Lace dilemma

[phoenix]

I broke both my laces a few weeks ago & got the only ones the shop at that rink happened to have. They were just cotton, & cut my hands up terribly. So as soon as I could I went to my regular shop & asked for the combo ones, that have a tiny bit of "give" to them, and are softer. He gave me a pair but said, they don't make the same ones anymore that we always used, but these will be better & won't cut your hands up. Well, they're the exact same things as the other ones--100% cotton, no give, and yes, they're still cutting my hands & giving me huge callouses on my fingers.

I went to the Rainbo website to see if I could order the combo ones, which they do have listed. But since my guy claimed what I have was a combo, I'm leery. I see they also have a beige pair that they're calling "Braidlace". I wonder if that's what I always had before? But I need white, so those won't help me.

Anyone have any insight on this, and if they really don't make the nice ones anymore, where I might be able to still find them and stock up??

Such a simple thing, you'd think, but what a difference when you're using them.

[blue111moon]

If there's no give in them, then they're probably nylon, not cotton. The cotton ones are the ones that stretch, and the nylon ones are the ones that cut my fingers, plus they don't stay tied the way the cotton ones do.

The 100% cotton ones are hard to find at least in the US. When I was hunting for laces in the spring, most of what I could find were "combo" ones - part cotton, part nylon. I did track down the 100% cotton ones eventually but it took some hunting.

[phoenix]

Nope they're definitely not nylon, they're cotton. They're just definitely not the combo which is softer & doesn't hurt.

[black]

If your in the UK try: http://www.prolineskates.com/acatalog/Ice_Skate_Bags.html - I love these laces :D It sayes the brand may vary, but whenever I've ordered there the same cotton ones, made in Canada.

[Skittl1321]

This site sells combo laces:
http://www.usaskates.com/figureaccessories/figureskatelaces.html you can get them in pretty colors too!

(If you are leary about the Rainbo laces- why not call and talk to them. I know you'd have the same issue as "your guy claimed" but it would be more comforting than just taking the websites word.)

[FSWer]

Hey,while were on the subject. Does anyone know if you HAVE to have a curtain TYPE of laces for Skates? Or can you just buy reg. shoelaces? Also if you do need skate laces. If a Rink doesn't have them. Can you just walk into let's say....Wal-mart,etc. and buy them? BTW. are the same laces on Hockey skates the same laces on Figure skates?

[Skittl1321]

Hey,while were on the subject. Does anyone know if you HAVE to have a curtain TYPE of laces for Skates? Or can you just buy reg. shoelaces? Also if you do need skate laces. If a Rink doesn't have them. Can you just walk into let's say....Wal-mart,etc. and buy them? BTW. are the same laces on Hockey skates the same laces on Figure skates?

I have never seen any rule about any specific kind of lace required- you can use whatever you like. That said, regular shoe laces would not work because they are not long enough. You could go to walmart and buy BOOT laces though. They don't have to be skate laces.

People have personal preferences between cotton, nylon, and combination laces. Some say one type hurts their hands, others say that a certain type doesn't stay tight enough. It's all about preference.

Most skaters stick with laces that are white/black/beige to match their boot, but others show some personality and go with colored laces. It's all about the skater's preference.

Hockey skate laces tend to be thicker than figure skate laces, so I don't think it would be easy to use hockey laces on figure skates, but maybe not impossible?

[katz in boots]

Hey,while were on the subject. Does anyone know if you HAVE to have a curtain TYPE of laces for Skates? Or can you just buy reg. shoelaces? Also if you do need skate laces. If a Rink doesn't have them. Can you just walk into let's say....Wal-mart,etc. and buy them?

I've sometimes wondered about using boot laces, as DD has asked for neon colours. I wonder if ordinary boot laces would be strong enough. Has anyone here tried this?

[Query]

A couple people mentioned ordinary shoe and non-skate boot laces. Are any long enough for skates?

I personally like nylon laces better than cotton. If the knots in cotton laces slip even a little, they lose their tension. Plus, if the tip of a nylon lace wears out, you can reform it by melting it slightly with a match, then (don't burn yourself!) rolling it between your fingers.

There are several tricks for tying laces tight.

