When kids have the right equipment to play hockey, they are already on a path to success as well as building a lifelong love of the game.
When it comes to your kids, you cannot just buy any type of hockey skate, but you need to be sure that you are getting the best junior hockey skates possible.
Part of that is knowing the differences in quality between brands and styles while the other part is knowing how to size them correctly.
Purchasing junior hockey skates is not the same as purchasing senior hockey skates. Children grow, their feet can change, and they have different needs as far as protection and stability go.
Regardless, you need the best youth hockey skates or junior hockey skates that you can get.
What Feet Size Are Junior Hockey Skates For
Junior hockey skates are sized to fit kids in the range of approximately 7 to 13 years old with a US shoe size of 2 to 6.5.
There are three sizing categories when it comes to hockey skates: youth, junior, and senior.
Youth skates are typically for kids that are 7 and younger, junior for kids ages 7 to 12, and senior skates for ages 13 and up. The shoe size equivalent for junior skates is a US 2 to 6.5. Juniors are the child’s sizes before adult sizes.
Sizing for children is a little bit different than sizing for an adult. With an adult, it is important that the skates fit snugly, but not too tightly, to ensure the feet cannot slip around within the skate.
With best junior hockey skates, if you buy them snugly, you will find yourself replacing the skates a lot sooner than you would want to. Children’s feet grow rapidly and unpredictably, so you should prepare yourself for needing to replace the skates every so often.
So how do you size junior skates for kids the right way? When you are sizing an adult, you usually size 1 to 2 sizes down from your street shoe size, depending on brand and fit.
The same is true for children. You still want to size down 1 to 2 sizes, but also an extra half size to give a little room for the children to grow.
Best Junior Hockey Skates & Youth Hockey Skates
Brand | Skill Level | Weight | Rating | Check Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Bauer Supreme 3S Pro Editor's Choice (Junior) | Intermediate/Advanced | 646 grams | 100% | |
2. Bauer Vapor 2X Pro High Performance | Advanced | 693 grams | 99% | |
3. Bauer Vapor X2.9 Budget Friendly | Beginner | 665 grams | 97% | |
4. TRUE TF9 Skates | Intermediate/ | 699 grams | 96% | |
5. CCM JetSpeed FT2 | Advanced | 636 grams | 98% | |
6. Bauer Supreme 2S | Intermediate | 678 grams | 94% | |
7. Bauer Supreme S29 | Beginner | 689 grams | 93% | |
8. CCM JetSpeed FT470 | Intermediate | 673 grams | 95% | |
9. Bauer Vapor 2X Pro Editor's Choice (Youth) | Intermediate/ | 525 grams | 100% | |
10. CCM Tacks 9380 Budget Friendly (Youth) | Beginner | 554 grams | 97% |
1. Bauer Supreme 3S Pro Hockey Skates
Best Junior Hockey Skates (Editor's Choice)
The best junior hockey skates are the Bauer Supreme 3S Pro skates. These are made for a more elite player who is not just starting out and has a lot of hours under his/her belt.
Design
Starting with its design, the Supreme 3S Pro has 3D Lasted Curv composite boot. The boot provides a high level of comfort. It is stiff and responsive in the lower part of the boot, which will help for the best energy transfer possible.
The flex rating on these skates is at 80, which will offer stability as well as better support on the ice. The Lock Fit liner will also help keep the foot secure within the boot.
Even though these are junior skates, they are part of Bauer’s new performance fit system. That means that they not only come in the standard width, but are available narrower and wider as well, ensuring that the young player in your life will have the best fit possible.
Features
These skates come with a lot of great features, including the Tuuk LS Pulse premium grade steel with the blades. The Tuuk blades provide a little extra height and will help with balance and performance, increasing the angle for attack. The steel itself has a high polish mirror finish, giving you a superior glide power for more speed.
The skates also have the Reflex Tendon Guard, the Reflex tongue, and a Standard Facing, which will give your skater a better forward flex and more power when they move. It really will help advanced skaters move around the ice more efficiently.
Finally, these skates come with the 4-Zoned Radii Power Profile, which is called a Quad profile. It is mad with 4 zones that are placed throughout the skate for different movements. The zone near the runner will help with acceleration, while the second zone helps with transitions. The third zone is for maximized speed and the fourth zone is for better stability.
2. Bauer Vapor 2X Pro Junior Hockey Skates
High Performance
For high performance junior hockey skate, we suggest the Bauer Vapor 2X Pro. These skates are built for both comfort and performance, giving you an extra edge on the ice.
