When buying new roller skates, you have probably wondered, “How should roller skates fit?”
The short answer is similar to leather shoes, but there’s more to it than this.
No worries; continue reading as this article describes how roller skates should fit and other related tips.
How Should Roller Skates Fit?
Roller skates aren’t like conventional shoes, so you can’t slip them on.
How we walk or run in roller skates differs from how we walk or run in shoes because we push forward with our toes and glide with our heels.
They are also much heavier than regular shoes.
This means that if there is space between your toes or heels, your foot will move back and forth in the boot, causing blisters.
It could also make the skate hard to control.
This could be dangerous if the wheels aren’t in the right place and don’t fall under the ball of your foot or right under your heel.
You risk injury to your feet and other problems while skating if your skates are the wrong size.
The general rule of thumb for skate fitting is to get them as snugly as possible without causing pain.
However, the toes should still be able to move up and down.
This is true for all brands and types of skates. Skates have a lot of giving.
Once they’ve stretched, they’ll fit like a glass slipper and be made just for your feet.
Related Reading: How To Clean Roller Skate Wheels – Read About It Here.
Correct Skate Fit
People aren’t always sure if a skate fits right, but these things are normal or good for roller skates and are part of a RIGHT skate fit:
There should be very light pinching or pressure on the sides of the foot or boot.
It’s because the bottom of the boot is shaped differently than your foot.
This may indicate that you must give the fabric time to break before wearing them.
This means 4-6 or more times for suede.
This could take 1–3 months for leather.
This could be anywhere from one to three or more months for vinyl or synthetic fabric.
This, of course, depends on how long each user is.
Try to use them for at least 1–1.5 hours when breaking in your skates.
There isn’t much room to move the foot forward or backward.
You want the skate boot to fit your foot, but you also want it to be comfortable and free to move.
If the toes can move around, then the length is just right.
You can almost touch the end with your toes.
Feeling the end of the boot is like getting a light kiss of pressure, which isn’t much.
That’s fine, as long as it doesn’t feel like your toes will bend or hurt.
Incorrect Skate Fit
We do not recommend the following as signs of a WRONG skate fit:
Pain or Discomfort in General
Your skates should be comfortable to wear and fun to use.
Related Reading: What To Wear Roller Skating – Learn About It Here.
Bent Toes or Not Being Able to Move the Toes Around
This means you are too big for them.
There isn’t enough room for your foot to sit comfortably on the toe of the skate boot.
Even though they stretch and change in width and shape, they won’t get longer.
It’s important to get this right away before we use our skates in a way that makes them look used.
We should also pay attention to the exchange policy’s time limits if we need to get a different size.
There Is Space in Front of or Behind the Toes or Heels
This means that it is too loose to wear.
If you can lift your heel while standing or move your whole foot in the boot, it’s a wrong fit.
Before deciding, check that your roller skate boot’s laces are on the hooks and that it’s tight enough.
Skating in such a boot will be problematic in the long run, as was indicated earlier.
Skates aren’t supposed to hurt at first.
However, most new skaters aren’t used to the feel of the boot’s tightness unless they’ve worn other leather shoes before.
General Sizing Tips
Don’t Be Stingy
Alexander says that if you want good skates, you should spend at least $170, but it’s better to spend between $180 and $200.
Look at what you’re paying, not the inflated “pre-sale” price.
Related Reading: Socks for Roller Skating—Read About Them Here
Look for Adjustable Wheel Frames
Alexander says, “You’ll do much better on skates with a frame that can be moved.”
This will let you adjust the skates to the way you stand.
Natural differences in people’s feet and standing positions can cause skates not to roll straight.
Put your feet together on a moveable frame to make the change and roll forward.
If the skates drop in or out right away, you can fix this by adjusting the frame.
Take a Break
It will take some time to break into a pair of roller skates.
The skates will conform to the shape of your feet during this time, making them more comfortable and improving performance.
You’ll need to use them a few times to break in roller skates fully.
High-end models may take longer to break in because the boot is stiffer, and the padding is more malleable.
Roller Skate Width
Most roller skates only come in one width, which most skaters find just right.
You can find high-priced skates in various width options (narrow, medium, and wide).
Skaters with particularly wide feet may prefer a wide-width skate, although most will find a regular width fits after a few usages.
Related Reading: Best Roller Skate brands – Learn About Them Here.
Final Thoughts
Roller skates are like leather shoes; it needs time to break in.
Use the guidelines to find skates that are a good fit for you.