Roller Derby Skate Lacing Techniques

Roller derby is a highly competitive, often rough sport enjoyed by spectators for the theatrics it provides. The players have nicknames and dress in uniforms/costumes to portray an image. The goal of the game is to lap as many other players as possible, blocking others from accomplishing the same goal along the way. The skaters wear helmets, elbow pads, knee pads and mouth guards to protect themselves from serious injury. Roller derby players also have special ways to lace their skates, both for a good fit and decorative purposes.

  1. Knotted Lacing

    • This technique involves tying a knot between each set of holes to get a tight fit. Start by stringing the lace through the bottom holes toward the toe, going under the holes and pulling the strings up. Tie the laces into one overhand knot, which is just like the knot you tie before tying a regular shoe. Continue up the eyelets on the skate, lacing the strings underneath and up through the eyelets each time. Use longer shoe laces for this method; tying the knots at each set of eyelets takes more laces than the regular weave.

    Straight/European Lacing

    • In this lacing technique, the laces appear straight across all the way up the skate, but they run diagonally underneath. Start by lacing the two ends of the skate laces through the top of the two bottom eyelets. Run the lace from the right side diagonally up into the next eyelet on the opposite side, going up through the bottom of the eyelet. Continue to run that same lace straight across to the eyelet on the same level, looping it down through. Take the lace on the left side and run it through the third eyelet up on the opposite side, pulling it up from the bottom of the eylet. Run the string straight across and down through the bottom of the eyelet. Continue with each lace, skipping one eyelet on each side, until you reach the top of the skate.

    Ladder Lacing

    • This method of lacing make the skate laces appear in a ladder pattern, effectively tightening even the lower sections of the laces. Lace the strings up through the two bottom eyelets. Take each piece of string and run it directly up into the eyelet above it, weaving it down through the eyelet. Weave the lace on the right side across the skate and underneath the left lace that is already in place in the second eyelet, then run it directly up into the next eyelet on that side. Take the left lace and weave it under the lace on the right side that was originally run up into the second eyelet, then run the left lace directly up into the next eyelet up. Continue this pattern on each side until you reach the top of the shoe, completing a perfect skate string ladder.

    Zipper Lacing

    • This method is named for its zipper-like appearance, and it is works well for skates because it holds the lower laces tightly in place while you lace the rest of the skate. Start by running the laces straight across the bottom eyelets, coming up through the top of the eyelets. Take the right lace and run it diagonally to the next eyelet up on the left side, bringing it up through the bottom of the eyelet. Weave the lace back under the diagonal line you just made with the right side and run it diagonally up underneath the third eyelet up on the right side. Take the left lace and weave it diagonally up to the next eyelet on the right side. Weave the left lace under the diagonal line you just made and run it up o the third eyelet up on the left side. Continue this pattern, alternating right and left sides, until you reach the top of the skate.