Skate tongue: under or over the shin pads?

[dangler71]

I rock tongues-out. It looks legit that way.

 

[night-timer]

Hate to sound naive, but what is a 'tendon guard'?

I tuck the tongue under my shin pads, but perhaps players who have the tongue visible/outside do this because there's more flexibility for their legs that way?

Then again, you can bend your knee or your ankle, but I don't see how you can 'bend' your shin.

 

[Ti-girl]

Hate to sound naive, but what is a 'tendon guard'?

I tuck the tongue under my shin pads, but perhaps players who have the tongue visible/outside do this because there's more flexibility for their legs that way?

Then again, you can bend your knee or your ankle, but I don't see how you can 'bend' your shin.

Tendon guard = back of the skate that guards your achielle's tendon

 

[Green13]

I do shin pads under and tongue out because I find when I put the shin pads over my tongue and try to lean forward it feel the pressure of the tightness of the shin pads I have to work against and cant lean properly.

I dunno I find it too tight, but some people like that, like when they tape their ankles.

 

[cptjeff]

Hate to sound naive, but what is a 'tendon guard'?

I tuck the tongue under my shin pads, but perhaps players who have the tongue visible/outside do this because there's more flexibility for their legs that way?

Then again, you can bend your knee or your ankle, but I don't see how you can 'bend' your shin.

Tongues out is for more flexibility. Or rather, Shins out is sacrificing flexibility as that method came about much later.

The bottom of the shin pad presses against the skate in the front, which reduces the mobility of your ankle. But shins out does give you more protection.

 

[ibeck]

Tongues out with a flop

 

[RobertKron]

Tongues out is for more flexibility. Or rather, Shins out is sacrificing flexibility as that method came about much later.

The bottom of the shin pad presses against the skate in the front, which reduces the mobility of your ankle. But shins out does give you more protection.

Yeah, tongues out does give more range of motion, although a lot of people just do it for looks, but as a defenseman who blocked a lot of shots, I was always okay with the trade off.

 

[Spike Page]

I'm pretty new to playing with gear on, and so far have only had the chance to skate in full gear on synthetic ice. I tried wearing the shin guards under the tongues for comfort and flexibility, but found that it was much harder to get my skates laced nice and tight like I prefer.

And having wobbly ankles is far worse than not being able to lean forward quite as far, especially on synthetic ice where it takes twice as much force to execute every stride or turn...so next time I'll try tongues-under-guards and see how it goes.

 

[ponder]

I'm definitely a tongues under shins guy, lets me wear longer/more protective shins and feel more natural/less restrictive. I've always felt the long tongues with the big flop was mostly a fashion statement.

 

[sepHF]

Tongue outside the shinpad and socks.

I've done it that way since I was 4 or 5, whenever I started playing hockey. It's not a fashion statement or anything, just how I've always done it.

This, never even considered tucking in the tongue - didn't cross my mind.

 

[Guffaw]

Like that.

Tongue under shin guard, socks under tendon guard.

Exactly. Forget fashion statement. Ideally your foot needs to flex and extend as freely as possible. Why fight a shin guard that's wedged under a skate tongue when trying to flex your foot?

 

[Samuel Culper III]

I'm definitely a tongues under shins guy, lets me wear longer/more protective shins and feel more natural/less restrictive. I've always felt the long tongues with the big flop was mostly a fashion statement.

This. Obviously some people are just more comfortable with tongues out, and it's really all about what's most comfortable in the end, but I'm convinced that, among most younger players today, the tongue out is much more about "swagger" than actual functionality. A lot of people justifying it with the mobility excuse are full of it. I say this because, after having gone tongue out until around 17 years old, before switching to tongue under the pads, and going on to play DI hockey, there is absolutely NO difference in the amount of forward flex that you get with/without tucked tongues. It's purely about what's more comfortable/you think looks good.

 

[Guffaw]

Yeah, tongues out does give more range of motion, although a lot of people just do it for looks, but as a defenseman who blocked a lot of shots, I was always okay with the trade off.

See I look at it the other way. Tongues out is more restrictive because as you flex your foot your fighting the bottom of the shin guard. Unless your wearing shins that are too small for you.

