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Equipment and Maintenance

Please scroll to learn more about the equipment required for figure skating. 

01

SKATE BOOTS

  • Skates must be purchased from a figure skating specialty store. Feel free to ask me for recommendations. These stores can provide expertise regarding the correct boots and blades to purchase for each skater’s level.

  • Skates are generally one size smaller than street shoe size.

  • Variations in skate boot brands are explained in this helpful chart, but it’s always best to discuss with the experts before purchasing.

  • Replacing figure skates depends on many factors: the wear and tear of the boot, if the skater has outgrown their current size, and how frequently the skater is on the ice.

  • Skate laces should be replaced every year because older laces do not tie as tightly as new laces.

02

BLADES

  • It’s recommended that blades be sharpened every 20-30 hours of use, or when the skater feels they have lost their edge.

  • Skates must be sharpened at a specialty skating store and NOT Canadian Tire or Sport Chek.

  • Skaters can tell when their blade has lost its edge when their feet slide when they try to stop, when their spins cannot remain centred, or when they slide and fall on shallow edges.

  • Skaters should always protect blades with hard skate guards when walking on any surface that isn’t the ice.

  • After removing skates, blades should be protected with soft skate guards during storage.

03

HELMETS

  • Once skaters pass Stage 5 CanSkate, they are not required to wear helmets on the ice.

  • Skaters comfort level and safety comes first, so skaters may wear helmets or other protective headgear for as long as they would like.

04

GLOVES

  • Skaters must wear gloves on the ice during practice. This protects their hands when they fall both from rough ice, and from other skaters’ blades.

  • During competition and program tests, skaters must remove their gloves.

05

COSTUMES

  • Costumes are meant to add character, movement, and artistic program component value in a solo. Plus, they’re pretty and fun!

  • Costumes should be chosen based on comfort and their relatability to the skater’s program music.

  • The best place to purchase figure skating costumes would be at a skating specialty store, or a community buying forum, such as Facebook Marketplace.

  • Figure skating costumes can range in price from $50-$200 depending on where they are purchased.

06

TIGHTS AND SOCKS

  • When wearing a skating dress or skirt, skaters are required to wear flesh-coloured tights to protect their legs.

  • My favourite brand is Mondor, particularly their bamboo tights. They are warm, lightweight, and dry quickly.

  • For regular skating sessions, thin socks that are high enough to cover the skater's ankles are highly recommended.

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