trace my feet.
I've already removed my insoles to get more room in the toe box. It fitted me ok on bare feet this afternoon. But now, I'm worried about smell in the boots :-[. I quickly aired them to dry when I got home.
The Stink-eez things that pro-shops sell work. Just don't spray half a can of axe deodorant spray into them like some of the rink boys do. It makes it worse.
No matter what, you're still going to smell better than the hockey players. (I also don't recommend leaving your boots in your car on a summer day. That makes the car smell like feet.)
Quote from: sk8great on January 19, 2013, 11:42:39 AM
You have a Marquis too! So how was skating barefoot with them?
It felt ok, I didn't feel any discomfort from rubbing against the stitches and nail heads. I guess the stiff boots numbed all feeling. I was more afraid of blisters from friction but thankfully it didn't happen. Neither did I feel it gave me more control over the blade, compared to wearing thin socks.
I won't do it again if possible, because of foot odour/smell infecting my boots. And also the sweat wetting the internal leather lining, causing it to rot/break down in the long run. For hygiene reasons, I always prefer to put on thin socks.
I've had to skate barefoot before due to forgetting nylons (knee highs). I didn't like the feeling when I did it, so I don't plan on doing it again. Nylons don't take up any extra space. I would not want to skate in any kind of socks, even thin ones.
Quote from: treesprite on January 20, 2013, 02:11:32 AM
I've had to skate barefoot before due to forgetting nylons (knee highs). I didn't like the feeling when I did it, so I don't plan on doing it again. Nylons don't take up any extra space. I would not want to skate in any kind of socks, even thin ones.
Around here men all skate in very thin socks, usually cheap nylon socks. But I agree with you that for women something like nylon knee highs is good enough. Kids wear skating tights all the time, I'm just not willing to go to that expense.
Quote from: ChristyRN on January 18, 2013, 09:03:56 PM
I can't stand bare feet in sneakers or any closed shoes
so I will not ever attempt to skate barefoot. I don't understand how people can do it, but to each his own.
I agree, I would never skate barefoot, and I never wear women's shoes barefoot. The feeling is just too yucky, IMO. I have always worn sheer-to-the-waist pantyhose, or footed skaters tights, to skate in. But lately I have been wearing over-the-boot tights over the pantyhose for warmth. With women's street shoes and high heels, I have always worn them with pantyhose, or frilly socks.
Quote from: sk8great on January 19, 2013, 01:02:09 AM
Do superfeet (the yellow ones, I think) help pronation? my left foot is pronated
It would be better if someone who actually uses them would answer you. I tried them and found them insufficient for my particular needs.
They are heat moldable orthotics, which mold (to a limited extant) to fit the bottoms of your feet, but they are sold to the consumer market instead of through the medical community. (BTW, for about $300-$400 you can get a podiatrist, ATC, PT, etc. to help you heat mold them under their professional guidance.) You get them hot enough to mold, put them in the boot, and put your feet on top of them. So if you put all your weight on them, they would deform to fit the shape of your feet, and provide very little of the support you need. But if molded with less than full weight, or with someone helping you keep the right foot/ankle/leg/knee/hip alignment, they should provide most of the desired support.
You need ones that are sized so that they can be cut down to a size that presses hard enough against the sides of the boot that they don't rock and shift inside the boot. (If you have relatively narrow feet, you may do better with the Superfeet model that is designed for skates rather than for hiking boots.)
Such rocking and shifting motion leads to a partial loss of control of what the skate is doing on the ice, which means you won't be rated as high by figure skating judges. Unfortunately, if sized or cut down to press hard against the sides of the boot so that they don't rock and shift, they gradually stretch the boot until it no longer fits, at which time your feet will rock and slide, and the boot will also then break down more quickly.
You can achieve almost exactly the same types of support by sticking thin strips of athletic tape (also called coach tape, and sold in both sports and medical supply stores) under the insole where you need support (mostly, under the "medial longitudinal arch", which is under your feet near the inside edges of your boot). In fact, tape is more customizable than a moldable orthotic, and is far cheaper.
Superfeet and most heat moldable orthotics only mold in a two dimensional warping sense. They don't get thicker and thinner where needed to mold in a true three dimensional sense, which is what you could do with tape. That's why they rock and shift if not cut right.
But many people are very satisfied with Superfeet, including some people on this board.
I use Superfeet, and I like them, but I only have very minor pronation. The whole story is a bit more complicated than that.
I bought Superfeet shortly after I got my current boots, because I thought they might magically fix some of the problems with my skating. Of course they didn't, and I couldn't really tell the difference with them, so I returned them. (I bought them at REI specifically because of their awesome return policy.)
A few months ago, my spins coach started getting really hyped up about the idea of fixing pronation by putting semicircles of cardboard under the insole at the arch. It's a similar idea to what Query described with tape, but using cardboard instead. After working with me for a few months, she started suggesting it to me, because she thought it might help with my spins. As a kid, I had more of a problem with pronation, but with all the ballet training I did, I more or less overcame it with strengthening the necessary muscles. It causes me no problems in my everyday life. But my spins coach was saying that because of the pressures on my foot in a spin, I may not be able to physically hold my arch up and could benefit from something that would support it without the muscle having to do the work.
I tried the semicircles of cardboard for a while, but didn't notice much difference, and I didn't like fiddling with all the guesswork of how big to cut the semicircles, and how many layers to use. Besides, I had other problems with my heel slipping, so I was open to the idea of a full foot insole to take up more room in the boot. I bought the blue Superfeet, which are slightly higher profile than the yellow and I replaced the factory insole with them. I have skated with them ever since and I think that they make my skates fit better, but it didn't make any drastic difference in how I skated. I just continue to wear them because for me they are comfortable. I suppose my spins are better centered, but I think that's as much from improving technique as anything.