Help with soft ice

[Markyhockey2]

Hello, I’m new to the hfboards and was hoping to get some help on a question. I recently had a game at a rink that was very hot and also had very soft ice. I had my regular skate sharpening of 1/2 inch, but I found that it was very difficult for me to stop, turn, or cut without falling down. I’m used to skating on harder ice in a cold rink and have had no problems like this before. I have read that it’s usually the opposite for people wdjusting to soft ice meaning that they feel like they have too much edge as they’re digging into the soft ice more, but this is not the case for me. Just wanted to know if I’d be better off switching to a 7/16 inch sharpening for my next game on the soft ice. Thanks

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[swoopster]

Yes, its quite an experience to play in a warmer, "slow ice" rink for the first time. Having played at a school with such ice, I found it equally hard getting out on a " hard ice" surface. I'm a big guy, 6'2" 210lb guy that liked the softer ice cause it slowed the game up a bit. My skates never had to be very sharp playing on the slow surface as compared to the fast. It was also quite amusing to see an opposing team "overheat", as they typically had on heavier under garments, with us playing in t shirts and slighty lighter padding.

Is there an answer...no,... but now you are aware of playing in somebody else's rink, and you'll adjust on the next visit.

 

[ref88]

Go 5/8

 

[Rookie109]

Flat bottom V - once you try it you'll probably stick with it.

In the summer if I go traditional, I go 11/16 for the softer ice. I'm about 200 pounds, 6'4.

 

[biturbo19]

I've never played in a truly "hot" building. But i've never felt that changing my skate hollow outside my norm was going to fix anything for me either. Bad ice is bad ice, as a far as i'm concerned. Just play it as such. Get a feel for it, and adjust to what you're going to be able to do...and what the puck is going to do.

And then curse all bad ice arenas and do a rant about how they'd be better if they were in Canada i guess.

 

[Tacks92]

Flat bottom V - once you try it you'll probably stick with it.

In the summer if I go traditional, I go 11/16 for the softer ice. I'm about 200 pounds, 6'4.

What FBV do you use in the summer?

 

[Rookie109]

What FBV do you use in the summer?

It kind of depends, I prefer flat bottom V most of the time. The reason I've gone to 11/16th in the summer, is the rink my summer team plays at - they don't offer flat bottom V there. The guy there said 11/16th would be good for a guy my size and I agree. Hah, I got my skates sharpened yesterday, sticking with flat bottom V for now. The glide is too good