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How to Tie Your Figure Skates Correctly

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It may seem obvious but at nearly every competition i have been to there has been someone who had an issue with the way their skates were done up.

Putting your boots on correctly is critical for getting the best from your skating.

It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or a senior level skater – if you get it wrong your skating will suffer.

Worse even, if you’re at a competition you could sabotage your own performance.

Make sure your skates are laced up tight and evenly so that the tongue is centered in the middle so you that have even support.

The Italian boot manufacturer Edea recommends lacing your boots so that the laces are woven through the leather holes from the outside of the boot to the inside of the boot.

This is to reduce the amount of give that the laces provide after they have been tied up.

Less give is highly desirable, that is why the laces are designed with minimal elasticity

There is nothing worse than having to re-tie your skates 5 minutes after you hit the ice because your laces have become loose.

Edea also recommends hooking the laces around each hook from the top down to create a full 360 degree wrap (the lace will bind on it’s self), this reduces the likelihood of the laces becoming loose or come undone.

This technique may also help you to use more of the lace if you have length to spare.

You can watch this video from Edea to understand the best method for lacing your skates:

When you purchase new boots, it is natural for the laces to stretch during the break-in period.

Depending on the make of boot and how much you skate, the break-in period may range from a few weeks to a few months.

During this time you will find that the laces will increase in length. It is normal to re-lace your boots a few times a session while this is happening.

While this video is great it does not cover the differences between kids sizes and other manufacturers.

Not all boots are the same

Each maker of figure skates is different. Some skates will have more hooks than others, some will have hooks in different places that provide a slightly different support structure.

The shape of the hooks on the boot can vary a lot; some are flat, some extrude more, some are rounder that others and some are bigger or smaller.

It is worth while finding out if there are specific instructions from your skate manufacturer. If so follow their best practise.

You must foster the development of GOOD HABITS!

Instilling good habits will minimize the risk of injury and prolong the life of your boots!

Instilling good habits will prevent issues at tests or competitions.

Instilling good habits will help you be a role model to younger skaters.

This is the best thing you can do when it comes to teaching yourself or your child how to tie skates correctly.

Comments

  1. My daughter is going to be starting figure skating here pretty soon, and I think that your information about not all boots being the same is helpful information for us. We’re not too familiar with figure skating at the moment, so its good for us to know that there are different support structures and hooks when it comes to boots. I’m going to have to look into some figure skating boots and see if we can figure out which ones would be best to get her started! Thank you!

    Reply

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