How skates should fit, and how skate sizing works

Measure late in the day, standing, in the socks you skate in. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) advises choosing boot size at the end of the day or after training, when feet are at their largest, and wearing the same type of sock you will skate in. Edea says a foot under load and in warm conditions can be 5% larger than a static morning measurement, so it recommends measuring in the late afternoon.

Jackson Ultima's method is typical: stand on a sheet of paper, have someone mark your heel and longest toe with the pen held straight up and down, measure the distance, repeat for the other foot, and size from the longer foot. Jackson adds that you should never choose a size shorter than your longest foot. Riedell's roller guide asks for length measured standing, width measured sitting, and a helper for accuracy.

Learn to Skate USA's rule of thumb is that the closer the fit, the more control: the boot should be snug, the toes should have just enough room to wiggle without pinching, and the heel should sit far back without moving. The AAOS says the heel should not move up and down while skating.

Brands put numbers on it. Riedell says a figure boot is long enough when there is no more than 1/4 inch of extra length for adults and 3/8 inch for children, and that it should be snug in the heel, arch and ball of the foot. Edea checks the insole imprint: a clear imprint no more than 10 mm from the end is right, and a bigger gap means the boot is too big. For roller boots, Riedell says the toes may come close to the front and lightly touch without curling.

These are the plain rules each brand publishes, or a direct reading of its chart's rows. Models within a brand can differ, so always check the chart for the exact skate.

Rental skates are designed to fit a wide range of feet, and Learn to Skate USA notes that shoe size does not necessarily match skate size. Try the size the counter suggests, lace it fully, and swap if your heel lifts or your toes curl. Rental ranges vary: Bryant Park's rink in New York lists kids 6T-7T, big kids 1-4 and adults 5-14, and the Overlook Activities Center roller rink in Pennsylvania has said it does not stock half sizes.

Riedell calls buying skates too large so a child can grow into them a mistake. It says oversized skates bring poor performance, discomfort, possible injury and early breakdown, and advises buying skates that will last the season, but no longer. Edea recommends no more than 10 mm of growth room, at most two of its sizes, noting that a child's foot grows less than 1 mm a month by about age 10, so 10 mm generally covers a year. Risport allows up to 15 mm over foot length for children when no Risport measuring device is used.

Fit also depends on lacing. Learn to Skate USA advises tapping the heel back, keeping laces snug over the front of the foot, through the ankle and the bottom hooks, and leaving the top two hooks a little looser so the ankle can flex. Riedell warns that boots laced too tightly cause numbness and pain, and suggests a couple of cross twists at the top of the eyelets to hold the heel in place. Edea adds that over-tightening laces at the toes to make up for a boot that is too big leaves the boot with a pointed tip.

Leather boots mold to the foot as you skate; Riedell says the break-in period varies by skater and recommends having new boots fitted and heat molded by an authorized dealer.