Socks.
Knee-highs.
Nylons.
Whatever you call them, your socks play a HUGE role in keeping your feet dry, warm, and comfortable in your skates! Skates are a different fit than shoes. Inside the boot there’s not much room between your foot and the skate. If you’re noticing something is off in your fit, usually the sock is one of the first things we look at as a contributing factor. What could your sock have to do with it?
Here’s 5 ways we’ve noticed socks affect your skates’ fit!
Material
The textile your sock is made of affects the fit of your skates. Socks with a textured, grippy material can hold on to the skate lining as you settle your foot in the boot. This causes your foot to feel ultra-swaddled and like the skate is too tight, but it’s just your sock! Socks with a smooth weave will slide into the skate without affecting your foot’s feel or your toes.
2. Thickness
The thickness of the sock will affect how much space your foot has in the skate. There isn’t very much space to begin with, so every thread of sock needs to have a purpose!
Contrary to popular belief, in figure skates you don’t need a thick, bulky sock to keep your foot warm.
Heavy wool ski socks?
Nope.
Fuzzy slipper socks?
No thanks.
If your sock is too thick in a snug figure skating boot it’ll actually start cutting off your circulation and make your foot colder!
We tell skaters that the thinner, the better. This way their foot is covered and insulated with a fine layer, and they get more feeling and input from the skate about their blade interacting with the ice.
Which sock below do you think is the better thickness for skating?
3. Height
The socks you wear while figure skating should be tall!
And for two very good reasons.
First, if they’re tall and reach midway up your shin they act as another insulating layer to keep your muscles warm.
Second, they should be at least as tall as your skate so the sock can cushion the top of your ankle, shin, and tendons from the firm skate collar.
Low ankle socks can sometimes cause a problem that makes you think your skates are too tight at the hooks/ankle area. The elastic or the opening ridge is bulky. When in a sneaker or a relaxed street shoe/boot, your foot might not notice. When within the firm hold of a figure skate? Your ankle probably won’t be too happy with you! That ridge can press into the bony area of your ankle and irritate the foot.
Protect your legs with tall socks and keep the lacing at the top snug for security!
4. Toe Seam
We hear this one a LOT from kids first starting and adults who are desperate for comfort on their feet.
The ripply toe seam on most socks is NOTORIOUS for pressing on toes, rubbing, and causing irritation when you’re having enough trouble staying upright! This can make you feel like your skates are too small, or like your toes are curling up on each other to make room.
If this sounds like something you’ve experienced, ask us about our seamless skating socks.
Designed for skaters who hate having anything around their toes (or who hate socks in general and wish they didn’t have to wear them) we have socks that are gentle and barely there on your foot. The seam is flat and the sock doesn’t create any pressure on your toes.
5. Tension
This one is a bit strange, but hold on for the ride because how tight your sock is on your foot can affect your skate fit.
Curl up your toes. Clench them like you’re trying to pick up a pencil from the floor. Yes, do it! Count to 5, and then relax them. Feels good to relax, right?
Socks can pull your toes to the curled position and make them stay there without you even noticing it.
Yes, really!
We see this in kids during fittings when we tell them to relax their toes, and they say, “They are relaxed!” Must be the sock.
When you put your socks on be careful not to be pulling them so tight that they don’t let your toes lay flat. Best way to do this is to pull them over your foot as you usually would, and then pinch the toe and tug.
This prevents your sock from making your skate feel tight in the toe when in reality your toe feels tight in the sock!
Next time you’re lacing up your skates take a moment to assess how your sock is feeling!
Is the material comfortable and compatible with your skate?
Is your sock the appropriate thickness for your comfort?
Does your sock come up high enough over the top of your skate so your leg won’t be irritated?
Are your toes comfortable? Or do you feel a toe seam causing irritation?
Is your sock pulling your toes back? Or can your toes relax?
If you have more questions about skate socks or are in the market for a new pair we are here to help! Call the shop at 716-636-3000 or book a Comfort Adjustment Appointment here to see if it’s the sock or the skate!
The Skater’s Edge is Buffalo and Western New York’s one-stop figure skating store for new ice skates, competitive figure skates, and skate sharpening. The skate shop carries Riedell, Jackson, and Edea skates, as well as skating apparel and accessories. With technicians trained by a master sharpener of over 30 years, trust The Skater’s Edge with your next figure skate fitting, figure skate sharpening, hockey skate sharpening or hockey skate repair, as well as shaping your hockey blade radius or profiling.