Featuring Brent Wynn, Hockey Equipment Specialist

Duration: 1 minute, 47 seconds

Ice hockey skates, whether they're junior or senior, as there's not a lot of difference between them other than size, have changed a lot over the years. They're lighter, stiffer, stronger and more protective than they've ever been.

Today's newest skates are all heat-moldable, which will make a customized fit to each individual's foot. They also have better protection on the exterior of the boot, because shots are coming harder and faster all the time. They're also anatomical, for example the inside ankle is a little more forward than the outside ankle so it allows for that to fit a little better.

You've also got antimicrobial liners, antibacterial liners, fast-drying liners so that the skates dry out a lot faster and they don't stink as badly as that's the bacteria that builds up on the inside of the skate. One of the other things with the blade, for example, it can be contoured to match the individual stride and their own ability.

So today's skates are lighter, stronger and stiffer than they've ever been. One of the things that that will do is help align the body in a proper posture so that your leg muscles are not fatiguing and your back isn't getting as sore, and you can skate longer and faster than you ever have before. So make sure that when you're getting a new skate that you see a qualified retailer in your area.

And it's really important to do that because you may have leg length disparity or you may over-pronate or over-supinate and a qualified retailer can make adjustments to the skate to give you optimum performance in every stride you take.

Presenter: Mr. Brent Wynn, Bracing & Equipment Specialist, Vancouver, BC

Local Practitioners: Bracing & Equipment Specialist