equipment questions

[Nostalgic Nerd]

I just bought some new but cheap skates at Fleet Farm, so I should know what I'm getting into. I get this sore on the front of my leg where it meets the ankle. I might be tying my laces too tight, but I was wondering if this is normal especially since I haven't skated for some time?

Also, can you replace those hollow plastic blade covers with ones that don't shatter, or do you have to upgrade to a whole new pair?

With hockey sticks I'm looking for a non-wood stick that is light, inexpensive, and durable. Older is fine. Any suggestions?

Thank you much!

[Govs93]

You can replace the blades if you want, but if you're buying Fleet Farm skates, I wonder what your ultimate goal is and what level you're playing at that you would need to do such a thing. You can take them in to any hockey shop (Strauss, Hockey Giant, Dave's, etc), and they should be able to show you what's available and change them out.

As far as the rubbing, you may want to throw them in the oven for a little while to soften them up... take them out and work them in a little bit. That generally helps a little little bit, but it seems odd that you're having trouble on the front of your leg... I've had trouble with some skate on the back, but never the front.

Sticks? Can't help you. I haven't purchased a new stick made of anything other than wood in about 15 years. I just don't care anymore.

[Can't Never Tried]

You can replace the blades if you want, but if you're buying Fleet Farm skates, I wonder what your ultimate goal is and what level you're playing at that you would need to do such a thing. You can take them in to any hockey shop (Strauss, Hockey Giant, Dave's, etc), and they should be able to show you what's available and change them out.

As far as the rubbing, you may want to throw them in the oven for a little while to soften them up... take them out and work them in a little bit. That generally helps a little little bit, but it seems odd that you're having trouble on the front of your leg... I've had trouble with some skate on the back, but never the front.

Sticks? Can't help you. I haven't purchased a new stick made of anything other than wood in about 15 years. I just don't care anymore.

I'd say with that many posts he made a nice cast a caught one already.

[Nostalgic Nerd]

You can replace the blades if you want, but if you're buying Fleet Farm skates, I wonder what your ultimate goal is and what level you're playing at that you would need to do such a thing. You can take them in to any hockey shop (Strauss, Hockey Giant, Dave's, etc), and they should be able to show you what's available and change them out.

As far as the rubbing, you may want to throw them in the oven for a little while to soften them up... take them out and work them in a little bit. That generally helps a little little bit, but it seems odd that you're having trouble on the front of your leg... I've had trouble with some skate on the back, but never the front.

Sticks? Can't help you. I haven't purchased a new stick made of anything other than wood in about 15 years. I just don't care anymore.

I don't use the skates for league play or anything, so I should be fine with the hollows till they crack. They're Bauer Vapor Lights, which serves the purpose I guess since it's park play. I could always sew in some extra padding on the tongue if necessary.

BTW, hell of an offensive line that '92 team.

[parrish4president]

I just bought some new but cheap skates at Fleet Farm, so I should know what I'm getting into. I get this sore on the front of my leg where it meets the ankle. I might be tying my laces too tight, but I was wondering if this is normal especially since I haven't skated for some time?

Also, can you replace those hollow plastic blade covers with ones that don't shatter, or do you have to upgrade to a whole new pair?

With hockey sticks I'm looking for a non-wood stick that is light, inexpensive, and durable. Older is fine. Any suggestions?

Thank you much!

They sell skates at fleet farm? I dont know how much you paid, but it might be worth 'cheaping' on a decent pair of skates. When I buy skates for pond hockey, for example, I go to westwood sports in Bloomington and go to their basement and buy used skates from last season. I use on the pond a pair of Vapor XXX's, which are top of the line, and got them in great shape for only $98. To be honest, I am thinking about using them over the Vapor XXXX's that my college gave me!

Point is, shop around a tad, as don Enrico says "Why buy new when slightly used will do!"

