Whether you call it “baking” or “heat-molding,” this simple at-home process is a game-changer for customizing your skate fit. In just a few minutes, you’ll eliminate heel slip and hotspots, break in your boots instantly, and take your edge control to the next level. Ready to turn standard skates into a glove-like fit? Let’s dive in.
Before you bake, check to make sure your skates are heat-moldable with the manufacturer or by checking our website. Entry-level or rec level hockey skates are usually not heat molded and can reduce the skate’s life expectancy if done so improperly. Secondly, please give this process your undivided attention.
Check that your skates are heat-moldable by verifying on our product pages. Not all boots (especially entry-level/recreational models) can be safely heat-molded.
Grab a chair, a mat for the skates, baking tray, oven mitt, your hockey socks, and a timer. Keep everything within arm’s reach, no scrambling once the skates are hot.
Set oven to 175 ¡F (79 ¡C) and let run for 15 minutes. Use an oven thermometer to confirm accuracy. Before baking, squeeze the skate boot to note its initial stiffness, you'll compare this to the baked boot stiffness in the following steps.
Once preheated, turn off the oven and wait 30 seconds for the heating elements to cool slightly. Place one skate (boot only) on the center rack tray. Bake for 5–7 minutes (check manufacturer guidelines).
Using an oven mitt, remove the skate from the oven. Carefully slide your foot in, avoiding touching eyelets, steel runners, or the roller chassis. Kick your heel onto the mat to seat it fully in the heel pocket.
Lace the skate at about 75% of your normal tension. Pull laces directly outward from each eyelet, not upward, to avoid eyelet ripping.
Using shrink wrap, continue to wrap from the heel around to the eyelets to pull your foot inwards and downwards until snug, form-fitting tension is felt. For a visual example of the shrink wrap technique, watch our How to Bake Your True Skates at Home video.
Sit with knees at a 90¡ angle for 10–15 minutes and do not stand. After unlacing, let skates cool off for 24 hours (or at least 12 hours in a pinch) before use.
Repeat steps 2-7 for your other skate.
Skate heat-molding, often called “baking”, softens the boot shell and internal foams so they reshape around your foot, delivering a custom-fit feel, eliminating hotspots, and giving you an instant break-in.
First, confirm your model is thermoformable by checking the manufacturer’s website or product page. Then get the following: chair, mat, baking tray, oven mitt, hockey socks, timer, and optional shrink-wrap. Untie the laces so you can easily slide your foot in once the boot is warm.
The industry standard is 175 ¡F (79 ¡C). Use an oven thermometer to verify your home or skate oven holds that temperature steadily for a safe, uniform mold.
Bake most thermoformable boots for 3-5 minutes. Check at 3 minutes by squeezing the boot with an oven mitt, if it’s noticeably softer, proceed to fitting. Never exceed 7 minutes to avoid over-softening or warping.
Only thermoformable boots, typically only performance and elite-level models should be baked. Always verify on the manufacturer’s site. Entry-level or recreational skates often lack the heat-moldable materials required.
1. Preheat to 175 ¡F (79 ¡C) and wait 15 minutes.2. Place one skate (boot only) on a tray and bake for 3–5 minutes.3. Slip on with hockey socks, lace at around 75% tension (pull laces straight outward).4. (Optional) Apply shrink-wrap from heel to eyelets for extra anatomical fit.5. Sit with knees at 90¡ for 10–15 minutes; then let skates cool off-foot for at least 30 minutes (up to 24 hours).
Keep skates unlaced and allow them to cool naturally off your feet for at least 30 minutes (up to 24 hours for a full set).
Yes, if the boot is thermoformable. You don’t need to remove wheels; follow the identical 175 ¡F 3–5 minute bake procedure to mold inline or roller hockey skates.
You’ll eliminate heel slippage and painful hotspots, drastically reduce break-in time, improve energy transfer and power, and enjoy a custom-like fit that boosts comfort and performance.
You can rebake as needed, typically once per season or when the shell starts to soften. To preserve boot integrity, limit repeats and only rebake when fit adjustments are required.