Right after the ice hockey season had ended I skated in a 10K race in Minnesota. I thought I was in good shape, but tired as the race went on and was lapped by Wayne Gretsky s movie star wife who was in the race. The more expensive skate boots are manufactured from leather or similar materials. Less expensive skates are made from molded plastic with a removable liner. Skate wheels are made from polyurethane.
Skate wheels vary in hardness which can be measured by a device known as a durometer.
Wheel hardness is important depending upon the surface upon which the player will skate upon. Hockey played on asphalt or concrete requires a softer wheel to absorb the shock from the rougher surface. A harder wheel such as 85 is great for concrete, but these wheels won t bite and grip asphalt. A hardness of 78 is a good general all-around wheel. Softer wheels wear more quickly than harder wheels.