Hockey Skates

Serious players know hockey skates and Pure Hockey carries the best ice hockey skates and inline hockey skates anywhere. We know you're serious about improving your game—after all, you play a lot. If it's time to upgrade, you've come to the right place.

Which Hockey Skates Are Right for Me?

The choice between entry-level, performance-level, and elite-level hockey skates comes down to performance, comfort, and affordability. The skate that gives you the comfort you want and the performance features you need while still falling within your budget is the best hockey skate for you.

If you're a beginner adult who plays infrequently—a couple times a month or less—an entry-level senior skate will provide the level of performance suited to your frequency of play. If you're an adult skater who plays once a week or more, it makes sense to shop for a skate with a more durable boot—even if you’re a beginner—because you'll put more hours on the skate and will benefit from the additional support and durability performance-level skates provide.

Performance-level hockey skates provide a host of desirable features—they're just designed to meet the needs of the more experienced hockey player who will push the skate more than a beginner, but less than the elite/professional player who demands maximum performance from every facet of the skate. For example, performance-level skates have increased boot flex, more comfort, and less boot stiffness.

That said, adults can also think of skates as investments and may choose to purchase a more advanced skate than they currently need because they expect to improve, will eventually need that performance, and want the expanded lifespan that elite skates offer.

What to Look for in Hockey Skates

If you're a parent, buying hockey skates for your beginner can be a challenge. The number of choices can be overwhelming. A quick look reveals familiar makers like Bauer and CCM, each with a variety of models for players of every age and every level of play.

A little basic information can help clarify the selection process.

First, manufacturers use their most advanced technologies to create their most advanced skates. These might be premium composite boots, premium-grade steel blades, and comfortable and lightweight padding and liners. Second, the higher the price, the better performing and more durable the skate. Third, skates families are often designed to suit particular foot dimensions and playing positions. A large defenseman with a wide foot would probably not want a skate designed for nimble-footed wingers with narrow feet.

Look for the skate that suits your foot size, playing position, and style of play.

Inline Skates

While inline skaters are looking for a lot of the same qualities as ice hockey players— a comfortable yet supportive boot, the right mix of performance and affordability—choosing the right pair of inline skates presents its own challenges.

Inline Skate Differences

If you're new to the sport, you may not need the best inline skates available. And that's no insult! You're just not likely to push them as hard as an experienced skater, and thus you don't yet require the same high-end performance features.

Inexpensive offerings have features more appropriate to the novice—like a more forgiving boot and fewer performance features. The boots on recreational inline skates use inferior materials, but provide a softer feel for increased comfort the novice needs when developing his stride.

As your experience improves and you get more comfortable on wheels, you'll need skates that are more performance focused, with more durable boots, bearings, and inline wheels. Professional inline skates feature stiff boots and better materials for the chassis, wheels, and bearings, helping to maximize the transfer of energy.

Once you know your price range, you should be able to find the inline offering with the maximum comfort and performance your budget allows.