About Us

ASK MR. EDGE

March 2008

Mr. Edge is a qualified skate technician with years and years of experience. He can answer your questions on boots, blades and foot problems related to your equipment. Questions will be answered in SKATING magazine and later posted on the web site.



I'd like to offer a few tips on what to look for when it comes to your child's growing feet.

Over the years I've developed an approach that, while not 100 percent reliable, is at least in the 90-percent range in terms of when you can expect your child's feet to grow.

First, take note on which month and date your child changes street shoe size. Also, note the past and current size.

Once you know this, expect another growth spurt about the same time next year. Just how much, no one can predict. However, girls will have a substantial growth spurt between ages 9 and 12, anywhere from a half to 1 ½ sizes, just about overnight. The good news is that most girls' feet stop growing by age 13 or 14.

One note of particular importance is that if your child fits into his or her skates even after he or she has changed shoe sizes, then their skates were too long to begin with. The question is, why they were long to begin with? (Buyers beware! It's quite common for someone to sell you a skate much longer in length in order to accommodate the width.) If they don't break down, your child may get a few more months out of them. You also need to keep in mind that parents usually buy shoes too big for their child, which is the reason kids almost never grow out of their skates at the same time they do their street shoes. This applies to both girls and boys.

Boys are all over the chart. Their feet can grow as many as three times in one year. On many occasions, I've had boys whose feet have grown twice in one year. I find it quite common for boys' feet to keep growing until age 17 or 18.

No matter if your child is male or female, once you suspect his or her feet are starting to grow, wait at least two weeks before having them measured.

When your child grows out of his or her skating boots, you have three options:

  • Buy new boots
  • Split and cut the toe seams to create a flap so the big toe can hang out the front
  • Stretch the boots
Depending on how tight they are, most people will choose option 1 or 3. Remembering that a majority of parents aren't quite sure how much room their child had in their street shoes, let alone his or her skating boots, that means the skating boots may be able to be stretched far enough to last a few more months or just enough to give some relief until the new boots arrive.

Of course, there is a special device that was developed for the skate industry that can stretch boots out just about a full half size. I've named mine DAS Boot Stretcher.

Depending on the boot, it can take anywhere from about a half hour to overnight to stretch them out enough to where the stretch will hold. The easiest boots to stretch are those that are truly heat moldable. Once heated up for about five minutes at 180 degrees, they can be placed on the stretcher, stretched and, once cooled down, they're done. Full leather boots need to be sprayed with a special boot stretch solution and should remain on the stretcher anywhere from 24-36 hours.

Mr. Edge

Mr. Edge and all related elements are property of Arena Sports & Consulting Services, Inc. ©2013. Send your questions to Mr. Edge via mail (Ask Mr. Edge, SKATING magazine, 20 First Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80906); FAX (719) 635-9548 or e-mail them online.

The opinions of Mr. Edge are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the U.S. Figure Skating or SKATING magazine. Remember, if you have problems with your feet, check with a doctor – the problem may very well be with your boot, but it could be more serious. Check with your local pro shop for more information about boots and blades.