Is there a way to fix a boot tongue creasing too much at the instep?

[eillie]

Hi everyone,


I've had my current figure skates (Riedell 133) for only about 7 weeks, and I'm feeling a little bummed out because I think I've inadvertently broken them in wrong.  To make a long story short, the tongue is creased too much right where the 'flex notch' is, and whenever I do a deep knee bend (especially during backwards crossovers) the crease presses into my instep and causes a lot of discomfort.  I can relieve the pain by making my laces looser, but then I feel very unstable and paranoid about hurting my ankles.


If it helps to understand what I'm talking about, I can also see my boot bulge out a bit at the sides of my ankles when I bend forwards (as the crease digs into my instep).  Is this normal? 


Has anyone else had this problem?  Or if you don't have this problem, I'm wondering what I'm doing wrong and how other people and boots can have both ankle support and also allow deep knee bends. 


I'm also wondering whether I can somehow make the crease less severe, but I'm worried that it kind of seems impossible, like making a creased paper be uncreased.   


Any advice would be appreciated.  Thanks,


eillie

[sampaguita]

You can try tying your skates tightly until the bottom two hooks. Then, while sitting down, bend your knee (like you would when you're doing backward crossovers), then tie the laces tightly until the top hook. When you straighten your knee, you'll find that the skate is a bit looser near the top, but that will provide enough support when you do deep knee bends.

My first pair of skates were Riedell 133s and the creases got pretty big too soon. I think it was because I used to tie my laces tightly until the very top, and THEN force myself to do deep knee bends. The pair lasted about a year, and then I "graduated" to Jackson Freestyles.

[eillie]

Sampaguita, thanks for your reply.  I've tried different combinations of looser laces when I get to the hooks, but whenever I do that I feel very unstable doing anything (turns, spins) on one foot.  When you lace up this way, do you still feel enough ankle support when you balance on one leg?

I saw your post from about a year ago (I think?) with photos of your creased Riedell 133s.  My creasing problem is not in the leather right at the flex notch, and instead, it's in the tongue of the boot that's next to the flex notch along where the Riedell 133s have a stitched seam running from one side of the tongue to the other.  Did you get a crease there too?

And yes, I also tied my laces tightly up to the 2nd and 3rd lace hooks and then did deep knee bends during the break in process.      I guess this is a recipe for ruining boots ... ?

[irenar5]

I had the same problem with my Riedell 875 tongue- on one foot though.  I tried everything (padding, lacing differently, flexible plastic insert under the lace- nothing worked!)   I eventually ended up sending the boot to Riedell and they replaced my tongue. 

The boots were fine when I first started wearing them, then about a month later this crease developed and it was impossible for me to  have a deep knee bend without pain. 
After the tongue replacement the boot was fine.   I think sometimes leather is not uniform and can have a tougher/softer spot somewhere, so a crease develops in the wrong spot.

I have since switched  to Harlicks and like them a lot.

[eillie]

Thanks for your reply, irenar5.  I'm having the creasing problem on both feet, though it's much worse on my right foot.

Do you think this is a problem with Riedell's?  Did you experience anything like the same crease with Harlicks?



I've only had Riedells, and this creased pair I have now are my first experience with figure skates, as opposed to much softer recreational ones, so I'm having difficulty gauging whether this is a problem I'll encounter with any boots or if it's just something about Riedell's that doesn't match with me.

[irenar5]

I had Riedells 255 before these and did not have any issues.
After the tongue was replaced in 875s I was fine as well.

When I was trying to solve the crease problem, my skate fitter and coach had no idea what was happening and they had not heard of anyone else having that issue.  Riedell was very helpful in addressing the problem, though- you may want to talk to them about it as well. 

It does seem odd that we both were having this issue around the same time of boot usage.  I think I was not very diligent about breaking the boots in gradually. As they felt good right away, I did not bother lacing only 3 hooks at first and not doing deep knee bends, etc.  With my Riedell 255s I was a beginner, so I was much gentler on the boot.   I am not sure it is the reason, though.

No issue like this in Harlicks (I switched brands for a different reason- my Riedell 875 felt too narrow and too long).

I hope you solve this problem- for me it was impossible to skate without searing pain.  I finally broke down and sent the boots away to Riedell and used my old ones for a while. 

[eillie]

Thanks for these details.  My coach also seemed surprised when I explained the problem, and she wasn't sure what could be done about it.  I'll try contacting Riedell as you've suggested.


I don't think the problem is due to not breaking in my boots gradually.  I skated in mine for around 10 hours without any jumps or deep knee bends before even attempting to use the 4th hook.