When the weather turns frigid, it’s fun to find an ice rink and bat a puck around with friends. Usually, you’d have to turn to a crowded rink in a mall or a body of water and hope that it was frozen enough to withstand a couple hours of skating. With either option, you are never really in control of your own playing days.
A novel idea called EZ ICE is now available to help solve this problem. It’s a backyard ice rink that, like an above-ground pool, is surprisingly easy to set up.
As long as you live in a frozen climate, you can have it up and running in about an hour. The best part? Everything you need to set it up comes in one kit, with no extra tools required. Five lightweight panels snap into place and are held together by strong, triangular brackets. The dimensions of the rink can be increased or decreased in increments of five feet to meet the shape of any backyard with no stake hammering required. EZ ICE can be set up on any flat surface, hard or soft.
When it comes time for water, a proprietary strap system helps even out liquid distribution across the playing surface (compensating for any angle up to 1 foot) and level weight on both sides. The liner is plain white to reflect as much sunlight as possible and keep the water frozen through the winter. This setup helps protect the surface underneath the rink and any utilities underground once the water begins to melt in the spring.
EZ ICE comes in nine sizes, with two custom options at the small and large ends of the spectrum. Sure, it’s an investment with starting prices around $1,000, but if your home is full of insatiable hockey enthusiasts, consider this the ultimate gift. (It’s a longer lasting investment than a trip to Toronto to visit the Hall of Fame, where Canada celebrates its national sport every day of the year.)
