Lacing With Tongue Hooks

[Orianna2000]

I'm pretty sure I ordered my skates with tongue hooks, and I just realized that I don't have a clue how to lace them. Can anybody educate me? I tried looking for photos or videos, but all I could find were for Riedell's tongue lacing bar, and I wasn't sure that's the same thing.

[irenar5]

The idea behind the  hooks is so that the tongue stays centered.  It has a natural tendency to twist to the outside.

So, you just lace normally up to the hooks, then lay the lace under the center hooks , but then push the lace under the center hooks and bring the opposite lace ends to the next set of side hooks.  (by the opposite I mean the opposite ends if you were just normally lacing them without the center hooks.

Hope it helps.  I think once you have the boots, you will understand the mechanics :-)

[Orianna2000]

I think I figured out how the lacing hooks work. You just wrap them around the hooks and then continue lacing. I'll try to take a picture later on, so you can tell me if I'm doing it right.

[Orianna2000]

Here's how I've been lacing the tongue hooks. Is it correct?


(Click here for larger photo.)

[sarahspins]

Yes, you could also completely hook one side, then the next, rather than crossing in between as you are now... either way gets the job done, but the way I lace my skates once I get to the hooks I never let go of each lace, so crossing like you are would be difficult.

[Orianna2000]

Yes, you could also completely hook one side, then the next, rather than crossing in between as you are now... either way gets the job done, but the way I lace my skates once I get to the hooks I never let go of each lace, so crossing like you are would be difficult.

I'm not sure I understand. Do you mean you hook one lace around the speed hooks first, crossing back and forth with just one lace, and then hook the other lace back and forth? I lace my speed hooks the way the pro-shop lady showed me, crossing back and forth with both laces at the same time, wrapping them around the speed hooks. I don't let go of the laces, except to transfer them from one hand to the other as they cross over, and I do that the whole time while lacing the speed hooks.

The laces are not crossed in between the tongue hooks, but each lace wraps around the opposite hook, then crosses back to the side it originated from. I tried and I cannot figure out an alternate way of doing it.

[Sk8tmum]

You have the right idea, but, you want to go up one of the "hooks" before crossing into the goalposts; otherwise, you're pulling "down" on the tongue, you want to pull UP on it.

[Orianna2000]

Oh, yes. I hook the first set of hooks first, then I do the tongue hooks, then the second set of hooks. I didn't do that in the photo just for the sake of time.

[icedancer]

What is a "speed" hook?

[Orianna2000]

Speed hooks are the hooks at the top of the skate, along the ankle. They make it faster to lace and unlace, supposedly, so they're called speed hooks.

[icedancer]

I I lace my speed hooks the way the pro-shop lady showed me, crossing back and forth with both laces at the same time, wrapping them around the speed hooks. I don't let go of the laces, except to transfer them from one hand to the other as they cross over, and I do that the whole time while lacing the speed hooks.

You do the hooks with just one hand?  I have never done this - I don't think I would be able to get just the right tension if I did that.  I asked another skater at my rink today about that and she said that she had seen it done (mostly hockey skaters I think) but that most people use both hands.  Anyone else have a comment on this?

I also don't think there is any "set" way to hook those tongue hooks - it is a matter of personal preference.

[Orianna2000]

You do the hooks with just one hand?  I have never done this - I don't think I would be able to get just the right tension if I did that.  I asked another skater at my rink today about that and she said that she had seen it done (mostly hockey skaters I think) but that most people use both hands.  Anyone else have a comment on this?

No, I use both hands. But I transfer the laces from one hand to the other, switching back and forth. Left lace goes into the right hand, right lace goes into the left hand. Hook them, then vice versa, if that makes sense?

[icedancer]

No, I use both hands. But I transfer the laces from one hand to the other, switching back and forth. Left lace goes into the right hand, right lace goes into the left hand. Hook them, then vice versa, if that makes sense?

Oh okay - I guess I never really thought about it that way!! 

[Orianna2000]

I had to sit there and actually do the laces in slow motion to figure out how I laced them. I use my right pinkie to grab the left lace, then as I flip my right hand over, it crosses the laces over each other, and I grab the right lace with my left thumb and index finger. It's very automatic, and it's interesting how the right hand does most of the work. The left hand mostly just holds the lace steady while the right hand does all the flipping and crossing.

[nicklaszlo]

I have Risport RF2 boots with a lace loop on the tongue.  I used to lace the boots up one set of hooks above the loop on the tongue before passing the laces through the loop.  I had issues with the tongue sliding down when I jumped.  Recently, I tried lacing up two hooks above the loop before passing the laces through the loop.  Now I feel much more secure, especially when jumping.  And I don't have to stop and fix my tongue every half hour of jumping.

[tstop4me]

Since you've revived this thread, I have a follow-up question on tongue hooks.  I've heard a few skaters complain about tongue hooks pulling loose from the tongue.  I don't know how widespread this is.  Question for skaters with tongue hooks:  Have you ever had one pull loose from the tongue?  If so, what was the make, model, and year of the boot?

[DressmakingMomma]

I order tongue hooks for my daughter and she has never had one pull out - she has had them on Jacksons and Harlicks with no problems. She does (unfortunately) grow out of her boots fairly quickly, so I'm not sure how they hold up in the long term.

[Query]

Tongue hooks sound like a great idea...