Tongue In vs. Tongue Out

[AHF 1]

Tongues in for me.

Tongues out feels sloppy...it just doesn't feel right. To me anyways.

That...and tongues out is just ugly. :P

[Nico 0]

Can someone explain how to do T-out? I've always done T-in. Last Saturday, I laced my skates as usual, leaving the top eyelet undone, and then tried to push the tongue forward. It didn't stay and it was painful. The bend in the tongue dug into the top of my foot/leg. I wear XXV, if that makes any difference.

[cptjeff 0]

There are multiple ways. The way I do it is put the hockey sock on first, pull it up leaving the elastic low on my ankle, then put the skate on so the sock is inside the skate. Tie 'em up, then pull the sock back over the skate. Put shins on, pull sock back over them. Then put pants on, it works best with zippers.

The other way is to just put the shins on, sock on over them, and then skates, but I find that my way gets the sock secured in the skate better and I like the sock to start low on the ankle, partly due to the padding it provides from the laces and partly because it doesn't slip.

If you have a shin pad that comes down significantly on your skate, you'll probably need a shorter one. I'm 5'6 and use a 12" pad, if I did tongue in, I'd be supposed to wear a 13".

[RadioGaGa 162]

Tongues in for me.

Tongues out feels sloppy...it just doesn't feel right. To me anyways.

That...and tongues out is just ugly. :P

I agree...I think tongues in just feels like the skate is more secure on your foot. As far as the look of...I think the style of it looks okay....just not for me.

[phunky_monkey 6]

I've never worn my tongues in, always had them out. I don't know why, but having them over the tongues seems like it would restrict my mobility and forward flexion a bit and I'm big on forward flex (I wear Graf 727's).

It probably also comes down to equipment availability when I was young. I've got long legs, so I used what shins were given to me.

[adam14 182]

started with tongues out, because i liked the forward flex as JR stated, then i decided to fold the tongue a lil and got the flop. got a bit of lace bite, so i just dont lace up the top eyelet in my 9K's, (first gen) instead just pump the bladder a couple more times.

[xstartxtodayx 343]

Can someone explain how to do T-out? I've always done T-in. Last Saturday, I laced my skates as usual, leaving the top eyelet undone, and then tried to push the tongue forward. It didn't stay and it was painful. The bend in the tongue dug into the top of my foot/leg. I wear XXV, if that makes any difference.

I think you're combining/confusing "tongue out" with "flop". "Tongue out" is just when your shin guard and sock are behind the top of your tongue, where as "flop" is when you take that part of the tongue that's sticking out and fold it downward, this usually takes some training of the tongue to learn that position and get broken in/down to stay like that (on older skates it usually just happened when the tongues would break down/wear out, it wasn't stiff enough to stay upright anymore and would flop down... on newer skates it seems people purposely try to mold their tongue into that position... also w/ these newer, shorter, stiffer and thinner tongues it seems like that may create an issue when trying to fold/flop).

[Lucky27 1]

So all these tounge IN guys have to put skates on before the shins ?

Maybe we should start a " order of dress " thread ?

[Law Goalie 147]

Uh, yeah... in fact, I suspect a good many of us put skates on before everything other than socks and jock.

Wrap-girdles and zip-leg pants are wonderful inventions.

[RadioGaGa 162]

So all these tounge IN guys have to put skates on before the shins ?

Maybe we should start a " order of dress " thread ?

Not necessarily. I put shins/socks on...then I pull up the sock and undo the bottom strap of the shin. Tuck the tongue under, but leave the shins loose...tie the skates then re-do the bottom strap of the shin nice and tight.

[Jarick 5]

Nico, if it helps, I have the XXV's and the tongues are very stiff and short. I think that's why it works better for me to have the tongues in.

[IniNew 53]

So all these tounge IN guys have to put skates on before the shins ?

Maybe we should start a " order of dress " thread ?

Not necessarily. I put shins/socks on...then I pull up the sock and undo the bottom strap of the shin. Tuck the tongue under, but leave the shins loose...tie the skates then re-do the bottom strap of the shin nice and tight.

Tongues in here, and I do the same thing. Shins -> Socks -> Pants -> Skates.

[LarrieNation9 0]

Tongues out here but, like Ribero for Dallas, the 190 tongue is too small to fold over and I've never folded mine before. Just always gone tongue out.

[Ten 0]

I usually go tounge in, but I've gone tounge out for 2 games in a row now, and I've had 3 goals and 4 assists over that span.

I'm pretty superstitious, so I'm gonna stick to tounge out until it stops working.

[fastbrother7 0]

I skated tongue in for the longest time, and then randomly about 7 years ago I decided to try tongue out when i got some new shin guards and it ended up feeling pretty good. Been flopping ever since.

[eric42434224 1]

I block shots.

Tounge in with nice long shinpads.

Plus I like the look better.

Floppy tounges out seem to look like you are trying too hard to look cool.

[duch 0]

Started out with my skate tongue in when I was twelve. Changed over when I was about twenty-three because it just felt better to me. I've been wearing them in ever since. I don't like to bend the tongue down, and I like it to follow the contour of my ankle up and under the shin pad.

[HattrickSwayze 3]

So all these tounge IN guys have to put skates on before the shins ?

Maybe we should start a " order of dress " thread ?

Shins, socks, pants. When I put my skates on, I just slide the tongues under the front of my shins. I took the straps off my shins, so it's really easy to just tuck it under.

[CTK30 0]

I do tongues out, because it just looks and feels right. Hockey socks in the skate looks a lot cleaner, and the mobility is nice. I actually don't like the long flop look, It just looks sloppy to me.

In terms of look, my skates are closer to this then anything:

No crazy long tongues, no bright laces (mine are black though)... I wear my socks the way they're meant to be worn.

I wear mine like that also

[metalwinger13 1]

i also do the shins, socks, pants then skates. when i put my skates on i kind of push my shins up a tad. then lace the skate up and pull the shin and sock over the tongue of the skate. pretty self explanatory i think. but definatly find tongue in for me provides more stability and comfort. i know it feels as if im skating during open skate with tongues in.. not sure why just does.

[legiahockey 3]

if you can dangle. toungus out.

if you cant....tounges under the shin

[metalwinger13 1]

you talking for people like us or everybody including NHLers. cause datsyuk breaks that mold as he tucks his tongue in!

[xstartxtodayx 343]

if you can dangle. toungus out.

if you cant....tounges under the shin

That sounds more like a tinted visor argument rather than a tongue in/out argument... especially when you consider the vast majority of beginners are skating w/ tongues out, hmmm that kind of kills the argument right there :P

[BGM 0]

Flopping for 22 years. Shins sit on top of the flopped tongue.