Design
To begin, the Vapor 2X Pro skates have a Dynaflex system in place. The Dynaflex system includes an asymmetrical toe cap that will reduce the overall volume of the skate. It also has an integrated injected facing, which goes all around the foot for better fit and support.
With a better fit, you will get improved agility and speed, giving you ultimately better control over what your feet are doing.
Features
These skates also have a Lock-fit pro liner, which will not only keep your feet from slipping around within the boot of the skate, but it will also increase the life of the boots.
Also in the inside, you will find Aero Foam Pro padding, which will give you improved comfort and fit all around. The Recoil Pro tongue and the memory foam are other added features that will increase your overall comfort.
Like most Bauer skates, the Vapor 2X Pro has the Tuuk Lightspeed edge holder as well as the Tuuk LS5 runner. These will give you an added height on the ice while also giving you a better feel and a longer lasting edge life.
3. Bauer Vapor X2.9 Junior Hockey Skates
Budget Friendly
If you are looking for a budget friendly skate for your junior skater, check out the Bauer Vapor X2.9 skates.
These are a new addition to the Bauer catalogue and are really well-made for skaters who are out in the rink 2 to 3 times a week. More experienced junior skaters might want a pair that is a little higher quality than these.
Design
These skates have a low-profile design for an enhanced fit, which is perfect for intermediate players. The skates come with a PerformFlex System and there is a 3D Lasted Tech Mesh quarter package as well. The skates are thermoformable as well, so you can bake the skates. This will reduce the amount of time that it takes to break them in.
The skates have Bauer’s new performance fit system as well, so even in junior sizing they have the option to have wide widths as well as high volume. That way, all foot sizes will be able to fit in these skates.
Features
The Vapor X2.9 comes with a lot of great features. These skates use the Bauer TuukLightspeed Edge holder, which is exclusive to Bauer. It will add a little extra height to your skates, increasing your overall performance on the ice. While the holder is great, the included blade is not great and you will probably want to change it out to a better one.
The skates come with the Comfort Edge and Aero Foam padding, which will mold around your feet well, acting like your feet were made for the skates. You should not have any comfort issues or blisters from these skates.
Finally, the skates also have the hydrophobic microliner, which will not only give you a high level of support, but it also helps manage the moisture within your boot, keeping your feet as dry as possible. The Form-Fit+ footbed will help to give your feet a soft feel while still securing your feet within the boot.
4. TRUE TF9 Junior Hockey Skates
Design
Let’s start with their design. They have TRUESHELL TECH which is a co-molded carbon fiber and thermoplastic one-piece shell construction. This has a thermoformed boot. The TECH features wraps around the toe box of the boot, so there will not be any kind of weak sports around the boot, including high impact areas. As a result, there will be superior protection. The boots also have an antimicrobial, moisture-wicking liner that keeps the feet as dry as possible. There is also comfort through its multi-density foam construction. They only come in a standard width, so they will not work for junior skaters who have wide feet.Features
The features of the TF9 skates include the Pro-grade tongue system. The adjustable tongue system will allow you to move the tongue for better comfort overall. The TRUE tongue is lightweight and provides an anatomical fit for even better comfort overall.
The holder is a Shift Onyx holder, which will not have a risk of rusting. The Shift Holder has an enhanced BenchChange technology allowing faster blade replacement with the need for a magnetized blade change tool to re-engage the blade.
The boots also have a versatile shift holder as well as a thermoformable carbon fiber one-piece shell. Being able to bake the boots will mean that there is no break-in time with them, allowing them to be purchased, baked, and then be put right out on the ice for skating.
Unfortunately, they don’t advertise the flex rating, which means that if you are looking for a certain flex rating, it will not be easily identifiable with these skates. The insole system integrates fit inserts to accommodate different arch heights. The insole can be positioned for a great fit, no matter what kind of arch height you need.
5. CCM Jetspeed FT2 Junior Hockey Skates
High End Skates
Another great pair of high performance hockey skates is the CCM Jetspeed FT2 hockey skates. They are comparable to the Vapor 2X Pro, but they do not have the same features.
Design
The Jetspeed FT2 skates have the Liteframe 360 Evo technology, which means that they have a comfortable one-piece design. This also helps to make the boots lighter and easier to wear for longer periods of time. They are made to be a natural extension of your foot and make energy transfer effortless.
