Barefoot, ya freak?

[FallDownGoBoom]

So the other day I learned a fun fact about my coach. The woman spends eight hours a day in her skates barefoot.

Of course, I had a million questions about it, but she had to scoot. So I'm left to ask you guys ...

Who does this?
How did you even start?
And most important ... for the love of God, people, why?!

[Skate@Delaware]

Who does this?
How did you even start?
And most important ... for the love of God, people, why?!
Ok, I'll start....

I do it.
I was SLIPPING INSIDE AND COULD NOT "FEEL" THE ICE
So, off came the nylons and out came the feeling...I can grip the ice, just like steel-belted radials! I don't slide around inside when my feet get sweaty. It just feels good! After a few sessions it became second nature.

The funny thing? I can't wear my sneakers without socks yet....or any of my other shoes, only my skates!

[jskater49]

Lots of people skate barefoot. They claim it gives them more control. I've skated barefoot when I didn't have tights. I didn't find it better or worse. It's not that weird.

j

[Skittl1321]

I skate barefoot. The longest day I have in skates is 4 hours though.

But the reason why is because my skates are too narrow. Yep- taking the nylons off really made a difference. My foot used to go numb in 10 minutes. Now it takes at least 40- which means I can relace between LTS groups and not have foot numbing.

However I find that the sweating actually makes my heels slip more. When I get proper sized skates in a year or so I might go back to nylons if not socks.

[Emberchyld]

Well, I forgot my socks one day and had to skate barefoot... and loved it.

It's just more comfortable, my feet don't feel as cold, there's no possibility of the tights/socks bunching in wierd places and having to be readjusted.

Plus, it's one less thing that I can forget.

[dbny]

My coach suggested I try it when I told her my feet were slipping in my boots.
I will never go back! For the first several weeks, my boots stank, but that has stopped. I have no idea why. I just got new boots on Saturday, and am also barefoot in them. No bad smell yet.

[tidesong]

I haven't thought of the possibility that it could give my feet more space in the boots.
Maybe I should try skating barefoot one day and try since my boots stink anyways. I usually only wear thin ankle stockings anyways. But if that is going to magically give my right foot little toe a bit of breathing space... maybe its worth a try.

[Rusty Blades]

I to like skating barefoot and the way it feels but my feet sweat a lot and it can be hard to get my boots off.

[Mrs Redboots]

I've done it once, but didn't care for it. I know lots of people do, though - apparently many elite skaters wouldn't dream of wearing socks.

[airyfairy76]

I did it for a while and liked it - as people have said, you can "feel" the ice much better. It did make my skates a little . . . fragrant . . . though :lol:

Then I found 40 denier microfibre knee-highs, £1.00 for two pairs, from Primark which I absolutely love and buy in bulk whenever I am there. I must have about 15 pairs now :oops:

Last week, I forgot to take any and had to skate barefoot again. And this time I didn't like it at all! I got terrible lacebite and real rubby areas in my skates!

[TimDavidSkate]

I do :halo: As soon as I saw Michelle Kwan during a practice session, I decided to try it. Since then I never tried putting on socks again. With socks, I always kept slip sliding all over my boots and it was distracting.
I do get a better grip on the ice and able to really go deeper on my edges.

Here is Michelle at 00:13 putting on her boots :) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_or9L3cnH4U)

[flippet]

I tried it once, and only got nasty blisters for my trouble. Hubby tried it, and got crater-sized blisters on his heels. :( (The gel bandaids work wonders for those, btw!)

I usually skate in disposable nylon knee-hi's, and that's perfect for me.

[jazzpants]

Tried barefoot once. Didn't do it for me...that sticky feeling when you're peeling your foot off the boot... :x So now I wear trouser socks.

I recently wore full blown gym socks (the thick stuff) and I had one of my best skating session b/c I had enough grip around my foot to the boot. (Which tells me that I'm probably wearing down my boots by now...and it's time to start shelling out money for new boots... :roll: )

[Jeanne D]

That's it! I'm skating barefoot this afternoon - if I wear half bunga pads is that considered barefooting?!!

