Re-Tightening skates over & over

[SkatingOnClouds]

Wondering how many others find they have to adjust their lace tightness frequently during a session?

I can't tighten my laces fully at the beginning of a session otherwise my feet cramp, so my routine is something like this:

tighten initially, do a few laps of stroking, edges, 2 foot spin.
Tighten laces. practise all spins.
Tighten laces, practise waltz, toe-loop, salchow
Tighten laces, practise loops.
Tighten laces, practise flips then lutzes, and maybe another tighten in here.

I could never wear over the boot tights (even if they did make them in my size ;) ) because of all this re-tightening. Is this a common problem?

Today I decided to try something I've thought about for a while. I have chopped my laces so that I can tighten the lower part of the boot up to the hole just before the notch and hooks, and threaded another lace in the final hole to tighten the top part.

Don't know if it'll help to isolate the foot from the ankle area, but as my laces need replacing (yet again) anyway, no hard done if it doesn't help.

[Award]

I can understand exactly what you mean. It would be nice if somebody can come up with a nice new invention, like a fast lace or strapping system for pro and recreational skates that doesn't have any disadvantages.

[Rusty Blades]

I have chopped my laces so that I can tighten the lower part of the boot up to the hole just before the notch and hooks, and threaded another lace in the final hole to tighten the top part.

I didn't cut my laces but what I did is to tie the eyes loosely, tie a bow, and put the loops of the bow over the bottom hooks and pull the free ends tight. Then I lace the hooks as tight as I want and finish off with another bow. the bow at the top of the eyes stops the tension in the top part from wandering down into the foot. It's quick (both on and off) easy, and uses only the original lace.

I am in Proflex now and they have laces thru the foot at the "Boa" lacing system at the ankle so it is no longer an issue for me, except for "winding up" my skates before I take to the ice.

I have rarely had to stop and re-tighten my laces and I don't see others doing it so I wonder if your laces are slipping.

[Sessy]

I switched laces to hockey laces (waxed) on advise of the skate shop pro because of all the re-tightening - else I was re-tightening all the time. Waxed laces for figure skating have some major disadvantages as well though, such as worse lacebite.
Another thing I do is getting to the dressing room 10 minutes early to put on the skates, walk around in them, jump around in them, do knee-bending in them, then I re-tighten them and get on the ice. After that it usually doesn't need re-tightening.

Another thing I noticed was that I needed to re-tighten MUCH more after my skates got broken down, that especially my landing foot is the problem. I'm wondering if your skates aren't too soft/broken down?

[jskater49]

Sometimes I think I'm almost superstitious about tightening my lace skates. I lace up once when I put my skates on, tie them tightly as possible, then unlace them and do it again...THen I stand up and walk around and relace them again. I know this does get them tighter because I have more lace left.

Then I skate and usually have to retighten 2 to 3 times in an hour...but then they are good. I try to put my skates on early and walk around a lot before a competition where I won't be able to skate around and then retighten.

Right now I have nylon/cotton mix and the nylon part is stretching out. I like cotton better. It's hard to find 100% cotton. It is neigh impossible to get your skates off when you have 100% cotton but those babies stay tight!

j

[momsk8er]

I have to retighten my skates all the time too. My boots are not broken down, although before I got my new boots last year the problem was worse. I'd be interested in whether the method of tying off the bottom laces separately works. I usually tie a double granny at that spot.

[doubletoe]

There are several factors that could be contributing to the need to re-lace:

- Not lacing tightly enough from toe through instep
- Poor fit of boots (maybe not narrow enough in the ankle or mid-foot?)
- Breakdown of boots
- Lacing technique (I used to have to re-tie all the time before someone advised me to lace each hook from over the hook, not under the hook).

[jskater49]

There are several factors that could be contributing to the need to re-lace:

- Not lacing tightly enough from toe through instep
- Poor fit of boots (maybe not narrow enough in the ankle or mid-foot?)
- Breakdown of boots
- Lacing technique (I used to have to re-tie all the time before someone advised me to lace each hook from over the hook, not under the hook).