Features
You will also find that these skates have the Speedblade technology, which includes the XS holder, making it easy to swap out blades, and the XS1 runner that makes it effortless to stride. This system allows the blades to lock in tightly, giving great security, but also makes it easy to unlock the blades and remove them when you need to.
The footbed on the FT2 skates is the CCM OrthoMovefootbed, which provides both support and comfort, keeping the feet where they should be within the skates.
The Jetspeed FT2 skates have a narrow forefoot, intended to be more anatomical. The heel and ankle are also made to be narrow anatomically. This fit might not be comfortable enough for everyone, but the average size and width foot should find them form fitting.
6. Bauer Supreme 2S Ice Hockey Skates
These skates are worn by the most elite players out there who are looking for high-end, professional-grade skates.
Design
In order to give you the best performance possible, these skates are specifically made for professional-level play. They have a 3D carbon Curv composite boot that will give you a lightweight, performance.
This means that your feet are not going to get too hot within the boot and as you skate, the boot will mold to your foot, giving you a custom fit. The lining is made from a LockFit+, which is actually two materials that leave you with durability and comfort.
Features
The 2Ss also come with the Bauer Speed Plate 2.0 foot bed which will give your kid a lock-fit. A lock-fit leaves them with customized stability, keeping their ankles and feet as safe as possible on the ice. The tongue is made from a high-density foam underneath a durable layer of felt, leaving you with a 3-piece, 48 ox reflex tongue.
One of the best reasons to get the Bauer Supreme 2S for your child is the Tuuk Lightspeed Edge holder and the Tuuk stainless steel runners. The edge holder means that you or your child will be able to change out the blades quickly if you have to. The runner is made from a quality grade stainless steel that will not dull on you quickly. The runners are meant to last.
7. Bauer Supreme S29 Ice Hockey Skates
If you are not on board with spending a lot on a growing child’s hockey skates or your child is not playing so regularly that he or she needs anything more durable, then you should go with the Bauer Supreme S29.
They are listed as being a great choice for aggressive skaters who want to take their game up to the next level.
Design
The Bauer Supreme S29 may not cost as much as other hockey skates on the market, but you are still getting the Bauer quality that you can expect from them. Bauer skates are always built for the best on-ice execution possible.
Features
The S29 has an anatomical fit, which will help prevent blisters due to slipping around within a boot. They also have the Form Fit+ technology which means that they are thermoformable. Thermoformable skates can be baked in order to mold to your feet, giving you the snuggest fit that you can get.
In addition, the S29 has a 2-piece, 48 ox felt tongue. The tongue is thick, but comfortable and made up for a high density reinforced metatarsal guard. The S29 also has an updated lace bite guard made out of a high-density foam. This will keep the top of your foot protected in the rink. For the ankle, there are thick memory foam pads that will lock in the heel for the most power possible.
Finally, the Supreme S29 also has the Bauer Tuuk Lightspeed edge holder that allow for a quick an easy release of the runners. The runner is an LS1 stainless steel runner, providing a great edge retention and durability.
8. CCM Jetspeed FT390 Junior Hockey Skates
The FT390 is made from a lightweight composite boot that has an ergonomic shape as well as an exhaust system to help with energy transfer.
Design
The shape will make sure that the boot naturally molds around the skater’s foot for the best level of comfort possible. The FT390 also has a solid heel lock which not only helps with control and turning, but it also prevents blisters or injury from having the heel slide around in the boot.
Features
The FT390 is made with a Totaldri Pro liner. The Durazone abrasion protection works by wicking away water from the skin, keeping feet dry while on the ice.
The liner is also lightweight, which helps keep the skates lighter instead of weighing them down. The soft pad around the collar of the boot adds an extra level of comfort for both the foot and the ankle.
The tongue of the FT390 is made with Tritech technology, protecting a vulnerable area of the foot while also preventing lace-bite. The footbed of the FT390 is made with aeration vents to help keep the feet from getting too hot on the ice while also preventing sweating.
Combined with the multi-density memory foam, the skates will provide their wearer with the best comfort and protection possible.
9. Bauer Vapor 2X Youth Hockey Skates
Best Youth Hockey Skates (Editor's Choice)
Our choice for the best youth hockey skates are the Bauer Vapor 2X skates. These skates are a great choice for skaters who have a lot of experience, but they will not work at all for new skaters who are just learning out to navigate the ice.
