How To Size Youth Hockey Skates

By keeping some basic guidelines in mind, you can learn how to size youth hockey skates. While picking out the proper size of hockey equipment can be challenging for anyone, it can be especially difficult for young players who have never played the sport before. However, following these easy tips will ensure the perfect pair of hockey skates for your young athlete!

1. Instruct the young athlete to put on the socks that they intend to wear with the skates. Many athletes make the mistake of wearing everyday socks when trying on new hockey skates--and then, when they are in a game or practice setting and are wearing their much-thicker hockey socks, the skates feel much too tight. Wearing the player's usual hockey socks will ensure that the skates will fit perfectly during games and practices.
2. Instruct the player to choose a skate that is approximately 1 1/2 sizes smaller than their normal size (unless the athlete is using Mission brand skates, in which case the skate size will correlate to the normal size). Have the athlete stand up, and tap their heels on the ground so that their feet are as far back in the skate as possible.
3. Lace the skate tightly and securely--but not so tight as to cut off circulation. Encourage the young athlete to walk around for a bit in the skates, to determine if the fit feels right. Instruct them to try on a variety of skates until they find the one that feels most natural.