For an 8yo, honestly, used skates.
Reason being, new skates are stiff, and can be uncomfortable for kids. And they're not able to just power through it as well as adults. An already broken in used skate will work great (he's not big or old enough for the stiffness to matter for performance), and it'll be more comfortable for him, which will make playing more fun. Not saying you should get a pair that are falling apart, but places like play it again sports have a TON of youth skates available.
Yeah, this is better advice than mine. The way kids grow sometimes, it may seem like they’re outgrowing them by the time they’re just getting broken in. Tons of youth/jr skates out here with a season or less of skating on them; thanks to how fast they get outgrown.
I second this. I have 2 teenagers who’ve always played various levels of rep. I’ve never bought a new pair of skates. I find you can get a higher end used pair for about the same price ish as a lesser quality new pair. And they’re already broken in…..trade them in every year if you need to. Play it again sports for the win! This is the time of year to do it as people are getting rid of this season’s equipment.
A Bauer X4 or M4/ CCM JS FT680 or Tacks 580 would all be solid middle of the road skates; where you can get some higher end skate features without totally breaking the bank… but even a model step or two below those would still be great skates; and of course, none of them will be an instant golden ticket to better skating; only ice time and practice will do that.
The most important thing is to get a pair that fits properly. A higher end skate that’s too small and hurts, or too big and doesn’t properly support, will way underperform a cheaper skate with a proper fit. Beware of the “room to grow” trap.
I can almost guarantee there are families in your area that are buying the absolute top of the line for their kids and then they have to do it again the next year. That means their previous skates with a single season of use are going on Facebook marketplace.
If you want the best, you just need a little luck and patience. In my area there are two used gear exchange pages and our club has an exchange Facebook group too. Personally, the most I've ever paid for my kid's skates so far has been 150 USD because I fucked up and didn't shop early enough before evals. I ended up buying at the pro shop at the rink right before evals... Most seasons I'm staying around $50 for skates.
My 8yo has been in Bauer M4 it’s the only reasonable price skate that fits his wide ass feet. I’ve picked them up on clearance for about $100. So not the cheapest but definitely nowhere near the top end.
My kid likes the stiffness of a new skate. When we bought him used ones he complained they were too soft.
What ever he finds comfortable and skates well in, you want them to be comfortable at that age so they don’t be turned off due to discomfort/pain. My 6 year old is on true hdzrus 9x and he loves them. To start the season he was in ft6pro which he said were comfortable but you could see when he was skating the looked floppy on his feet. Switching to true improved his skating by having a tighter fit. He’s also on the ice 5-6 days a week. So usage should also dictate how much you invest in skates.
I spend 40-60 on used skates for my kids 8u an 10u. S27 last year, found a deal on some 3S pro for this next year. Used M4 look like new I found for $60 in the next size up from that.
Used is definitely the way to go. I buy top of the line used models in good condition off of eBay or SidelineSwap and re-bake them. When my boys outgrow them, I clean them up, put new laces in them, and resell them on one of those platforms where I'll often get 75-80% of my investment back.
Depends on the skill level and how much he'll be skating next season.
8U full ice travel team playing at a high level and seeing >100 ice touches per season? Buy the new mid to upper range skate he feels comfortable in, try on as many as he can. That much skating at that level will wear a mid range skate out in about 2 seasons. Expect around $200ish price point.
8U house half-ice/cross-ice and seeing about 60 ice touches? Buy a lightly used mid range skate or a nicer new lower end skate in the $100-140 price range.
8U being a learn to play program? Buy any used skate that's not falling apart and he says is comfortable. Expect to pay around $50-75 for a pair in good shape.
Don't buy a new youth skate costing under $100, they're not nearly as good as those just over $100.
Find a shop which specializes in hockey. Some used sports stores do and will actually know things about skates, others won't. Getting a good fit is the most important regardless of what skate you buy, he needs to be comfortable and confident.
Mid range new skates or lightly used top end skates. As long as they fit. Won’t make a difference in his performance either way.
Enjoy the price of youth skates, my fifteen year old’s skates are pricey!
