Riedell Heat Molding Instructions

Depending on how you want your boots to fit, there are a few options for heat molding Riedell skate boots.

After molding, the metal components of skate boots may be very HOT! Watch out for buckles, eyelets, and aglets! After heating and lacing up the boot, try not to move around too much. Ideally you want to be in a skating stance so that your foot is as close to the shape that it would be while skating. Moving around in the boot will not allow the boot to cool in a uniform manner. Finally, after initial cooling, allow the boot to stand for several hours (up to a day) before any rigorous skating!

This option is for individual problem areas and is the recommended method for Riedell boots. Keep the gun/dryer approximately 6-8 inches away from the boot, moving in a small circular pattern. Be careful not to overheat the the boot as this can cause the leather to burn or delamination of the soles and uppers. Once the material is warm to the touch and pliable, use your hands to massage & push out the problem spot, and hold until cool (blunt end of screwdriver can be used to push out particularly tight spots). This process can be repeated as many times as needed.

Note: You can massage areas of the boot by hand until they are pliable. Without heat, this method takes significantly more time and effort, but runs less risk of damaging the leather from overexposure to heat or stretching.

This option allows you to mold all three spots at once. Remove insole, laces, toe stop, and wheels and place boots in skate oven, not exceeding 200 degrees. Do NOT use kitchen oven! Bake time should not exceed 8 minutes. Once boots are warm, lace skates tight to skater's feet and leave on for at least 5 minutes to allow cooling. If problem area persists, use Option 1.