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Do "ski boot" or "aggressive" style ice skates exist?

ISharkted

Registered User
Apr 11, 2009
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Figured I could get some knowledgeable help on here. I have inline skated for a number of years, playing casual, pick-up style inline hockey on what are essentially "aggressive" style street inline skates. Tried on a number of actual inline hockey skates over the years, but they always felt too "floppy" from just above the ankle bone and on up from there. It seems I only feel comfortable playing in "ski boot" style inline skates. Not sure that it matters, but I grew up downhill skiing and inline skating for exercise, not for hockey, maybe it is just familiarity. The fact of the matter is though that I can only skate with any level of effectiveness in hard shell skates.

Onto my ice issue. Over the last few years, bought a pair of Bauer's (actual ice hockey skates), had them fitted, but they were a no go. The footbed fits like a glove, even up to being molded around mid ankle high, but from top of ankle on up they are super floppy. When I go to lean or put any pressure on the outside of the skate it is like my ankle wants to roll over itself. So I quit trying to make it work.

Looking online I saw some Roces sold in the UK, MR-1 or something, that looked like a ski boot style ice skate. Does anyone have any familiarity with ski boot style or inline aggressive style ice skates? I would like to just casually skate and play pick-up hockey for fun with beginners. The ankle issue has made me tentative and I am looking for some advice/input. Thanks!
 
Bauer One90/95/100/75 skates would be very stiff. What skates were you using? Cheap skates can be floppy. Also, what's your height/weight?

I know some skaters (Gaborik, Bure) used to use really stiff skates and tape their ankles, but a lot of great skaters (Orr) used floppy skates. Laura Stamm for example recommends a floppier skate to be able to roll your ankle and use your edges...but if you're an incredibly strong and aggressive skater who's got great balance, I could see the need for more ankle support.

One thing to make sure too is that your heel/ankle fit is correct in the skates...I have narrow heels and had trouble finding skates that were narrow enough back there, and my ankle would actually rotate inside the boot, causing me to lose edges. A top notch shop and fitting would help as well.
 
ISharkted said:
Figured I could get some knowledgeable help on here. I have inline skated for a number of years, playing casual, pick-up style inline hockey on what are essentially "aggressive" style street inline skates. Tried on a number of actual inline hockey skates over the years, but they always felt too "floppy" from just above the ankle bone and on up from there. It seems I only feel comfortable playing in "ski boot" style inline skates. Not sure that it matters, but I grew up downhill skiing and inline skating for exercise, not for hockey, maybe it is just familiarity. The fact of the matter is though that I can only skate with any level of effectiveness in hard shell skates.

Onto my ice issue. Over the last few years, bought a pair of Bauer's (actual ice hockey skates), had them fitted, but they were a no go. The footbed fits like a glove, even up to being molded around mid ankle high, but from top of ankle on up they are super floppy. When I go to lean or put any pressure on the outside of the skate it is like my ankle wants to roll over itself. So I quit trying to make it work.

Looking online I saw some Roces sold in the UK, MR-1 or something, that looked like a ski boot style ice skate. Does anyone have any familiarity with ski boot style or inline aggressive style ice skates? I would like to just casually skate and play pick-up hockey for fun with beginners. The ankle issue has made me tentative and I am looking for some advice/input. Thanks!
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This isn't a skate issue per say. This is, your ankles not being used to a hockey type boot. You'd have the same problem even the old hardshell hockey skates. The reason is, hockey boots are not designed to go that high up.

I suspect some of these issues are stance and ankle strength. Both of which can be fixed without changing the type of skate you're in.

When looking for skates, look for the highest cut boot you can find. Easton may have the highest cut, but they may not fit your feet correctly. Some Missions may work but they can be hard to come by since they no longer exist.
 
The hockey boots are like that because players like to have some extra flexibility for turning and cutting not required for inline skating.
 
Heat McManus said:
If aggressive you also mean leaning forward then look into Graf.
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He's refering to something completely different entirely.

http://www.k2skates.com/skate/fatty-pro

I sold these kind of skates years ago, and wouldn't really want to try to play hockey in them.

