How to lace figure skates
When trying on new shoes and of course later when skating, it is important that the skates are properly put on and laced. If you don't make the right effort or are careless, the boots can pinch, cause pain and break more quickly.
Only when skates are laced correctly
- the foot is in the right place in the shoe
- the boot supports the skater as it should
- you can show your best performance on the ice
- the boots do not break and last longer
Inserting the laces
When you get new skates or want to replace the laces, the question is: How do you insert the laces through the holes? While you can also proceed from a visual point of view with your street shoes, you should always lace your ice skates in the classic criss-cross herringbone pattern.
Variant 1 - from the outside in
It is very often recommended - including by manufacturers such as Edea - to run the laces through the holes from the outside to the inside. The advantage of this variant is that the laces do not press directly on the foot later when tying and they automatically block at each hole.
However, especially with new, very sturdy leather shoes, this requires a relatively large amount of force and it is difficult to grip and tighten the laces at each hole.
Variant 2 - from the inside to the outside
You can also insert the laces through the holes from the inside to the outside. It is somewhat easier to apply pressure over several holes and tighten the laces. As the laces do not lock automatically, there is a risk that the laces will unintentionally loosen again when you let go.
In general
If the skates have a lace guide on the tongue, this should always be used to prevent the tongue from slipping.
Once the laces are in the shoe, it's time to put on and tie the skates …
Putting on and tying
First of all, loosen the laces so that you can slide your feet comfortably into the shoes. To do this, really loosen the laces at all the holes so that the tongue can be folded far forward and the boot can be opened wide. Then you can easily and comfortably slide your foot into the skate.
Before you start tightening the laces, make sure that your heel really does slide all the way back. Secondly, you should always make sure that the tongue is in the right position before lacing.
When tightening the laces, proceed as follows: The first holes above the toes only slightly; just tight enough so that the shoe gently hugs the foot. Tighten the holes from the instep area to the ankle very tightly so that the foot sits firmly in the heel of the shoe and the shoe can fit snugly around the foot.
The upper hooks can be laced a little looser so that you have sufficient freedom of movement and blood circulation is not impaired. It is advisable to always lace the hooks from top to bottom so that the tension is maintained.
As a little mnemonic for lacing, you can remember the shape of an egg timer: wider at the bottom and top and narrow in the middle.
