Hockey skating is, without a doubt, a prevalent and fun activity all around the globe. You can do it for recreational purposes -it is a way of spending free time outdoors during the hot summer weather or maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Most people engage in hockey skating as a sporting competition.
Skates are the most essential skating equipment because there is no way you are going to glide without them. Our feet, however, vary in shape and size. You probably fall in the category of individuals whose feet have a high instep, and this is why you are looking for the best hockey skates for high arches. Worry no more; this article outlines some of the top hockey skates out there that suit the needs of individuals whose arches are high.
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Reading through will equip you with the most relevant insights you need to know before setting out to buy yourself of your loved one a good pair of hockey skates for high arches.
The 5 Best Hockey Skates for High Arches
The market has been flooded with hockey skates, and all manufacturers claim that their skates are the best, although this is not necessarily the case. For this reason, finding the best pair of skates might be a daunting experience.
This article outlines the top five hockey skates for high arches to help you narrow down your options and get yourself of your loved one a great pair of skates. They include:
- Bauer Nexus 2N Ice Hockey Skates – Senior
- Tour Code 2 Inline Hockey Skate
- Bauer Nexus 800 Skate Men’s
- Alkali RPD Lite Adjustable Roller Hockey Skates – Youth
- TOUR Hockey FB-225 Junior Inline Hockey Skates
1. Bauer Nexus 2N Ice Hockey Skates – Senior
The Bauer Nexus 2N Ice Hockey Skate (Amazon Link) is a roomy, high instep skate that makes a great choice for a seasoned skater looking for a high-end skate at reasonable pricing.
The lacing system on these skates is the traditional design, consisting of a 48-oz, pro-styled tongue. The thick foam and injected plastic metatarsal guard insert will give you sufficient protection on the top of your feet.
This product features Bauer’s lightweight 3-D lasted CURV composite classic material, which is thermoformable and will hug your feet very well, allowing top-level performance with enhanced stiffness and responsiveness for added power and durability.
The footbed on these skates is the Form-Fit+, which comes with a tacky texture in the heel cup as well as the toe. This helps maintain the foot in position. The memory foam ankle padding increases comfort levels as well as heel stability required to prevent power losses.
The combination of the boot and the lightweight outsole enhances the stiffness for great responsiveness – you will love this if you are a player who pushes skates to the limits. The runners on these skates are the Tuuk’s stainless steel, premium-grade blades. The stainless-steel forms stronger edges for extended blade’s sharpening life.
Features:
- Hydra Max 2 liner
- Tuuk Lightspeed Edge holder
- 3-D lasted CURV classic boot
- Tuuk LS3 runner
- 48-oz. pro-styled tongue that comes with a metatarsal guard
- Form-Fit+ footbed and memory foam ankle padding
Pros:
- Ultra-lightweight
- Top-level performance
- Superb dry comfort
- Reinforced protection
- Durable
- Enhanced power
- Secure fit
Cons:
- Expensive
2. Tour Code 2 Inline Hockey Skate
The Code 2 skates from the Tour Hockey Store (Link to Amazon) combines comfort, style, and agility exceptionally. They feature an A.R.C removable tongue that prevents lace bite utilizing special channels that spread pressure uniformly. This, as a result, eliminates painful pinch points and creates an unmatched superb fit.
What more could you want from a skate that is heat moldable? This product allows you to customize your foot’s shape and fit since it is made from heat moldable material. Another great thing about these skates is that they will last long – they are built using Vibram wear patches. This product features an Accuaire moisture-wicking lining that will ensure that the inside of your boot remains cool and clean.
Features:
- Labeda Millennium wheels
- Bevo Gold 9 race-rated chrome bearings.
- Heat-moldable advanced thermolayer composition
- Vibram wear patches
- Knetik tendon guard
- DPS Lo-Boy frame technology
- High-density memory foam ankle pads
- Accuaire moisture-wicking lining
- A.R.C. tongue (Anti-lace bite, Removable, Custom-fit toebox)
- Labeda Humer Eviction 2 frame
Pros:
- Sturdy
- Enhanced range of motion
- Long-lasting skates
- Comfortable
- Great ankle support
- Lower center of gravity
- Top-quality frame
- Heat-moldable
- Great control
- Great power transfer
Cons:
- A bit heavy for some
3. Bauer Nexus 800 Skate Men’s
The Nexus 800 skates of the Bauer brand blends technology and tradition (Amazon Link). They feature a compression-molded EVA quarter package, which consists of Pro-Tech Nylon for fantastic support. The lining material utilizes Hydrophobic Retro Tan Clarino material for enhanced lifespan and moisture-wicking.
This skate will give you the optimum heel and ankle support you require when rolling while offering great energy transfer. The Anaform ankle pads on these skates offer comfort and assist mod to your foot’s shape for an excellent fit. The tongue is made from molded anatomical Ultra-thick material with a metatarsal guard that provides a great feel and lace bite protection.
The Nexus 800 skates come with a Form Fit + footbed that captures grip, heel stabilizer, moisture management, and the ergo toe protection. This skate offers a true custom fit thanks to its thermoformable upper. The classic outsole ensures complete energy transfer from the foot.
Features:
- Hydrophobic Retro Tan CLARINO lining
- Molded anatomical Ultra Thick 2-piece tongue and molded Metatarsal guard
- Anafoam ankle pads
- FORM-FIT footbed
- Patented pro-integrated anatomic heel support
- Grip moisture management heel stabilizer
- Full thermoformable upper
- TUUK Lightspeed 2 Holder
- Full composite outsole
- LS2 stainless steel runner
Pros:
- Authentic skates
- Synthetic material
- Durable
- Great construction
- Full composite outsole
- Top-quality outsole
- Unisex
Cons:
- Not true to size
4. Alkali RPD Lite Adjustable Roller Hockey Skates – Youth
The Alkali RPD Lite Adjustable Roller Hockey Skates are made by Alkali (Amazon link) to suit the needs of young roller hockey skaters growing. These RPD lite skates feature a unique dual toe-tap adjustment system that permits the internal toe cap to lock into one of the four sizes.
