Skates won't stay tight, what causes this issue?

[Precision 4]

So a buddy of mine just bought a pair of Vapor x90s. He can't go smaller his foot just won't fit but he can't keep his laces tight. He ties them tight throughout the skate and no dice. The knot slides to the inside or outside of the skate and loses all stiffness in the top 2 eyelets. Waxed laces do the same. What is the underling issue that causes this to happen?

[mc88 160]

Try loop locking

[MikeWhy 39]

Try loop locking

/thread

[Precision 4]

He tried the loop locking. It just delays it for a little bit. Were trying to find out if there's a specific reason for it in terms of fit issues or stiffness etc.

[McDugan 89]

/thread

Already? But we haven't explored the possibility of dark magic being at the root of the problem!

[Chadd 916]

Lacing outside - in is more than enough to hold my laces in place.

[jonesy9020 77]

Has he baked? The x90s are a stiff skate and if he hasn't gotten them baked to make the area around the top 3 eyelets wrap better, I guess they could pull the knot loose.

Otherwise, like others said, waxed laces, outside in lacing, and double knotting with a hard pull should solve his problems.

[moreoutdoor 6]

where are you guys located?

if currently in a warm climate, and commonly wearing loose footwear - going inside to a cool rink and putting on tight skates, the foot volume does 'shrink' after some time.

Loose upper eyelets can also be a sign of generally looser laces all the way down. What happens is, the laces slip and as you move up the lace ladder, the upper ones become the loosest...

as Chad stated outside/in - over/under lacing handles that pretty fine for me. But in the summer (which by me is 99% of the yr...), I retighten after about 5 - 8 min. of icetime warmup.

baking...

getting the slack out of the first 3 eyelets from the toe...

thinner socks...

chicken legs, NO cure!

[Precision 4]

Attempted solutions:

Waxed laces

Outside in lacing

Loop lock

Double knotting...

None of the above have worked... None. Over two months of wear and no solution.

[chippa13 1844]

He's probably leaning his ankly forward while he's tying his skates or he just has weak fingers.

[Stewie 721]

Elite waxed ovals are like staples onto your skates. I hate them but they might be perfect in his case?

[Precision 4]

He's a 5'10 200lb army vet who's been playing hockey his entire life I don't think weak fingers are the problem and again waxed laces did not work. All common hockey sense options were exercised

[chippa13 1844]

Obviously, his ankle is settling into the padding more during skating than when he is initially tying his skates which means he is either tying very cold skates or he isn't kicking his heel back into the skate before tying. Either way, I don't think we need Scooby and the gang to solve this mystery.

[McDugan 89]

Is it possible that there's an issue with boot volume and the knot just can't stand up to the pressure being applied to it as he skates?

That's the only thing I can think of that hasn't been brought up and shot down. But maybe that also falls under "common sense hockey options"

[Stewie 721]

You said waxed laces, but there are different types. I only mentioned elite waxed ovals because they hold tighter than regular waxed flat laces, but you could be stand of fish to someone trying to help

[jonesy9020 77]

Weird solution some have tried: two sets of laces per skate. 1 set for the bottom 4-6 eyelets. 1 set for top 3-4. Obviously, he'll have to get much shorter laces and deal with some weird looks, but that's all I've got other than everything everyone else has said.

[moreoutdoor 6]

when all else fails, there's always mommy to do the lacin...

by all rights this should become a classic thread

[Precision 4]

I'm thinking it must be a fitment issue that is causing it. Waxed laces simply delay the problem and then become ten times harder to untie because they are slick. He kept the regular laces simply because he was re tying them anyway and regular was easier.

[MikeWhy 39]

You said waxed laces, but there are different types. I only mentioned elite waxed ovals because they hold tighter than regular waxed flat laces, but you could be stand of fish to someone trying to help

How dare you try and be of assistance! Lol I was thinking the same thing about oval laces which he still has yet to say he's tried.

[Precision 4]

I'm not only trying to figure out the solution for the guy but what would cause it. Too but boot volume? Too soft of a boot for the skater?

Usually symptoms mean something...

Lace bite is a symptom of improper fit, failed pencil test too. The boot is too shallow

The tongues shifting means something

Rubbing in certain areas means something

And so on...

[Stewie 721]

it should be obvious there is a fit issue with this boot, i am offering up suggested possible fixes. without seeing him skate, or his foot in the boots volume, its going to be difficult to diagnose.

[laserrobottime 149]

Is he using the stock bauer laces? They're garbage. Replace those with a high quality lace (not the elite pro laces, they stretch too much) that has been pre-stretched.

Tie the laces to some weights and throw them over a pipe in the basement for a day or two to tighten the weave.

It could work.

[flyers10 57]

Reebok lace locks or thicker socks, stable 26 if too much volume