Properly lacing your skates

[noobman]

Here's something that's always baffled me... is there a proper way to lace your skates?

I see all kinds of variations:

- Laced up tight all the way up
- First four eyelets loose, the rest very tight
- Leaving the last eyelet open
- Leaving the last eyelet open and wrapping the lace around the back of the skate
- Lacing all the way up
- Lacing all the way up and wrapping the lace around


I haven't really found one that works for me. When I leave the last eyelet open I can't seem to control myself on sharp skates, and when I lace them all the way up I can't get low enough for a proper stride. I've concluded that wrapping around your ankles is BAD.

 

[Heat McManus]

if they stay on your foot, you did it properly.

 

[Reckless Abandon*]

I like to have mine tight. So I tighten every lace as tight as possible starting from the bottom working my way up. I do it so tight that the skin on my hands starts to peel and I'll occasionally bleed. Then after I get to the top, I wrap them around the back of my skates and then tie a double knot.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

I only tighten the top 5 laces. I never really care to have the entire boot cut off circulation when it is my ankle that normally causes the most force on my skate.

 

[All_blueandwhite]

I like to have mine tight. So I tighten every lace as tight as possible starting from the bottom working my way up. I do it so tight that the skin on my hands starts to peel and I'll occasionally bleed. Then after I get to the top, I wrap them around the back of my skates and then tie a double knot.

I do the same thing.

 

[nullterm]

I only tighten the top 5 laces. I never really care to have the entire boot cut off circulation when it is my ankle that normally causes the most force on my skate.

Same. The important thing is making sure the skate fully supports your ankle. I notice if it's loose at all around my ankle then I don't skate as well.

 

[densetsu]

When I put in a new pair of laces, I won't tighten the boot area too much. I'll really tighten the ankle area, the top five or six eyelets. Then I'll take the laces out of the top three eyelets, loosen the next three eyelets, and pull the tongue out to get my foot out. After that, I'll only tighten those top six eyelets.

Most important point: laces go in the outside of the eyelet, come out the inside of the eyelet (if that makes sense). Otherwise they loosen up as you tighten the next set of eyelets.

I also buy laces that are the right length, so I don't have to deal with wrapping laces around my ankle because they're too long.

 

[nullterm]

We were told in power skating not to wrap laces around the ankle before tying the knot. It actually offers less support when your ankle moves around. I just tuck the excess laces under the laces on the bottom part of the foot.

 

[DevilsFan38]

When I put in a new pair of laces, I won't tighten the boot area too much. I'll really tighten the ankle area, the top five or six eyelets. Then I'll take the laces out of the top three eyelets, loosen the next three eyelets, and pull the tongue out to get my foot out. After that, I'll only tighten those top six eyelets.

Most important point: laces go in the outside of the eyelet, come out the inside of the eyelet (if that makes sense). Otherwise they loosen up as you tighten the next set of eyelets.

I also buy laces that are the right length, so I don't have to deal with wrapping laces around my ankle because they're too long.

They do stay tighter that way (sometimes too tight, for me), but they were also a major pain to unlace so I went back to the normal way. I've also been told to not wrap the laces around the skate - if they're that long, buy shorter laces.

I also leave the first 4-5 holes looser, then tie the rest up as tight as I can get it.

 

[Muttley*]

I like to have mine tight. So I tighten every lace as tight as possible starting from the bottom working my way up. I do it so tight that the skin on my hands starts to peel and I'll occasionally bleed. Then after I get to the top, I wrap them around the back of my skates and then tie a double knot.

Yeah, that happens to me too. I get blisters. You have to watch out because your gloves are breeding grounds for infections like Staph, MRSA, as they thrive in that warm, moist, smelly environment. When you keep putting your cut, bleeding hands in and out of your gloves it poses a risk of infection.

This happened to Patrik Elias in 2001 and if he would have left it untreated he would have had to have his arm amputated. That infection also compromised his immune system and opened the door for his Hepatitis A, which nearly killed him while playing in Russia during the lockout.