I always lace over the hook and still have the relacing issue. I think laces just get stretched out.

j

[pairman2]

The main reason for laces getting looser often is that the laces are stretched and have no more 'give and take' left in them. Replacing the strings will fix this most of the time. (A $2 fix)

The second factor is that the skate boot is subject to wide swings in humidity conditions (soaked with sweat one day, allowed to get bone dry the next). If your boots can be left in one place most of the time with constant humidity, they will go through some dry-moist phases but not enough to change them so much. Consistency is key. My house and office are both air conditioned so all the down time for the skates are in that enviroment. I never leave them in the car. Skating at regular intervals will also affect this. The dry out between 3 days is significant compared to 1 day.

Third, If 1 and 2 don't address it. The boots are indeed worn out. 1 and 2 are cheaper then boots!

[Team Arthritis]

FWIW the Jackson Proflex boots are indeed wonderful for us lace tightness perfectionists - I just reach down and twist the knob to tighten them a smidge as the tongue compresses during my skate.
Lyle

[WhisperSung]

I tie my laces compulsively sometimes. I know it's partly because my boots are starting to breakdown so my tongue's constantly slipping, but before tests and competitions, I *always* feel as if my boot is too loose. One test I actually tied my landing foot TOO tightly and kept tripping and being unable to bend my ankle during me test. Woops.

I personally can't tighten my boots from the toe to the lower ankle at the beginning of my skate because I end up with excruciating cramps in my arches. If I want to skate without pain, I have to warm up for 10 minutes just stroking around (or at competitions/tests, I have to walk around with my skates on for a good 20 minutes before the event).

I don't think I added much to the discussion, but I just wanted to let you know that you're not alone. :)

[techskater]

One of my training partners got excrutiating cramps if she tied her boot too tight to begin with (retied after warming up) and she found out she was in too small of a width boot. Her new boots cause her no trouble.n Just a thought...

[Jeanne D]

I usually re-lace after about 30-45 minutes of skating. I've found that the sit spin really likes the boot to be laced up tight.

My right skate is always the one that needs re-lacing first, I've noticed. Must be the BO3s or perhaps I have more ankle bend in that foot.

[SkatingOnClouds]

Some useful ideas here, and as always it is good to know I am not the only one with this problem.

I do want Jackson Proflex next time, for a variety of reasons. Until I win the lottery though, I persist with my Graf Galaxies.

I have always had the problem of not being able to tighten fully at the beginning because of cramps, so I don't think it's the boots. These boots are about a year and a half old, but I don't see any signs of breaking down or inadequate support.

I skated this morning with my 2 lace system, and it wasn't successful, because I still had to tighten both sets of laces. I will try bringing the top set of laces down a couple of holes, as that is where I seem to need to tighten them from, and try again tomorrow.

[SkatingOnClouds]

Starting the 2nd set of lacing another hole down was more successful this morning. I only had to re-tighten the lower part once, after my warm up, then it was just the top part to worry about.

I don't think it reduced the overall number of tightenings, but at least it was quicker only having to redo a smaller amount of lace tightness.

[doubletoe]

I always lace over the hook and still have the relacing issue. I think laces just get stretched out.

j

Could be. I just replaced my laces and it seems to have helped. I find that cotton-nylon blend work best.

[jskater49]

This weekend at my competition, I confirmed that a lot of my re-tightening issues is all in my head. I got off a practice to retighten, looked at my skates and realized they were plenty tight, I just had gotten in this bad habit.

My event was right after my daughter's and I wanted to watch her skate which required me to have my skates on before she skated, having me in my skates longer than I like (about 45 minutes) so I had both the cramping issue and the retightening issue...I just told myself to deal with it and I was fine.

j

[Morgail]

I used to do the same thing until I switched from nylon laces to cotton-nylon laces. Now I just relace once (usually between working on Moves and freestyle).
I do love my new laces:)

[xofivebyfive]

Yeah I have to retighten my skates a lot.

1st time. Up to the 2nd to last hook.
2nd time, just to tighten again after stroking around the rink once.
3rd time, after stroking for a few more minutes.
4th time, about 10 minutes later, and I lace up to the last hook.

Otherwise they're so tight that I can't bend enough to do warm up type stuff, or if I don't tie up to the last hook, my ankles are so wobbly that I get another stress fracture.

[luna_skater]

I must be the only person here who finds this odd. I lace my skates once, when I put them on, skate for two hours, then take off my skates and go home. I wear Gams and have cotton laces.

[Skittl1321]

I must be the only person here who finds this odd. I lace my skates once, when I put them on, skate for two hours, then take off my skates and go home. I wear Gams and have cotton laces.