I need my bunga pads but I don't think I need my socks. I have skated barefoot in the past and did like it. No way I can do that in the wintertime here though...oh no.

:cry:

Had no idea so many people were skating this way!

[miraclegro]

Uh, well, this is all so "revealing!"

There's probably more about you guys that is yet better left unsaid!

I haven't hit that mark where i desire to go barefoot, but maybe the higher up the ladder one goes, the more we take off! ha ha

[techskater]

I LOVE the feel of my skates molding to my feet skating barefoot. Who cares that they make a sucking noise when I take them off!

[Jeanne D]

Excellent. I love it. I'm skating barefoot for the rest of the summer.

I did wipe out badly on forward perimeter stroking today, but it is Friday the 13th and I haven't skated in 3 weeks.:roll:

[dbny]

I have to add that the idea of going barefoot really turned me off, and I only did it because I was desperate. The first time I tried it, I found a blister on my R big toe, and a nasty abrasion along the outside of my R ankle. The L foot was fine. After those healed, I stopped having to protect them. My new boots have not marked my feet at all, which I think is an indication of a perfect fit. It doesn't feel gummy or sticky at all. The new boots feel like fine kid leather gloves.

[LilJen]

I, like Flippet, got nasty blisters on the day I forgot my socks and had to "go commando." Never again, thankyouverymuch.

[CanadianAdult]

The new boots feel like fine kid leather gloves.

What kind of lining do you have? I've just ordered a pair and went with the suede. The skate fitter was subtly hinting that skating barefoot wouldn't be a bad idea. I currently wear cotton blend trouser socks as the combination of sweaty sock and clarino lining makes my foot stick to the boots I have presently. They're too large so this is my solution, but with customs, they'll apparently stick to your feel all on their own.

[dbny]

What kind of lining do you have?

I have custom Klingbeils with the smooth leather lining. It's recommended for barefoot skaters.

[CanadianAdult]

ok thanks. I looked at the smooth leather and it felt so yummy but maybe because I've always worn socks is why I was recommended to the suede. Ordering customs was the most overwhelming experience, I'd never had choices before, it's always been "oh good, I can get them on, I'll take them". However, I know several coaches that go barefoot, there's lots of foot deodorizer in the coach room.

[techskater]

I have custom Klingbeils with the smooth leather lining. It's recommended for barefoot skaters.

That's very interesting because I wear custom Harlick and HAD smooth leather lining which cracked! One of the guys at Harlick said it was because I skate barefoot and I am now in clarino with a vapor barrier to prevent cracking again.

[FallDownGoBoom]

Yikes! The last thing I need is blisters. I was tempted to give barefoot a shot, but I'll wait until I order a new pair of boots and I'll consult with the fitter.

Thanks so much for telling me your experiences!

[miraclegro]

Hey DBNY,

I just got my custom Klingbeils re-made and would like to talk with you further about some questions.

How can we email each other?

[Skittl1321]

OOH- a nice leather lining would be great. Nothing special on my boots. When I switched out of nylons that's when the tops of my boots started slicing into my ankles. I got silipos pads and it's no problem anymore, but I still have scars. My feet never had problems though

[CanAmSk8ter]

I arrived at the rink one day with only footless tights to put on, so I didn't have a choice. I've hardly worn footie tights since except to teach. I can't decide if I like my freestyle skates better with tights or barefoot, but my dance skates feel SO much better barefoot. The first summer I wasn't wearing tights I got this itchy rash all over my left ankle, but it eventually went away and I'm not convinced it was related to skating barefoot anyway.

I go barefoot to play hockey too. Something about wearing socks in my hockey skates has never felt "right" to me.

[dressmaker]

I skate barefoot and will never go back!

I started skating barefoot because my trouser socks/tights were rubbing inside the boot.

