For those of you that flop your tongue or skip the top eyelets

[DigDug 5]

... is this a result of strong ankles? If I try to skip even the top eyelet, I am a bit too wobbly for my own good. How many eyelets from the top do you skip?

[Kyle Friedman 9]

Honestly its more a personal preference thing than a matter of strength.

Some guys just like more forward flex and a looser feeling around their ankles.

Also some boots come up higher than others so If guys are used to a lower cut boot and then they get new skates with a higher cut boot they may be more comfortable skating with their skates tied one eyelet down.

I personally dont skip any eyelets.

[asm74 0]

I do skip top two.

[Sort of Irish 1]

Don't skip, but I flop and it's for more forward flex.

[romdj 26]

I skip top 2, it's not a matter of ankle strength (although I would advise against skipping if you've had sprained ankle or a surgery recently) but it's only in the vapor line, I need to get them really tight though and I need to add some ezeefit for my ankle to be locked in.

[Burning Bear 76]

I had some lacebite issues with a pair of CCM U+10 skates I owned a while back. Just for kicks, I undid the top eyelets just to see if it'd help any. Strangely enough, it worked and I continue to do it with my Reeboks to this day.

I would imagine it's usually better to use the skates as they are intended (i.e. completely laced up) but I can't honestly say my skating is any worse off for it. Of course, I'm not exactly Marian Gaborik either.

[salibandy 21]

I can't skip the top eyelet, as it makes me too wobbly as well, but I tie the top eyelet loosely so that I do have more forward flex than if I lace up the top eyelet tightly, with the added stability.

[stick9 905]

I skip and flop...wow that doesn't sound very good LOL.

I've always flopped, I'm comfortable that way and see no real need to change. I never skipped eyelets until I got Easton's. When they were fully laced I felt very stiff legged. Skipping that top eyelet allowede to keep a snug fit while improving my forward flex. Can't say I would skip it again if I switched skates because I didn't do it before.

FWIW you shouldn't need to crank down on your laces. I'd argue the fit may not be ideal.

[Chadd 916]

I've skipped eyelets at the top in the past, but don't do it now. I usually did it when boots were too stiff. As long as there is support up to the ankle bone, you really shouldn't need it to be stiff above there.

[danno25nh 3]

I skipped on Langs and Microns but really haven't since. I like my skates tight lower ankle but loose upper ankle. Some of the new skates seem to work well that way.

[shooter27 117]

I used to skip the top eyelet and felt it was really comfortable but I think that was the result of wearing skates that were too big. Now that I'm in properly sized skates I tend to skip the second from the top and tie the top one to get some extra forward flex without changing the feel of the skate. I've always felt that when you skip the top eyelet the profile feels shorter

[strosedefence34 179]

i don't skip and I don't have the biggest flop, but i do wear my shins under my tongue and its just how I have always done it. I tried to do shins over the tongues and it wasn't comfortable.

[ktang 34]

I skip but don't flop. I think that it also depends on your ankle knob placement and anatomy, and their relationship with how high your skates' eyelets run.

[McDougalfaschnitzer 32]

I used to skip the top eyelet (no flop), and the only reason I did it was for additional forward flex. However, the TotalONE started the line of lowering the top eyelet, so I didn't have to skip anymore, since the top eyelet was in the same spot that was formerly taken by the second.

[DigDug 5]

Thanks for the responses. I think that I need to strengthen my muscles down there. I can't do crossovers well if I don't have the skates ties tight up top (which I think is effectively making the skate act like a cast).

[All Flash 49]

I used to skip the top two a long time ago and have even played a game with my skates untied to getthe mucho flex but have since learned to use the skate boot as it was intended. Alas, its all PP. As for flopping, personally I think it looks stupid, but to me it is akin to the recent taping of the tendon guard and around the ankles issue stemming from the Karlson injury, which is a safety issue. But again its all PP.

[DigDug 5]

What kind of skate are you in that you could play with your skates untied?! I couldn't fathom that! Some ultra stiff one?

[Chadd 916]

What kind of skate are you in that you could play with your skates untied?! I couldn't fathom that! Some ultra stiff one?

I used to leave all of the vertical eyelets unlaced with my kors and even with my Graf 727s from time to time. Usually when I was coaching or not skating hard

[DigDug 5]

Damn. I think I'd break my ankle if I did that. I wonder if I'm doing myself a disservice by relying on the added support from tying tight all the way up, not letting my muscles strengthen.

[Hoopster 0]

I saw Theory Fluery do it in a pair of 752's, I think it was a penalty shot. I had 752's, thought it looked cool, tried it and liked it. If the boot feels good with it now that's the way I like them. Never really thought of any effect on my skating to be honest.

[zachary 2]

A buddy on my team used to do that. One eyelet down, flop and didn't even tie the laces. Just taped around that portion of the skate to keep the laces from coming loose. Very odd but it worked and he's a pretty good skater.

[TeamHonda401 54]

I flop and skip an eyelet up top. As others have said, it's more about forward flex than anything. I feel like I can get lower into my stride than I could lacing all the way up and tucking the tongues in.

I wonder if I'm doing myself a disservice by relying on the added support from tying tight all the way up, not letting my muscles strengthen.

If you like the feel and don't have lacebite issues, there's no reason to switch it up. I doubt that dropping an eyelet will result in added strength in your ankles, it's more of a matter of what feels best for your stride.

[fogelberg 9]

For me, it varies from boot to boot. I had some Graf 707s and laced them to the top. But then I've skipped an eyelet in really stiff boots, like a Bauer 7000 or Bauer one100. It was for forward flex.

[SmokinApricot 22]

I skip the top eyelet in my Bauer Vapor X7.0s, but I tuck my tongue under my shinguard only because the lace bite insert in the tongue doesn't allow for very comfortable flop.

[sickwilly 37]

I have skipped the top eyelet since youth hockey and started to flop the tongues when I noticed that it also felt like it helped a bit with forward flex. When breaking in new skates, I sometimes go two eyelets down for a little while, then go back to skipping one.