Hockey is one of the most popular sports enjoyed by people around the world, played on ice during the winter months. Canada, the United States, and some European countries have professional hockey leagues, while countless minor leagues and recreational teams around the world play the sport on a more informal basis.
One of the most crucial items for any hockey player or fan is their skates. While the rules of the game don’t require them, the friction between the blades and the smooth ice surface makes it virtually impossible to move without them.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to lace hockey skates up correctly so that they fit snugly and don’t move around too much while you’re skating. We’ll also explore different ways of finding the right fit for you, so that the laces can stay put and not come undone while you’re playing the game.
Table of Contents
How To Lace Your Hockey Skate Correctly
Lacing your hockey skate correctly is crucial for several reasons. For starters, it’s important that the skate fits snugly but isn’t too tight, otherwise you risk injury due to constant sliding around on the ice. In addition, when your laces are tied correctly, you’ll enjoy a more stable and durable stride while you’re skating, ensuring better performance.
Here are the general rules for lacing a hockey skate:
- The tongue of the skate should be inside the boot
- The heel of the skate should be tight against the sole of the boot
- The inside of the foot should be touching the ground when standing in front of the skate
- The inside of the foot should be resting on the ground when sitting in a chair or lying down next to a wall
- The ankle of the skate should be flexible
- The ball of the foot should be resting on the ground when standing next to the skate
First, make sure that the tongue of the skate is completely inside the boot. If it isn’t, then the boot is too big and will move around too much while you’re walking, resulting in uncomfortable noise and a potential stumble. Next, pull the heel of the skate as tight against the sole of the boot as possible, but not so much that it digs into the skin when you step on the ice.
After you’ve gotten the tongue of the skate and the heel of the skate properly situated in the boot, check to make sure that the inside of the foot is touching the ground when standing in front of the skate. When you’re at rest, the inner edge of your feet should be resting flat against a wall or the floor. Next, pull the ankle of the skate forward until it is straight when you stand next to it and your foot is resting flat on the ground. Remember: the farther your foot is from being parallel to the ground, the more unstable your balance will be, resulting in potential injuries.
Tight vs Loose Lacing
There is more than one way to lace a hockey skat, and some people even believe that different laces provide different benefits. Loose lacing provides a bit of cushioning between the skate and the ground, making it easier to push off from when you step on the ice. In contrast, tied laces provide a snug and secure fit and also help keep your balance while you’re walking or skating. Some people prefer using a hockey lace with metal tips, which provide additional stability while you’re skating.
If you’re new to lacing your skates, begin by trying out both options and seeing which one feels more comfortable and stable for you. If you decide that loose lacing feels better, then by all means, go for it. Just remember to keep the tongue of the skate firmly lodged inside the boot to maintain proper contact with the ice surface!
Adjustable Vs Non-Adjustable
Another thing to consider when lacing your hockey skates is whether you should use adjustable or non-adjustable devices. Adjustable laces are those that can be tightened or loosened as needed, either automatically by the skate or manually by the user. Non-adjustable laces are permanently set in place and cannot be altered by the user, or changed once the skate is put on.
Adjustable laces can be a bit more useful than non-adjustable ones, especially when lacing a hockey skat for the first time. This is because you can use the automatic tightening mechanism to get the snugness and security you need, without having to worry about the lace being too tight or too loose. In general, automatic tightening systems are better than having to manually adjust the lace, as they provide a more reliable fit every time.
Make Sure You’re Not Pulling On The Laces
A related point to make about lacing your hockey skates is that you should not be pulling on the laces while trying to get them tied. There is a reason why lacing your skates is considered to be a skill that every hockey player must possess: it’s because it’s really easy for the laces to come undone if you aren’t careful and strong enough when tying them. Make sure that you’re not being careless by handling the laces with your hands while you’re connecting the hooks and loops, and ensure that they’re not coming undone by looking out for signs of fraying or breaking.
Manually tying and adjusting your laces can be a cumbersome process, especially when you’re trying to do it while walking to your car or waiting for a bus. If you want to reduce the amount of time it takes to lace your skates, then you should look into automatic tightening systems, which do the hard work for you while you focus on playing the game.
Lacing your hockey skates can be a pretty straightforward process once you’ve figured out the right way to do it. Keep these rules in mind so that you can get the most from your laces and avoid any potential injuries:
–Make sure the tongue of the skate is completely inside the boot.
–The heel of the skate should be snug against the sole of the boot.
–The inside of the foot should be touching the ground when standing in front of the skate.
–The inside of the foot should be resting on the ground when sitting in a chair or lying down next to a wall.
–The ankle of the skate should be flexible.
–The ball of the foot should be resting on the ground when standing next to the skate.
–Finally, make sure that you aren’t pulling on the laces while trying to tighten them. Doing so can cause the lace to come undone, leading to injuries and a frustrating play session.