How tight to lace hockey skates?
As any hockey player knows, lacing up your skates before a game can be an art form. You want them tight enough to provide support and control on the ice, but not so tight that you cut off circulation in your feet. So how do you find that perfect balance? Let’s take a look.
The Importance of Properly Laced Skates
Before we dive into how tight to lace your skates, let’s talk about why it matters. Your skates are one of the most important pieces of equipment you wear on the ice, and how they fit can directly impact your performance. A properly laced skate will:
- Provide necessary ankle support
- Enhance agility and speed
- Minimize blisters and hotspots
- Prevent foot injuries
So if you’re not taking the time to properly lace up before each game or practice, you could be setting yourself up for failure.
Experiment with Different Techniques
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to lacing up your skates. Everyone has their own preferred method based on personal preference and foot shape/size. Some common techniques include:
Over-under Method
This is probably the most common technique used by players at all levels. It involves weaving the laces over and under each eyelet crosswise until reaching around halfway through where then only under-hooks are used until reaching ankles where crisscross while looping hooks behind becomes crucial.
Straight-Lace Method
This method tends to work well for players with high arches because it allows for more flexibility in adjusting tension across different parts of the foot without sacrificing overall snugness.
Double-Knot Technique
Slightly self-explanatory here; once all hooking has been done turn back around socks area twice – this creates two knots along top edge which should help prevent loosening during gameplay.
Try experimenting with different techniques to find the one that works best for you. And don’t be afraid to adjust your lacing technique based on running into any issues.
How Tight is “Too” Tight?
Of course, there’s such a thing as over-tightening. When skates are laced too tightly, it can lead to decreased circulation in your feet and damage not only during games but possibly off-rink times also. You might experience numbness, tingling or cramping after wearing tight fitting gear so its important you check recommended fits from each brand before starting out ice time.
If you’re experiencing discomfort due to excess pressure at specific points (e.g., ankles), consider loosening up those areas while realigning tension elsewhere with lower hooks placed than usual – this should help even things out.
And be sure never to turn back on straps where they connect around heel area since it puts too much pressure across back part of foot causing increased friction/heat which could result in painful blisters if left unattended .
A good rule of thumb is that you should be able wiggle all toes freely feel snug without them being overly constrained while also having support through the arches of your feet by sole lining as well maintaining comfort behind ankle joints thanks partly towards added padding along sides inside shoe itself!
Additional Tips
- Make sure your socks are snug against your feet and free of wrinkles
- Ensure proper fitment with correct skate size determined via measurements taken ahead prior purchase
- Try using specialized waxed hockey laces which reduce unnecessary tightening needing practiced when playing by forming themselves closely alongside baseplate/skate tongue thus creating additional stability between top & bottom parts
At the end of the day,finding how tight these laces need tied can require experimentation good luck!