Buying goalie skates for hockey can be confusing with so many options available. But one thing is for certain: buy the best quality skates that your budget will allow. Especially if you play at highly competitive levels, pucks can zoom in at you at speeds upwards of 80mph, so you need the best protection for your feet that you can afford.
Top quality skates for any player will feature composite materials that give added toughness and durability to the skates. Look for composite materials such as Kevlar and graphite in skates for improved protection and stiffness to the skate boot that lasts through repeated wear. While leather skates were the standard for years, the new composite materials have greatly improved comfort and durability in skates.
While goalie skates are similar in construction to regular skates, there are some real differences. A goalie skate has a wider blade than other hockey skates, and features more protection for the feet and ankle areas. The boot of a goalie skate is also lower than other hockey skates, allowing for greater ankle movement.
Goalie skates commonly have greater blade radius than other hockey skates. This allows for easier gliding backwards and forwards, as well as addresses the maneuvers a goalie performs. Too small of a radius in goalie skates makes the skater more unstable and more likely to fall in the heat of the action.
Bauer Supreme, CCM, and Reebok are all well-known brands of goalie skates for juniors. You can expect to pay in the neighbourhood of $150-$350 for these skates on sale on the internet from retailers who do a large volume in goalie skates. Local stores may charge much more than this. If you find a great deal on skates on line, head over to your local store and try a pair on to see how they fit. If you like them, negotiate with the store, telling them they need to match the internet price you found.
If they won’t play ball with you, go ahead and order those great skates you found at a great price on the internet. Most reputable online merchants will offer a money-back guarantee, so there is no risk ordering online.
