At fifteen and up, a serious player feels every bad spot in a stiff new boot. Baking the skates molds that boot to the foot and shortens the break-in. It won’t fix the wrong size.

What baking does, and which skates qualify

The shop heats the boot in a skate oven, your kid laces up while it’s warm, and the padding cools to the shape of the foot. Time and temperature vary by brand, so the shop should follow the maker’s instructions for that exact model.

Not every skate can take the heat. Pure Hockey’s baking guide says higher-end skates can be baked, while low-end and recreational skates shouldn’t be, because the heat breaks their materials down faster. Check the box or ask the shop before you book.

Where to go and what it costs

Go to a hockey pro shop with a skate oven, not your kitchen. Bauer’s skate starter guide sends owners to a certified retailer for baking, and Pure Hockey warns that a home oven can ruin skates or start a fire.

The cost is small. Pure Hockey bakes new skates bought in its stores for free and says baking elsewhere costs “a few bucks,” so call your shop for its price.

Go in the summer. Two weeks before tryouts, every shop in town is slammed.

If you’re still shopping for the skates themselves, the hockey gear guide has picks by age. Once the skates are sorted, the game day packing list covers everything else that rides to the rink in that giant hockey bag.

What to bring, and what comes after

Bring the socks your kid plays in and any custom insoles or orthotics they use. The boot molds around whatever is inside it.

Then protect the fit. Bauer’s care list says to pull the footbeds out to air dry and loosen the laces after every skate. (It also suggests a sharpening every two to three hours of ice time, and that adds up fast in a long season.)

One pair of skates that fits beats three pairs that almost do.

Updated October 13, 2026: removed an unsupported 200-degree oven setting and an “80 percent” edge-control claim, noted that beginner skates shouldn’t be baked, and replaced the $20 to $40 price with current shop guidance.

Gear mentioned in this article (affiliate)

Hockey puck →, a solid pick for youth hockey players.

Full Hockey gear guide →, all picks by age and level.

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