Breaking in boots

[eillie]

I've just gotten new skates (Riedell 133) that I'm anxious to try out, but I've heard that boots have to be broken in a certain way.  For instance, on this website: http://www.harlick.com/order/faq.php#break 

Is this the 'right way' to break in all boots, or is it only for some skates like more advanced Harlick ones that this is necessary?

I'd really love to not feel obligated to skate for 8-12 hours without doing any deep knee bends like the website suggests, and since my new skates are for beginners I thought maybe they wouldn't be very stiff and thus not really require any breaking in.


Any advice would be appreciated!  Having shiny new skates feels like starting fresh, and I don't want to mess them up inadvertently at the start ... 

[sarahspins]

Harlick's break in methods are really very conservative - I don't personally know anyone who breaks in boots that slowly (most skates take a session or two "easy" then start trying everything out in their new skates), however it does pretty much assure that you allow the skate to mold to your foot before you start forcing it to bend too far forward... which has some potential to damage a boot if creases start to form in the 'wrong' places, but 8-12 hours of wear before bending is extreme... IMO any boot that is heat moldable (including Harlicks, if you opt to heat mold them) can pretty much skip that time, because with the heat molding you'll have already accomplished 95% of what that "slow" break in process is meant to achieve, which is simply allowing the boot to properly form to your foot.

My last pair of Jacksons I was actually doing "everything" on them right away, but they were heat molded beforehand, and since my prior skates were Jacksons too I stepped on the ice and they already felt very comfortable and familiar - that was some adjusting but most of that was due to having more lateral support where I didn't before, but I really didn't have any pain or problems with them at all.  I think I had only skated on them twice before trying some doubles (on the harness), and that was fine.  Within just 2 or 3 weeks they no longer felt "weird" to me - they were like old friends   It was honestly the fastest and easiest transition to new skates I'd ever had, but I had two things in my favor there - I didn't wait until my old skates were totally trashed before getting new ones, and I didn't have any fit or footbed issues to deal with that interfered with breaking them in (I was able to basically duplicate the exact same footbed modifications my old boots needed, and the new ones have been perfect - I skipped any problems I might have had without).

133's can be fairly stiff depending on your build and skating level/style... and also what you wore before you may find them quite stiff, or they may not seem that bad.  Even if you don't or can't get them heat molded I wouldn't really worry about having to skate super conservatively - unless you're doing sit spins or landing jumps with deep knee bend there's really not much you could do to hurt them

[Sk8tmum]

We followed Harlick's directions completely when we got Harlicks. Best breakin ever. Our coach took the directions and stuck them up ... and hands them out to skaters.  Fitter said that it is the correct way to break in boots.  Granted, it takes time, but, we found it was worth it. Granted, these were full-custom and not heat molded ... and after paying $800 for the boots alone, we were willing to invest the time, and they are fairly stiff. It's a personal choice, and everyone will have a different way to break in boots.  As long as you end up with boots that are "creased" and not "buckled" you're good.

In terms of the 133's:  My then 45 pound "dainty" daughter broken them in easily, landing only waltz jumps and doing Prelim dances.  They are quite light and not stiff boots; and they were heat molded.  We have actually gone up 3 (4?) boot levels since then, and they're still fairly light.  You shouldn't have too much of a breakin period.

[eillie]

Thanks for your stories.  My boots weren't heat-molded, so they'll probably take a little breaking-in time.


I tried skating in my new boots for the first time today, and it was a pretty demoralizing experience.     The boot felt very fat (due to the padding that I wasn't used to), and once I nearly fell from trying to put my feet too close together.  It was also quite stiff and tight compared to my previous 'recreational' skates, so it wasn't very comfortable, though I'm sure with time this will get better.


Probably the worst part was the blades.  I think they must be very sharp because I had a lot of trouble getting used to simply stopping.  (First time resulted in my not stopping in time and slamming into the wall!  That was embarrassing.)  They're also much more curvy than I'm used to ...  Three turns and two-foot spins felt very unstable.  Maybe I will end up doing 8-12 hours of gentle skating in the end, just to be able to re-learn things from scratch!

[Willowway]

Newly sharpened blades take the wind out of everyone's sails! It's very humbling when all of sudden you can't stop and we all go through it. When my coach will occasionally say "do you think it's time for a sharpening?" my initial reaction is always "oh no, not that..." Good news is that it wears down into perfect very fast.

[hopskipjump]

We use reidell.  To break them in she does stroking, but for at least an hour.  The two top hooks were unhooked for a couple weeks.  She has been in them for 3 months and still does not use the top hook. 

And year you will have to retie laces frequently because the boot compresses as you wear them.

Even on her temp mount she was told she could do all of her single jumps and attempt doubles.  She doesn't skate longer than 2 hours a day.

