This week, I finally got my very own pair of hockey skates: the CCM Tacks AS550! I found these at our local hockey shop for just $55, which was a
great price. After using rental skates at the rink, I could immediately feel the difference when I put these on—they fit my feet differently and felt a lot tighter, which gave my ankles much better support.
The CCM website describes the Tacks AS550 as “budget-friendly ice skates that get the job done. With a 3D injected boot and supportive CCM footbed, these hockey skates offer impressive support and comfort for long, powerful strides.” That’s exactly what I noticed when I tried them out for the first time!
I wore my new skates for the first time at my “Learn to Skate” practice, and right after, I had my “Learn to Play Hockey” practice. Once I got used to them, I felt much more stable on my feet, and they really helped with my balance. I even noticed I could corner better during hockey practice, which made a big difference!
After hitting the ice, we stopped by the pro shop at my rink. They recommended sharpening the 
skates, even though the shop where I bought them said they were pre-sharpened. Watching him sharpen them was pretty neat—especially seeing the sparks fly off the blades as they were sharpened! Did you know that hockey skates need to be sharpened regularly to keep the blades in top shape, which helps with grip, control, and overall performance on the ice. The frequency of sharpening depends on how often you skate, the type of ice you’re on, and personal preference, but many skaters sharpen them every few weeks or after every few hours of ice time. The guy at the shop told me to get them sharpened every 12-15 hours of ice time. He also said that once I get better, I’ll be able to tell when they need sharpening.
I’m excited to keep practicing in these skates and see how they help me improve on the ice. Stay tuned for more updates on my skating journey!
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