How to Bake Hockey Skates Twice
You can bake hockey skates twice, but it’s best to do it one at a time. This helps to prevent overheating the materials and causing them to break down. This is especially important if you’re baking low-end skates as they may not be made to handle the temperatures needed for the process.
You Need To Do This
Before you can start this process, you’ll need to prepare your oven. This involves preheating it to a low temperature, about 80degC. You’ll also need a pair of oven gloves to avoid burning yourself.
Once your oven is preheated, switch it off and wait around 30 seconds to a minute before you put the first skate into the oven. You’ll need a standard baking tray covered in greaseproof paper for this process.
Set your timer for 4-5 minutes. This will give the material time to soften and flex so that it can mold to your foot.
During this time, you should keep an eye on the boot to make sure it doesn’t overheat. If it gets too hot, pull it out of the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before checking again.
When the 4-5 minutes are up, you’ll want to check the stiffness of the material that was softened and molded by the heat. If it’s still not stiff, you’ll need to leave it in the oven for another few minutes.
This is why you should only bake a pair of skates at a time, so that you can focus on getting the perfect mold for your skates. It’s also worth remembering that this process will not work on all skates.
If you’re buying a new pair of skates, it’s always a good idea to take your feet into the shop and have them measured. This will allow you to know what size skates you need and which brands are likely to fit you best.
You can get this done at a pro shop, Pure Hockey, or even at your local hockey club. Having this done before you buy will help you to get the right fit for your skates and ensure that they’re comfortable as soon as you put them on.
Ideally, you’ll have a pair of skates that are made from high-quality materials. If you’re on a tight budget, it might be worth spending a little more to find a pair that can handle the heat and the re-baking process.
The only downside to this process is that it can take a while. You may need to wait up to 24 hours for the materials that have been molded to your foot to harden. If you plan on playing in your skates within that timeframe, it’s best to bake them at a different time.
After baking, it’s best to leave them out of the oven for a few hours before you use them. This will give the materials that were softened by the baking process time to harden and form the skate to your foot.
