Lace Hook Puller (Tightener)

[jjane45]

Lately I did more lacing than usual and my fingers don't quite appreciate it...

Is the lace hook puller useful in getting the laces tight?

If you use one, which kind do you use and what are the benefits / drawbacks?

Thank you!

[Isk8NYC]

I've found that starting at the bottom eyelets, pulling tight, then putting a finger on top of the just-tightened lace held it in place while I worked on the next eyelet up.  Nylon laces are brutal on fingers and they slip too easily, so I always use cotton or cotton/poly laces.  They don't seem to get away from me as much.

The only figure skater I know who uses a hook to pull laces tight has arthritis.  Hockey players use them a lot to tighten laces, though.

I have a plain metal hook, but I use it to UNLACE my skates.  When I used to skate outdoors, it would be painful to unlace with cold, stiff fingers and I was forever breaking off fingernails.

After I undo the top of the skate down to the eyelets, I use the hook to pull the excess lace through the eyelets (without pulling them all the way out - just loosening)  and then slip my foot out.  

[Sk8tmum]

I found that the stress on my fingers from hooking the puller under them was worse than the lace bite on the one outside finger that I used to pull the laces.  Plus, it slipped a couple of times and damaged the leather on the skate (of course, I'm uncoordinated).

[Isk8NYC]

My hook doesn't have any sharp edges to damage the leather.  It's the all-metal type that doesn't have a plastic or folding handle.

[Isk8NYC]

When I use it to loosen, I slip it under the laces at the side, where there's more room.

[SillyAdultSkater]

Lately I did more lacing than usual and my fingers don't quite appreciate it...

Is the lace hook puller useful in getting the laces tight?

If you use one, which kind do you use and what are the benefits / drawbacks?

Thank you!

I have one, want it?   It's useless...

Then again, my hands harden up quite fast I was told by my guitar teacher, maybe that's why lace bite never really bothers me for long on my hands. When it does, I put some sports tape around my index fingers before lacing up.

[Query]

I use the same method as ISk8NYC. I tighten the laces twice, pulling things the normal way (but leaving enough room at the bottom rung to slip my fingers in, but reasonably tight everywhere else). Then I do it her way.

I find nylon laces easier, because they stretch, so if they slip a tiny bit, they are still tight, but some people have better luck with cotton laces. Some people love waxed laces - they don't slip much, so you don't need ISk8NYC's trick.

Some laces are thinner than others (they come with some beginner level boots), so you don't have a big enough surface area to pull on. Try to find the widest laces (wide across the direction that your skin touches) that will fit in your lace holes.

I don't need lace pullers. But not everyone has the strength and coordination. They are cheap, and work.

A double knot helps hold the tension. Do NOT wrap the laces tightly around the back of the skate. If you do, they loosen every time you point your foot. If you need to take up a really long lace, tie it, then wrap the lace ends back around the lower lace hooks, or loop the loose ends under the other laces. I guess you could wrap it around the back instead - but you would have to leave it so loose, that you don't pull on it by pointing your toe.

People have a lot of different solutions to this. Find one that works for you.

[Isk8NYC]

Good point: you should lace up the eyelets tightly, then tie a half-knot before doing up the hooks.  This way, if a hook lace pops off, you may not have to start over.  You can just redo the hooks section.

[Sk8Dreams]

In the winter, I tie so many students' laces that the outsides of my pinkie fingers crack and bleed.  The best preventive I've found for this is gel sleeves for toes (similar to Bungas) that are sold in the Dr. Scholl's section of drugstores.  Band aids are good too, but you have to keep buying them.  The toe sleeves last forever.

[sk8Joyful]

Lately I did more lacing than usual and my fingers don't quite appreciate it...

Is the lace hook puller useful in getting the laces tight?

If you use one, which kind do you use and what are the benefits / drawbacks?

Thank you!

I have this hook: http://www.skate-buys.com/metlacpulhoo.html (bought somewhere else).

I used to use the hook (sometimes), while still learning how tight my boots should be.
The benefit is the metal can lace up your boots much tighter.
But sometimes that can backfire if you lace them up too tight,
that once on the ice you get cramps; which normally you might avoid (more), tightening your laces by hands  only, which pretty much I do now.
.

[jjane45]

Thank you everyone! Looks like I'll stay with lacing by hand!
Great lacing tips all around

[flyingcupcake]

I don't think lace hooks work well.  I just lace with my mittens on.