Leaving Skates in Car

[Query]

My leather skate boots were not "heat moldable", though I did heat mold them to a limited temperature extant. So it might not seem that they were vulnerable to heat. Not so!

But I punched (stretched with pressure, on a boot press or with a ball-and rink pliers) them to fit me in places where they didn't - ankle bones, toes.

Then I left them in a car that got hot in DC summer temperatures, and they lost the stretch. So they had to be re-punched. I think this is fairly likely to happen if you had to have your boots punched. It happened to me more than once. Such punches are often temporary anyway, and heat just accelerates the process of un-stretching.

Bear in mind that the DC area has pretty hot, muggy summers. But my car is white, and is therefore very roughly 15 degrees or so cooler than dark colored cars on summer days.

Also, I have seen boots that had basically rotted out from being left in the trunk of a car, after a few months. So high humidity can be a problem too. Of course, it is possible that the person had fairly sweaty feet, and that the boots just never got a chance to dry out while in the trunk.

To some of you maybe those of us who won't leave boots in the car in the summer, it may seem we are being over-cautious. But to those who have had problems, or seen problems, it seems an unnecessary risk.

Maybe you will never have a problem. But, then again, you may. It's your choice.

[JSM]

I skate mornings then go straight to work, so my skates stay in my car until I get home at night.   I skate at multiple rinks so leaving them there isn't a great option.

I park in a covered garage at work so it's not too bad temperature wise.  However, in the heat of summer I will carry them the half mile walk to my building from the garage, because even in the shade it can get miserably hot. 

[Bunny Hop]

When I was parking in the street after early morning sessions I would take my skates in to work with me in summer, but leave them in the car in winter (bear in mind that daytime winter temperatures where I am do not get anywhere even remotely near freezing - the rink is colder than outside at all times of the year). Now that I have access to the underground car park I just leave them in the boot of the car.

[kr1981]

I have a co-worker who builds and repairs guitars. He saw me carrying my skates into the office this morning and knew exactly why. It's not just bad for the leather, but he said working on guitars, the worst damage he has seen is people who left their guitars in the heat--because heat destroys the glue.

It's a nuisance to tote my skates in and out to and from the office and home, but I don't think this a lesson that I want to learn the hard way... (Especially since my skates--and the glue that holds them together--are 16 years old...)

[karne]

When I was parking in the street after early morning sessions I would take my skates in to work with me in summer, but leave them in the car in winter (bear in mind that daytime winter temperatures where I am do not get anywhere even remotely near freezing - the rink is colder than outside at all times of the year). Now that I have access to the underground car park I just leave them in the boot of the car.

Was it you who accidentally left them in the car the day it was 45 degrees? I remember someone telling that story.

[Bunny Hop]

No, or at least not 45C. I've left them in there at 30C a couple of times (no ill effects), but I think at 45 I would have made someone with a parking spot drive me down the road to collect them!

[karne]

No, or at least not 45C. I've left them in there at 30C a couple of times (no ill effects), but I think at 45 I would have made someone with a parking spot drive me down the road to collect them!

Someone I know did! I remember hearing the story, I just could never remember who it was.

I left them in the car at 37C by accident last summer. That wasn't fun.