Closure Systems (Buckles & Laces)

As inline skates have changed over the years, so have the closures they use to secure your feet within the skate. 

The skate closure serves to help keep your feet positioned correctly and prevent slippage that may cause blisters or loss of power.  Most skates will use a combination of a two or more closures, but the below will help to familiarize you with the terminology on the site and what type of closure being referenced.   A short is also available in the video section.

Standard Laces
As the name implies, these are very basic laces that work just like that found on a shoe.  They are pulled up on the side and tied with a knot.


Quick Laces or Speed Laces
The Speed Lace was made to replace that of the Standard Lacing.  A strong, thin, cable-like cord is used synch up the skates around your foot. The Speed Lace allows for the skates to be secured quickly around the foot without the need of tying a knot.  To loosen, most often there is a release button to push. After which, simply pulling the a tab on the cord will loosen back up the laces so that you may remove your feet from skates. 
 

TFS Laces
FS Lacing or Total Fit System lacing, is a proprietary lace on many Rollerblade brand skates.  The TFS lace is actually a form of Speed Lace, where a strong cable or cord is used to secure the skate around the foot. The difference being that the pull cord is easily accessible by the TFS mechanism on the side of the boot. The handle attached to the pull- cord makes it easy to grab and tighten as you wish.  There release button allowing you to loosen back up the laces is a small red button located at the bottom of that same location.  This allows you to pull the tab located on the cord to loosen and remove your foot.


Velcro Strap or Power Strap
Velcro straps can be found up high around the cuff area, or over the top of the foot where it is commonly referred to as a Power Strap or 45 Degree Strap.  The straps help to keep your feet positioned correctly with the Power Strap focusing to keep the heel positioned correctly.


Ratchet Buckles
The ratchet buckle most often is the top closure around the cuff of the skate.  Some models such as the K2 Radicals feature it below where a Power Strap may be found on other models. To tighten, simply lifting the lever in the center will slowly ratchet/tighten the teeth on the buckle one by one to your desired fit.   The release button to loosen can be in the middle, or if like the K2 Radical Buckle, it has a  “Push-Release” by pressing toward the boot on the sides of the buckle.  CLICK HERE for VIDEO Showing How to Operate Push-Release Buckle.