Riedell Skate Guide: Choosing, Sizing & Care

The right Riedell skates should suit your feet, your skating, and the skills you are developing. Use this guide to compare options, check fit, and care for your equipment.

Choose a model · Sizing & widths · At-home fit check · Lacing · Break-in & heat molding · Care · Get help

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Which Riedell model should I choose?

Start with your skating discipline, current skills, training hours, body size, and coach's recommendations. Riedell's support ratings describe boot firmness on a scale up to 100. A higher number is not automatically a better choice, and ratings should not be treated as direct equivalents across brands.

These are starting points for a fitting conversation, not guarantees that a particular boot will suit every skater performing the same jump.

Ice dance, synchro, and coaching may call for a different collar or flex profile. Ask us about Dance, Flair, Synchro, Instructor, or custom options. Model availability and configurations vary; check the individual listing and contact us about timing for special orders.

Are blades included?

A boot-only listing requires blades to be purchased and mounted separately. A skate set includes the blade specified in that listing. We offer both Lyra sets with Eclipse Vesta blades and Lyra boots without blades. Stride and Motion also have multiple configurations. Confirm the exact package before ordering.

Changing brands or boot designs can change the blade length you need. Ask us to confirm blade compatibility before transferring your existing blades.

Riedell sizing and widths

Measure both feet and use the chart for the model you are considering. Shoe size or another skate brand's size cannot confirm Riedell fit. Width options also vary by model and size; a width letter alone does not describe the entire fit.

View our skate size charts or use the official Riedell fitting resources. Charts are a starting point. For growing children, ask us to assess appropriate room rather than ordering oversized boots.

Check your fit before skating

• Your heel should feel secure during a gentle knee bend.
• Your toes should lie flat with slight movement, without the foot sliding.
• Check comfort at the ball of the foot, arch, ankles, and heel.
• Contact us about persistent heel lift, numbness, cramping, or a concentrated pressure point.

Need help checking your current size? Send your model, size, width, and photos of both feet standing on their corresponding removed insoles, with heels aligned. Take photos straight down so the entire foot and insole are visible. Add front views of the laced boots and tell us where discomfort occurs. Insole photos help us review fit; we may request measurements or additional views.

Check fit indoors before skating or having services performed. Read our return policy before using or modifying your skates.

Lacing for control and knee bend

Seat your heel fully, then work upward with even, snug tension through the eyelets. Use medium tension at the hooks so the ankle can flex. Avoid overtightening to compensate for a loose boot. Numbness or painful lace pressure means the fit or tension needs review.

Fully loosen the laces before taking boots off. Our shop recommends replacing laces when they are frayed, rolled, dirty, or no longer hold tension. Choose the correct length for your Riedell model and size; keep a spare pair in your bag. Shop skate laces.

Break-in and heat molding depend on the model

Break-in time varies. Contact us if a specific area hurts rather than assuming every pressure point will disappear with use. A fitter can determine whether an adjustment is appropriate.

Many Riedell leather boots can be heat molded by a trained fitter. Elara and Vega must not be heated in a skate oven. Riedell specifies localized adjustments by a trained specialist for these pre-formed models. Other models need their own instructions; do not apply one boot's heating procedure to another.

Ask us before attempting heat adjustments at home. Heat molding refines a suitable fit; it does not correct an incorrectly selected size.

After every skate

1. Use hard guards for walking off the ice where blade protection is needed.
2. Remove guards and dry the blades, mounting plates, and boot surfaces. Wipe the blades again as condensation forms.
3. Use dry soft soakers for transport. Never store blades in hard guards, which trap moisture.
4. At home, unpack the skates, loosen laces, and open the tongues. Let boots dry at room temperature.

Outsole care varies: Riedell recommends Sno-Seal for leather outsoles before blade mounting. Hydro-Shield and PVC outsoles do not require it. Ask us which treatment suits your boots.

Have blades sharpened by a trained skate technician and ask for an inspection if hardware loosens or the boots develop unusual wear. Shop guards · Shop soakers.

Let us help you choose

Tell us your current skates, what you are working on, weekly skating hours, and any fit concerns. Our Edges & Dreams team can help you compare models and arrange fitting support.

Start a virtual fitting · Book an in-person appointment · Contact us

Official Riedell resources

This IceSk8 guide combines manufacturer information with our shop's fitting advice. Read Riedell's boot selection guide, fitting and lacing guidance, FAQs, and care instructions for further details.