How to Stay Warm at UK Ice Rinks: What Actually Works for Hockey Parents

Nobody really warns you about how cold rinks really are. Like, there’s ice, sure, but how bad can it be?!

You assume coat = sorted. Maybe a scarf if you’re feeling organised.

Then suddenly you’re three hours into a Sunday tournament, sitting on freezing plastic seats, questioning your life choices while your child — somehow — is absolutely fine.

The good news is that if you spend any amount of time in UK ice rinks, learning how to stay warm becomes a survival skill surprisingly quickly. The trick is learning what actually works, what’s overrated, and what you’ll wish you’d brought sooner.

START WITH LAYERS (NOT JUST A BIG COAT)

First off, one of the hardest things to manage is that transition from outside the rink to inside the rink. Yes, you COULD just wear the biggest thickest thing you own, but you’ll look and feel like a (very warm) right plum on your way to the rink if you do. Layers are your friend here – adjusting from outside to inside, and then carrying through the inevitable “wait, have they just dropped the temp by another 5 degrees?!” moment that usually hits about an hour into training. Your rinkside capsule wardrobe should include

• A good base layer. Your kids wear them – don’t let them be the only beneficiaries of the good stuff. Light weight, easy to wear, and doing a lot of heavy lifting for you, warmth-wise.
• Good socks. Like, really good socks. This isn’t the place for dinky little trainer socks. You want them thick, and well past your ankles.
• Gloves are also winners. Top tip – aim for the kind with those special finger tips that work on touch screen phones/tablets. Warm AND entertained. We can get behind that.
• A hat isn’t always necessary but for the super cold rinks it’s helpful – take one just in case.
• My all time hero – a nice warm scarf. Ticks the warm box, and also is the hardest worker when it comes to make you feel actually cosy.

THE FEET SITUATION (CRITICAL)

You’re thinking “eh? You already told us about socks. What’s with the feet obsession?” aren’t you? Problem is, there’s more to it than just socks – and miserable feet = miserable person. There’s more to think about:

• Shoes. I’ve seen people attempting rink life in sandals and I just can’t recommend it. Honesty time – even if it weren’t cold, there’s people walking around on literal blades. Leave the open toed footwear at home guys.
• Keeping your feet unharmed aside, there’s still more to think about. Rinkside flooring is usually wet – inevitable side effect of skates and zambonis dragging ice and snow around. If the bottoms of your shoes are showing the smallest sign of wear and tear – in the form of a hole – they’ll suck all that water up and your feet are going to be damp and unhappy. Strictly waterproof choices for this, folks.
• Also – I’d probably avoid any pride and joy pristine white trainers. They won’t stay pristine for long…
• It might be worth carrying a just-in-case pair of spare socks in your bag. You know, just in case.

SITTING COLD VS STANDING COLD

Where you are matters. Get to know your rinks warms vs cold spots and be as strategic as you can.

• Your specific location can make a big difference. For our kids’ training we mostly sit in the stands at our rink… cold but not arctic. After though, we all wait by the changing rooms which are ice level and absolutely freezing. That last bit is 100% the worst where we are and is why I could never be a stand-at-the-plexi all evening kind of parent. Plan where you’ll be, and plan your cold-defences around it.
• As well as how close you are to the ice, think about where you’re sitting, if you are. Once upon a time we used to sit on the team benches right by the boards. We couldn’t do that now even we wanted to (too high a risk of pucks flying over and the club isn’t insured for that…) but if we could… we wouldn’t. They’re wet and damp and just generally not that nice. Dry seats for the win!
• …and speaking of seats, your options here matter too. Plastic fold down seats aren’t the most comfortable, but they do beat benches and lend themselves much better to taking a blanket if your rink is especially cold – check out what you’ve got and see what “add ons” are practical. 

HOT DRINK STRATEGY

At some point, warmth stops being a luxury and becomes the main objective of the day. A winning approach can be to reach for the hot drink – and if you’ve got the early morning slot that caffeine boost is an added bonus too. A few things to watch for though…

• Does your rink have a cafe, and if so are there rules around buying vs taking your own? The sweet spot is being able to take your own AND have the back up of something freshly made if needed.
• Some rink cafes will serve you a cup of instant coffee with a huge mark up; some make really good hot drinks. Honestly, there are some cracking ones out there – especially if you have a soft spot for a decent hot chocolate. Get to know your options and the costs and weigh up what’s worth it for you.
• I can’t champion a good flask enough – they’re hard to find now but my old Ninja Sip Perfect is such a good rink buddy. Keeps drinks just right for hours and doesn’t leak. The beauty of a good flask is it’ll save you money; it’ll allow you to have whatever drink you want, not what the cafe happens to have; and it can be with you on those long road trips.

THE “LEARNED THE HARD WAY” LIST

You’ve got your layers. You’ve got your flask of live-saving coffee. Don’t stop there – there are a few extras we’ve discovered along the way that really elevate your rink survival game…

• Hand warmers. Honestly – get some. Now. They’re little pocket sized electrical blocks that you usually recharge via a USB cable. Pop them in your pockets and hold onto them for instant loveliness, or – pro tip incoming – slip them inside your gloves. Toasty!!
• While we’re on gloves – keep a spare set in whatever bag you take to the rink, or in your car glove box (ha!). Easy to forget to take them, especially if you’re racing out on a warm day, so have a back up pair. 
• We mentioned blankets earlier, and they are popular so don’t feel daft for having one. The only thing to watch here is that rinks can be a bit – well, grubby. Watery floors are going to pick up all sorts of dirt, that’s just a fact. So, don’t take your super expensive, most beloved blanket. Get yourself a reasonably cheap one for the sole purpose of rinkside warmth duties.
• For the coldest spots, consider a hooded blanket. You’ll see plenty of kids in these (they’re ideal for throwing on after training) – don’t let them monopolise the goodness!
• Powerbank. Hear me out… firstly, handy if those hand warmers need a little recharge. But also – cold = miserable. Cold and bored = reeeeeeally miserable. At least if the time passes quickly you’ll feel like you can be back in the car with the heaters on soon enough. 

OUR NON-NEGOTIABLES

Your exact combo is going to depend on your rink, but there are a few things that I always have no matter what, and no matter where we go. There are some warm rinks believe it not (Nottingham, that’s you…) but no harm to have stuff left in your bag. Better that than an empty bag and iceberg feet… Our must haves are:

• The gloves
• The scarf
• The big oversized fleecelined coat
• The handwarmers
• The hot drink flask.

Consider this a good starter kit!

FINAL THOUGHTS

You do adapt — eventually.

But until then, staying warm at the rink is less about toughness and more about strategy.

Plan ahead, layer smart, and never underestimate the power of dry socks.