Anyway, there is a pretty big difference between agressive skates and hockey skates support wise. Lateral ankle movement tends to me much more restricted in agressive skates, since landing a jump and having your ankles turn out or inward can result in a pretty horriffic injury. Even still, if you're hitting jumps on a pair of inline skates, you should have the ankle stregnth to skate in a hockey boot. I kind of suspect it's a fit problem more than anything else.

I second Jarick's question about the type of skate it was, because low end hockey skates are pretty much a joke support wize. Also, I'd be currious to know what size you bought because agressive skates (used to be at least) are sized much closer to shoe size than hockey skates are, and an oversized boot can cause issues simmilar to what you're experiencing.
 
Hey.... you guys are awesome, thanks for all the helpful responses so far! In answering the questions so far....

1) The ice skates I was wearing were Bauer Supreme ?000 (either 7000, 8000, or 9000) - do not remember exactly which ones, but they were something-thousands. Bought them back in 2005 I think and at that time I got a good deal because they were from the year (or two years) prior, and got them new for half off. Had them baked and all that, - they felt nice and snug in the footbed as well as lower part of the ankle, but from mid ankle up just felt floppy - maybe my ankles were/are not strong enough. Anyway, you all can tell me better about the quality of those skates - any good or no.

2) I am 6'4" and about 245, early 30's should it matter

3) Not an aggressive skater at all - my skating was inline skating for exercise and riding to class in college, off curbs and such, no jumping or anything. They were the chunky/clunky "aggressive" skate style though - hard, heavy shell boot. I feel very comfortable skating in these.

4) While I feel very stable in ski boots and skiing, and my old ski boot style inline skates for roller hockey and recreational skating - my feet want to collapse inward in my ice skates if that makes sense - very, very unstable.

5) Along the lines of what Toonces said, my inline skates look very similar to those, except they are a total hardshell as opposed to those which look slightly more hybrid... but they look very similar.

So.... skates... ankles.....fit, my own ineptitude? You all have been great, again thanks for the assist, suggestions where I should go from here?

Oh sizing... basketball shoes I am a US 13. My inline skates are a US 12, my Bauer Supreme's are a US 12.
 
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ISharkted said:
4) While I feel very stable in ski boots and skiing, and my old ski boot style inline skates for roller hockey and recreational skating - my feet want to collapse inward in my ice skates if that makes sense - very, very unstable.

So.... skates... ankles.....fit, my own ineptitude? You all have been great, again thanks for the assist, suggestions where I should go from here?

Oh sizing... basketball shoes I am a US 13. My inline skates are a US 12, my Bauer Supreme's are a US 12.
Click to expand...

Perhaps try a size smaller?

If your ankle seems like it is rolling inwards, then it might not be an ankle support issue, but rather an actual foot support one...you might also need a smaller width.
 
ThreeStars said:
Perhaps try a size smaller?

If your ankle seems like it is rolling inwards, then it might not be an ankle support issue, but rather an actual foot support one...you might also need a smaller width.
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I was thinking the same thing. Another thing to check would be the depth of the boot. Sounds like it may not have been deep enough.

ISharkted - when in ice skates forget about feeling like you do in ski boots. You'll never get that feeling and it would have a negative affect on your skating. What you need to do is find a skate that fits you correctly. Your toes should lightly graze the toe cap (proper length), your heel should feel locked in (very important for skating), and top of your foot shouldn't protrude outward past the lace area when the skate is unlaced (proper depth).
 
You're a bigger guy, but it sounds like the problem is the fit of the skate. That's the exactly problem I had with my skates, the foot collapsing inside the boot.

What you want to do is get a much tighter fitting skate in the heel/ankle pocket. The newer Bauer OneXX skates would be a tighter fit, as would something like Graf 735/G35. Go to a really good shop and have them fit you to figure out what you should wear. My shop put me in the tightest fitting skates possible in the heel/ankle and widened the front for comfort.
 
not sure if what this is what you are looking for but decades ago Lange and Micron made a plastic booted hockey skate - not sure exactly when they stopped making them. may be able to find in local thrift or used sporting good stores or on ebay.

i wore lange skates as a young kid, but that was in the mid-late 1970's.
 
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