I'd just practice stroking and stopping until you get your feet under you.

My skate pro said he could tell kids not to jump or spin, but they will do it anyway, so he says to just take it easy.

[eillie]

Newly sharpened blades take the wind out of everyone's sails! It's very humbling when all of sudden you can't stop and we all go through it. When my coach will occasionally say "do you think it's time for a sharpening?" my initial reaction is always "oh no, not that..." Good news is that it wears down into perfect very fast.

Good to know.      I did spend some time not skating, but just making snow with my blades at the edge of the rink in an effort to dull them a little!  I'm not sure whether I should purposely dull the blade or try to get used to the sharper edges ...  Do you have any advice on this?

We use reidell.  To break them in she does stroking, but for at least an hour.  The two top hooks were unhooked for a couple weeks.  She has been in them for 3 months and still does not use the top hook. 

And year you will have to retie laces frequently because the boot compresses as you wear them.

Even on her temp mount she was told she could do all of her single jumps and attempt doubles.  She doesn't skate longer than 2 hours a day.

I'd just practice stroking and stopping until you get your feet under you.

My skate pro said he could tell kids not to jump or spin, but they will do it anyway, so he says to just take it easy.

How does one know when it's ready to use the top hook?


I have already noticed that I have to re-tighten my laces a few times per hour, and yes, I think the best plan for now is to try to be patient and just take things--stroking/stopping first--one at a time.

[hopskipjump]

My daughter says she can't bend her knees deeply enough and it is uncomfortable.  She feels 100 percent secure (back to axel and re-learning double jumps) with the top one undone so there is no rush.

[Sk8tmum]

Our sharpener will use a light coat of graphite on blades, if requested, to make the initial "bite" of sharpening less.

Never broke in boots with laces undone for any length of time, but, that's a coaching preference.  Lots of people do it.  Our coach discourages it from lasting any period of time as it she feels that it makes the boots break in incorrectly as the "flex" or end isn't put in place in the proper place with the laces undone. Which sort of makes sense to me, as the top hook being undone means the ankle is pulling away from the back of the boot and, thus, the back of the boot is not bending with/around the ankle.  As a properly broken in boot should completely "wrap" the ankle and bend with it as a unit, I get where she's coming from. 

My DD hates having the top laces undone anyways, as she says that it makes her feel "unstable" in the boots, so, she does them up and does tons of stroking and deep knee edge exercises to get the bend in. As our fitter won't put her in any boots that she can't bend anyways (knee past toe, fully laced) - then, she's able to bend them in the first place ...

[hopskipjump]

I'm not pushing her.  She had the exact same boots last year and was find lacing up.  With her injury, if it feels better undone, I'd rather she stayed undone as long as she feels the need.

[Willowway]

Do you have any advice on this?

Everyone has their own favorite little things they do.  For me there are two things - I do tell the my sharpener to "dull them down a little" after sharpening which he does with a stone. It works.  The I also do a few rubs (if you will) front to back of blade on the white sill which sits in the opening right between the ice and the matting off ice. Not too much or I destroy the sharpening but a few times each blade (make sure you're positioning your blade flat so that you don't rub one edge more than the other) - that usually allows me at least to stop. That said, stopping for the first few hours will take a deeper knee bend, more weight into the stopping edge and a more conscious effort - I look at it as the time when I have to review my stopping technique and get it really neat and controlled again.

Don't feel self-conscious about taking your skates into the local pro shop and asking the sharpener to dull them down a touch - it takes exactly one minute with a stone. They'll probably say "no charge" so give him/her a nice tip and a thanks for improving the situation instantly.

[eillie]

Our sharpener will use a light coat of graphite on blades, if requested, to make the initial "bite" of sharpening less.

Never broke in boots with laces undone for any length of time, but, that's a coaching preference.  Lots of people do it.  Our coach discourages it from lasting any period of time as it she feels that it makes the boots break in incorrectly as the "flex" or end isn't put in place in the proper place with the laces undone. Which sort of makes sense to me, as the top hook being undone means the ankle is pulling away from the back of the boot and, thus, the back of the boot is not bending with/around the ankle.  As a properly broken in boot should completely "wrap" the ankle and bend with it as a unit, I get where she's coming from. 

My DD hates having the top laces undone anyways, as she says that it makes her feel "unstable" in the boots, so, she does them up and does tons of stroking and deep knee edge exercises to get the bend in. As our fitter won't put her in any boots that she can't bend anyways (knee past toe, fully laced) - then, she's able to bend them in the first place ...

Thanks for the tip about graphite.  I didn't know that existed, but next time I'll ask the sharpener about it.


