I sometimes have to stop part way through a skating session and tighten my laces. I try to avoid doing this because it causes me to feel unsteady for the next 5-10 minutes. I don't know why, but tightening the laces part way through makes my skates feel COMPLETELY different. I have to get used to the change.

I sometimes see TV skaters tighten their laces just before they compete, and wonder how they do it. I'd look like a beginner if I did that, yet they manage.

Am I alone in this? Does anyone else feel like a tentative beginning skater after pulling laces tight half-way through a session?

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Bill Schneider

I tighten my laces like 3 times a session. I have a weird thing, if I feel like I don't have enough support when I land, I have to retighten them.

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"Where are we going and why are we in this handbasket?"

I used to have to tighten my laces several times a session and I realized it was a superstitious thing, they were tight enough and I was afraid it was going to mess with my head during competitions and tests if I couldn't retighten them. So I just made myself not tighten them and continue skating and I'm almost over it.

I still have to lace, tie, untie, lace and tie again when I first put my skates on.

j

I usually tighten mine once during the session (usually right before I start jumping - doing jumps on loose skates makes me nervous). You're right that it does make the skates feel different. It takes me about 30 seconds or so to get used to the tighter feeling. I usually do some knee bends or power pulls to make sure they aren't too tight. Then I'm good to go!

I find if i get them too loose to start with and go and retighten, I always make them too tight and five minutes later I've got to retighten them. I also find that it's better not just to do one because the relative difference between boots is even more pronounced.
But I've discovered that I can retighten them whilst standing on the ice and am likely to get it about right. Although I hate doing it whilst on the ice. Feels a bit precarious being bent double trying to hang onto laces.

I rarely tighten my skates during a session even if my skate is about to fall off. Like you said, it feels weird for a little while.

I usually put my skates on, stand up, sit down & re-tighten. Warm up, do some spins, re-tighten. Do some jumps, re-tighten before flips & lutzes. And then probably still have to re-tighten. I hate having to do this. This re-tightening scenario just relates to the laces. I wear Proflexes, and tighten the upper part more often than the laces.

If I do my laces too tight at the beginning, my feet cramp really badly, however, like Jskater49, I suspect half my problem here is superstition. I never have to re-tighten after warm up in a comp, for example.

Before I had proflexes my skates would feel weird for a while. Half a lap of slaloms (power pulls?) and I'd feel fine again. With Proflexes, no difference at all.

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Katz

Saved by Synchro!
I was over it, now I'm into it again !

I always have to tighten my right skate at least twice during a session. I don't know why it doesn't stay tight. I can't skate with it feeling loose -its very distracting. I haven't noticed any weird feelings right after tightening, unless I make it too tight.

It sounds like I'm a slow adapter to a lacing change. For the respondents indicating it feels strange to them, most seem to adapt much more quickly than I do.

It's not just my current pair of boots causing the problem. I remember the strange feeling with my older boots too.

I don't have to re-tighten my own laces that often - thank goodness. It happens a few times a month, and once in a while it's because the laces are completely off the hooks and dragging on the ice. (Yes, I wrap the upper hooks starting from the top of the hook and continue down and around the outside to trap the laces as much as possible. The knot itself is still intact, but the laces jump off of the hooks. )

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Bill Schneider

I don't normally have to relace, but it certainly happens oftener than seldom! And you can never relace just one boot, or the other gets jealous.

Anybody else have days when you simply can't get your skates comfortable, no matter how often you relace them?

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Oh god yes! Some days I feel like I spend more time OFF ice trying to get the things right than on ice.

Since I got my new skates in May I have had a real problem with lacing. I can't seem to get them right first time, and no matter how tight you lace them, the toungues sort of pop out at the top, so you have to relace and then they are fine! It's really odd. I think I am going to try new laces as it's really irritating, especially if I don't have long before lesson. If I walk around in them, and then re-lace I can sometimes get away with it.

Oh and I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks one will get jealous if you relace! I even lace and remove the left boot first as I think if one is on longer than the other there will be jealousy!!

I never used to have to relace my skates, but I've started lately. I think it's because they're getting old (I need new ones soon), and maybe partly due to superstition: when I try the axel, the landing boot feels too loose. Then I have to go tighten it. Then the other boot feels loose.

but I never feel weird after tightening them, it just feels nice and snug.

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Frequently! At least once a fortnight I have to sit down, take a boot off and start again.

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Katz

Saved by Synchro!
I was over it, now I'm into it again !

I usually get on the ice, start with dance or moves (or both if I'm skating 2 hrs), warm up the spins, and then have to re-tighten before I start jumping. Usually if I'm competing or testing in a larger group and there are a few skaters between the warmup and my skate, I'll unlace and re-tighten. I can't just stand around in my skates for too long.

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2010-2011 goals:
Pass Junior MIF test
Don't break anything

I fixed this problem by using double knots instead of simple bow ties. Ordinary bow ties slip, even if you use surgeons knots instead of overhands.

But I also have to lace with uniform tension all the way from the bottom to the top to avoid the problem. Many people don't bother to pull at the bottom, or prefer to have one part of the lace (e.g., around where they bend the ankle) looser than another, so naturally the tension equalizes as they skate.

Another thing some people do is to wrap the top of the lace around the back of the skate. When they flex and unflex, it pulls the lace loose.

I also use unwaxed nylon laces. Unwaxed lets me pull them through to uniform tension. Waxed laces tend to stick where they are unless you are very careful. And nylon is stretchier so they can shift a little and still be under tension.

Anyway, why is retying a big deal? I sometimes tie tighter when I practice jumping, because that is when I seem to need the most tension. Without jumps, I prefer to bend my ankles sideways a bit, so I want it slightly looser.