Help with OTB tights!

[Skittl1321]

I opened my OTB tights for the first time today and they came with hook and eyes. UM- where do I attach these? I assume this is to help keep the OTB- right? I'm so confused, I thought these came with everything attached!

[littlerain]

You're supposed to sew them on yourself (other styles will come with them already attached), but as I have never sewn any myself, we should wait for someone else's advice! :)

[TreSk8sAZ]

I generally put them so that one set goes in between the toepick and the stantion that connects to the plate (:giveup: I don't know how to describe it - it's in the middle of the front plate of the blade) and then one in between that and the heel, usually around the arch or slightly further back. They can really go anywhere, just make sure that the heel or the toe of the tights don't come up and you should be fine.

Do you have any other pairs (even ones with velcro) that you can look at?

[skatingdoris]

:lol: Sorry, I remember doing the same thing, I really don't understand why they can't attach them when there made. I found them really fiddely to attach but then I hate sewing.

Yes they are to keep them from poping them off. Someone might know of a better way, but what I did was to put the tights and my boots on (pull them down over the boots as if your going skating)

You will find that in the middle of the boot (the arch of your foot) they don't cover all of the boot, if you attach the hook and eye there it pulls the tights together under your boots completely covering them.

Mark the tights with some chalk or a pin where abouts you need the hook and eye, then you can take them off and sew.

I suppose it dosen't really matter whether the hook is sewn facing in or out (towards or away from the sole), I did mine out, as long as you can do it up and undo it without much hastle when you have your boots on.

Maybe some one could put up a picture showing them, (I have no idea how).
Good luck

[Morgail]

Definitely test the placement of the hook and eye before you sew it on there. I kinda didn't do that, and while one hooks perfectly, I sewed the other one a little too far back. I have to pull and pull to get it hooked around the heel of my boot. (I suppose I could cut them off and resew them...)

[liz_on_ice]

:lol: Sorry, I remember doing the same thing, I really don't understand why they can't attach them when there made. I found them really fiddely to attach but then I hate sewing.



Or you can throw them out and replace with set-on snaps available along with plier thingie from sewing suppliers like this one:

http://sewtrue.com/Store/Snaps-and-Fasteners-C26/

(I've only been a walk-in customer, haven't tried their mail order)

[Debbie S]

These are the Danskin OTB tights, I assume. I was very annoyed when I got them b/c the package says they come with hooks and eyes, and I assumed that meant they were attached to the tights. I didn't bother sewing them on - I've just pulled them down (they stay reasonably well) and used them for practice, and I actually haven't even worn them that much.

The Capezio Professional OTB tights come with hooks and eyes attached, although I don't know if you can even find those tights anymore, since Capezio no longer makes skating wear (see other thread started by dbny). Mondor makes several styles of OTB tights with attachments - the heavyweight, which I wore for comps this season (over another pair of footed tights) have velcro, and there is another new style that has these buckle snap-together thingies. I liked the heavyweight OTB tights, but I was always worried about the velcro ripping my dress during changes. If I buy another pair of OTB tights, it will probably be the new snap/buckle ones.

Word of advice - even if you wear footed tights underneath, wear knee highs (Mondor makes them in the same material as tights) on your feet and then roll them over the hooks of your boots before pulling the OTB tights down - this will keep the hooks from tearing the tights.

[Skittl1321]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

As I only intend to wear these for practice (I got a hole in them in the first 30 minutes I wore them- they would be way too expensive to keep nice for comeptitions/tests) I think I won't sew them.

Debbie- thanks for the advice on the kneehighs, unfortunately I skate bare foot!

I actually had to buy stirrup tights tonight- because I can't wear footed ones, and my coach won't let me wear footless ones if they go over the top hooks of the boots- how I like them. My footless tights are too short to pull into the boot without them rising up. URGH

[CaraSkates]

These are the Danskin OTB tights, I assume. I was very annoyed when I got them b/c the package says they come with hooks and eyes, and I assumed that meant they were attached to the tights. I didn't bother sewing them on - I've just pulled them down (they stay reasonably well) and used them for practice, and I actually haven't even worn them that much.

The Capezio Professional OTB tights come with hooks and eyes attached, although I don't know if you can even find those tights anymore, since Capezio no longer makes skating wear (see other thread started by dbny). Mondor makes several styles of OTB tights with attachments - the heavyweight, which I wore for comps this season (over another pair of footed tights) have velcro, and there is another new style that has these buckle snap-together thingies. I liked the heavyweight OTB tights, but I was always worried about the velcro ripping my dress during changes. If I buy another pair of OTB tights, it will probably be the new snap/buckle ones.

Word of advice - even if you wear footed tights underneath, wear knee highs (Mondor makes them in the same material as tights) on your feet and then roll them over the hooks of your boots before pulling the OTB tights down - this will keep the hooks from tearing the tights.

I find Danskin OTB tights to stay down without the hooks and eyes - I have sewn some on (the night before the competition at 11pm usually!) but for the past year I've been leaving them off. As long as they fit well and you check them before skating, mine have always stayed down. I live near a Danskin outlet so ALL my footed tights and 90% of my OTB tights are Danskin.
I like Mondor's heavyweight OTB tights with the velcro but I don't wear them for comps as I don't like the color. Just practices to stay warm. I like Mondor's footless tights for competitions when my boots are nice but this pair of boots are on their last legs (1.5 years old...) and full of holes from axel/doubles and I was lazy and didn't polish them for the competition - so I wore OTB tights. My coach will not let us compete with messy skates...either OTB tights or you polish the boots and wash your laces. I can usually get footless tights to last me 6+ competitions, OTB tights usually 2, I'm working on a 3rd on my current pair. For group numbers we have to wear the same color OTB tights too....

[Mrs Redboots]

I've never bothered attaching hooks and eyes - they seem to stay on all right without!

[Tiggerwoos]

The Bunty one's I get don't have hooks or eyes.

However being the bigfoot I am, they tend to ladder extremely easily. Not good at £16 a pair!

[Sessy]

I've got custom hooks (they come in packages of like 50) from the market - usually they're used for clothing closings. It's a different system, the hooks are very wide and you twist and they snap into place instead of actual hooking. Kind of like on some types of swimming wear bra's.
I always sew on 2, one just behind the picks and one just where the heel ends (in the crease between the heel and ball of the foot)

[Sessy]

The Bunty one's I get don't have hooks or eyes.

However being the bigfoot I am, they tend to ladder extremely easily. Not good at £16 a pair!

Nailpolish on top of every beginning ladder and short over-the-boot lycra covers in white or cream underneath the tights. :)

[frbskate63]

Nailpolish on top of every beginning ladder and short over-the-boot lycra covers in white or cream underneath the tights. :)

Better still, get flesh coloured boot covers, and then if you do get a hole or two, it doesn't show. Everyone on my synchro team had to have them.

Fiona