There have been a lot of inventive creations over the years in the sport of hockey. Magazines have been used as shin pads, cow manure as hockey pucks, onion bags as hockey nets, and canes as hockey sticks. However, one piece of equipment you can’t really substitute is your skates. They have evolved over the years though, as skate blades were first attached to people’s boots with straps and buckles. These early skates usually consisted of two blades on each foot. Around 1900, the tube skate was introduced, which was a skating boot with a single blade attached to it.
Today, hockey skates consist of three basic parts, the interior boot, the exterior holder and the attachable blade. The insides of skates are padded and the stiff outer boots are designed for protection and support. Most skates are made of a combination of leather and synthetic materials and the blades are made with stainless steel. However if you keep skate guards on your blades the blades may rust as the guards usually hold moisture in. Like other hockey equipment, you need to buy skates which fit your style of play. If you are buying skates for a child remember they are still growing and don't usually need as much protection in their skates as teenagers or adults. It's not really a good idea to buy top of the line skates for beginners. However, it’s essential you get the proper skate size for a child as the wrong size will hamper their skating ability and could cause injury. Remember that goalies need to wear special skates made for their position.
