It’s a common phenomenon of people that when they are done dressing up they look towards their feet and start thinking of shoes. But when it comes to sports, the shoe plays a vital role. You can’t just have that go with the flow nature in case of buying the sports shoes; especially specified shoes like hockey skates. The entire game of Hockey depends on the skating quality. If one wants to be a good hockey player, he needs to be a good skater. Hearing the word skating, the thing that hits the head first is skates. You are looking for the youth size, so we understand that you are searching for the best hockey skates for toddlers. We are here to help you out with the best youth hockey skate reviews.
Things to know about skates :
Hockey skates are not like normal shoes that anyone can go to shop, try them on and then buy. It has so many different specifications. Those are very important to know before buying. Here are some points which are required to keep in mind if you want to get the best youth skates.
- Fit: Best option is to try them on. Though it is not always possible. In that case, the other option is sizing.
- Sizing: First things first, measure the length of your feet. This way you will get the base size of your skate. There are different widths of skates. The width sizes are D, E, EE. Few more things matter; like the heel, ankle, forefoot and instep size.
- Pricing: The lesser the price, the softer the skates. Which means less stability and fewer features. The amount of time spent on ice will help decide how many features one may need. The more features one needs, the more he needs to spend to get the best youth skates for hockey.
How to size your feet:
If you don’t get the perfect size for you, even the best hockey skates for youth won’t work or serve your kid’s needs properly. There are basically 2 methods of sizing youth ice hockey skates.
Method 1:
If you are an adult, then your skate size will be 1.5 sizes less than your normal shoe size like your normal shoe size is 38, then your skate size will be 36.5.
If you are in your teenage years, then your skate size will be 1 size less than your normal shoe.
If you are still not so sure about this method, then we got another one for you.
Method 2 :
This method is called tracing and measuring. Keep your feet on a white paper and trace your feet, holding the pencil straight. Then measure the length and then the width. There’s a universal chart of skates size. Figure out your size, seeing your length and width. Then there comes the volume fact. It’s one of the most important things. For example, you and your friend’s length and width are the same. Still, you two will not fit into the same skate. Because of the volume. The volume matters because of the size of one’s instep, forefoot, heel, and ankle. So measure them as well to get the volume of your feet whether it is narrow, large or mid.
Senior, junior, youth :
Whenever you will look for a skate model, you will definitely find any of these three words added after the model name. These words stand for a basic size group. If you are looking for your kid’s skates, you must be wondering what you should look for; best junior hockey skates or youth hockey skates. Let’s solve that problem first. Youth hockey skates are sized for toddlers and young children (maximum age 9). The junior hockey skates are for children of approximately 7 to 13 years old.
Best hockey skates for youth suggestions:
You are looking for skates for your kid. We can understand your concern. That is why we have got the best picks for you, which will make your kid want to play hockey. We are reviewing the best hockey skates for youth only. You will surely find the best one for your kid here within your budget line.
1. BAUER VAPOR 2X
The model got two LS three stainless steel runners, which are taller than the traditional steel. So you will get a more aggressive turning radius, more custom profiling option, and a longer sharpening life. You will find a quick-release trigger system, which allows you to swap blades within seconds. The steel is connected to a pro TV-out. It gives a good energy transfer, even though it is not composite. One of the greatest upgrades in the boot is, it has CURV composite. CURV is one of the most popular options today for elite-level skaters. It is very lightweight and stiff so you will get a good stride power.
The material is extremely heated moldable and there is protection for preventing high ankle blisters and rubbing injuries. An interesting upgrade inside the boot is they managed to cut out the negative space from the toe part. This will increase the foot and ice connection. For the tongue, they have used injected metatarsal guards and thick foams. All these will give protection against lace bites and will give great comfort. You will get good moisture control, locked-in feel, great forward strides, and comfortable footbed in the boot. It is one of the best hockey skates for youth, for sure.
Pros :
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- Low profile design
- Entire tongue offers comfort and flexibility
- Offers quickness
- Super light
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Cons :
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- Not for the ones who got wide feet.
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2. CCM JETSPEED FT2
This is the first one-piece skates in the JetSpeed family and is one of the best hockey skates for youth. It has no outsole, no stitching. Which offers your feet a different level of comfort. Your skate will work exactly in the way you move your foot. In the lower, you will see a new XS speak blade holder. You will get a quick-release dial to swap blades in no time.
The holder holds the blade in place all game long to make sure the energy transfer works well. There is a huge upgrade in the coverage. You will get a 360-degree comfortable wrap. The top provides superior level protection against lace bites. It is very lightweight because there’s nothing in the visible range to stick things together and the rocket composite material. It is totally a one-piece skate. The moisture control, ventilation and all other comforts are available in the skate.
Pros :
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- Spring lock technology for good balance.
- Short time blade replacement
- Blade with extra height for better performance
- Molded tongue for lace bite protection.
- Highly responsive
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Cons :
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- May not fit in an odd-shaped foot.
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3. BAUER SUPREME 2S
Aggressive players will really like it. This is a design for year-round elite players. The blade bites the ice really well. So players can enjoy every moment on the ice. You will find two LS three stainless steel runners. It is also 3 mm taller so you will find a more turning radius. The light speed edge holder is used which is the most popular trigger system in NHL. You will certainly get a really quick change of blades.
The blade is connected with the full composite outsole, though it has a nylon midsole to make the boot more stiff and rigid. The model gives a truly anatomical shape right out of the box. It is made of CURV composite so it is highly heat-moldable too. So it will provide you amazing fitting from the very beginning. The tenon guard in this model made a debut in Bauer and it is very flexible. So you will find a full back and front stride extension in it. The tongue is called the reflex tongue, a very much protected and comfortable design. The footbed got a grippy texture. All these just reduce all the unnecessary movement inside the boot. So you will have a great energy transfer.
