Which skates are easier for just plain old ice skating? Figure skates or Hockey skates?

Question

I tried Figure skates my first time (was on 9-21-07) and i learned how to walk and glide, then i saw all these people just going fast with hockey skates, i might go with people on friday again, i just wanna no which skates are easier for just plain old ice skating, no tricks or ne thin

Answer 1

Figure skates are definitely easier for plain old skating . . . especially if you are a beginner and do not have a preference to either just yet. Of course hockey skaters will say hockey skates are easier - that is what they are used to. But they are right that it can be a bit difficult switching from hockey to figure. I'll try to explain without being biased!

Figure: The length of the blade (passed the heel in back around an inch), the toe picks up front, and flatness (though we do have a curve on it) make it easier to balance - even to just stand up.
Hockey: The blades are actually narrower, shorter (nearly same length as the boot), and rounded (no heel or toepicks or anything to stop you from rolling over frontwards or backwards). These are designed to give the hockey skaters freedom to move abruptly and quickly - more freedom means a skater needs more control.

Figure: Top hooks give more support in the boot.
Hockey: Top is laced through eyelets - no hooks - the extra support is not needed because they don't do jumps and spins like figure skaters. The foot feels looser in the boot - compared to figure skates.

I tried hockey skates . . . and oh I was just falling all over the place with hockey skates. I instantly had new respect for hockey skaters - wink!

Hey, glad you decided to give skating a go! Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Depends... Are you a beginner? Most beginners think figure skates are easier, primarily because they have relatively flat blades while hockey skates have visibly curved blades. The flat blade means that you'll have to worry a little bit less about falling on your butt (or your head) by accidentally leaning back or putting too much pressure on your heels. That said, however, if you can remember to always keep your knees a little bent (which is the ideal way to skate on either kind of skate anyway) you will be able to avoid a nasty backwards spill, and then at least in terms of rentals a hockey skate is probably a better choice. This is because you're going to want a lot of ankle support, and rental figure skates are often bad to the point of floppy (if the top of the skate flops over without a foot in it, it has BAD ankle support!). If you're not a beginner, then there really is no "easier" skate, and your choice depends mostly on what you're interested in doing. Also... the toepick (pointy bit on the front of a figure skate) is really not intended to be used as a brake, and if you use it as such, you'll make holes and bumpy spots in the ice which could trip you up later...

Answer 3

Figure Skates are easier than hockey skates because the figure skate blade is longer than the hockey skate blade, and figure skates also have a toe pick which can help you keep your balance better. The people whom where on hockey skates have probably had quite a bit of practice, I'm a figure skater and I can't even skate on hockey skates very well!

Answer 4

To a non-skater, figure skates are going to be the easiest to skate with. Believe it or not, that toe pick will not get in your way or hinder you as many think it will. It's not big enough. ;-) It will actually help as the natural instinct is to push straight back, and if you do that in hockey skates you'll end up falling. Hockey skates have a shorter, rounder blade that is harder to balance on with little to no skating experience.

Answer 5

Hockey skates have no razor teeth in the front of the blades, figure skates do, with hockey skates you need to know the trick on how to accelerate. They have their own little quirks. Figure skates have those teeth and are designed just for that figures.

Answer 6

I've tried both...I prefer figure skates, but it really is a matter of preference. In hockey skates, you really have to keep your knees bent and make sure you're pushing off your edges. In figure skates, you can get away with pushing off your toes -- it ain't pretty -- but you can get away with it. Hockey skates are going to be more like pushing on rollerblades. If you're going back to skate, you'll probably have to re-adjust to the hockey skates if you go with them this time.

Answer 7

I have only ever used figure skates, but you should try both, and choose which you like best. No one can tell but you.
♥

Answer 8

Try out both, but don't switch on and off too much unless you think that's best. Getting used to one would prolly be better for your skating.

Answer 9

i'm not just saying this cuz i'm an ice skater, but i pretty much think that figure skates are easier!! much easier! (not the sport but the skates!) but i wouldn't try using hockey OR figure skates unless your sure you want to do it and your sure oyu can be carefyl, don't just start speeding and not know what your doing!! it can be dangerous!! but i have my own riedell figure skates, and they are still clean and in good condition!! well good luck!!

P.S.: no one get offended or anything but usually when i see boys skating (ice skating) i usually think its kind of creepy and it makes them look girly! no affense, but i have no idea even why boys do ice skating or bellet, it just looks wierd and un-boy like!

Answer 10

hockey skates, no toe pick to get in the way~

But I'm a bias hockey player so!