Frequently Asked Questions

Five Our leading, most popular and most versatile synthetic ice products are EZ Glide 350® and EZ Glide 500. Both are proprietary products and superior in many ways. We also offer the noncommercial-grade EZ Glide NC™ and two additional synthetic products equal to those sold by others in the synthetic ice industry under various names.

Of the five synthetic ice products we sell, EZ Glide 500 (the higher priced surface) and EZ Glide NC are is the fastest! Skating speed has been instrumental in making EZ Glide 500 the product of choice for professional skaters. The EZ Glide 500 and EZ Glide 350 commercial-grade panel in the Double-Locking DoveTail™ style is the product training centers and entertainment companies, including Disney On Ice, use for their projects. It is also, by far, the preferred products of the general public, commercial skating facilities and individuals who purchase for private use. It is a remarkably safe product for general public, yet it allows a figure skater to perform the same jumps, spins and footwork as they would on refrigerated ice. Many hockey training centers throughout the world have installed EZ Glide 350 and report unmatched success and performance in all aspects of hockey training.

All EZ Glide panels are manufactured from special polymers; therefore, these panels can be enjoyed year-round and in all temperatures. Developed for indoor and outdoor use, EZ Glide panels are sturdy, UV stable and stress relieved. They will not degrade in sunlight or warp as temperatures increase or decrease which is a major problem with less costly synthetic ice panels.

The lifespan of EZ Glide 350 and EZ Glide 500 is indefinite, under normal and expected use. These EZ Glide panels are constructed of a solid polymer mixture throughout their entire thickness. The panels are reversible to allow skating on both sides. As EZ Glide 350 and 500 panels becomes scratched from normal skating use, skating speed increases. The surface performs better the more you use it! Expect many years of great skating per side, and in most cases, decades!

EZ Glide panels can be installed on any sturdy, flat, level and firm surface capable of supporting the weight of the panels and skaters. Many surfaces have been installed on concrete, asphalt, decks, patios, in basements, malls, on floats and simple lumber decking, just to name a few. Any imperfections or dips in an existing subfloor may be leveled with sand, pea gravel or concrete.

No.

We only recommend the use of our Double-Locking DoveTail style panel for outdoor use.

Yes. We are a full service company. We offer installation services for refrigerated and synthetic ice rinks and a variety of training services including rink operations procedures, skating surface maintenance and skate sharpening, among many others.

Yes. We have a variety of styles and price ranges to suit the recreational skater as well as competitive and professional hockey and figure skaters.

EZ Glide purchase orders are carefully loaded on pallets, and rental orders are packaged in specially designed crates. All orders are shipped using common freight carriers. Shipping should not be a major consideration. By comparison, freight rates are low for these products.

Our company developed the Original EZ Glide Enhancer in 1969. EZ Glide Enhancer is shipped with every EZ Glide synthetic ice floor rental and purchase. Although you can skate without the use of the enhancer on EZ Glide products, its use is recommended and will increase the glide performance as well as decrease the need for skate sharpening. Misting the floor is only necessary occasionally and on an as-needed basis. When applied correctly, it leaves a non-detectable, very light film on the skating surface.

Never under any situation!

EZ Glide Enhancer is a specially formulated proprietary material. EZ Glide Enhancer does not contain silicone! It is an environmentally friendly product which is safe, non-toxic and EPA approved. It is totally water soluble and non-staining, even in its concentrated form.

EZ Glide panels are almost maintenance free. Keep the floor clean and apply our EZ Glide Enhancer as needed – that’s it! We do recommend purchasing a pressure washer for exterior rinks or a hard floor surface cleaner for indoor rinks.

Only when the surface shows signs of foreign matter such as dust, dirt or other foreign particles.

EZ Glide was designed for use with regular hockey skates and figure skates. Any figure, hockey or rental skate works perfectly on EZ Glide. The EZ Glide synthetic skating surfaces will not damage your blades, expensive or otherwise. To reduce friction and enhance performance, simply keep your skate blades sharpened and apply the EZ Glide Enhancer to the skating surface occasionally for additional faster glide, blade life and speed.

Sharpening skates slightly more often on synthetic ice is not uncommon; however, the use of the EZ Glide Enhancer significantly reduces wear on the blades. This combined with the special material in the EZ Glide synthetic ice products reduces the need for skate sharpening as often as would be necessary when utilizing another synthetic product or enhancer. Maintaining a clean EZ Glide synthetic ice surface will also extend the life of your blades and reduce sharpening significantly.

You may apply the EZ Glide Enhancer directly to your blades; however, due to normal friction and heat, any such effort to improve glide is short-lived because the enhancer will wear off the blades almost immediately.

Yes, pucks slide with ease on EZ Glide allowing for complete and well-rounded hockey practice sessions.

No! But, EZ Glide 500 is as close as it gets! EZ Glide 500 is such an excellent alternative to ice that training centers for both hockey and figure skating have and are currently being built using the EZ Glide 350 product exclusively to enhance the skaters’ performance and skills on refrigerated ice. There is no skill performed on ice that cannot be easily accomplished on EZ Glide. EZ Glide 350 strengthen skating performance allowing a skater to execute and perfect any skill or maneuver possible on refrigerated ice.

According to the large number of coaches using EZ Glide for training purposes, it intensifies practice and results in a far stronger performance on refrigerated ice. Training on EZ Glide synthetic ice will develop a more technically advanced skater, encouraging a skater to perform their movements and skills in proper body form, which makes them stronger, faster and more agile on refrigerated ice. It also encourages a skater to be more aggressive in their approach toward specific movements and skills. This energy and speed carries forward onto refrigerated ice, resulting in better all-around performances.

Hockey skating maneuvers are easy on EZ Glide. The puck responds as it would on conventional ice, so you can practice your hockey moves from stops to footwork, slap shots to goal tending, and everything in between. You will find the EZ Glide 350 and EZ Glide 500 installed in many hockey clubs and sports facilities, as well as private home basements, backyards and even bonus rooms. Many hockey training facilities are exclusively using the EZ Glide products. Any hockey maneuver or drill performed on ice can be easily executed and strengthened on EZ Glide.

Any stop, maneuver or drill performed on refrigerated ice can easily be executed on EZ Glide 350 or EZ Glide 500 synthetic ice panels. Due to its foam core hockey stops/side slides cannot be completed on the EZ Glide NC panels.

Any jump, spin or footwork that can be performed on refrigerated ice can be easily executed on EZ Glide 350 and the EZ Glide 500 panels .

Overhead lifts, bounce spins, throw jumps, or any skill performed on refrigerated ice, in the context of adagio and pairs/ ice dancing, can be performed on either the EZ Glide 350 or EZ Glide 500 synthetic ice panels.

Children learn to skate and advance quickly and easily on EZ Glide with a control not experienced on refrigerated ice.