Tying Laces...

[hapamatt122 0]

I was playing pickup and I saw this guy that tied his skate weird, well at least I have never seen it before. anyways, so he laced it all the way up except for the top eyelet, so the laces are coming out of the 2nd to top eyelet, and then looped it straight down underneath the boot and back around to the top of the foot where the knot was. I asked him about it because that was pretty different and he said it helps him so he can lean forwards better.. anyone seen a setup like that before?

also, how many of you don't use the top eyelet.. I always lace up to the top but I was thinking of maybe skipping that last top eyelet and seeing if I can get some more mobility on my forward lean.

[hyprlte 0]

considering i have graf's which have forward lean already, i do up my top eyelit

[freq019 0]

i skip the top eyelet, because my laces weren't long enough, now I like the extra mobility.

[Cheechoo 0]

I used to do up the laces on my roller hockey skates all the way to the top until recently when Justin from Mission mentioned the improved forward bend you get from not using the top eylets. I tried it when I got my new 7500 and loved it, so I stuck with it. But I don't do the lacing under the boot thing you are describing. That sounds weird.

[Nem 0]

i lace up to the top

sure i do feel kinda restricted when i do that but its also more stable

[cause4alarm 6]

I undo the top eyelet because a friend of mine recommended it. He said it appeared that I wasn't getting enough forward flex. The same guy also doesn't bother lacing the first eyelet because he reasons that it does nothing since you can't tighten over the toe cap.

The other lacing that you're describing sounds like a technique used by runners to prevent heel slippage. Is this it?

If so, this is something I started doing with my running shoes because they were uncomfortable and a salesman at Foot Locker taught me it. To me, it feels like it more evenly distributes/relieves the lace pressure while keeping a snug tightness. I did that lacing thing to my hockey skates a few times to see if it would make a difference. I didn't notice any and I've pretty much forgotten to do it again since, but I'm going to give it another go now that you've reminded me.

[BK 0]

I have F1s from salming (a deep boot).. I like them all the way up.

[TBLfan 25]

I have to, i have bad ankles and need the support. It doesn't really hinder my movement.

[hapamatt122 0]

the new balance pic doesn't quite show what I'm explaining about the guy I saw.. his lace went from the 2nd eyelet (where normally you would cross it over to either tie or go up to the next eyelet) but instead of crossing over, the lace goes straight down and then crosses under the boot and back up (the two laces cross each other underneat the boot) and when they come up back around the middle of the foot then he ties it there so the actual knot is probably around the 5th or 6th eyelet.

next time I skate I'm going to skip that top eyelet and see if I get any advantage of being able to lean forward more.. thanks for all the input.

[mnitishin 0]

I knew a kid who skipped every other eyelit and I assume he liked it.

I tie mine through the top and around the back. I like my skates as tight as they can go for as long as they'll stay tight.

[devilsrule711 0]

now i have to since i busted up my ankles in soccer but normally i leave out the top one and wrap the laces around the back on my XX's

[Edge 0]

I skip the top eyelit....more forward flex.

[hapamatt122 0]

yes.. I definetly need to try this.. I don't know why Inever tried before, I guess it never occured to me.. anyways I'm a d-man and when crossing over too fast sometimes I find myself getting up on my toes too much, maybe this will solve that.

now another question for all of you that skip the top eyelet.. do you wear your shins behind or in front of the tongue of your skate?. I wear my shin in front of the tongue but I still plan to skip the top eyelet and I'm hoping that still proves effective. I know most people that have the shin behind the tongue skip the top eyelet due to the fact that they can't really lace up to the top.

[McCabe24 0]

I use the top eyelit and am in 8Ks, if I am short on lace for some reason I don't notice a huge difference.

[Chadd 916]

If the boot is too stiff I will leave the top eyelet open.

[jcp2 2]

For me, it depends on the height of the boot. On lower-cut skates, I do all the way to the top. I leave the top one undone on taller boots. Regardless, they all end up laced to the same height on my leg.

[Zach11 0]

I do not lace the top eyelet and do not tie my laces around the back of my skate. I like the extra forward flex. My legs don't get as tired for some reason either

[shnuggs 0]

I like the extra forward flex. My legs don't get as tired for some reason either

Same experience. I stopped lacing the top lace- i find when i tie them tight it makes my legs more tired and less flexible-- plus i like the big knee bend i am able to get when its looser on top. Maybe its because i am tall ? who knows. but i do find i have less balance when they are tied looser.

[millertime99 0]

i know people that do the third one to the top then will skip the second then will come back thru the top...i'm gonna have to try all these different ways!

[Neo5370 132]

I use all eyelets and have been taping the tendon guard and tongue Coffey stye for some time now. Gives me lots of stability on turns and I don't feel it hinders my strid terribly are broken/worn in now.

This is radical change from when I was younger and sometimes even left the 2nd set of eyelets undone.

[gavin 0]

Older guys (my dad included) will sometimes do crazy things with their laces. My dad has 2 pairs of laces, on pair he threads into these eyeholes that are built into his old-school SuperTacks, and the just wraps them around the ankle/under the boot/everywhere and then CRANKS them. I guess he does it for more support? It was cool back in the day apparently.

Not quite so crazy is kinda what hapamatt is talking about, leaving the top eyelets and then wrapping the laces under the boot, then pulling them BEHIND the angle, criss-crossing them for a second time, before bringing them in front of the foot and tying them snug (but very low on the boot.

Personally I just tie them normally, with the top eyelets undone. I'd like to say it's because I think I get better performance, but probably I'm too lazy to tie them every game lol

[pantherfan 0]

I dont use it as i think my 8090's are too stiff anyway

[UMWhockey 0]

in my 8090's i keep the top two undone and on my s500's only the top undone

[Quintin 16]

Older guys (my dad included) will sometimes do crazy things with their laces. My dad has 2 pairs of laces, on pair he threads into these eyeholes that are built into his old-school SuperTacks, and the just wraps them around the ankle/under the boot/everywhere and then CRANKS them. I guess he does it for more support? It was cool back in the day apparently.

Ahh I did those with my rugby boots back in the late 1990's. Most people didn't get why I did it but damn, I scored so many tries.

[forsberg91 0]

I'm using some 5k Pumos and lace the top eyelet. I guess that I could go without it, but I havent ever tried it.