Nope- I don't relace. Sometimes I have to take my skates off and wiggle my toes, but that's because they are too tight. The laces are just fine.

[chowskates]

Nope- I don't relace. Sometimes I have to take my skates off and wiggle my toes, but that's because they are too tight. The laces are just fine.

Me neither... oh except for those times when I really didn't lace them right from the beginning (like missed a hook! LOL!)

[BatikatII]

I often end up re-tightening my laces but sometimes it is a mental thing rather than a physical one really. I have got off to re-tighten only to find they are already really tight. If it's because an element hasn't been working (usually a jump) then I undo them and re-do them anyway as it sorts of allows me to clear the slate and mentally start again and often the element is just fine afterwards.

Other days I can get on and even with laces fairly loose can do everything no problem.

I believe it must be a mental thing for me since it's only ever the right skate that I re-lace. That also may be because it's the landing foot so I like to have it extra tight to feel secure in landings.

Oh except if it's the sit spin not working and then I will undo and re-tighten my left lace!:lol:

In most competitions though there is no opportunity for re-tightening so I just get on with it.

[looplover]

I must be the only person here who finds this odd. I lace my skates once, when I put them on, skate for two hours, then take off my skates and go home. I wear Gams and have cotton laces.

I almost always re-lace, but it's totally mental. That is, the first time it's mental - usually the second time I've tied them way too tight and I HAVE to relace.

I think.

:??

[Ellyn]

I never get them tight enough the first time off ice. After a lap or two of warmup I always retie to tighten. I think the boots need to warm up too to be flexible enough to lace tightly.

After that it depends. Sometimes they're fine for another hour, sometimes I end up tightening and loosening four or five times if they're too tight after the second time and my feet cramp so I make them too loose, etc. Or twice if they're fine for half the session and then have loosened up enough that I want to tighten them before I jump.

[singerskates]

For me I tighten my skates when I first put them on and then I walk over the to ice get on do my laps and then I get off and have to retighten them. Then I do a few jumps and spins to warm up. I find that I have to retighten my right skate again after jumping. Behind my ankle I have to much room in my skate and I tend to move from side to side. I also have bunions that don't allow my foot to be snug in the boot. I had to add gel padding inside to get the boot to hold me and also behind my ankle bones in the back of my boot. The right boot still needs more support.

[SkatingOnClouds]

Years ago I only had to re-tighten once, after a warm up. I've had nylon laces, I've had cotton/nylon laces, and neither made a lot of difference. Currently I have a Risport lace, whatever they're made out of, I suspect cotton/nylon.

For me it isn't psychological, my laces end up too loose. One reason I decided to go with a two-zone lacing is that I suspected my problem was in not being able to lace tightly enough on the lower foot due to my very wide feet and bunions. I was surprised that that area only required re-tightening the once on Sunday, yet the upper area had about the same number of re-tightens.

I haven't quite worked out what is happening here yet.

[southernsk8er]

I'm so happy about this discussion, and I really appreciate the post and suggestions. I thought I was going crazy because recently I've been having a hard time getting my right boot tight enough at the top. I think I've decided my laces are stretched out; at least, I'll try that first before worrying that my boots are breaking down. I usually stroke around and do MIF, then sit down and retie my right boot. Otherwise my ankle feels all wobbly when I'm jumping.

[BatikatII]

On a related note :- I wore footed tights today as I intend to wear them for a competition with the dress I am supposed to be making. Normally I wear over the boot tights. My coach noticed that I hadn't laced up the top hook on my boots and I explained that if I do that, I can't skate - it feels like my whole leg is encased in a cast and I lose all knee bend and can't even do a basic 3 turn. I've had these boots for about a year now and still don't lace the top hook. Neither my daughter nor my son ever use the top hooks either (daughter's skates are 3 years old).

In my old skates I could not skate at all unless the hooks were done up all the way to the top, yet in these skates, I can't skate if they are. I would have assumed this was due to them not being broken down while maybe my old skates were but that doesn't really explain why daughter doesnt lace them up either. Her skates were well off the top of the range and she has been doing axels and doubles for a couple of years and used to do pair throw jumps in them so they must be pretty well broken in by now!

I wonder how much of the need to do up my laces so tightly in my old boots was mental rather than physical.

