As a religious skater and a die-hard fan of Moxi skates, the Moxi Beach bunny is one of the most uncomfortable shoes in the world. I understand the feeling that comes with saving and waiting for your beauties to arrive only for them to end up in another person’s closet due to the discomfort.
For new skaters and new Moxi skate users, breaking in your Maxi Beach Bunny skate-shoes before use is very important as it helps in reducing pain and discomfort and also decreases the chance of skating accidents.
What to do when you get a new pair of Beach Bunny Skates?
Congratulations on getting a new pair of Moxi Beach Bunny skates because those pair of shoes are always sold-out; the first step is to test them out and assess how they make your feet feel. Are you comfortable while sitting or standing? Is there a substantial distance between your toes and the edges of the roller-skates? Can your feet breathe and move inside the shoes?
Ignoring that tiny sensation or tingling is one of the greatest mistakes new skaters make because that tiny discomfort will accumulate within minutes and generate unbearable pain. Once you are comfortable, tighten the laces to achieve a snug fit and go for a test ride.
During the test ride ensure all parts of the roller skates are working: check and double-check the entire skates to avoid accidents caused by a malfunction. Apply pressure to parts like the stopper and wheels repeatedly and confirm they all function well.
Do Beach Bunny Skates Require Break-in?
90% of skaters break in their roller skates, the other 10% might not need. So, yes, it is necessary to break your beach bunny skates if you ever want to skate without feeling discomfort.
But why do roller skates need breaking in? When skate shoes are produced, there is little to no research done to get the exact shape, size, or structure of the human feet and if there were ever a study, it is impossible to analyze over 1 billion different feet across the world.
Hence, the need for breaking in to shape the shoes to match your feet size and structure. For lucky skaters whose feet size match the exact skate’s measurements, there may be no need to alter the shapes.
Skating shoes are unlike walking shoes, they need comfort and extra comfort as pressure and friction are mounted on them during movement and even during a stationary position.
Poorly broken skates will mount pressure on the feet (I can attest to that) and this pressure concentrate under your feet and develop hard growths or callouses. To avoid calluses and blisters, skaters need to break their Moxi Beach Bunny roller skates.
How long does it take to break in Beach Bunny Skates?
It takes 6-12 hours over one month to properly break in your Moxi Beach Bunny skates. This range of time differs from person to person and also depends on several factors.
The thickness of your skates is one of the crucial factors that determine how long it takes to break in your skates. A very thick skate will require more time to break in compared to that of a softer skate.
On a thickness scale (you can find or ask the skates lady/man), the range runs from 10 to 100 (10 represents soft skates and 100 for very thick skates). A 10 skate-shoes require just 6 to 8 hours for 2 to 3 weeks to get comfortable while it requires a longer time for thicker shoes.
The type of material also determines as leather or animal hide shoes break easier than vinyl or other non-leather materials. Non-leather products are unable to perfect or take the shape of your feet the way leather does.
The number of hours spent in the shoes also determines how the break is. Constant usage will mount pressure and expand the sides and width to fit your feet. A daily 2-3 hours wearing can make a huge difference in the way they fit. Asides from mounting pressure and molding, the brain gets tricked that the shoes are more comfortable compared to the first wear.
How do I know if my Beach Bunny skates fit me properly?
For skaters like me whose feet obey the laws of nature and gravity, getting the perfect Moxi Beach Bunny skates is a handful task. As starters, get your shoes at noon or during summer because it has been proven scientifically that the feet expand during these times (hey it’s not me, it’s science duh). Getting your shoes during a cool day or winter might be a good time as the feet are shriveled and not expanding.
Snug not tight does not tingle
A perfect skate-shoe should be snug, not tight. Your feet should feel enveloped and at the same time free to perform minor movements inside the shoes. It should not tingle or hurt in any region and no part of your feet should feel squeezed.
No pressure on the feet
A well-sized shoe should not put much pressure on your heels and ankles. Your feet should be in control while it sits inside the skates, not the other way round.
Try it out in the store by walking around, standing, and even skating around. If any area hurts or any pressure is mounted upon, you may need to change or go a size higher.
There are two kinds of hurt: the bearable and the unbearable. The bearable is that dull ache in one region that you can probably forget if you get your mind off it during skating while the unbearable is the pain you can’t hold in and even if you try, you may need to soak your feet in an ice bath for days.
If you wear a specific size, let’s say 8, try sizes 7,8, and 9 and check which size feels more comfortable although, the sizing charts of normal shoes are almost as similar to that of skates.
After choosing the perfect style and color, try them in the store. According to a study, the brain tricks us that the new skates are the most perfect item in the world while you are at the store; this is why they suddenly look different and uninteresting once you get home.
