Double Blade Ice Skates are designed to allow young beginners to stand confidently on the ice right away. Since the skateboard has two blades, which greatly increase its stability, it will not be difficult for a child in double-blade shoes to maintain his balance. When the fear of falling is reduced or eliminated, the child is more confident and willing to try new things on the ice.
Double blade skates are especially useful for very young children whose balance may not be perfect yet. Once a child has developed enough balance to stand on one foot without support for at least five seconds without losing their balance, they are likely ready for “real” ice skating.
“Real” skates have one blade that bites into the ice. Because double-bladed skates do not have the same ability to glide on ice, children who wear these skates tend to walk with flat feet around the ice. Without the ability to glide properly, they cannot develop true skating skills.
Children who wear these “training skates” are also unable to maneuver safely in a crowded rink. When there is a crowd on the ice, the slower, less maneuverable skaters are easily bumped or knocked down by the faster, more agile skaters. The youngsters on these skates tend to be “roadblocks” on the ice, which is why many ice rinks ban the use of dual blade skates.
Because a child wearing these products cannot slide, cannot complete basic preliminary maneuvers, and because the shoes lack toe picks, most skating instructors and coaches will not allow novice skaters to wear them. These pros feel that even the youngest beginner can learn to balance on traditional blades with very little trouble.
Instead, they strongly recommend that once a child can fit into the smallest comfortable shoe, and once a child has the coordination to stand on one foot for the required five seconds, nearly every child will be better served by starting on a rented skate. Renting traditional skates is a good investment for very young beginners because at this age children’s feet grow so quickly that buying is probably not a good initial investment. If your child shows interest in continuing to play the sport after the first several lessons, then you can invest in a good pair of roller skates or hockey sticks.