Before going barefoot: I had blisters, my boots stank, I always had to remember to bring the right socks, and my toenails wore holes through the ends of my tights so I'd contstantly need new ones.

After becoming a barefoot skater: No more blisters, no more painful spots were seams on socks/tights rub, footless tights are easy to find, my toenail polish stays on longer, I don't have to remember the "right" socks, and my boots REALLY stink now. :)

If you don't smell, you're not an athlete. That's what I say!

[slusher]

I have my new custom Klingbeils. I absolutely love them. I didn't post in the other thread (Klingbeils vs Harlicks) but will say that the toes are especially roomy, something that I wasn't used to. I like it now.

Anyway, one day this week since I wore sandals to the rink I stuck my skates on barefoot. I kinda like it. I have the suede lining and I'm totally stuck to my boots, I have to open the laces wider to get them on and off that's all.

I do have one irritant though. Where the Klingbeil label is sewn on the inside of the ankle, it rubs and I can feel the edge of it. It leaves an imprint and an almost blister. Any suggestions?

[dbny]

I do have one irritant though. Where the Klingbeil label is sewn on the inside of the ankle, it rubs and I can feel the edge of it. It leaves an imprint and an almost blister. Any suggestions?

I had the same problem, and Don removed the labels for me. You could probably do it yourself, if you have a very small seam ripper. Otherwise, you could put a piece of moleskin on the irritated spot.

[dbny]

Hey DBNY,

I just got my custom Klingbeils re-made and would like to talk with you further about some questions.

How can we email each other?

Oops! :oops: I just now saw this post when I came back to the thread to see the Kwan video mentioned in another thread. I've PM'ed you with my email address, if you still have questions.

[doubletoe]

Yikes! The last thing I need is blisters. I was tempted to give barefoot a shot, but I'll wait until I order a new pair of boots and I'll consult with the fitter.

Thanks so much for telling me your experiences!

Blisters are why I don't skate barefoot, either. And since my feet sweat, I also hate wearing nylons, too (stinky, since nylon doesn't breathe!). Nylons also make my feet slip in my boots, so the only tights I'll wear are the over-the-boot kind. What works perfectly for me is very thin cotton socks (I just make sure the seam is up by my toenails so there's no rubbing). Since I always wear gel ankle sleeves, I can even wear those ankle-high socks they sell 3 for $3.00 at Target. ;)

[Rusty Blades]

It has been almost 3 months now since I started going barefoot because I was starting to get "nylon burns" where bony parts of my feet were rubbing on my boots. No more red marks going barefoot and my boots (Jackson's) don't slide at all on my feet now. Because my feet get sweaty, I powder my feet with Dr. Scholls before I put my boots on and I always leave my boots out and open to dry overnight - they are doing fine, my feet are happy, and no odour at all. On the ice I have no awareness of the boot and it feels like the blade is part of my foot. I am now having a sale on slightly used footed tights!

[Sessy]

I don't like to skate barefoot, I like a double layer of socks, but I've got a feeling that might change with my new skates, which aren't a bit too big for me.
In my dancing shoes I liked to go barefoot, it just fit better that way, nylons always gave me this feeling of restricting my toes.

[dbny]

I am now having a sale on slightly used footed tights!

Just cut the very tip of the toes off for brand new slightly used footless tights!

[Sessy]

Just cut the very tip of the toes off for brand new slightly used footless tights!

That's what I did to some. I also had some larger footed tights which I cut open on the bottom of the foot, and sewed hooks to each of them. Now I have brand new slightly used over-the-boot tights. But the tights need to be a bit too large for you to attempt this, else they'll be too short after doing this. It shortens them by about 1,5-2 inch to do this.
strangely, my tights didn't rip or ladder out at the bottom, even without finishing off the seam/cut, I expected I'd need to overlock it but I didn't have time for that so the first time I skated without the locking, and it held up so I decided not to lock.