How to Tie Ice Skates: A Step-by-Step Guide for Figure and Hockey Skates

To tie ice skates, sit down, loosen the laces all the way to the toe, push your heel back into the boot, then lace from the toes up with even, snug tension and a little more pull at the bend of your ankle. Keep the top hooks or eyelets looser so your knees can bend, then finish with a double knot and tuck the ends in. Ice skates should feel snug and supportive, with your heel locked in and your toes able to wiggle, but never so tight that your feet go numb.

Last updated: November 14, 2026 · By the Skates.com Editorial Team

What you need before you start

You do not need much to lace ice skates well. Before you pull on a single lace, get these things in place:

A place to sit. Lace on a bench, not standing up. Sitting lets you pull the laces tight and keep your heel down.
The right socks. Wear one pair of thin socks, the kind you plan to skate in. Thick socks cut down on feel and create bumps (see what to wear when ice skating).
Laces that are the right length and in good shape. Laces that are too long become a tripping hazard, and frayed laces are hard to pull tight.
Skates that fit. No lacing method can fix a boot that is the wrong size. Check the ice skate size chart first if you are not sure.

Then set up the boot: unlace it fully down to the toe so the opening is wide, slide your foot in, and tap your heel firmly back into the heel pocket. A heel that sits forward is the main reason skates feel loose even when they are laced tight.

How to tie figure skates

Figure skates have laces through eyelets at the bottom and hooks at the top. The pattern is the same for everyone: snug at the front, firmer over the instep and ankle bend, and a bit looser on the hooks.

Set the heel and tongue. Sit down, slide your foot in and tap your heel firmly back into the heel pocket. Pull the tongue up straight and center it so it does not twist or sink down.
Lace the toes and the front of the boot snugly. Start at the bottom eyelets and work up, pulling each cross until the slack is out. Keep the tension even. The toes should be snug but not squeezed, and the throat of the boot should not close in tighter than it was when unlaced.
Pull a little firmer over the instep and the bend of your ankle. This is the part of the boot that holds your heel in place. At the top eyelets, put in a couple of cross twists so the laces grip and stay put.
Lace the hooks with medium tension. Cross the laces over the hooks (over and under or under and over, whichever you prefer) and keep this section looser than the instep so you can bend your ankles and knees. If you can fit a finger behind the top of the tongue, the hooks are about right.
Finish with a double knot and tuck the ends. Tie a bow, then tie it again. Tuck loose ends into the top of the boot or under the laces so they do not trip you. Never wrap the laces around your ankle: it can damage the tongue and limits how far your ankle can bend.

If you skate in figure skates often, our guide to lacing figure skates goes into more detail on technique. If you are learning to skate, figure skates are the best place to start, and our picks of the best ice skates for beginners shows what to look for.

How to tie hockey skates

Hockey skates use eyelets all the way up instead of hooks, and they are laced the same way in principle: snug at the foot, firmest at the ankle, and a little freer at the top so you can bend forward.

Set the heel and tongue. Sit down and loosen the laces all the way to the toe. Slide your foot in, kick your heel back into the pocket, and center the tongue so it lies flat.
Lace the eyelets from the bottom up with even tension. Cross the laces and pull each pair snug as you go. You want firm pressure that holds the foot still, not so much that your toes tingle.
Pull the ankle area snug. The eyelets around the bend of your ankle are the ones that lock your heel in, so pull these the firmest. A firm ankle stops your foot sliding around inside the boot.
Leave the top eyelets looser so you can flex forward. Hockey skating needs a deep knee bend, so keep the top pair of eyelets at medium tension. Many skaters stop at the second eyelet from the top, or leave the top one open completely, for more forward flex.
Tie a double bow and tuck it in. Cross the laces once or twice at the top, tie a double bow and tuck the ends away from the blade holder and your stick. A bow that comes loose mid-game is a quick way to lose an edge.

Lace bite and skipping the top eyelet

Lace bite is a sore spot on the front of your ankle where the laces press on the tendons. If you get it, ease the tension on the top eyelets first. Some skaters also skip one of the eyelets near the ankle, or add a thicker tongue pad, which creates a gap over the sore spot. Keep your heel locked in either way. If lace bite keeps coming back, the boot may be the wrong size or shape for your foot, so check the hockey skate size chart. Hockey skates are a great choice if you want to play hockey, and they run smaller than your street shoe size.

How tight should ice skates be?

