Having a good pair of skates is incredibly important for hockey players to perform to the best of their ability on the ice.
Although having good quality skates is important, if they are not laced up correctly, you will not be stable or be able to play to your usual high standard.
To avoid this, how do you lace hockey skates?
Making sure that your skates are laced up correctly before a game is very important as you do not want to be in any discomfort on the ice.
Feeling uncomfortable or feeling like your skates are going to come off will affect how you play, so it is important to make sure that your skates are secure.
This article will explain how to lace hockey skates to make sure that you feel comfortable and secure when you are playing. You can find out how to properly lace your hockey skates below!
How To Lace Up Your Hockey Skates
There are a few ways that you can lace up your hockey skates to make sure that they are securely fitted to your feet when you are playing.
It is important to make sure that you are comfortable, and having your skates too tight or too loose will affect your playing.
Under-Lacing Method
This is one of the most popular lacing methods that you will see on hockey skates as it is easy to do and keeps your skates stable.
It is very easy to do and it will help to keep your skates comfortable when you are playing.
This is such a popular lacing method as it helps to keep your skates secure and prevents them from becoming loose as you are skating.
To start, simply lace up your skates from the inside and keep tightening the laces as you are going.
It is important to keep tightening the laces as you are lacing the skates up as this prevents them from feeling loose around your foot as you are skating.
Once you get to the top of the skate, tie the laces as tight as you are comfortable with to keep your ankle in place.
Over-Lacing Method
If you are looking for a lacing method to give your skates a tighter fit, the over-lacing method is very similar to the under-lacing method.
Some people find that this method is more secure on the feet and they do not feel like the skates come loose from this style of lacing, but find that they can from the under-lacing method.
To start, you lace your skates the same as you do with the under-lacing method, but you are feeding the laces through the eyelets from the outside, which is the opposite side of the under-lacing method.
The finished lacing looks similar, but you might find that this style of lacing keeps your skates firmly in place when you are playing.
Lock Lacing Method
This method of lacing helps to keep your skates firmly in place on your feet, so there is no risk that your laces will begin to loosen, causing your skates to slide off your feet.
If you have had ankle injuries in the past and you need to make sure that they are well-supported, this type of lacing will make sure that your skates remain in position and support your ankles.
To do this lacing, you can begin by lacing your hockey skates with the over-lacing method, but make sure that you stop when there is one more eyelet left on either side.
Take one of the laces and lace it through the eyelet directly above it and pull it through. Repeat this on the other side.
Next, feed the laces through the loops opposite them that have been created, and tie them as normal.
Double Lacing
This style of lacing is more complicated than others, but once you get the hang of it, it is very easy to do.
Double lacing reduces the amount of sliding that your foot does when you are playing, which can improve your performance on the ice as you will be more stable.
If your laces loosen, your skates will cause you to lose balance.
To begin the double lacing method, you will need to start with the over-lacing method until you reach the top of the skate, leaving one eyelet left on each side.
At the top of the skate, cross the laces twice at the top to make sure that they are secure on your feet. This will keep your skates in place and prevent them from loosening at the top.
What Method Should You Choose?
The method that you choose to lace your hockey skates is up to you as it is whatever works for you. Not everyone will like the same lacing method, so it is based on what works well for you.
It is worth trying all of the lacing methods to see which one works best for you to make sure that you are comfortable when you are playing hockey.
It is important to make sure that you do not lace your skates too tightly as this can impact your performance on the ice.
Skates that are too tight will cause a lot of discomfort and make it difficult for you to move properly, so make sure that you are happy with the tightness before tying your laces to secure them.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, there are several ways that you can lace your skates to make sure that they are secure during a game.
It is important to choose the right lacing method for you as you want to make sure that your skates remain firmly on your feet and that there is no risk of them sliding off your feet when you are in the middle of playing.
You should try all of the lacing methods to see which one works best for you to make sure that you are happy with your skates.
The most important thing is that you are comfortable and happy with how your skates feel!