I don’t know about you guys, but there is an excitement that comes with buying a new pair of roller skates. It has this magical feel to it.
The smell of new skates, the unused wheels, and laces, literally just everything about it sits right in my head.
Although it’s a thrilling process, there is one thing we all dread so much about getting new pairs of roller skates-breaking them in.
If you think by buying the best quality roller skates in the market, that is process is avoidable, I’m sorry to burst your bubbles but it is not. You will still need to go through some processes of breaking in your skates.
Last time, I ran you guys through the breaking-in process of the roller hockey skates and I got a lot of requests to talk about the vinyl skates.
After careful consideration, I have decided to give you guys the process on how to break in your vinyl roller skates properly.
The methods are almost the same, however, not all of them are recommended for the vinyl roller skates since it’s a different material altogether. For example, using heat on the vinyl skates may turn out to be a bad idea if you don’t watch it closely.
You might end up destroying your perfect new skates if you don’t use the required amount of heat (regardless of whether you are making use of the oven or hairdryer method.
In this blog post, I have put together some of the best strategies you can follow to help you break in your vinyl roller skates. From my personal experience with one of my vinyl skates, these steps worked well for me and I was able to break in my vinyl skates in about a month.
For you, it might take a longer time length or a shorter time length depending on how much effort you put in and how determined you are to break in your skates.
Now, without wasting any more time, let’s get into today’s blog!
Do vinyl roller skates need to be broken in?
I remember answering this question in the last blog post. In my own opinion, all skates need to be broken in.
Unless you have somewhere you buy already broken in quality new skates ( I doubt this) you need to do the needful. Sometimes people go out and buy fairly used skates thinking they are new pair of skates, thus they won’t require breaking in such skates.
The only way you can avoid breaking in your skates is if you buy a fairly used skate. Do not allow anybody to deceive you into believing that you can bypass breaking in your skates-it’s impossible if you asked me.
So yes, your newly acquired vinyl roller skates need to be broken in, properly if you want to get the full thrill of roller skating.
How do you break in vinyl skates? (The Best Approach)
I’m going to take my time in breaking this section down so that you carry out each process correctly and do not destroy your new skates.
Buy the right skates
It may seem like I don’t know what I’m talking about- how could you possibly not get the right skates. You’ll be surprised by the number of people that get scammed these days and end up buying used skates in disguise for new ones. This is why I never order online except I’m very sure of the legitimacy of the website. I also never buy a pair of skates without trying them on. But, for the safety of not falling into the hands of scammers online, just take a short trip to your local skate shop and buy yourself a new pair of skates.
You also get good recommendations and possibly a warranty in case something is wrong with the pair of skates you bought. You can also ask for recommendations on where to buy quality new skates from your coach, your friends, or anybody you trust as a skater.
Ask the shop attendant if they can be baked
This is one of the things I never leave a shop without inquiring about. I prefer baking my skates, it makes breaking in easier for me. But, not all skates fit in the baking description.
And no, I’m not talking about cupcakes and biscuits. But you’ll be pleased to know that baking your new pair of vinyl skates is a proper head start for breaking them in. Please don’t go oiling your boots and adding spices (I’ve seen people do this and it creeps me out)
Although I don’t usually recommend baking, it doesn’t hurt to apply some heat to your new pair of skates. If you’re not so comfortable with the idea of baking your skates, you can also make use of a hairdryer to achieve this.
Applying some heat on your skates makes the vinyl material and the tongues of the skates less stiff and more malleable
Do this process for a maximum of 4 minutes each time you want to go out and skate. Lace them up (it must not be properly laced) to make sure everything warms up.
Proper lacing
After getting a new pair of skates, how tight you tie your laces determines how much pain you’re going to be in. and I promise you, for those first few times, you’ll hate yourself if you tied your laces too tight.
But, keep in mind that if they are not tight as well, the skates won’t be very easy to use. So here’s what I do; I start up my new skates by placing them lightly enough to feel secure while I skate. As I progress with the skates, I tie them a tad bit tighter from the previous lacing.
Bend your knees often
If you want to break in your new pair of vinyl skates as soon as possible make sure you bend your knees as often as possible while skating.
Bending your knees forces your toes and ankles to spread a bit, it might be painful in the first few times you try it, but with time your skates will expand and fit your legs properly.
How long does it take to break in vinyl roller skates?
Typically, it takes about a month to break in your vinyl roller skates. The reason for this is that it’s not like leather where you could easily make use of leather conditioning to fasten the process.
I’m telling you this based on my own experience. It may be different for you depending on how much of a skater you are and what steps you followed to break in your vinyl roller skates.
Related Questions:
1. How long do vinyl roller skates typically last?
I honestly cannot predict this. A lot of factors play a key role in determining how long the vinyl roller skates will last for you. I like to say anywhere from 1-15 years depending on how good you are with proper maintenance.
2. How to clean vinyl roller skates?
One of these days I’ll leave a proper blog on how to clean up your skates depending on the material it is made out from. For your vinyl skates, you’ll want to make sure not to leave out any part of your skates. This includes the wheels, the bearing, the frame as well as the skate pads. You can make use of normal dish soap since it’s not leather. Take your time to remove dirt and sand from your bearings and wheels. Loosen the lace and wash them separately. Use any old rag and clean water to wipe off the dirt from your vinyl skates. Be careful not to make use of harsh products so you don’t spoil the surface of your skates.
3. Can you paint vinyl roller skates?
I’m not a fan of painting in general. It’s not something I enjoy doing on my own. I’d rather have a professional do it so that it turns out fine to look at. However, you can paint your vinyl roller skates however you want after they are prepared for painting.
It’s not as easy as painting leather skates, so you’ll want to make sure you follow the right procedure so that the result is something that you actually like. You will be skating with them after all and I’m sure you don’t want ugly-looking skates.
Final words
Although you can check out different methods of breaking in your skates, I believe that if you follow the steps listed above properly, you won’t have to be in discomfort for too long before your skates break in.
You can also have a well-experienced skater do it for you. If you don’t have expert skaters as friends, you’re free to ask for help from your local shop. I’m sure they’ll have a handful of steps you can follow to break in your skates.
Well, I do hope this blog helped your vinyl skates, and if you got it this far, thanks for reading!
Until next time friends.