The size is adjusted by simply rotating the tool-less adjustment dial located on the skate’s side to stretch or reduce the internal toe cap. These skates are available in two size options: Y7 – Y10 AND Y11 – 1.0. Owing to the changing sizes, these skates consist of four different sizes of footbeds to be alternated when a different size is selected.
Features:
- Abec 5 ball Bearings
- Dual toe-tap adjustment system
- RPD Lite 82A Outdoor wheels
- Four different sizes of footbeds
- Tool-less adjustment
- Wide forefront/ high instep fit
- Skate size youth 7-10
Pros:
- Great performance
- Good quality skate
- Great construction
- Easily adjustable
- Affordable
Cons:
- Not ideal for extreme skating activities
- Not true to size
5. TOUR Hockey FB-225 Junior Inline Hockey Skates
These skates from the Tour Fish BoneLite line suits novice hockey skaters (Amazon Link) and casual players. They feature a white, felt tongue that has great thickness alongside injected foams. This makes these skates a great value for money.
These skate’s nylon quarter package combines with the injected outsole to give skaters a pleasant yet sturdy feel. This product has customized ankle support for excellent, long-lasting comfort. The deluxe padding blends with quick-dry lining to ensure players are confident and cool during intense activities.
Features:
- Tour aluminum power track Tri-Coil System
- Injected Plastic outsole
- Soft, brushed nylon liner
- Two-Piece White Felt Tongue
- Unwaxed skate laces
- Power Heel-lock System
- Custom reinforced ankle support unit.
- BEVO Silver-5 race rated (chrome) bearings
- Tour force 78A firm, multi-surface, speed formula Control wheels
- Deluxe EVA comfort padding
- Tour Round Two-Piece 6mm Axles
Pros:
- Reinforced ankle support
- Comfort padding
- Good quality
- Affordable
- Moisture-wicking liner
- Ideal for Sport Court, Wood, or Smooth Concrete
Cons:
- Bearings are a little stiff.
- May cause blisters initially.
Choosing the Best Hockey Skates for High Arches
Whether you are a novice hockey skater and you are buying your first pair of skates or a seasoned skater looking to upgrade your hockey skates, it is easy to fall for traps and end up with a pair of skates that will do more harm than good. Below are some of the factors to look out for when shopping for your new pair of hockey skates.
Skate Size and Fit Type
The biggest factor to consider when purchasing a pair of skates is your foot type and size. Players with high arches need to select models that accommodate high arch feet. This is because your skates should give you the best possible fit. They need to be snug, not too tight, and not too loose. This ensures that they maintain your feet in position while preventing slippage.
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Sizing differs from manufacturers as well, and therefore, you need to ensure that you follow the sizing guide for the skate brand you are purchasing. To be sure of your skate size, it is always best to visit the skates store and try out the skates physically. However, if this is not feasible, you can measure your feet using several ways.
A common method is tracing around your feet while standing on a plain sheet of paper. After tracing, you will then use a ruler to measure your feet’ dimensions and compare them to the sizing chart figures.
The parameters to look out for in skates sizing are:
Skate length
You may be wondering how your ordinary shoe size correlates to the correct hockey skate size for you. Typically, a hockey skate measures 1.5 U. S size smaller than your normal shoe size for adults and 1 size down for children.
Skate width
Hockey skate widths are represented by letters, and there are two nomenclature systems. The sizing ranks skates from the narrowest to the widest. One of the ranking systems is C, D, E, EE, and the other system is N(narrow), R(regular), and W(wide). Most skaters fit into R or D widths.
The Boot
The boot is the part of the hockey skate that you insert your foot into. It consists of an Achilles guard, toe cap, quarter panel, and a heel cup. The construction differs from manufacturers; some manufacture these components separately for assembly later while some manufacturers utilize a “one-piece” construction. Obviously, the “one-piece” construction results in a stronger hockey skate with enhanced energy transfer.
The comfort offered by the boot is dictated by the material from which the boot is constructed. You should select skates with boots made from sturdy and durable materials.
Heat Molding or Non-Heat Molding Hockey Boot
Non-heat molding skates were common before the 2000s. Hockey skaters had to find skates that fit them as best as they could get. They used to break the skates in over a couple of skates with blood, tears, and sweat. For this reason, huge blisters, bleeding, and foot cramps were widespread.
Thanks to technological innovation, now advanced materials are put in hockey boots to allow them to be put in an oven for a couple of minutes to allow the boot to soften up. Once you remove your hockey boot from the oven, you wear it for about 5 – 10 minutes and let it form to your foot. This drastically reduces the break-in time, and your skates will feel perfect on your feet—the result is a blister-free affair.
The Bottom Line
The best thing about skating is that it is open for all – it does not limit anyone, no matter their body sizes or shape. You can do it with your friends, siblings, your kids, or any other individuals you intend to spend quality time with.
To ensure that you have a fantastic and enjoyable hockey skating experience, you will need to have proper skating equipment. There is nothing bad as having your skates limiting you. Therefore, hockey skates have to be tailored to suit the needs of every individual player.
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The hockey skates listed above may vary in design and style, but they all make the top of any list of best hockey skates for high arches. They have unmatched comfort, support, and safety – everything one would be looking for in a great pair of skates. Skating on them, you will be guaranteed a return for your money. So why not grab a pair or two from either of the above brands and have an unforgettable hockey skating moment?
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