Ice Skating Dress

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When it comes to ice skating dress, we recommend you chose your clothing with comfort in mind versus style. The temperature inside most indoor ice skating rinks is usually somewhere between 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, we recommend you dress warm and in layers, so you can remove a layer of clothing as necessary. Outside ice skating rinks can be any temperature. So if it is really cold, we recommend you wear layers that include tights or thermal underwear to help you stay warm.

It is important that your ice skating dress be conducive to skating. Your clothes should allow your body to move freely and unobstructed. Clothing should be close-fitting and lose, but not bulky or saggy. If the clothes you wear when you dress for ice skating is too big or loose it can get tangled up in the ice skates and cause accidents.

Ice skating dress should provide the skater some protection in the event of a fall. The clothing should be sturdy, but light enough to provide the skater with the maximum freedom of movement. Any pants that are worn as a part of your ice skating dress should be close-fitting, but not excessively tight. Properly fitted sweatpants generally work very well. We do not recommend you include jeans as a part of your ice skating dress. Jeans stay wet for too long and are likely to feel heavy and uncomfortable.

No part of your ice skating dress should hinder your vision. Wear a hat to keep your ears warm, but make sure it stays away from your eyes. We are not big fans of including parkas as a part of your ice skating dress because the hoods can block your line of sight. If you have long hair, pull it back and away from your face, again to ensure that it does not hinder your vision. Scarves should never be a part of your ice skating dress. A scarf could possibly get caught in an ice skate, or potentially block your vision. As a side note, many ice skating rinks will not allow ice skaters to wear scarves.

We recommend you wear gloves as part of your ice skating dress for two reasons. First, and most obvious, gloves will help to keep your hands warm. Second, gloves provide some level of protection for your hands in the event of a fall. Gloves protect the hands as they hit the ice, and can lessen the injury that could be caused if your hand gets run over by another ice skater.

Appropriate ice skating dress should include a comfortable pair of socks. Since the comfort of your feet are extremely important when ice skating, you should put some effort into the socks you wear. When dressing for ice skating, as a general rule, your socks should be thin and seamless. A thin, sock will give you the best feel of the ice. A seamless sock will help prevent the potential irritation that often comes from the socks’ seams. If you are a new ice skater and are renting your skates from the ice skating rink, a thicker pair of socks may make more sense. Why? Because some of the ice skates you rent may be excessively worn, or may not be of the highest quality. The extra thickness may make your feet a little more comfortable.

Jewelry should never be a part of your ice skating dress. We recommend that you don’t bring any of your jewelry to the ice skating rink. Your jewelry could get lost or damaged in the event of a fall, or could become a safety hazard depending on the circumstances.

Ice skating dress for children: We recommend waterproof snowsuits with gloves or mittens, especially if they are learning how to ice skate. We strongly recommend that children wear skate protective gear. A helmet should be worn even if you choose for them not to wear wrist, elbow and knee pads.

Lastly, we have met dozens of people over the years that shy away from ice skating (particularly figure skating) because of the style of many of the ice skating dresses. Ice skating dresses are not necessary to ice skate – not even to figure skate! Here is our take - being comfortable is always a positive benefit when participating in ice skating or any physical activity. Never let ice skating dress concerns stop you from enjoying the freedom and thrill of ice skating, whether it is figure skating or simply recreational ice skating just for fun.

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