Nordic Skate Sizing

One of the most common questions that beginning Nordic skaters ask is “what size skate should I get?” The answer depends on who you talk to. Some Nordic skate makers suggest that blade size should be determined by a skater’s height. But why? Hockey skate blade length, for example, is based on boot size–not a player’s height. If it’s not clear, we’re not convinced that height should be the only factor in selecting Nordic ice skate length.

Even the shortest Nordic skate blades are much longer than the longest hockey or figure skate blades. The reality is that all Nordic skates are “long.” In our view, just how long you want them to be might be determined somewhat by height, weight, and other physical factors but what matters more is your skating style. To summarize: shorter skates tend to be more agile and longer skates tend to be more stable.

The A100 skate from Ermine Skate comes in three sizes: 40cm, 45cm, and 50cm.

40cm – The 40cm skate has almost as much blade contact with the ice as the 45cm skate, but it is designed with a shorter nose to make stepovers easier and more curvature on the blade base to make it more responsive. If your idea of fun is weaving around frozen marsh canals or dodging kids at the local pond, this is the skate for you. Note that the 40cm skate does have a maximum recommended boot size of US Men’s 12.
45cm – The 45cm skate is a good all-around length that provides a wonderful balance between speed, stability, and maneuverability. The curved nose on the 45cm and 50cm skates help them ride over bumpy or cut through light snow.
50cm – Those who want to really lay out on big frozen lakes will love the stability of the 50cm. Though the 50cm skate is our longest skate, we put more curvature on the base than other brands so it still has a hint of playfulness and will happily turn.

The good news is that no matter your body type and skating style, you really can’t go wrong. Whichever skates you get will be perfect for something you’ll want to do and will work well for everything else. Over time, avid skaters often end up with several pairs of skates so they can match their skate to the day’s activities. But that certainly isn’t necessary. Just get out there on any size Nordic skate and have fun.