HOW TO MAKE OLD SKATES NEW AGAIN

Skating is a great cardiovascular exercise to do in the winter. The gliding motion of skating is easier on the joints than running is and if you skate on an outdoor ice pad, you will likely get a healthy dose of Vitamin D from the sun (something most of us don’t get enough of during the winter months).

However, many of us don’t want to fork out money for a new pair of skates. Whether you have an old uncomfortable pair or buy some used skates from Play It Again Sports, here is something you can do to make them MUCH more comfortable:

Trust me…I have an old pair of skates that, before this winter, I hadn’t worn in a very long time! They still fit but the gel and leather material around the ankle was very painful. So, I decided to do follow the steps of a solution I heard about when I was a kid…and it worked!!! My skates feel brand new!!!
1. Fill a bucket or bathtub with hot water and place your skates in it for 20-30 minutes.

2. Prepare an area in your home where you can sit and walk around with soaked skates on. Skate guards and a non-carpeted floor are best, but you can lay out old towels if you have to. Don’t go outside, your feet will freeze!

3. Remove skates from water

4. Put skates on (over socks)

5. Tie the laces up as tightly as you can.

6. For 20 minutes (the longer the better) read a book (or whatever) while rotating your ankles and walk around a bit. The idea is to let the hot (and now soft pliable leather) mold itself to the shape of your ankle and foot. You have to move your foot around to make sure the materials will accommodate the ankle motion needed for skating.

7. Remove your skates and lay them our somewhere where they can dry. It might take over 24hrs for the skates to fully dry out, but it will be totally worth it!
Don’t worry you can’t ruin your skates by doing this. However, you might want to wipe the blades with a towel when you set the skates out to dry. Happy skating!