In hockey, the smallest edge can make the biggest difference. While players often focus on sharpening and hollows, Body Balance Contouring - commonly known as profiling - is critical to skate performance for not only elite skaters, but normal
At West Star Athletics, we’ve been performing professional-level profiling by hand for over 20 years, helping players from the Hughes brothers all to beer leaguers to improve balance, efficiency, and explosiveness so that you can make the most out of your skates.
What is Blade Contouring?
Body Balance Contouring is the process of shaping the skate blade to match an individual player's mechanics, balance point, and skating style. This involves adjusting the rocker, or front-to-back curvature of the blade, and optimizing how much of the steel contacts the ice during skating movements.
Most factory-finished blades come with a stock profile that isn't tailored to the individual player. It most cases, the balance point is at the back half of the blade- putting the skater on their heels and leaning backwards - not ideal for an athletic hockey stance. Our custom profiling process ensures a smooth finish on the blade, a slight pitch forward, and that the profile is centered to the boot, not the blade.
Why West Star Uses a Single Radius Profile
At West Star, we use a single-bar radius profile because we believe it offers the smoothest glide and edge control from heel to toe. Unlike multi-radius or quad profiles, which can introduce subtle flat spots or transitions between curves, a single-radius contour provides a continuous and predictable feel across the entire blade.
Unlike many other hockey stores, we believe in true craftsmanship. That’s why every profile that comes out of our shop is done by hand, not by a machine, ensuring even the smallest details are perfected.
Customized to the Player
We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all. Our profiling process begins with a short consultation where we take into account:
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Height and weight
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Skating position (forward, defense, goalie)
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Level of play
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Physical deficiencies (Knocked or bowed knees)
This allows us to recommend and deliver a profile that truly fits the player—not just the skate.
Who Should Consider Contouring?
- Players who feel they are on their heels when skating
- New skaters who need to be in their 'hockey stance' more
- Those moving into new skates or switching steel
- Competitive players looking for performance optimization and efficiency
- Recreational players who want a consistent feel in their steel
Experience That Makes a Difference
West Star has been hand-profiling blades for over two decades, working with athletes from youth hockey to the professional level. We understand that no two players skate the same—and we tailor each profile to reflect that.
If you're looking to get more out of your skates, body balance contouring might be the performance upgrade you didn’t know you needed.
Stop by the shop or contact us to learn more and book a custom profiling session.