Pro's Corner: Boot Maintenance
Before you run out and buy a new pair of skates, there are several things to consider to maintain and extend the life of your hockey skates. In this blog, we’ll discuss boot maintenance.
One of the first things you need to consider to keep your skates performing at their optimal peak is keeping them dry and clean. This can be tough if you play on multiple teams or teams with rigorous schedules, but getting your boots dry is critical. When the insides of the boot – particularly any leather type materials – stay wet they can stretch, deform, or cause glues to release, which can create hot spots on your feet and make your skates uncomfortable. A continually wet skate is also susceptible to mold, mildew, and bacteria, which can be a health risk. It is recommended that you take your skates out of your bag after each use to properly air out. You can also give them a light spray with disinfectant to prevent any mold, mildew, or other bacterial/fungal issues.
A critical place to check your boots for wear is at the rivets. Rivets can become loose from wear and the force of skating, rust out from improper drying of the boots, and they can become damaged through the natural play of the game. Rivet replacement is easy and affordable at Binnie’s Skate Sharpening and Equipment Repair.
The tongue of the skate can be synonymous with foot pain. If your skate tongue has become loose, broken, or just worn down, or is causing excessive lace bite, there are options to fix it. Even if you just don’t like it, it can be replaced! Contact Binnie’s today to find out what your options are.
Another place to examine is the achilles tendon guard on the back of your skates. Often, this is used more as a handle to pull on skates or push against to take them off than a critical safety element to skates. This extra pressure can cause the guard to rip, tear, or completely break off. If your tendon guard is soft, torn, or missing, a new one can be sewn on.
A final place to check for maintenance issues are your eyelets. Much like everything else on your boot, these are susceptible to moisture and natural impacts of the game. They are also susceptible to heat if you leave your skates in your car during the hot summer months. If an eyelet becomes dislodged (or lost completely) your laces can put undue stress on your boots and lead to rips and tears. If you have a damaged eyelet – bent or broken – this can cause excess wear on your laces in addition to extra stress on your boots. Binnie’s can typically replace your eyelets and in some cases repair a torn boot at the eyelet, saving your hundreds of dollars over buying new skates!
If you’re ever in question about your skates, you can count on Binnie’s Skate Sharpening and Hockey repair to give you an honest answer and fair price if your issue is repairable.