The Best Way to Tie In-Line Hockey Skates

Tying your laces properly is crucial to getting quality performance out of your hockey skates. In-line skates are laced, tightened and tied in the same way as ice-hockey skates. While there are variations that some players prefer, the basics are simple and universal.

  1. X-pattern

    • The most effective lacing pattern (which is also the most efficient, using a shorter length of lace per eyelet than other patterns) is a simple X-pattern. Start with the bottom two eyelets laced, with equal lengths on either side of the center. Then cross to the next eyelet, lacing through from the inside to the outside, and repeat the process up the skate.

    Lacing securely

    • You must lace skates tightly and properly. If laces are too tight, they can restrict circulation, cause blistering and be extremely uncomfortable; if laces are too loose, they will not give the ankle sufficient support, making any kind of skating extremely difficult and introducing the possibility of serious injury. A good, snug lacing job over a pair of padded socks will make all the difference to your skating.

    The whole skate

    • Some skaters prefer to wrap the laces around the ankle of the skate after lacing up; others like to tie the laces with double bows and double knots. These personal wrinkles will not significantly affect the lacing job. If one method feels more comfortable to you, use it. The important thing is to lace your skates and tighten the laces up the entire length of the skate. With ordinary shoes, you can sometimes just pull the laces tight from the ends. With hockey skates, you must tighten the laces one eyelet at a time, starting at the toes and working your way gradually up the skate to your ankle.