Therma Blades Warm Up

Some NHL players will become guinea pigs in November to test Therma Blade’s new heated skate blades. Inventor Tory Weber claims that the prototypes cut down on friction up to 50% and allow players to skate faster with less energy needed. There is a resistor in the blade that heats it by battery to 5º C (~41º F,) regulated by a microprocessor in the heel. Apparently the warmth thickens the film of water between the ice and the blade and acts as a lubricant. We don’t know much about the way skates work. We thought that perhaps there would be less chaos at the hockey rink if the players’ feet were warmer.

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