PERFORMANCE PROFILING
Performance profiling
More than anything else, the quality and shape of your blade profile – the curve of your blade from toe to heel — will determine your speed, your agility, your power, your performance.
Most stock blades come with a single curve profile, i.e. a 10 foot radius. That means the effective skating surface of the blade is shaped in an arc that represents a 10’ circle.
The challenge with the single curve profile is that it always involves trade-offs. Make it flatter and you will increase your speed and stability but lose agility and initial acceleration. Make it more curved and you will increase agility and explosiveness but lose speed and stability.
Performance profiling is about strategically combining several curves on one blade, allowing you to have it all — more agility, more speed, more stability and more acceleration.
At ELITE, we group our performance profiles into two broad categories: Heel Glide Profiles and Center Glide Profiles. Heel Glide profiles are flatter toward the heel and more curved toward the toe. The Center Glide profiles flatten an area under the middle of the blade to provide more contact with the ice surface, while the toe and heel sections are more rockered. The best choice for you depends on your skating style.
More than anything else, the quality and shape of your blade profile – the curve of your blade from toe to heel — will determine your speed, your agility, your power, your performance.
Most stock blades come with a single curve profile, i.e. a 10 foot radius. That means the effective skating surface of the blade is shaped in an arc that represents a 10’ circle.
The challenge with the single curve profile is that it always involves trade-offs. Make it flatter and you will increase your speed and stability but lose agility and initial acceleration. Make it more curved and you will increase agility and explosiveness but lose speed and stability.
Performance profiling is about strategically combining several curves on one blade, allowing you to have it all — more agility, more speed, more stability and more acceleration.
At ELITE, we group our performance profiles into two broad categories: Heel Glide Profiles and Center Glide Profiles. Heel Glide profiles are flatter toward the heel and more curved toward the toe. The Center Glide profiles flatten an area under the middle of the blade to provide more contact with the ice surface, while the toe and heel sections are more rockered. The best choice for you depends on your skating style.
How to choose your profile
There is no magic formula to choosing the right profile. It’s a personal choice. The best way to choose a profile is to try a few on the ice and determine what feels best to you.
ELITE has the widest selection of performance profiles available and very knowledgeable staff who can help you make the right choice for your playing style.
We can also tell you what profile your favourite pro players are skating on.
WHAT THE PROS SAY
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