Use the two-finger rule to confirm
One of my go-to tricks is to try the two-finger rule. After fitting your feet in the skates, put two fingers (your index and forefingers) into the back of the shoes. Ensure the fingers struggle a little to get in and come out easily; do this once or twice to be sure.
Another tip is to relax when you get to the store, I understand you are all giddy and excited to get the skates after months of waiting. Once you get calm and comfortable, your instincts will tell when the skate shoes pinch or hurt.
If you are younger, you should get a size a little bigger (I suggest half or one inch more than your original size). This size upgrade is because of puberty and the growth spurts that come with it.
I understand your favorite design only comes in one size and they hurt when you wear them for long, I suggest you let them go and choose another set of designs.
Easy Hacks for Breaking in Moxi Beach Bunny Skates
There are hundreds of approved ways and old tricks you can use to break in skates but not all may work for Moxi Beach Skates. Moxi beauties are made from polyvinyl chloride, not from regular animal hides and some methods can cause it to break so, they need specific methods.
- Heat the leather with a hairdryer
One of my tricks is to heat the faux leather slightly with a blow dryer. This method requires care as too much heat can melt the leather; I suggest you use medium heat and keep the blow dryer 6 to 12 inches away from the leather. Focus the heat on areas that hurt or are tight and use your finger to move them outwards gently. Do this method for 10 to 30 minutes regularly to ensure the leather is stretched properly.
- Buy a shoe stretcher
Buy a shoe stretcher if you can afford it. Shoe stretchers are inexpensive, manual, foot-shaped equipment that can help expand your shoes. They are available on Amazon and in most nearby cobbler shoes for a few dollars. Get a shoe stretcher that is one to two sizes bigger than your original skate shoes and put them inside for a few hours, you may need to force them in at first.
- Use leather conditioners
Another hack is to use conditioners. Use a leather conditioner and apply them all over the skates to soften them; air dries them after a thorough application. Leather conditioners do not increase the size of the shoes rather, they increase the surface expansion of the leather. If you are unable to get a leather conditioner in your vicinity, use coconut oil.
- Spray the skates with shoe-stretching sprays
Purchase shoe-stretching sprays from online stores or your local cobbler store; they are chemicals designed to stretch our shoe materials. Ensure you get the sprays for non-leather materials to avoid damage. Start by loosening the laces and evenly spray the surface with the liquid. When spraying, keep the bottle 7 or more inches away from you to avoid pours and spills. The coat should cover the leather heavily but should not drip over to the ground, air-dry the shoes after the spray session.
- Use double socks
Another hack that I believe works is putting your skates on with double-thick socks. It may sound weird and uncomfortable, but that is a very small price to pay for a future comfortable skate shoe. Put on thick socks and double them, force your feet into the skates and wear them for 30 minutes to 1 hour or till whenever you feel tense.
- Stuff and freeze your skates
Another way other people swear by is freezing your skate shoes (Although I wouldn’t do that myself). Fill the inside of your shoes with random filling stuff (clothes, newspaper, plastic bags) till they get stuffed and freeze them. It is believed that cold stretches out faux leather. After freezing, take the stuffed materials out and air dries the shoes to unfreeze them.
- Use alcohol to soak the inner linings
Using alcohol to soak the inner linings of the skate shoes can also help. Go to your local store and get a bottle of alcohol and any form of the applicator and apply them carefully to the inner linings of the skate shoes. Make sure the alcohol does not spill to the outer part to avoid damage, air dry the shoes, or stuff them after application.
Easy Hacks for Lacing Moxi Beach Bunny Skates for Various Types of Feet
Lacing a skate shoe properly with no discomfort is synonymous with winning a medal. As a skater, I suffer from high arches on one foot and toe problems on the other (Yea I know life is hard). The lacing technique I apply on feet is different from the other to satisfy the different problems I face.
A standard skate shoe has 9-10 low holes and an additional 3-4 upper lace holes at the ankle region. I recommend leaving the additional lace holes or lacing just one as they tamper with your heel movement during skating.
The toe lacing technique
Before you apply this technique, ensure you cut your toenails and remove any toe extension you may have on.
If you suffer from toe problems during skating like me, this lacing technique is a gamer changer. Start by making one side longer than the other lace line, use the longer lace on top and the shorter one below. The longer lace covers 95% of the lace holes while the shorter one comes underneath the longer lace at the end. This technique will alleviate hammertoes, toe corns, and any other nail-related problems.
Rubbing feet
Do your feet obey their own rules when you skate, then you have rubbing feet? This technique mounts pressure on the feet and allows them to stay in a place. Start by lacing the standard way but when you get halfway, knot the lace as you would when you are about to finish lacing your shoe. This technique leaves a space between your skates and your ankles, tighten the lace at this region. The lacing will concentrate pressure on your feet and position them rather than giving them the freedom to move. Ensure your shoes are snug and not loose to avoid excessive freedom inside of the shoe.