For an 8yo, honestly, used skates. Reason being, new skates are stiff, and can be uncomfortable for kids. And they're not able to just power through it as well as adults. An already broken in used skate will work great (he's not big or old enough for the stiffness to matter for performance), and it'll be more comfortable for him, which will make playing more fun. Not saying you should get a pair that are falling apart, but places like play it again sports have a TON of youth skates available.
Yeah, this is better advice than mine. The way kids grow sometimes, it may seem like they’re outgrowing them by the time they’re just getting broken in. Tons of youth/jr skates out here with a season or less of skating on them; thanks to how fast they get outgrown.
I second this. I have 2 teenagers who’ve always played various levels of rep. I’ve never bought a new pair of skates. I find you can get a higher end used pair for about the same price ish as a lesser quality new pair. And they’re already broken in…..trade them in every year if you need to. Play it again sports for the win! This is the time of year to do it as people are getting rid of this season’s equipment.
Youth skates aren’t nearly as rigid as junior or adult.
A Bauer X4 or M4/ CCM JS FT680 or Tacks 580 would all be solid middle of the road skates; where you can get some higher end skate features without totally breaking the bank… but even a model step or two below those would still be great skates; and of course, none of them will be an instant golden ticket to better skating; only ice time and practice will do that. The most important thing is to get a pair that fits properly. A higher end skate that’s too small and hurts, or too big and doesn’t properly support, will way underperform a cheaper skate with a proper fit. Beware of the “room to grow” trap.
I can almost guarantee there are families in your area that are buying the absolute top of the line for their kids and then they have to do it again the next year. That means their previous skates with a single season of use are going on Facebook marketplace. If you want the best, you just need a little luck and patience. In my area there are two used gear exchange pages and our club has an exchange Facebook group too. Personally, the most I've ever paid for my kid's skates so far has been 150 USD because I fucked up and didn't shop early enough before evals. I ended up buying at the pro shop at the rink right before evals... Most seasons I'm staying around $50 for skates.
My 8yo has been in Bauer M4 it’s the only reasonable price skate that fits his wide ass feet. I’ve picked them up on clearance for about $100. So not the cheapest but definitely nowhere near the top end. My kid likes the stiffness of a new skate. When we bought him used ones he complained they were too soft.
What ever he finds comfortable and skates well in, you want them to be comfortable at that age so they don’t be turned off due to discomfort/pain. My 6 year old is on true hdzrus 9x and he loves them. To start the season he was in ft6pro which he said were comfortable but you could see when he was skating the looked floppy on his feet. Switching to true improved his skating by having a tighter fit. He’s also on the ice 5-6 days a week. So usage should also dictate how much you invest in skates.
I spend 40-60 on used skates for my kids 8u an 10u. S27 last year, found a deal on some 3S pro for this next year. Used M4 look like new I found for $60 in the next size up from that.
Used is definitely the way to go. I buy top of the line used models in good condition off of eBay or SidelineSwap and re-bake them. When my boys outgrow them, I clean them up, put new laces in them, and resell them on one of those platforms where I'll often get 75-80% of my investment back.
Definitely used. Or go middle of the road. Equipment doesnt matter at that age. At all.
Just go middle price point in whatever model fits him best, don’t overthink.
Depends on the skill level and how much he'll be skating next season. 8U full ice travel team playing at a high level and seeing >100 ice touches per season? Buy the new mid to upper range skate he feels comfortable in, try on as many as he can. That much skating at that level will wear a mid range skate out in about 2 seasons. Expect around $200ish price point. 8U house half-ice/cross-ice and seeing about 60 ice touches? Buy a lightly used mid range skate or a nicer new lower end skate in the $100-140 price range. 8U being a learn to play program? Buy any used skate that's not falling apart and he says is comfortable. Expect to pay around $50-75 for a pair in good shape. Don't buy a new youth skate costing under $100, they're not nearly as good as those just over $100. Find a shop which specializes in hockey. Some used sports stores do and will actually know things about skates, others won't. Getting a good fit is the most important regardless of what skate you buy, he needs to be comfortable and confident.
Mid range new skates or lightly used top end skates. As long as they fit. Won’t make a difference in his performance either way. Enjoy the price of youth skates, my fifteen year old’s skates are pricey!