Pros :
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- Pro-grade features with a lower price point
- Trigger for quick blade exchange
- Allows superior stride action
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Cons :
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- Poor sharpening
- Some may find the blade height a bit different, which will take time to adjust
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4. BAUER VAPOR 1X
The model got the most famous holder in the NHL since its debut. It is called 2 edge holder. It has a real level quick-release trigger which allows swapping the blades in a jiffy. The added height in the front and the rear of the blade allows you to have aggressive turns. The blade is attached with a full carbon composite outsole, which is very rigid and light. Moving upwards, you will see CURV composite. It is the most thermoformable material available on the market.
The design of the tongue allows you to bend more and will give you a better attack angle. The skate will wrap around the foot perfectly and will provide a locked-in feel. After baking, the one will find the tongue and insides more comfortable. On the top, you will find a collar with a grippy and comfortable texture which will protect one from the ankle abrasions and blisters. Kids who are growing very quickly and have to spend a lot of time on the ice, this is the best hockey skates for youth for them.
Pros :
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- Releases moisture from the bottom
- Takes less drying time after game
- The ankle fits into the ankle pocket better
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Cons :
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- Metatarsal guard is bit soft
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5. CCM JETSPEED FT480
A two-piece boot with top technologies and solid performance features. It’s basically a low volume foot skate. In case you don’t want to pay high but still want the highest performance from your skates, this pair of skates is worth your consideration and money. In the base, you will see an XS speed blade holder with a quick-release system. The uniqueness comes into the holder design. There is a mechanical lock so that the holder does not move even an inch. Plus in any case, the steel breaks or you have to change it for any other reason, you won’t have to change the entire holder.
You will just have to buy the steel. The outsole is composite so it is light and stiff. There is an extra air vent in the bottom for the junior and youth model to make it more comfortable. For the first time, CCM used 3D lasting rocket composite for the liner. In addition, the memory foams inside make it fit really well so that you don’t almost need to bake it (but I would still recommend doing that). Moving to the tongue, it will give you proper fit, comfort, and lace bite protection. It is made of a 7 mm flex foam. It will also allow you to have full forward extensions. The design is pretty good for players who need to stay on the ice a couple of times a week. Kids really love it, as it is very comfortable. This is definitely the best hockey skates for youth at this price point.
Pros :
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- Low profile fit.
- Runner lasts long; a very important feature for regular players
- Great heel lock
- Excellent energy transfer
- Multi-density padding for extra comfort
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Cons :
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- Not for the wider foot.
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6. CCM TACKS 9060
Right at the gate, you will see an SB 4.0 holder and a removable stainless steel runner. The holder and the runner technology offers better energy transfer. Talking about the outsole, this is an injected concave TPU. You will find an exhaust vent here in the bottom as well. The nylon midsole is still here but it is a meta frame technology this year, which is new to CCM. There is a huge upgrade in the boot. You will find a really good anatomical shape. Which is pretty unexpected at this price point. For the exterior, a synthetic composite has been used. So it is gonna be stiffer, light and obviously good looking. The interior is pretty soft, comfortable and wicks away the moisture pretty well. The tongue is made with regular flex-foam again, well enough to protect from the lace bites. The footbed has a special design just to make sure the ventilation.
Pros:
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- Double-stitched eyelets and tendon guards
- Pretty cheap with all the supreme features
- Advanced level ventilation
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Cons:
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- Not for higher and lower volume foot.
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7. BAUER VAPOR X2.7
At the gate for the very first time in the Bauer Vapor line, you will see a Tuuk edge holder and a quick-release system. All these are connected to a TPU outsole. It will provide better energy transfer and overall stability throughout the game. Moving towards the boot, this is a one-piece polycarb boot with a comfort flex system. It has a great anatomical shape for a perfect fit right out of the box. But they are heat-moldable as well. There is an exciting upgrade in the tongue. It is a two-piece 40 ounce felt tongue. It will give you great protection and pro level feel. Good forward flexes are also available. Moving into the interiors, you will have upgraded liners and ankle pads to provide ultimate comfort, moisture-wicking, and ventilation.
Pros:
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- Perfect for the skill development time
- Affordable
- Very comfortable for the kids
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Cons:
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- Need to follow more instructions for baking
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8. BAUER SUPREME S27
For the first time in this line, we are seeing a lightspeed edge holder and a quick-release trigger of course. The runner blade offers really good durability in comparison to the price. You will see a TPU outsole here. The stiffness is really good for the players who are developing their strides. The 3D injection process gave the boot a very good anatomical shape. It is heat-moldable as well. The tendon guards are flexible enough to allow the player to take great strides. The tongue is good enough to provide the required protection and comfort. The memory foam inside gives a good locked-in feel.
Pros:
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- A great one for the beginners
- Affordable
- Many upgraded features in a low price range
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Cons:
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- Few kids complained about the holder
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After you buy :
After all the research of ice hockey skate reviews, consideration and comparing, you finally have the skates on your hand, but wait before giving that to your kids. There’s still something left for you to do. You need to break the skates. The easiest way to break it is to bake it. You have to put them in a customized oven with a designed (according to foot shape) footbed in it. If your kid is still not comfortable, some hammering will do the job.
The legs are considered to be the most important body part of every moving species. It’s really important to take care of our feet, on which we stand. Shoes play a vital role in our life while buying them we pay extra attention to comfort. Now, shoes for a high paced game like hockey is really important. It needs to be flexible, comfortable and shouldn’t hurt the feet at all. Here money is not important, the protection and comfort of your kid’s feet are important. Cause if you are buying low-quality skates just because it’s cheap which can lead your kid towards an injury; the quality of performance can go down for a lifetime.