 

[biturbo19]

Tongue tucked under shinpad, sock over the tendon guard as well.

The way is see it, it's just like skating without gear, except...with gear on top. lol. As in, when i just head out to fool around without gear, i don't have anything awkwardly wedged inside the tongue of my skates.

And as for the 'flexibility' or 'range of motion' thing...I don't really see how it matters much, as my shin doesn't bend much anyway. lol. The ankle can bend just as well either way as far as i can tell.

So i go with the option that i feel offers better protection, and also, doesn't involve the bottom of my shinpad constantly rubbing and jabbing my ankle as i skate. Instead i get a nice comfy skate tongue there.

Besides, i like the way it looks better.

 

[ReverendAlBundy]

I have custom tongues an flop all the way to the last eyelette. As One poster said it's completely just for swag, though I do have to disagree with him about the mobility. He said it doesn't make a difference, but I insist it makes a huge difference. I skated a couple games with me tongues tucked and noticed without the extra room to lean my ankles, my backwards crossovers suffered severely. Also makes a huge difference when you take a slash or puck on the laces

 

[cptjeff]

See I look at it the other way. Tongues out is more restrictive because as you flex your foot your fighting the bottom of the shin guard. Unless your wearing shins that are too small for you.

No, that would be shins that are the right size. People wearing them on the outside has warped the perception of the right size. Remember that the whole shin outside thing only originated so that players could wear longer shinpads than normal for a little extra protection.

That little extension at the bottom is supposed to be all that actually goes inside the skate, if that. If the shins are sized correctly for the setup, you get more motion, not less. If you wear the longer shins on the outside, you're adding more resistance to the front of the ankle in your stride- especially if you tuck the sock around the tendon guard too. Will it really make a difference? Probably not for most people. You're still going to overcome that resistance.

You're not gonna use the same length shin for both styles. If you use the shorter shin with tongues in, there's no point. It doesn't add protection, and just looks silly. If you use the longer shin with tongues out, it's going to be awkwardly deep in your skate. The longer or shorter shin is what is going to change the feel, not the actual placement. But there is a reason they're each worn like they are.

 

[Guffaw]

No, that would be shins that are the right size. People wearing them on the outside has warped the perception of the right size. Remember that the whole shin outside thing only originated so that players could wear longer shinpads than normal for a little extra protection.

That little extension at the bottom is supposed to be all that actually goes inside the skate, if that. If the shins are sized correctly for the setup, you get more motion, not less. If you wear the longer shins on the outside, you're adding more resistance to the front of the ankle in your stride- especially if you tuck the sock around the tendon guard too. Will it really make a difference? Probably not for most people. You're still going to overcome that resistance.

You're not gonna use the same length shin for both styles. If you use the shorter shin with tongues in, there's no point. It doesn't add protection, and just looks silly. If you use the longer shin with tongues out, it's going to be awkwardly deep in your skate. The longer or shorter shin is what is going to change the feel, not the actual placement. But there is a reason they're each worn like they are.

I agree with that. I do prefer longer shins and wear the longest possible on the outside so that the top of the laces just hit the shin guard when the skate is fully flexed. In other words, I'm not impeded at all.

In my opinion, if the shins are tucked at all behind the tongue there is some resistance there even if it's slight.

Oh well. At the end of the day it's what feels most comfortable.

 

[TheGroceryStick]

Exactly. Forget fashion statement. Ideally your foot needs to flex and extend as freely as possible. Why fight a shin guard that's wedged under a skate tongue when trying to flex your foot?

yup.
Same way i feel.

 

[griffpf]

i go tongues out.. feels better and use skate protectors at times taken many pucks off the ankle but haven't broke it yet so just keep it going

 

[The Spicy Shrimp]

Flopped. For comfort, and because Laura Stamm says so.

 

[BaconNater]

gotta go with tongues out, looks sick

 

[Bryan23]

Tongue and Tendon Guards out for me.

 

[Darrelle Lundqvist]

Gotta tuck em.

 

[Samuel Culper III]

I just bought a new pair of One100s with an extra long, pure white tongue. I'm a tongue under the shins guy, but I might be tempted to flop them for a little bit.

 

[The Tikkanen]

Tongues in, tendon guard out, tuck laces into sock.