How to Find Your Hockey Skate Size at Home

There are two methods you can use to find your hockey skate size at home. The first method is the quickest; all you need to know is your shoe size but preferably dress shoe size since they tend to be more accurate. The second method is a bit more advanced since it requires you to trace and measure your feet, however, it provides the most accurate measurement.

Generally speaking, senior hockey skates fit 1.5 sizes down from a men's shoe size while junior and youth hockey skates fit 1.0 size down from a boy's shoe size. For example, a player wearing a size 8.0 men's shoe size would select a senior size 6.5 hockey skate. For Junior or youth players who have quickly growing feet, selecting a skate only a half size down is an option to allow extra room for growth.

Keep in mind hockey skates sizes vary between manufacturers so it is important to always check each product page for that specific skate's sizing information. Generally speaking, a vast majority of players should fit well in a Medium Volume Fitting skate in the Standard D, R or E width.

This is the most advanced and accurate way of finding out your skate size not just in terms of length, but width and fit type too. All you will need to get started is a hard surface to stand on, a blank piece of paper, a pen/pencil, and a measuring tape or a ruler.

Step 1. Place the paper on a hard surface.

Step 2. If you wear skate socks, put them on now and then step onto the paper so that your entire foot fits on it with spare room around the entire foot.

Step 3. While standing, take the pen or pencil and begin tracing. Keep the pen/pencil perpendicular to the paper while you outline your foot. Keeping it perpendicular prevents you from measuring underneath your foot, which would give you an inaccurate foot outline.

Step 4. Measure in centimeters the distance from the furthest point of your toes to the end of the heel. This will be your foot length measurement. Now measure the widest point of your forefoot, this is your foot width measurement.

Step 5. Repeat Steps 1-4 for your other foot. This can be done on either the backside of the paper that was just used or you can use a new, blank piece.

Step 6. Take your Left Foot Length Measurement and divide it by your Left Foot Width Measurement, this is your Left Foot Width Ratio. Repeat this step for your right foot to get your Right Foot Width Ratio.

Now that we have your length measurements, width measurements, and your width ratio for both feet, it is time to find your skate size. Use the longest length measurement of the two and compare it to the "Length in Centimeters" column in the hockey skate size charts below. If your foot length is longer than 25.1cm, use the Senior chart. For foot lengths 24.7cm or shorter, use the Junior & Youth chart.

Now that we know your skate size, we need to find the right type of skate fit that matches your foot, using your width ratio. This number, which is your foot's length divided by its width, indicates how wide your foot is compared to how long it is. Use the chart below by corresponding your foot width ratio to find your hockey skate fit type.

High Volume

If your width ratio is less than 2.5, you are in the High Volume skate category because you have a wide foot.

Players that have a width ratio just slightly less than 2.5 can opt to get a Medium Volume skate in the EE width to help accommodate their foot.

Medium Volume

If your width ratio is between 2.5 and 3.0, you are in the Medium Volume skate category because you have a standard width foot.

For players that have a width ratio just slightly less than 3.0, they can opt to get a Low Volume skate in the EE width to help accommodate their foot.

For players that have a width ratio just slightly higher than 2.5, they have a slightly wider foot and may want to go with an EE skate width in a Medium Volume Skate or a D width in a High Volume skate.

Low Volume

If your width ratio is greater than 3.0, you are in the Low Volume skate category because you have a narrow foot.

For players that have a width ratio just slightly higher than 3.0, they may want to go with an EE skate width in a Low Volume skate or a D width in a Medium Volume skate.

Note: While a majority of standard fitting skates should suit you, in-step height is another area to consider when purchasing skates. If you know you have a high in-step or if you have been prone to lace-bite in the past; going with a High Volume skate or an EE-width Medium Width skate may be your best choice.

D and EE width sizes are the most common in the hockey market, with D representing the standard width for a given skate line and EE representing a 3/16" wider fit than D.

The important thing to remember is skate manufacturers will use these two width sizes (plus a handful of others listed in the chart below) in all of their skate families, which themselves vary in width within a manufacturer.

Bauer, for example, has Vapor, Supreme and Nexus Skate Lines that represent Narrow, Standard and Wide fitting skates respectively, and with each skate available with D and EE widths. With each type of skate fit utilizing D and EE widths, the gaps between Low Volume to Medium Volume and Medium Volume to High Volume aren't as significant. This provides consumers with plenty of options to choose from and a skate that is sure to fit.

Now that you have your skate size, skate fit, and skate width dialed in, you can use the link below to browse our skate offering by fit profile so you can quickly and easily find the skate that will fit your foot the best! If you have any questions or concerns, our customer service department is waiting to answer and help you as best as we can! Please do not hesitate to email us at Info@IceWarehouse.com or call us toll-free at 800-366-3070.