Where can I buy "Graf" ice hockey skates in Midtown, NYC?

New (Ice only) hockey player. Rec or 'Hockey' inline skates for cross training?

• Its been a few years since I've played Ice hockey and now I am getting back into it. Unfortunately I am WAY out of shape. I am getting some rollerblades for cross training and am trying to decide if I should buy 'hockey' skates or 'fitness' skates? The hockey skates will feel more like my ice hockey skates, but if I am just doing it for the conditioning and regaining some leg muscle will it matter? I'd certainly enjoy the skating more in the comfortable fitness skates... *Other details* - I am 26 so I will NOT be playing any pickup roller hockey with the neighborhood kids. Also the Ice hockey rink is closer than any roller hockey places (and cheaper) so I will be doing 'Rat' hockey there. Lastly I will be joining an adult 'Rec' league with minimal on ice practice time, but do these men's teams usually practice on inline skates? Thanks!!

• Answer:

  It sounds to me like you may as well go with the fitness skates. There are two main differences between ice hockey skates and fitness skates. 1) The boot material. Fitness skates, as you mentioned, are generally designed more for comfort and flexibility. Hockey skates have a rigid boot for more support, and protection. 2) The wheel sizes. Fitness skates will often have slightly larger wheels than hockey skates. Also, hockey skates tend to use a high-low setup, where the front wheels are smaller than the back wheels. This will push your weight a bit further forward on your toes. Both these differences (wheel size and high-low setup) make for better cornering and stopping in hockey skates. Rec skates will have better straight away speed by contrast. A standard setup might be 72mm for your front two wheels with hockey skates, and 76mm at the back. Rec/fitness skates will often have 80mm size wheels, though they can go bigger. I have a pair of rec skates with 90mm wheels, and my inline speed skates have 110mm wheels. Larger wheels means more inertia when you're rolling and a wider stride, but they also make it more difficult to accelerate and put a bit more stress on your ankles since you're higher off the ground (probably shouldn't be an issue if you're comfortable skating). One other thing to consider is that hockey skates with a high-low setup generally come with wheels that are designed for inline rinks. Not only that, but the frame will only accept that specific high-low setup, which means you're stuck with it. Hockey wheels are often softer to give you more grip on smooth hockey surfaces, so if you're using it on the street frequently you'll find you wear through your wheels a lot faster. If you plan on skating a lot, I'd recommend you buy wheels that have at least an 83A durometer rating (the higher the number, the harder the wheel). There are hockey wheels that hard, but they're hard to find and you might have to order them online. Also, if you want to aim for a bit of a hybrid, you can buy some rec/fitness skates and then modify them by putting a splint between the frame and the boot at the back. This will create the high-low feeling, and keep your weight positioned further forward so your rec skates feel more like hockey skates. But you'll still have the benefits of a softer boot and (if you choose) larger wheels.