Not much thought is given to laces and like most people you would never
dream of replacing your laces until one of them broke.

Laces for hockey skates are different, they need to be looked after and
replaced frequently. As the majority of your time in your skates is on the ice they tend to get very wet. As the laces tighten within the boot this leads to them being gradually stretched. As they stretch they get weaker and also loosen within the skate. Therefore it is a good idea to a) carry a spare set of laces and b) change them every 2 months or after about 8 games.

Lace Choice
There are only two types of laces which come in a variety of colours and lengths. The lace types are waxed or un-waxed and you should only purchase laces specifically for skates whether they be roller or ice skating. Obviously waxed is far better than un-waxed as they can withstand being wet for a longer period of time without any degrading happening to the lace. Waxed laces also tend to grip better and keep your skates in position - whereas un-waxed laces may tend to stretch rather considerably, and you may find yourself tying up your laces frequently.

Lace replacement should be based on size of skate (check on laces if the size is UK or US). Laces should not be of an excessive length and should enable the wearer to tie a medium sized double bow. If laces are too long then tie a medium double bow and cut off the excess remembering to burn the ends to prevent fraying.

Laces should never be wrapped around the neck of the boot as this causes excess strain on the neck of the boot and will lead to the back of the boot breaking and the skates becoming dangerous for the wearer.

Lacing of the Boot
Laces should be tight and pulled taught from the first pair of eyes to the last. Laces can be looser on the middle 3 to 4 holes but this is more down to user preference.

Laces should be laced in the boot in a criss cross fashion and not looped over from opposite sides.

(Picture to follow)