[cherryliphoto]

I was just going to start the same thread!
I used to only have to retighten my laces once--after the initial warmup laps.
then I didn't skate for about 3 months because of traveling and moving and settling in; but since settling in france, I've skated 3 times, and retightened my skates probably 8 times per session! I don't understand why I can't spin or jump with my skates any looser than the max tightness! and I don't think it's the laces, I think it's me actually NEEDING more tightness. I used to not need them this tight. weird

[sk8er1964]

I must be the only person here who finds this odd. I lace my skates once, when I put them on, skate for two hours, then take off my skates and go home. I wear Gams and have cotton laces.


I'm the same as you. I wonder how folks have time to skate with all that re-lacing! ;)

I lace snug (not tight) over my foot, pull them tight where my ankle bends, then lace lightly snug to the top. I loop over to under, too.

[Mrs Redboots]

When you start needing to relace it usually means you need new laces.

But we all have days when we simply can't get our boots comfortable, no matter what we do. And you can't ever only relace one boot, or the other foot gets jealous.

[Sessy]

... or new skates, in my case, lol!

Everybody re-lacing to no end: try hockey wax laces. Looks ugly on figure skates and you really, really need to experiment a lot with the lacing (you can't just lace as tightly as possible like you're used to with figure skates) but in the end it works very well!

[Evelina]

I relace all the time too! I think I must relace more then anyone else at my rink, every 30-45 mins and its getting worse. Today my boots got so loose I could move my feet in every direction inside them, and that just feels wrong when you want to jump! I'm going to try new laces next week I think and see if that works.

[mintypoppet]

I'm another compulsive relacer. I do wear my boots very tight though, as I don't like any sideways heel or ankle movement. Only the hooks ever need relacing, and I get far more length out of the laces when relacing than when I initially put them on cold. I have cotton laces, and it has always been an issue, so I don't think it's their age.

As the boots warm up and my feet settle into them, I have to come off and relace - first after a couple of laps, and then 15-20mins later. After that, they're usually fine for the rest of the session, depending upon what I'm doing. It's always my right foot that feels looser, but it's smaller than the left anyway.

[jskater49]

When you start needing to relace it usually means you need new laces.

But we all have days when we simply can't get our boots comfortable, no matter what we do. And you can't ever only relace one boot, or the other foot gets jealous.

Hehehe, is that why, I always feel I have to relace the other boot, even though that wasn't the one bothering me?

j

[Ice Dancer]

I find if I make it more difficult to relace, ie over boot tights, then I don't need yo, but as soon as I don't wear boot covers or the above tights I am on and off like anything! I think that must be a mental issue.

Although what I do with over boot tights now is put boots on, walk around for a bit to check tightness, usually tighten one of them, and then put tights on and they are generally fine.

[cherryliphoto]

oh yea! bootcovers are probably why I didn't relace before and started relacing now! I forgot my bootcovers at home, and haven't bought any new ones, so the last 3 times I skated without bootcovers.
you've solved my mystery!

[airyfairy76]

Having skated for the last year, at first I had to relace a lot, but I think that lacing is a bit of an artform and a learning process!

Now I generally only have to relace once, and that's cos I never manage to lace them as tight as I like the first time! So it's a lap round the rink, get off - tighten laces, and then I'm good for the rest of the session.

But as Mrs Redboots said, of course you get days when your feet don't get comfortable, no matter what you do!

[stardust skies]

Unless we are talking about brand new laces (I'd say, first couple of weeks, tops) then it's not normal to need to relace- it's not even really normal with new laces, I know I never need to relace, new laces or not.

Laces don't stretch and stretch forever. They're like anything else, stretch initially and then stay more or less the same until they wear out. Shouldn't be enough to need to relace through each session anyway. The only real need to relace comes from breaking in new boots, not new laces.

I've always been told that when you start needing to relace your skates throughout a session (unless the boots are brand new, in which case it's normal to need it), it's either time for new boots, or you were poorly fit to begin with.

[peanutskates]

I've always been told that when you start needing to relace your skates throughout a session (unless the boots are brand new, in which case it's normal to need it), it's either time for new boots, or you were poorly fit to begin with.

really? well... I've had my skates for about 5/6 months, and I do relace once or twice in a sessions... surely they can't have broken down that quickly, I've only done some single jumps!