Design
The Vapor 2X skates have a more classic ice hockey design. They are black and red with a white edge holder, making them modern and sleek. The design also includes memory foam padding which will improve the comfort level and the feel of the skates, making them easy on little feet.
You will also find that the Vapor 2X skates have a 30 oz felt tongue that not only provides an added element of protection, but it is comfortable and flexible, which is essential for metatarsal protection. There is also a Lock-Fit liner that provides some more grip and moisture-wicking properties, securing the foot within the boot. This will prevent blisters.
These skates do come in wide widths as well as standard widths, so there are some fit choices for even the youngest hockey skaters out there.
Features
The features of the Vapor 2Xincludes Comfort Edge padding, which is in place to give you an overall improved feel on the ice. Having more control and awareness of your feet will make it easier to manoeuvre, which is great for younger players.
There is also a 3D lasted fiber composite quarter package that provides more stiffness as well as plenty of flexibility. The stiffness is important for more elite skaters who are spending a lot of time on the ice while the flexibility makes them comfortable to wear.
Like many Bauer skates, the Vapor 2X has the TuukLightspeed edge holder, which is essential for energy transfer as well as long edge life and durability. The edge holder will add to the height of the skates as well, making it easier to be more aggressive.
10. CCM Super Tacks 9380 Youth Hockey Skates
Budget Friendly
Another great choice of skates for youth skaters is the CCM Super Tacks 9380. These are another pair that works well for more elite skaters, but might not be a great choice for skaters who are just starting out.
Design
Looking at their design, the CCM Super Tacks 9380 skates have DuraZone abrasion patches that will increase the overall lifespan of the skate’s liner, while also helping to keep the water off of your feet. The boot of the skate is a lightweight composite boot, so even the youngest skaters will not be tiring out from heavy boots.
The skates also have the brusher microfiber liner. This includes a water wicking texture that will help with comfort, but also help the foot lock into the boot.
With that level of stability, your child will be able to perform better on their skates and improve their overall skill level. The concave reinforced injection helps with energy transfer a well, so your child should be able to skate without too much resistance.
Features
Looking at the features of the 9380 youth skates, you should know that they are thermoformable, so you will be able to mold them through baking. This will reduce the break-in period of the skates and get you up and comfortable in a matter of minutes. They do have structural stiffness with injected core technology which will offer a high level of support to these young skaters.
The skates also have the SpeedBlade XS holder. This is a system made by CCM that will help you swap out your blades easily. It uses a positive-lock mechanism that will secure the blade, but also pop it right out to change it out.
As an added bonus, these skates are actually pretty affordable, so they will not break the bank in the same way that other elite skates will. Since they are for the younger players, you will not want to spend too much money on skates, when they will be outgrown within the year.
Bauer & CCM Junior Ice Skate Sizing For Kids
Bauer Skate Size | U.S. Shoe Size | Euro Shoe Size | U.K. Shoe Size |
|---|---|---|---|
1.0 | 2.0 | 33.5 | 1.5 |
1.5 | 2.5 | 34 | 2.0 |
2.0 | 3.0 | 35 | 2.5 |
2.5 | 3.5 | 35.5 | 3.0 |
3.0 | 4.0 | 36 | 3.5 |
3.5 | 4.5 | 36.5 | 4.0 |
4.0 | 5.0 | 37.5 | 4.5 |
4.5 | 5.5 | 38 | 5.0 |
5.0 | 6.0 | 38.5 | 5.5 |
5.5 | 6.5 | 39 | 6.0 |
Final Verdict
There are a lot of great skates out on the market for junior and youth skaters right now.
The best junior hockey skates are the Bauer Supreme 3S Pro. These are excellent with performance and comfort, making them a great choice for skaters who are looking for the best performance possible.
The best youth hockey skates are the Bauer Vapor 2X hockey skates. Another excellent choice from Bauer, the Vapor 2X works well for youth skaters who are really competitive but might not work as well for newer skaters.
Do not jump the gun and guy a pair of more advanced skates for new skaters or they will not be able to learn the skills that they need to become better skaters.
Regardless of skill level or size need, there are the perfect skates for your child out there. Just pay attention to your child’s skating ability and comfort level to find the perfect skates.
Hey there, my name is Shawn and I’m a semi-professional hockey player. I’m also the founder and chief editor here at Hockey Pursuits. I love playing hockey and helping players improve their game and that’s why I decided to start this blog.