Ice skates should be snug and supportive, not painful. The boot has to hold your foot still so your ankle does not wobble, but it should not cut off circulation. Run through this fit test once your skates are laced and you are standing up:

Heel: bend your knees deeply. Your heel should stay down and not lift inside the boot.
Knees: you can bend your knees forward over your toes without the laces fighting you.
Finger test: you can slide about one finger between the back of your leg and the top of the boot or tongue.
Toes: they lightly touch the front of the boot and can still wiggle a little. They should not curl up or slide from side to side.
Circulation: no numbness, tingling or sharp pressure. If your foot goes numb or you feel a pinch, loosen the laces and relace.

If the skates still feel loose after you relace them, or you cannot get the pressure comfortable, the problem is probably the size, not the lacing. See the ice skate size chart for how each brand fits.

Common mistakes when tying ice skates

Lacing standing up. You cannot pull evenly or keep your heel back. Sit down.
Loose at the toes, then cranked at the top. The foot slides forward and you lose control, then the hooks pinch your ankle. Keep tension even and firmer at the instep.
Pulling the top hooks or eyelets too tight. You will not be able to bend your knees, and your shins and ankles will ache.
Wrapping the laces around your ankle. It can damage the tongue and limits ankle bend. Lace through the hooks and tie off at the top.
Letting the heel sit forward. Always tap your heel back before you lace.
Skipping the double knot. A single bow often works loose on the ice.
Leaving the tongue crooked. A twisted tongue makes a pressure point that gets worse as you tighten.
Using worn-out laces. They stretch and fray and will not hold their tension. Replace them when they start to fray.

How to break in ice skates

New ice skates feel stiff. A good fit and good lacing matter more than anything, but a few habits help the boot soften and mold to your foot:

Wear them around the house. Put your skates on with the blade guards on and walk around on a carpet for short periods at a time. Hard floors can damage the blades, so use the guards.
Keep your first sessions short. Skate for a short time on the ice, then take them off if you feel a hot spot. You can build up from there.
Relace between sessions. Loosen the laces all the way, dry the boots and check for pressure points. Small changes in lacing tension can fix a hot spot.
Ask about heat molding. Some hockey boots, and some figure skate boots, are made so that a trained fitter at a skate shop can warm them and shape them to your foot. Do not try this at home in a kitchen oven.
Give figure boots time. Stiffer figure skate boots usually take several sessions before they feel comfortable, so be patient.

Pain that does not go away, or numbness, is a sign the skate does not fit rather than a sign it needs breaking in. Also have new skates sharpened before the first use (see how often to sharpen your ice skates), and always put guards on when you walk off the ice.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do you tie ice skates?

Sit down, loosen the laces all the way to the toe and tap your heel back into the boot. Lace from the bottom up with even, snug tension, pull a little firmer over the instep and the bend of your ankle, and keep the top hooks or eyelets looser so your knees can bend. Finish with a double knot and tuck the ends in.

How tight should ice skates be?

Snug and supportive, but not painful. Your heel should stay down when you bend your knees, you should be able to bend your knees forward, you should be able to slide about one finger behind the laces at the top, and your toes should be able to wiggle. If your foot goes numb or tingles, loosen the laces.

How do you tie hockey skates?

Lace hockey skates from the bottom eyelet up with even tension, pull the ankle area the firmest to lock your heel in, and leave the top eyelets at medium tension so you can flex forward. Finish with a double bow and tuck it away.

Should you lace ice skates all the way to the top?

On figure skates, yes, but keep the top hooks looser than the instep. On hockey skates, many skaters leave the top eyelet open or loosely laced for more forward flex or to avoid lace bite. Either way, the heel and ankle area should stay snug.

How do you keep ice skates from coming untied?

Tie a double knot or a double bow and tuck the ends into the top of the boot or under the laces. A couple of cross twists at the top eyelets before the hooks or top eyelets also helps the laces grip. Do not wrap the laces around your ankle.

How do you break in ice skates?

Wear them with the guards on around the house for short periods, keep your first sessions on the ice short, and relace between sessions to fix pressure points. Some hockey and figure boots can be heat molded by a trained fitter at a skate shop. Stiff figure boots usually take several sessions to feel comfortable.

What is lace bite and how do you fix it?

Lace bite is soreness on the front of the ankle where the laces press on the tendons. Ease the tension on the top eyelets or hooks first. Skipping an eyelet near the ankle or adding a tongue pad can help. If it keeps coming back, the skate may not fit your foot.

Are figure skates or hockey skates better for learning to skate?

Figure skates are the best place to start when you are learning to skate. Hockey skates are a good choice if you want to play hockey.