Pretty scary stuff.

 

[DevilsFan38]

Or instead of bleeding, blistered hands you could try one of these:

 

[nullterm]

Or instead of bleeding, blistered hands you could try one of these:

Heh, I warped mine. Pulled too hard and the metal part bent and let go of the lace. Nearly face punched myself when it let go.

Now my fingers are calloused enough it's not an issue.

 

[noobman]

Or instead of bleeding, blistered hands you could try one of these:

I could never figure out how to work one of those things

I only get blisters from doing skates on a cold day. I'm going to try the outside-inside lacing tomorrow.

 

[Muttley*]

Or instead of bleeding, blistered hands you could try one of these:

Don't like them. Never have. For me, it's just not the same as doing it with your hands. I've been using my hands as long as I've been able to skate. I could never get myself to use that as I didn't like it the few times I've used it.

Besides, I'd lose that thing anyway.

 

[qwertysac]

Pulled too hard and the metal part bent and let go of the lace. Nearly face punched myself when it let go.

 

[noobman]

I created this thread because I always have trouble finding balance between stability and comfort.

 

[Muttley*]

Here's something that's always baffled me... is there a proper way to lace your skates?

I see all kinds of variations:

- Laced up tight all the way up
- First four eyelets loose, the rest very tight
- Leaving the last eyelet open
- Leaving the last eyelet open and wrapping the lace around the back of the skate
- Lacing all the way up
- Lacing all the way up and wrapping the lace around


I haven't really found one that works for me. When I leave the last eyelet open I can't seem to control myself on sharp skates, and when I lace them all the way up I can't get low enough for a proper stride. I've concluded that wrapping around your ankles is BAD.

I created this thread because I always have trouble finding balance between stability and comfort.

Without seeing what you're doing, it might be hard to make a recommendation. What you consider "tight", other's might consider "moderately snug".

When I leave the last eyelet open I can't seem to control myself on sharp skates, and when I lace them all the way up I can't get low enough for a proper stride.

Why don't you find the middle ground here and lace them up, but not as tight as you have done in the past?

 

[Jarick]

I laces outside in for the first four eyelets to give me more volume up front (I have wide feet), then inside out the rest of the way up to the second from top eyelet. Typically I pull the laces snug but not tight up until my ankle, where I pull them fairly tight.

I also switched to the new Gorilla Laces, which hold way better than wax and are a lot more durable. Plus they look really crazy.

 

[NYRSinceBirth]

I'm a full boot tight person. I use wax laces and the loosen up a tiny bit, So I overly tighten at first, and as I skate it feels better. I can walk around in my skates just fine unlaced so they fit fine.

 

[cptjeff]

I have it fairly loose in the front of the foot and tighten the top 6 laces very tight. Comfy and supports my ankle great.

 

[87vert]

Most important point: laces go in the outside of the eyelet, come out the inside of the eyelet (if that makes sense). Otherwise they loosen up as you tighten the next set of eyelets.

I usually have to remove the laces from the top eyelet to get my skates off and always have a hard time getting it back into the eyelet when I but them back on. I think that method might work better for me. I'm gonna relace the skates and try it that way.

 

[Jarick]

Just keep in mind going outside-in means you can't get those laces as tight as you could going inside-out. Useful when your boot is too tight in a certain area. It's a pain to tighten and loosen as well...which is why I only use it up near the toes.

 

[KA BLAMO]

Or instead of bleeding, blistered hands you could try one of these:

Haha, man I haven't seen anybody use those since Atom.

EDIT: For clarity, that was about 10 years ago (ages roughly 11-12).

 

[TBLfan]

I only tighten the top 5 laces. I never really care to have the entire boot cut off circulation when it is my ankle that normally causes the most force on my skate.

Only the top 3 for me(not counting the skipped top eyelet). Everything below the elbow of the skate is loose enough to easily stick your finger under it.

 

[cptjeff]

I created this thread because I always have trouble finding balance between stability and comfort.

If that's the case your skates may have too much or too little volume for your foot.