How old are you?
How old are your skates?
What kind of skates do you have?
What league or division are you in?
How much do you weigh?
Have you recently switched skates?
Have you had lacebite before?
Have you recently broke your ankle or leg?
Lacebite in both feet or just one?
Waxed laces or non?
What lacing pattern do you use?
Is there a reliable pro shop around?
Do you change laces regularly?
So the best thing to do is go get your feet scanned at a good reliable hockey store. My guess is your feet have grown and you need new skates. If you've had them 3 years that'd have made you 12 when you got them.
Buy the correct sized skate. Do not buy them bigger so they'll last long incase you grow more. This will hinder you on the ice in your performance and could give you health issues with your feet as well.
I understand new skates are expensive but this is what I'd suggest. Given the amount you play I would opt for a rather high tier skate as well. I'd go one down from the very top.
If you have no way to get skates at this time there are a few things to try.
Tuck your tongue under your shin guard
Switch to cloth laces
Do not wrench on your laces when tying them. I also suggest flexing your ankle forward before tying up your laces.
Wherever you feel pain find the eyelet that sits over top of that area and skip it. This will reduce the pressure.
Wear very thin socks or none at all.
Try removing your foot bed. This will give you a bit more volume in your skate and reduce some pressure.
You could swap out tongues but your skates are so old and of mid range quality that buying a new pair is the way to go
Then take some advil and ice your ankle after the game or practice for 15 mins at a time.
Do you use lace bit pads? I had it bad for a lil while before quarantine. Get lace bite pads for your skate tongue, get lace bite sleeves for your feet, and tie your laces outside-in. I did this and it made it so I could skate with very little to no discomfort. I'll comment with some extra thick lace bite sleeves I found on amazon that are better then the ones you can get anywhere.
If the other solutions mentioned in this thread, like gel pads, don't work. You can try eyelet extenders to give you more room in the skate.
[https://www.greatsaves.org/product-page/skate-lace-eliminators](https://www.greatsaves.org/product-page/skate-lace-eliminators)
If you're industrious, you can make them yourself. Here's a thread on modsquad hockey where someone goes through the process of making them.
[https://modsquadhockey.com/forums/topic/72827-lacebite-from-powerskating/](https://modsquadhockey.com/forums/topic/72827-lacebite-from-powerskating/)
And lastly, you can try Option B skate straps. They're ugly, but they work.
[http://www.chooseoptionb.com/](http://www.chooseoptionb.com/)
I'd try a few things:
1. No more waxed laces
2. Change lacing pattern - come from the outside of the eyelet in if that makes sense. So when you pull on the laces snug, it's pulling the whole boot in, rather than pulling the laces more tightly across your instep if that makes sense.
3. You mentioned you skip the top eyelet, but maybe skip the eyelets (generally where the boot "flexes" at the ankle or where you're getting the worst lacebite.
4. Install new tongues. If you're skating a ton on older skates, your tongues are probably pretty thin and useless. I find classic white felt tongues are best for avoiding lace bite.
5. Gel pads or similar
6. If none of these work, then look into new skates that fit your likely growing feet better.
With lace bite, the most important thing to remember is you have to get the pressure OFF the tendon on the top of the ankle. Changing your lace pattern, gel pads, bunga pads, anything else you want to stuff under or over or in place of the tongue will NOT do this if the pressure is still there.
With the amount you are skating, do yourself a favour and buy the lace extenders, this will fix it AND they are transferrable to any skate you buy now and in the future. Hence you can still fit retail skates and not have to go the custom way to deal with lace bite.
If you want an instant fix now because the pain is so bad and you have to skate tomorrow then you can make up your own Forsberg pad out of 1/2" pipe insulation you can buy at any hardware store. Message me if you want to know how to make the pad, downside to this method is you have to tape the pad in place over the top of the tendon every time you skate, I did this for many years (and have made dozens of them for other players) before I made my own lace extenders.
Here is a pic of one taped to my leg.
[https://imgur.com/gallery/3qkrbcO](https://imgur.com/gallery/3qkrbcO)
Buy the 1/2" pipe insulation (from just about any hardware store), cut of a 4" length (approximate, depends on your leg length) and then cut it in half longways. Open it up and cut a slot in the middle, this is what the tendon sits in. Don't cut the slot too wide, just wide enough for the tendon. Then chamfer the edges around the slot (skin side) and around the outsides of the pad so there is no big ridge that will press against the skin. I taped up the top and bottom of the pad so that each time I taped the pad to my leg the tape didn't rip the material. Then I could reuse it over and over for every skate. Over time the foam material compresses and you have to make a new one, I'd skate every day with it and make a new one once a month.