1. Remove your gloves. Amazing difference in your dexterity.

2. Start tightening from the very bottom, and work your way up. If you start in the middle and work up, the looseness at the bottom will gradually work its way up.

3. Are you one of those people who like the bottom of the boot very tight for optimum edge control and blister elimination, but want the part of the boot over the ankle a bit looser, to make it easier to pitch the foot forward and back, and/or to let them bend the ankle sideways for deeper edges, though too little tension provides less sideways ankle support during jumps, and the breakdown creases it helps cause do reduce the boot lifetime (many such people therefore get higher end stiffer boots), and any loose point leads to slippage against the skin (many such people use gel pads, band-aids, etc., to get rid of blisters). I keep mine tight all the way when trying to jump, but loosen them at top when trying to ice dance. Wish the lacing systems were designed so I could use different tensions on front and side.

In any event, if you like the top and bottom of the boot tied to different tensions, tie a surgeon's knot (like the over and under underhand knot that starts a bow tie, but with two over and unders) at the transition. The knot helps prevent slippage.

4. Tie a double bow tie knot knot. Even if I start the bow tie itself with a surgeon's knot, a single knot always slips for me.

5. A Lace puller (a $1 hook you can buy at many shoe stores) let you pull things really really tight.

6. If you are too clumsy for lace pullers, or don't want to carry them, leave just enough looseness at the bottom to stick your fingers in, then tighten the rest of the way. Go back a second time to tighten everything. I love that method.

7. As you do that final tighten, stick a finger over one lace and hole point as you tighten the next. That way nothing loosens as you let go of the laces at one point to transition to the next. I love that too.

[Skittl1321]

I have used walmart purchased boot (not shoe) laces for my skates. They seemed to be pretty much the same as skate laces bought from a pro-shop, however when I was using them I was in recreational figure skates, not good ones. That might have made a difference. It's possible they wouldn't be strong enough for a "real" skater. Just visually inspecting them, however, I can't tell any difference.

I was able to find ones that were plenty long for my skates. However, I wear a size 3 boot- obviously I don't need super long laces. (I think my current laces are 110", but on the old skates they were 96") We didn't have a pro-shop so walmart was really my only choice.

[icedancer2]

I have always gotten my cotton laces from Reidell - although I wear SP Teri's!

I don't like nylon laces - they slip and cut your hands.

I liked the cotton laces when I had an old pair of boots -- I needed those heavy cotton laces to help with keeping them stiffer (upright) - but for my newer boots, which will never bend nor break down, I prefer the combination laces.

Harlick makes those colorful laces that are popular at many rinks, but I believe they are nylon...

[sk8tmum]

Braidlace laces are good for us. Here's a link to the "blurb" on the Skating Boutique website (this is the "big store" in Central Ontario, Canada):

http://www.icelife.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=FSB&Product_Code=B100&Category_Code=AC&Product_Count=7

I've got fairly "soft" skin on my hands, and these have never cut them at all. Plus, they last and last ... DS gets over a year out of them, despite his habit of stepping on them with his blades, and pulling them quite hard around the hooks.

What you can do is go to Braidlace's own website www.braidlace.com ... they've got a contact for info e-mail and phone number. They would be able to answer your questions.

Hope this helps!

[blue111moon]

If you really want colored laces, you can dye the cotton ones easily.

One coach I know paints hers, just for fun. She also used Easter egg dye once, too, but I think the colors ran when they got wet.

[phoenix]

All

My laces aren't slipping, they're fine when I'm skating. They're cutting the h*ll out of my hands.

Sk8tmum, thanks for the info on the braidlaces. I saw those also on the US figure skating store, & I think I'll order a pair to try.

[GordonSk8erBoi]

I've never liked the cotton laces.

I haven't seen boot laces in the right length (120 inches, a full 10 FEET of laces!) but I've not really looked.

Colored laces are all the rage at my rink. My coach made me change mine for competition -- just as well, purple laces really didn't go with my costume!

[Query]

What you can do is go to Braidlace's own website www.braidlace.com

Hey - they've got red!

Which looks nice against black boots.

Used to use red (round) boot laces from REI (they had a kit with a really long laces that you were supposed to cut to length, then add tips), but they were too large a diameter for my Klingbeil lace holes. Maybe Braidlace's laces would fit. Too bad they don't come in round - don't you hate it when laces get twisted.

