A skate with a stowable and/or removable roller, blade, ski, or track assembly. A skate has: a shoe; a guiding part mounted to the shoe; a roller, blade, ski, or track assembly mounted to move along the guiding part between a deployed position and a stowed position adjacent a calf or ankle part of the shoe; and a handle connected to move the roller, blade, ski, or track assembly between the deployed position and the stowed position. Related methods include moving the roller, blade, ski, or track assembly between the positions, and locking or unlocking the assembly in either position, for example using a handle.

Skate blade (10), which has an outside edge and an inside edge (2, 3), in the middle region (1) of which the outside edge and the inside edge (2, 3) are parallel and have the same height, and the blade has an anterior region (4) in front of the middle region (1), where the height (z) of the edges (2, 3) increases in forward direction relative to the height (z=0) assumed at the middle region, and it has a posterior region (5) behind the middle region (1), where the height (z) of the edges (2, 3) increases in rearward direction relative to the height (z=0) assumed at the middle region, and the width coordinate (y) of at least one edge (2, 3), at least in the anterior or in the posterior region (4,5) increases along and arched curve with the distance from the middle region (1) relative to the vertical central plane (6) interpreted at the middle region (1), and at every location in front or behind the middle region (1), where the width of blade (10) exceeds the value assumed at the middle region (1), both edges (2, 3) have height coordinate (z) exceeding zero at identical length coordinates (x).

An ice skate for skating on ice, which ice skate comprises; an upper chassis section comprising a first contact surface having a front end and a rear end, a lower chassis section comprising a second contact surface having a front end and a rear end, and a coupling arrangement comprising a spring back means, which coupling arrangement is arranged to mechanically connect the upper and lower chassis sections. The coupling arrangement is arranged to allow the upper chassis section to pivot relative to the lower chassis section by rolling contact motion between the first and second contact surface such that a momentary contact region (CR) of the first and second contact surfaces moves back and forth between the front and rear ends of the first and second contact surfaces. The spring back means is arranged to urge the momentary contact region (CR) to a neutral position.

A removeable off-ice training blade for use in a convertible ice skate on a non-ice training surface. The blade has an upper retention surface shaped to engage the interior of a blade-holding groove and retention mechanism of the skate and has a lower tread to engage the non-ice training surface. Two side surfaces extend substantially perpendicularly from the lower tread to meet the upper retention surface. The tread surface comprises reflective non-cutting axial edges, to negate any destruction of the non-ice training surface during use of the blade. Certain embodiments of the training blade will include a tread surface that is wider than the upper retention surface, achieved with multiple lower profiles and cross-sections of the blade. Insofar as the training blade will not permit on-ice skating use, it can be removed from the skate for replacement with an ice blade having cutting edges. A skate incorporating the blade, and a related exercise method, are also disclosed.

A blade holder assembly for a skate including a blade holder having an elongated groove defined in a bottom surface, and a recess extending upwardly therefrom in alignment with a pedestal, for engagement with a blade. The pedestal has an internal cavity defined therein separate and spaced from the elongated groove and the recess. A locking arm is engaged to the pedestal and movable between a locked position and an unlocked position. The locking arm has an engagement end protruding into the recess through an opening defined in a wall of the pedestal. A greater portion of the engagement end protrudes into the recess in the locked position than in the unlocked position. At least a major part of the locking arm, including the engagement end, remains outside of the internal cavity of the pedestal in the locked and unlocked positions. A blade assembly is also discussed.

A blade holder tool is disclosed for a user to hold a skate blade and insert the skate blade into a sharpener unit for a sharpening operation. The blade holder tool includes an upper portion graspable by a user to hold the blade holder tool and place the blade holder tool in an inserted position in the sharpener unit. It further includes a lower blade-engaging portion that grasps the skate blade and locates the skate blade in a sharpening position in the sharpener unit.

A goalie skate assembly has i) a plastic blade mounting member adapted to releasably receive a metal skate blade therein, and ii) a monocoque carbon fiber and resin composite skate boot body for receiving a foot of the user therein. The unitary structure of the skate boot body includes i) a sole portion, ii) a heel portion extending upwardly from the sole portion for receiving a heel of the user therein, iii) a pair of side portions extending upwardly from opposing sides of the sole portion, and iv) a lower portion extending downwardly from a bottom side of the sole portion so as to surround at least a portion of the blade mounting member. A toe cap mounted on the skate boot body includes a molded plastic outer shell and a liner formed of a fiber and resin composite material bonded to an inner surface of the outer shell.

Skate blade (10), which has an outside edge and an inside edge (2, 3), in the middle region (1) of which the outside edge and the inside edge (2, 3) are parallel and have the same height, and the blade has an anterior region (4) in front of the middle region (1), where the height (z) of the edges (2, 3) increases in forward direction relative to the height (z=0) assumed at the middle region, and it has a posterior region (5) behind the middle region (1), where the height (z) of the edges (2, 3) increases in rearward direction relative to the height (z=0) assumed at the middle region, and the width coordinate (y) of at least one edge (2, 3), at least in the anterior or in the posterior region (4,5) increases along and arched curve with the distance from the middle region (1) relative to the vertical central plane (6) interpreted at the middle region (1), and at every location in front or behind the middle region (1), where the width of blade (10) exceeds the value assumed at the middle region (1), both edges (2, 3) have height coordinate (z) exceeding zero at identical length coordinates (x).

A goalie skate for a hockey goalkeeper. The goalie skate may comprise a skate boot for receiving a foot of the hockey goalkeeper, a blade for contacting ice, and a blade holder between the skate boot and the blade. The skate boot comprises an outer shell comprising a synthetic material. The goalie skate may be cowlingless.

An ice skate for skating on ice, which comprises; an upper chassis section comprising a first contact surface having a front end and a rear end, a lower chassis section comprising a second contact surface having a front end and a rear end, and a coupling arrangement comprising a spring back means, which coupling arrangement is arranged to mechanically connect the upper and lower chassis sections.