*Check our "Sizing" section for more in-depth sizing instructions on a variety of products.

Skate Boots:

It is imperative that girls are sized correctly for boots. There are many opinions out there when it comes to sizing. We have based our opinion on industry professionals, competition speed skaters on our league who have been skating since childhood and personal experience.

For an accurate fit, feet should be measured without shoes or socks, while seated with legs at a 90 degree angle. Once foot is placed on ruler or measuring stick, the skater should stand. The back of the heel should be up against something- such as a wall or stair tread. Measure the LONGEST toe (for some it is the second). It is normal for one foot to be larger. The width of the foot should also be measured to determine whether or not you have a narrow foot. Measure with a cloth tape around the widest part of the foot- the ball and the "bump" below the pinky toe. Be sure to stand so the foot "spreads" and the measurement is accurate.

Boots should be tried on, and broken in, with as thin a sock as possible. Some girls even start barefoot. The boots should be very snug, almost tight. The toes must be up against the front of the boot, but NOT curled, in order to keep the heel seated properly in the heel pocket. For most, they are not comfortable at this point. Remember they are not shoes, they are equipment. Boots can stretch up to a size (for some) as they wear; so the idea is to go through the "pain" of breaking them in at the beginning, because once they are too big, it is a total nightmare. Your foot will slide around, and come up and out of the boot, which can cause blisters and foot cramping due to gripping with one’s toes in attempt to prevent sliding. In addition, you would be using your feet and joints to skate, which can cause pain and injuries in the feet, ankles, shins, knees and hips. The skate is meant to move as one unit with your leg, so your leg does the work, not your foot.

This approach to sizing is what Riedell recommends, and they have been outfitting professional skaters for half a century. Think about an ice skater - their equipment must be part of the foot, and they wear nylon stockings. It is the same with roller skates. Both Sarah and I thought we were a size 6, because we followed the "formula" many use and went a size down from our street shoes. We now wear a size 4 split-last, meaning a narrow heel (Sarah/ Wile E.) and a 4.5 Narrow (Jenny/ La Petite Mort). Our joints don’t bother us as much and we don’t grip the boot with the toes and get foot cramps. We are finding that quite a few girls on our league are in boots that are too big, and the ones who have been fitted properly and are now in the correct size boots are much happier.

To see if your skates are too big (if they are working well for you, there is no need to change them), take out the insole and look at your footprint. If there is more than half a thumb to a thumbs width (holding the thumb sideways between the longest toe print and the top of the insole), they are probably too big. If there is a mark in the heel or the ball of the foot making it clear your heel and ball slide around, or if your laces are touching each other, they are too big.

Don’t panic. As stated above -if they are working for you- by all means stay in them.