The Skate Laces Thread

[TheGoalNet]

Post anything laces related here...

Who goes over the top eyelets at the toes with their laces and who goes under? 

Is there a benefit to either?

[BadAngle41]

I've tried various lacing techniques to offset things like lace bit (skipping eyelets here and there to relieve pressure)... but always come back to lace it up as normal. 108" waxed laces (of course they're yellow) and the only thing I have OCD about... outside lace always goes over the lace coming from the inside. 

[IPv6Freely]

108” unwaxed. I don’t like waxed laces. Too hard to untie, and they make my skates too tight. I had red laces in my skates at one point to make them black/white/red like my pads but switched to white.

[BadAngle41]

Just to follow up on lacing technique... image of Scrivens and his lacing...

[TheGoalNet]

I use 96" waxed because I hate all the extra slack. 

I normally use Elite waxed laces and they stretch a bit. 

With my 1S, I started just skipping the 3rd eyelit from the top, but I still did the cross over. I did not do the Scrivens method. This seemed to alleviate the minor ankle issue I would get sometimes if my foot was not sitting perfectly in 1S. It also changed how the boot fit. It felt like it pushed my foot down into the boot more and I really liked that. 

So far so good with 2S, that minor issue did not appear in the first skate. I still might try that other lacing technique to see if it add any value to 2S 

[BadAngle41]

2 hours ago, TheGoalNet said:

I use 96" waxed because I hate all the extra slack. 

I normally use Elite waxed laces and they stretch a bit. 

With my 1S, I started just skipping the 3rd eyelit from the top, but I still did the cross over. I did not do the Scrivens method. This seemed to alleviate the minor ankle issue I would get sometimes if my foot was not sitting perfectly in 1S. It also changed how the boot fit. It felt like it pushed my foot down into the boot more and I really liked that. 

So far so good with 2S, that minor issue did not appear in the first skate. I still might try that other lacing technique to see if it add any value to 2S 

Howies or Bauer for this guy. I like thee 108" because when I take my skates off they have enough length where I only have to fully pull them out of the top eyelet and just loosen them all the way down. I am intrigued by your method of skipping the third eyelet though. I haven't had a problem with ankles or fit w/ my S190s, but I have a relaxed skated this evening I may try it in.

@TheGoalNet Would you say it helped your foot feel less pulled back to the heel of the boot and more down into the sole then?

[bunnyman666]

32 minutes ago, BadAngle41 said:

Howies or Bauer for this guy. I like thee 108" because when I take my skates off they have enough length where I only have to fully pull them out of the top eyelet and just loosen them all the way down. I am intrigued by your method of skipping the third eyelet though. I haven't had a problem with ankles or fit w/ my S190s, but I have a relaxed skated this evening I may try it in.

@TheGoalNet Would you say it helped your foot feel less pulled back to the heel of the boot and more down into the sole then?

How do you like the Howies compared to Elite? Are they consistent?

[BadAngle41]

1 hour ago, bunnyman666 said:

How do you like the Howies compared to Elite? Are they consistent?

I like 'em. They do stretch some over time and loose their wax like any lace will do... but the tip hold up better. Especially important when you relace 1 or more eyelets when putting your skates on. I just buy them in bulk from Howies so I always have some in my bag. Same goes for their sock tape... great consistent tension regardless of how much tape is on the roll.

[MTH]

I'm all about the tips.

I've opened packs of laces in the shop to see what tip are on them. Those ones with the funky formed tips are pure trash.

 

Is there a brand that has metal tips? I unlace the top two holes every time, so I need tips that last.

What do pros use?

[KootenayKeeper]

The lace lock feature on my RBK skates are great. They're on the eyelets 3 down from the top, and it lets you keep the lower laces locked at one tension, and then tighten up the top 2 laces separately.

My only vice is that I don't like twisted laces so make sure that they sit flat across the foot.

[MTH]

Am I the only idiot that sharpies the laces length on my skates? I hate buying new laces and having to measure. So I just use the sharpie and tag the skate with the appropriate length. I also use a 3/8" hollow on the blade. So I sharpied that on the bottom as a reminder to the skate sharpener.

[KootenayKeeper]

2 hours ago, MTH said:

Am I the only idiot that sharpies the laces length on my skates? I hate buying new laces and having to measure. So I just use the sharpie and tag the skate with the appropriate length. I also use a 3/8" hollow on the blade. So I sharpied that on the bottom as a reminder to the skate sharpener.

I've got 1/2" sharpied on my cowling but not the lace length. Not a bad idea though. I can never remember either.

