When choosing hockey shoes you have to take into account different aspects. Important aspects of hockey shoes are shock absorption, stability and support, comfort, protection and grip. If you take these points into account, you will be able to find a hockey shoe that fits well more quickly. A hockey shoe that fits well prevents many injuries!
Shock absorption
Good shock absorption is important for absorbing the forces released during hockey. The surface, your weight and your gait patterns determine whether you should pay extra attention to the cushioning capacity of a hockey shoe when buying your new hockey shoes. If the surface is hard, as with artificial grass, or if you are quite heavy or if you take ‘high’ steps and thus ‘heavily’ land on your feet, it is important that the thickness of the midsole is higher than average.
Support and stability
The support and stability of a shoe determines how quickly you can sprain your ankle. When you try on your shoe, you should not be able to move your foot from the heel cap, the back of the shoe, while walking. When the shoes are properly snared, fingers should no longer be able to fit next to or above your foot.
Comfort
For optimal comfort, your toes need half to one centimetre between the tips of your toes and the shoe edge. Make sure that the shoes are quite tight so that you do not get blisters, note that if the shoes are tight, you can walk them out earlier. Always fit your shoes standing up and with hockey socks!
Protection
Hockey shoes also serve to protect your feet, so make sure that the shoes are water repellent and that they are sturdy for any contact with a stick, ball or opponent. The grip of the shoe is of course also very important, so that you do not slip. The better the grip, the better you can take off while running.