Heel slippage
For non-flat feet skaters with high arches problems, this technique will help in balancing out the pressure our heels receive. The lacing technique is similar to rubbing feet, the only difference is a loop is made at the top before the laces go through. This lacing method also helps to prevent the issue of knotting your ankle with your skates to secure them. For inline skates that have an already inbuilt strap or Velcro strap, this lacing is not needed.
High arches
For flatted feet skaters with frequent high arch problems, apply this technique to balance your feet in your skates. This lacing method involves moving the lace from eyelet to eyelet rather than the regular diagonal movement.
The eyelet method is moving the lace shoes through two simultaneous eyelets and avoiding the next eyelet only to move the next eyelet. Continue with this until you exhaust all the holes. This method removes the pressure point from your arches and distributes them equally around the skate shoes.
For easy maneuverability
Do your feet feel caged and you are unable to maneuver the skates properly, then start relaxing your snouts?
Start by lacing your shoes normally, pull down the snout and start lacing the eyelets through the outside holes. Ensure the lacing eyelet faces on side of the lace holes to keep it properly secured. Apply the same technique to the other side of the lace holes to secure it. The final result should be the opposite of the standard lacing with the laces facing outwards and coming inwards.
If none of these techniques work for you, then you may need to return the skates and get another size of the skates.
Top 5 insoles
Insoles or shoe inserts are footbeds or materials placed beneath most shoe platforms that house the feet and gives them comfort. It can be removable or undetachable. In roller skating, different kinds of insoles provide different types of functions and order a wide range of comfort to your feet and their need depends on the material.
Material
Nylon insoles are flexible and plastic insoles that are found in roller-skate shoes. They absorb pressure and have very little energy transfer. For skaters who love to perform tricks that involve tiptoeing this choice of insoles is poor; they are only suitable for skaters who want something lightweight. They provide cushion and comfort and protect the heels in particular.
Metallic insoles are known for their ability to absorb any form of energy transfer (be it friction or shock). They can either be made from. Aluminum, Magnesium, or platinum, high-end insoles are lightweight and provide comfort while cheaper ones tend to be heavier and can cause discomfort during skating. Most aluminum insoles are hand-made and are not commercially made like nylon insoles.
A good insole should provide great comfort, absorb shock well, be strong and durable, and lightweight.
Top 5 insoles
| Sure-grip Skate Contour insoles (Link to Amazon) | This insole helps pad the feet and protect the heels during skating to prevent discomfort. The padded soles give more comfort without transferring tension to your feet even if you skate for long. |
| Walk-hero comfort insoles (Link to Amazon) | The insole is a full-length, semi-rigid orthotic arch support sole with an unmatched level of support and comfort. It creates a deep heel cup for improved natural shock absorption.The mechanism is designed to exercise and strengthen the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the feet and allowing a more stable, confident, and comfortable step. |
| R- Fit Roller skate insoles (Link to Amazon) | The R-Fit custom insoles made for Roller Skates were created by Riedell to help improve alignment and athletic performance, alleviate pain from common fit issues, and provides comfort while reducing fatigue.The R-Fit Footbed insoles offer support for a safer, more effective skating session and are designed to keep the footbed from curling within the skate boot. |
| Riedell molded insoles (Link to Northern Ice & Dance) | Although all Riedell insoles offer maximum cushioning and durability and are a great way to make your skates feel new again. This insole is special as the Metatarsal Pads aid in eliminating soreness, tingling, and numbness in toes and ball of foot area. The heel Lifts decrease heel movement and slippage for additional stabilization and technical correction |
| Basmile shoe insoles (Link to Amazon) | It has an excellent Cushion & Shock Absorption because its memory foam insoles were made of soft & springy & ultralight memory foam material, providing excellent cushioning and shock absorption, these comfortable shoes insoles make your feet feel like walking on clouds. |
Conclusion
Skating is not just about rainbows, butterflies, and wheels; it also includes pain, patience, and consistency. Although it looks all regale to non-skaters, the beauty tells a thousand stories.
Moxi Beach Bunny skates and skates, in general, are not a one-time enjoyment material. They are similar to wines because the more they age, the tastier they get.
For starters, breaking into your Moxi Beach Bunny may require lesser or more time as they take the shape of feet with time.
For Professionals who have found a haven in Moxi Beach Bunny skates, you all can agree that you can never finish breaking in your skates as the more you use, the more it gets relaxed.
For skaters who want additional feet support, those aforementioned insoles are perfect Moxi Beach Bunny skates as they are designed with features to provide comfort.