[TheGoalNet]

@BadAngle41 @bunnyman666 - Howies Laces feel incredibly well made and like they won’t stretch as much as the elite. I bet the Howie’s stay in better shape longer. 

 However, they are not as heavily waxed as the elites and I miss that. I also feel like I can tie the elite ones tighter 

@BadAngle41 - skipping that third eyelit makes it feel it forces the heel back in the heel cup more and keeps my foot more securely locked in place 

@MTH @KootenayKeeper - I have a note in my phone now. In college, I had it sharpied. I had black cowlings, so I had it in silver sharpie!!! 

[bunnyman666]

1 hour ago, TheGoalNet said:

@BadAngle41 @bunnyman666 - Howies Laces feel incredibly well made and like they won’t stretch as much as the elite. I bet the Howie’s stay in better shape longer. 

 However, they are not as heavily waxed as the elites and I miss that. I also feel like I can tie the elite ones tighter 

@BadAngle41 - skipping that third eyelit makes it feel it forces the heel back in the heel cup more and keeps my foot more securely locked in place 

@MTH @KootenayKeeper - I have a note in my phone now. In college, I had it sharpied. I had black cowlings, so I had it in silver sharpie!!! 

I am going to most likely become a Howie’s dealer, but I don’t know their laces. Their tape and wax is great, but never tried their laces. 

As far as sharpening goes, I keep meticulous records of my customers. If you’re a 3/8” FBV, your name is in my book. 

[CJ17]

Hope it's ok posting this question on this thread, but what types of laces do you prefer for lacing a glove, waxed, unwaxed, Howie's, Elite Hockey?

[TheGoalNet]

@bunnyman666 - don’t have anything negative to say about the Howie’s and they seem very well made. 

My preference is more wax, doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with the Howie’s! 

[IPv6Freely]

42 minutes ago, CJ17 said:

Hope it's ok posting this question on this thread, but what types of laces do you prefer for lacing a glove, waxed, unwaxed, Howie's, Elite Hockey?

I prefer unwaxed for glove and skates. Don’t care about brand for glove. 

[Chenner29]

2 hours ago, CJ17 said:

Hope it's ok posting this question on this thread, but what types of laces do you prefer for lacing a glove, waxed, unwaxed, Howie's, Elite Hockey?

When I was skating in Graf, I needed waxed laces to hold the tension.

Not so much anymore with my VH - have only needed the stock unwaxed lace to get that locked-in feeling.

Gloves I prefer waxed lace - I feel the wax helps repel water/ice.

[IPv6Freely]

2 hours ago, Chenner29 said:

When I was skating in Graf, I needed waxed laces to hold the tension.

Not so much anymore with my VH - have only needed the stock unwaxed lace to get that locked-in feeling.

Gloves I prefer waxed lace - I feel the wax helps repel water/ice.

Yep, could probably skate without laces in my VH. Anything more than just snug enough that there’s no slack and they’re too tight. Waxed laces don’t make sense for them.

I can’t say I’ve really cared about repelling water on my glove laces. Never really thought about it.

[estogoalie]

Last night one forward that came at me on a 2-on-1 had bright pink laces on. And for about 2 seconds my mind went from focusing on the puck to thinking "Pink laces? Seriously?" I need to work more on my concentration.

[Scott]

I use howies waxed laces, I find that they’re way better quality than the elite laces...I’ve never popped a howies lace, every time I’ve replaced them it was just at the beginning of the season, but I’ve popped multiple elite laces in a season...I go through all the eyelets  on my 1s skates and have never had a problem with lacebite. At the bottom eyelet I have the laces going over top, as well as going over top and coming out across the tongue underneath, if that makes sence

[bunnyman666]

18 minutes ago, Scott said:

I use howies waxed laces, I find that they’re way better quality than the elite laces...I’ve never popped a howies lace, every time I’ve replaced them it was just at the beginning of the season, but I’ve popped multiple elite laces in a season...I go through all the eyelets  on my 1s skates and have never had a problem with lacebite. At the bottom eyelet I have the laces going over top, as well as going over top and coming out across the tongue underneath, if that makes sence

Sounds like I will be selling solid laces, then!

[SaveByRichter35]

I don't really put much thought into my laces other than not liking them too long.  Always lace left over right.  And last but not least, always keep them flat and straight.  I hate when my laces are all twisted.

[TheGoalNet]

This randomly started because I was messing with my laces on 1S and I wondered if anyone had quirky lacing set ups 

Anyone go with the straight lace at the bottom under the eyelits? Every skate I have ever seen has this above the eyelits and I am curious if there's a reason why 

[SaveByRichter35]

I always lace from the bottom.