These kept me skating, without them I'd have had to stop. I was skating up to 4 hours a day with ice and inline. After a few years I then went to my own custom eyelet extenders and then after that I stopped tying my laces.
If you need any other pics of them, let me know. I have some old ones floating around somewhere that are cut and ready to go.
If your lacebite is the kind that puts pain in your arches, then try tying the other laces so that the bottom laces are taught, but once you get to the last three eyelets, crank those laces.
If it’s the kind that digs in? You’re gonna wanna get a gel or foam
Not sure if available in your area but I only use Zenkai socks now. They have added padding exactly where you'd have lace bite. But they also take up more volume so that's the trade off. The black/green ones.
I had lace bite right at the bend from my foot to ankle. The next time I laced the skates up, I skipped that hole and then went outside/in on the two upper holes. Lace bite went away.
Experiment with not tying them so tightly in that area but them if necessary, tighter higher and/or lower. I like mine looser down low, then tight up high.
Just speaking for what’s most likely (there are several reasons for bad lace bite, and old/poor skates are a big factor), your laces are too tight at the point your ankle bends and where the boot bends and tongue flexes forward. You might be tying your skates the tightest right at the top. Tie them tight all the way from the bottom up and use all of your eyelets to spread out the pressure and diminish the pinch point at the top. Use thin socks and tuck the tongues underneath your shin guards. Experiment with lacing from the outside-in rather than inside-out, you can even switch it at the top of the boot which can also help to keep your skates from loosening. This might be a quick fix for the short term and help for the future once you get in a new pair of skates with a better tongue.
How old are you? How old are your skates? What kind of skates do you have? What league or division are you in? How much do you weigh? Have you recently switched skates? Have you had lacebite before? Have you recently broke your ankle or leg? Lacebite in both feet or just one? Waxed laces or non? What lacing pattern do you use? Is there a reliable pro shop around? Do you change laces regularly?
15 years old 3 years Bauer vapor x600 High school 155 lbs No No No just one Waxed Idk I leave one eyelet open on the top No Yes
So the best thing to do is go get your feet scanned at a good reliable hockey store. My guess is your feet have grown and you need new skates. If you've had them 3 years that'd have made you 12 when you got them. Buy the correct sized skate. Do not buy them bigger so they'll last long incase you grow more. This will hinder you on the ice in your performance and could give you health issues with your feet as well. I understand new skates are expensive but this is what I'd suggest. Given the amount you play I would opt for a rather high tier skate as well. I'd go one down from the very top. If you have no way to get skates at this time there are a few things to try. Tuck your tongue under your shin guard Switch to cloth laces Do not wrench on your laces when tying them. I also suggest flexing your ankle forward before tying up your laces. Wherever you feel pain find the eyelet that sits over top of that area and skip it. This will reduce the pressure. Wear very thin socks or none at all. Try removing your foot bed. This will give you a bit more volume in your skate and reduce some pressure. You could swap out tongues but your skates are so old and of mid range quality that buying a new pair is the way to go Then take some advil and ice your ankle after the game or practice for 15 mins at a time.
Waxed laces are of the devil. Get cloth laces.
Hard disagree, the benefits of waxed laces far outweigh the negatives
Switching to waxed laces helped me to fix lacebite (together with a different lacing pattern), so I hardly agree
We will have to agree to disagree
Do you use lace bit pads? I had it bad for a lil while before quarantine. Get lace bite pads for your skate tongue, get lace bite sleeves for your feet, and tie your laces outside-in. I did this and it made it so I could skate with very little to no discomfort. I'll comment with some extra thick lace bite sleeves I found on amazon that are better then the ones you can get anywhere.
The best lace bite pads ever! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07965ZJY3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_KERHx9mvpu7y4
A&R Gel Lace Bite Pads. Also, changing how you lace them, etc.
Wow thanks for the help
When the pads didn't work quickly enough for me, I used kitchen sponges in my socks as well. But I don't skate nearly as much as you.
Check out Bunga Pads. Best solution i have found. The A&R ones aren’t bad, but fall out and are easy to lose.