I wonder if one could use thin climbing or parachute cord. That comes in many bright colors, is nylon, and should be strong. Unless multi-colored laces would look wierd on an adult male.

[sk8tmum]

Hey - they've got red!

Which looks nice against black boots.

Used to use red (round) boot laces from REI (they had a kit with a really long laces that you were supposed to cut to length, then add tips), but they were too large a diameter for my Klingbeil lace holes. Maybe Braidlace's laces would fit. Too bad they don't come in round - don't you hate it when laces get twisted.

DS wears Klings. The braidlace laces fit just fine ... and they hold up and work nicely around all of those hooks, including, if you've got them, the ones that are in the middle of the tongue.

[dbny]

I broke both my laces a few weeks ago & got the only ones the shop at that rink happened to have. They were just cotton, & cut my hands up terribly. So as soon as I could I went to my regular shop & asked for the combo ones, that have a tiny bit of "give" to them, and are softer. He gave me a pair but said, they don't make the same ones anymore that we always used, but these will be better & won't cut your hands up. Well, they're the exact same things as the other ones--100% cotton, no give, and yes, they're still cutting my hands & giving me huge callouses on my fingers.

I went to the Rainbo website to see if I could order the combo ones, which they do have listed. But since my guy claimed what I have was a combo, I'm leery. I see they also have a beige pair that they're calling "Braidlace". I wonder if that's what I always had before? But I need white, so those won't help me.

Anyone have any insight on this, and if they really don't make the nice ones anymore, where I might be able to still find them and stock up??

Such a simple thing, you'd think, but what a difference when you're using them.

I use combo laces and they still cut my fingers if I have to do a lot of lacing (students, several times a day, every day, etc.) I bought the little silicon tube things for toes that are sold in the foot care section of drugstores. They are like bunga sleeves, and I use them on my little fingers. They work great, and I keep them in my jacket pocket so they are always on hand.

[ibreakhearts66]

Ok ok, just to clarify, which laces are which? Are the 50/50s the thicker ones while the nylons are the thin ones? So many people have told me different things and it annoys me!

[dbny]

The nylon laces are the thinnest. I find they cut my fingers the worst and take forever to stretch out.

[Morgail]

Ok ok, just to clarify, which laces are which? Are the 50/50s the thicker ones while the nylons are the thin ones? So many people have told me different things and it annoys me!

Nylon are thin and almost shiny when compared to the combo or cotton laces.

I went to the Rainbo website to see if I could order the combo ones, which they do have listed. But since my guy claimed what I have was a combo, I'm leery.


I have the combo laces from Rainbo and love them. They're still tough on the pinky fingers, but they stay in place better once tied. I hated having to relace over and over, like I did with nylon laces. Lots of people like the nylon, though.
It sounds like you want the nylon ones (most boots come with nylon laces) since you weren't happy with the cotton or the cotton/nylon combo. Nylon laces are easy to find. Laces aren't too expensive, so maybe try a pair of those and see if that's what you're looking for? At least then you could compare them to the combo laces you have now.

[aussieskater]

Phoenix, my 5-yo Jackson Competitors have nice thinnish combo laces, while my daughters' Jackson Mystiques both have nasty thick cotton laces (I *hate* those laces!). If you're still having trouble finding the laces you need, maybe visit your local pro shop to check that Jackson higher-end skates still use the thinner combo laces like in my boots, and if so contact Jackson to find out where you can get a pair?

[Sessy]

Hmmm well after the last two summer breaks I used to tape up my fingers with sports tape. After a few weeks of skating they just toughened up enough not to tear from the laces. Maybe an option after all?

BTW after I tore the laces on my risport etoiles, I got waxed hockey laces. Worked like a charm, they stayed in place like you wouldn't believe it! And they weren't too bad on the skin.
Haven't tried them on the much harder graf boots though because the laces they came with were fine.

[singerskates]

I have the thick laces from my old Graf Edmonton Specials on my current Jackson Elite Plus boots. I wasn't a fan of the laces that came with my current boots because they kept slipping so I changed them to the Graf laces. These seemed to be weaved differently then the thin laces that other brands are but they stay in place well.