If the way that boots are broken in is a matter of preference, I'm wondering if I should just skate from the get-go with all of the hooks laced up.  I've skated a couple of hours so far with the top 2 hooks unused, but I also think it feels quite unstable.  It's almost as if I'm able to bend my knees/ankles a little too easily!

Everyone has their own favorite little things they do.  For me there are two things - I do tell the my sharpener to "dull them down a little" after sharpening which he does with a stone. It works.  The I also do a few rubs (if you will) front to back of blade on the white sill which sits in the opening right between the ice and the matting off ice. Not too much or I destroy the sharpening but a few times each blade (make sure you're positioning your blade flat so that you don't rub one edge more than the other) - that usually allows me at least to stop. That said, stopping for the first few hours will take a deeper knee bend, more weight into the stopping edge and a more conscious effort - I look at it as the time when I have to review my stopping technique and get it really neat and controlled again.

Don't feel self-conscious about taking your skates into the local pro shop and asking the sharpener to dull them down a touch - it takes exactly one minute with a stone. They'll probably say "no charge" so give him/her a nice tip and a thanks for improving the situation instantly.

Thanks for this useful information.  I did do a lot of stopping practice earlier today in an effort to dull the blades a bit!

[Willowway]

I did do a lot of stopping practice earlier today in an effort to dull the blades a bit!

Glad you're making it work - that's the spirit of learning to skate!

[AgnesNitt]

For those who feel uncomfortable with hooks that aren't laced, can I suggest Katz Strapz? I've used heavy pony tail holders, but they wear out fast so I switched to Katz Strapz. Katz Strapz are approved by USFSA for competition. Don't know about pony tail holders.

[platyhiker]

If the way that boots are broken in is a matter of preference, I'm wondering if I should just skate from the get-go with all of the hooks laced up.  I've skated a couple of hours so far with the top 2 hooks unused, but I also think it feels quite unstable.  It's almost as if I'm able to bend my knees/ankles a little too easily!

There are lots of breaking-in techniques that seem to give people good results, so I recommend paying attention to how *you* feel.  If you're feeling unstable, then try lacing up the top hooks - you can experiment with having them looser or tighter.  The goal is to both feel stable and to be able to properly bend your knees.  As the boots break in, you will probably need to adjust your lacing technique some.  Getting boots laced just right is a bit of an art, even with fully broken in skates.

[Janie]

Never broke in boots with laces undone for any length of time, but, that's a coaching preference.  Lots of people do it.  Our coach discourages it from lasting any period of time as it she feels that it makes the boots break in incorrectly as the "flex" or end isn't put in place in the proper place with the laces undone. Which sort of makes sense to me, as the top hook being undone means the ankle is pulling away from the back of the boot and, thus, the back of the boot is not bending with/around the ankle.  As a properly broken in boot should completely "wrap" the ankle and bend with it as a unit, I get where she's coming from.

Really? That's sounds really logical, and I did not have laces undone with my new boots either because I had no trouble bending anything. But afterwards, I saw Harlick's instructions on breaking in boots:

This may seem like a waste of time and unnecessary. Your boots may feel very comfortable and you will want to perform all of your regular jumps, spins and routines. What could happen if you do, is your boots can break-down instead of break-in. Lacing your boots all the way up and jumping in them before they break-in puts pressure on the boots ankle support and hooks, causing among other things, the boots to crease in the wrong places.

And I was all worried that I may have decreased the lifetime of my boots. I'm going to be optimistic and take your coach's logic

[Sk8tmum]

^^^ Yes, however, my coach also strongly endorses Harlick's breakin methodology.  If you re-read the whole detail on their website, you aren't doing anything that would involve knee bending for the first 4 to 6 hours, when the two top are unlaced; i.e. no jumping, no stroking, no "dance knees".  Then, you go to the next step, where only the top hook is undone, and skate for another 4 to 6 hours with no knee bend. Knee bend and jumps, etc, don't happen until the boot is fully laced to the top. So, it is what my coach is saying: you don't do anything that involves creasing the boot when the hooks aren't fully laced.

"Begin by putting your boots on and lacing them leaving the top two hooks unused.

Skate in your boots in this manner for approximately 4 to 6 hours. This time should be accumulated time. For example you may skate the first day for 30min. to and hour and the next day for 1 to 2 hours, your choice. Continue skating until you have accumulated the necessary time. During this time you should not be doing any jumps, spins or other moves that will cause you to do deep knee bending.

Next lace your boots leaving only the top hook unused. Continue skating as above for another 4 to 6 hours following the same precautions as above."

[nicklaszlo]

so I recommend paying attention to how *you* feel.  If you're feeling unstable, then try lacing up the top hooks - you can experiment with having them looser or tighter.

I couldn't tell much difference during my last break-in, so I laced them all the way.