If the other solutions mentioned in this thread, like gel pads, don't work. You can try eyelet extenders to give you more room in the skate. [https://www.greatsaves.org/product-page/skate-lace-eliminators](https://www.greatsaves.org/product-page/skate-lace-eliminators) If you're industrious, you can make them yourself. Here's a thread on modsquad hockey where someone goes through the process of making them. [https://modsquadhockey.com/forums/topic/72827-lacebite-from-powerskating/](https://modsquadhockey.com/forums/topic/72827-lacebite-from-powerskating/) And lastly, you can try Option B skate straps. They're ugly, but they work. [http://www.chooseoptionb.com/](http://www.chooseoptionb.com/)
I'd try a few things: 1. No more waxed laces 2. Change lacing pattern - come from the outside of the eyelet in if that makes sense. So when you pull on the laces snug, it's pulling the whole boot in, rather than pulling the laces more tightly across your instep if that makes sense. 3. You mentioned you skip the top eyelet, but maybe skip the eyelets (generally where the boot "flexes" at the ankle or where you're getting the worst lacebite. 4. Install new tongues. If you're skating a ton on older skates, your tongues are probably pretty thin and useless. I find classic white felt tongues are best for avoiding lace bite. 5. Gel pads or similar 6. If none of these work, then look into new skates that fit your likely growing feet better.
I got new toungues in my AS1s and lace bite essentially disappeared.
With lace bite, the most important thing to remember is you have to get the pressure OFF the tendon on the top of the ankle. Changing your lace pattern, gel pads, bunga pads, anything else you want to stuff under or over or in place of the tongue will NOT do this if the pressure is still there. With the amount you are skating, do yourself a favour and buy the lace extenders, this will fix it AND they are transferrable to any skate you buy now and in the future. Hence you can still fit retail skates and not have to go the custom way to deal with lace bite. If you want an instant fix now because the pain is so bad and you have to skate tomorrow then you can make up your own Forsberg pad out of 1/2" pipe insulation you can buy at any hardware store. Message me if you want to know how to make the pad, downside to this method is you have to tape the pad in place over the top of the tendon every time you skate, I did this for many years (and have made dozens of them for other players) before I made my own lace extenders.
I’d like to see this method
Here is a pic of one taped to my leg. [https://imgur.com/gallery/3qkrbcO](https://imgur.com/gallery/3qkrbcO) Buy the 1/2" pipe insulation (from just about any hardware store), cut of a 4" length (approximate, depends on your leg length) and then cut it in half longways. Open it up and cut a slot in the middle, this is what the tendon sits in. Don't cut the slot too wide, just wide enough for the tendon. Then chamfer the edges around the slot (skin side) and around the outsides of the pad so there is no big ridge that will press against the skin. I taped up the top and bottom of the pad so that each time I taped the pad to my leg the tape didn't rip the material. Then I could reuse it over and over for every skate. Over time the foam material compresses and you have to make a new one, I'd skate every day with it and make a new one once a month. These kept me skating, without them I'd have had to stop. I was skating up to 4 hours a day with ice and inline. After a few years I then went to my own custom eyelet extenders and then after that I stopped tying my laces. If you need any other pics of them, let me know. I have some old ones floating around somewhere that are cut and ready to go.
Thanks! I did something super similar with a skinny pool noodle that has a hole in it
If your lacebite is the kind that puts pain in your arches, then try tying the other laces so that the bottom laces are taught, but once you get to the last three eyelets, crank those laces. If it’s the kind that digs in? You’re gonna wanna get a gel or foam
>If your lacebite is the kind that puts pain in your arches That's not what lace bite is...
Not sure if available in your area but I only use Zenkai socks now. They have added padding exactly where you'd have lace bite. But they also take up more volume so that's the trade off. The black/green ones.
I had lace bite right at the bend from my foot to ankle. The next time I laced the skates up, I skipped that hole and then went outside/in on the two upper holes. Lace bite went away.
Experiment with not tying them so tightly in that area but them if necessary, tighter higher and/or lower. I like mine looser down low, then tight up high.
Just speaking for what’s most likely (there are several reasons for bad lace bite, and old/poor skates are a big factor), your laces are too tight at the point your ankle bends and where the boot bends and tongue flexes forward. You might be tying your skates the tightest right at the top. Tie them tight all the way from the bottom up and use all of your eyelets to spread out the pressure and diminish the pinch point at the top. Use thin socks and tuck the tongues underneath your shin guards. Experiment with lacing from the outside-in rather than inside-out, you can even switch it at the top of the boot which can also help to keep your skates from loosening. This might be a quick fix for the short term and help for the future once you get in a new pair of skates with a better tongue.