[Govs93]

You can replace the blades if you want, but if you're buying Fleet Farm skates, I wonder what your ultimate goal is and what level you're playing at that you would need to do such a thing. You can take them in to any hockey shop (Strauss, Hockey Giant, Dave's, etc), and they should be able to show you what's available and change them out.

As far as the rubbing, you may want to throw them in the oven for a little while to soften them up... take them out and work them in a little bit. That generally helps a little little bit, but it seems odd that you're having trouble on the front of your leg... I've had trouble with some skate on the back, but never the front.

Sticks? Can't help you. I haven't purchased a new stick made of anything other than wood in about 15 years. I just don't care anymore.

I'd say with that many posts he made a nice cast a caught one already.

Huh? What'd I miss? Have I been had?

I'm just focused on clearing 2K today... if I was hooked, at least it's another tick in the "posts" column.

[Can't Never Tried]

You can replace the blades if you want, but if you're buying Fleet Farm skates, I wonder what your ultimate goal is and what level you're playing at that you would need to do such a thing. You can take them in to any hockey shop (Strauss, Hockey Giant, Dave's, etc), and they should be able to show you what's available and change them out.

As far as the rubbing, you may want to throw them in the oven for a little while to soften them up... take them out and work them in a little bit. That generally helps a little little bit, but it seems odd that you're having trouble on the front of your leg... I've had trouble with some skate on the back, but never the front.

Sticks? Can't help you. I haven't purchased a new stick made of anything other than wood in about 15 years. I just don't care anymore.

I don't use the skates for league play or anything, so I should be fine with the hollows till they crack. They're Bauer Vapor Lights, which serves the purpose I guess since it's park play. I could always sew in some extra padding on the tongue if necessary.

BTW, hell of an offensive line that '92 team.

OK if your serious on this...your talking "skate bite" or (lace Bite) your cheap skates probably don't have a great amount of protection on the tongue, and because they are cheap, you have tighten the laces even more to give you any kind of support that's probably whats doing it.

Seriously you can go to several places and buy a really decent pair of used skates, for probably what those were new + the cost of putting a real blade holder on them now, and you will find you are a better skater then you thought, I can't imagine how sore your ankles are from those

The stick stay with the wood stick...and might as well get a straight blade to go with them skates.

[MNsGreatest#2]

OK if your serious on this...your talking "skate bite" or (lace Bite) your cheap skates probably don't have a great amount of protection on the tongue, and because they are cheap, you have tighten the laces even more to give you any kind of support that's probably whats doing it.

I will agree with what he is encountering is skate bite, but as to the cause I have some ideas. Tying the skates tighter most likely will make the skate a lot less comfortable than they already are. My cure to skate bite is to fight through it. There is an article in LPH this week talking about skate bite, and the author was right. Skate bite is due to new skates having hard, non-broken-in tongues that rub on the leg. Usually if you fight through the skate bite the tongue will break down after less than a week (daily skating) and you will be fine. Based on the fact that you use these skates for outside play, chances are the process of breaking in the tongue will be extended greatly. If I were you I would pick up some high socks. No matter the pair of skates, you will experience skate bite.

[hockeyxprt1]

I bought a pair of Easton Z-airs from 2004 thinking I was getting a great deal ($150 new). They are so stiff, they nearly cripled me. The bruising on my ankles is so bad, they still hurt three weeks after my second use. I could not imagine trying to skate thru that. There must be a better way!!

[Indians forever]

just suck it up and Skate more!! J/K I know skate bite suck, you just have to work your way through it.

[breakout]

just suck it up and Skate more!! J/K I know skate bite suck, you just have to work your way through it.

Article on skate bite in the most recent Let's Play Hockey. Find it on line:

http://www.letsplayhockey.com/

[eagle4life9]

I get really bad skate bite/lace bite and I wrap my ankles where it hurts with that pre-wrap stuff and then im just fine after that. Give that a try and if it still hurts, I dont know?

[MNsGreatest#2]

If the skate bite keeps goin you could invest in some of those bob skates that strap onto your shoes