How to tie your shoes?

[John B]

I was reading a trail journal and saw a sentence that caught my attention. The situation is that the hiker was at an outfitter in Damascus and was talking about some boots picked up at REI that weren't particularly comfortable. I think that I understand sizing, but tying?:

"...We eventually transferred the mail successfully after which I got a lecture on proper boot tying methods and the improper sizing of my boots from the store proprieter."

OK, what IS the proper method of boot tying? I'm assuming that the laces are to be pulled snug but not too snug? Other than that, am I missing something? Is there a better way of lacing other than, how to say, making an "X" pattern over the shoe tongue?

[Just Jeff]

Google it and find a website with pics.

You can add extra twists to the "X pattern over the shoe tongue" to change the tension at different parts of your foot. Like when going downhill, you may want the boot to hold tight to your ankle but give you extra room in the toes. So you leave the toes and top of the foot loose, put an extra twist over the tongue about 3 eyes down from the top (depending on boot model), then pull the ankle support laces tighter. It'll hold your foot snug but still give extra room in the toes to prevent black toenails.

Going uphill, you may want to reverse it - tighter in the toebox, but looser around the ankle to let your heel flex w/o rubbing your achilles or the front of your ankle raw.

Several little tricks like this - like I said, it's easier with pics so find a good website. Most of these tricks aren't needed with trailrunners or running shoes, though.

[Pickles]

Most shoes have extra eyes at the very top. After I go up through the last set of regular eyes, I go back down through the very top (sometimes farther back) set of eyes on the same side forming a small loop. After I have loops on both sides, I run the strings across and through the loops on the other sides. I think this allows me to control the "snug-ness" at the top of my shoes much better.

[Betsy]

I wish I had known this before I got bruised toes on my last section hike!

[LostInSpace]

I find that this technique does work.

[hikerjohnd]

You can also set a knot (of sorts) about halfway up the boot to keep the lower lace tension intact. I like setting the lower portion of my laces and then leave them alone - although I have not worn "boots" for a few years now. I definitely agree with Just Jeff that lacing adjustments are not really needed with trail runners or even light hikers.

[KirkMcquest]

You can also set a knot (of sorts) about halfway up the boot to keep the lower lace tension intact. I like setting the lower portion of my laces and then leave them alone -

Ditto. I like to have the lower part loose ( big fore-feet) and the upper part firm. By tying a knot at the half way point this is easily achieved.;)

[Blissful]

ha! At first I thought this thread was a joke! (Glad it's not!)

Actually the tips are very interesting. I know if you tie running shoes too tight, you can develop a plantar fascitis problem with your feet. My boots need to be tied a certain way to help ward of tendonitis in my bad ankle.

[fiddlehead]

one thing i learned from my ultra running that i converted over to my hiking is to use cord locks instead of tieing my shoes. It's easy to adjust for up/down hills and they never come undone and you can't trip over them because you cut the extra shoelace after tieing a knot. And no wasting time tieing shoes a few times a day anymore.

[Clark Fork]

OK, what IS the proper method of boot tying? I'm assuming that the laces are to be pulled snug but not too snug? Other than that, am I missing something? Is there a better way of lacing other than, how to say, making an "X" pattern over the shoe tongue?


Here are some photos that show off different tie strategies.

Shoe Tie Tips (http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/article.asp?UAN=482)

Shoelaces not only hold your shoes on, they keep feet from moving, particularly against the front of the toe box when going down hill.

I always have to remind myself to adjust and tighten before starting back down. When I forget, it is black toe time for sure.

Regards,

Clark Fork in Western Montana "Where seldom is heard a discouraging word."

[saimyoji]

one thing i learned from my ultra running that i converted over to my hiking is to use cord locks instead of tieing my shoes. It's easy to adjust for up/down hills and they never come undone and you can't trip over them because you cut the extra shoelace after tieing a knot. And no wasting time tieing shoes a few times a day anymore.

Please expand on this. Are cord locks usable on light hikers? Where can you get them? How do they work? How can you adjust so easily?

Black toe and heal blister victims need to know. :eek:

[Hana_Hanger]

http://www.hitthetrail.com/lacing.htm

Another site showing how to lace up boots

[wilderness bob]

Great thread, I added some of the info to my (PCT 07) favorites. Peace WB

[fiddlehead]

Please expand on this. Are cord locks usable on light hikers? Where can you get them? How do they work? How can you adjust so easily?

Black toe and heal blister victims need to know. :eek:

I guess a picture would be best but i don't have one handy although i'll look for one on my home compter ( i use cyber cafes here in asia)
But the technique is simple: you cut your laces about 8" long after lacing up your shoes, put the cord lock on, and tie a knot in the laces so it can't come off. You don't want it too long because you could trip over it, but you want it long enough so that you can take off your shoes easily.
I don't know where you live so tell you where to go to buy a pair of cordlocks but most backpacking shops/outfitters will have them. There is no special kind you need. Just put one on each shoe and you can easily adjust your tighness.
I will try to come up with a picture of myself with my shoes. (i don't wear shoes anymore in Asia, it's all flip flops here. (even for working on roofs) and i do my jogging on the beach barefoot so i don't have them here but did my last 3 thru-hikes with the cord lock approach. it would be very hard for me to go back to tieing shoes again after not having to do it for so many miles.

[fiddlehead]

OK, i just did a quick search on google and found a picture on a page for disabled people to be able to tie their shoes easier. Instead of tieing a knot, they have some fancy doodad that i don't know what it is but it shows you the general idea.
I don't know how to put a picture on my reply so will have to just put the link to the webpage here: http://www.disabledhands.com/gadgets/index.html
The picture is near the bottom of the page about 2 or 3 up from the bottom (2 above the motorized ice cream cone which might be a very cool idea) file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Customer/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg

[Ridge]

Good posts on the lacing thing. I found the round lace cuts into my boot more and has caused some foot pain. Changed to Flat lacing, problem solved. Has anyone else experimented with the two types??

[Hana_Hanger]

This is a wonderful site!!! Thanks fiddlehead for sharing this with us.
I too after 25 yrs with only wearing slippers (flip flops) am having a terrible time adjusting to shoes let alone boots...ughh :(

[Lilred]

When I bought my last pair of boots, the salesman told me to always lace my boots with my foot at a right angle to my leg. I had never paid too much attention to this before, but it does make a big difference in comfort.

[fiddlehead]

Pertaining to my most above about the cord lock fastening:

I searched my picture files for one of my shoes with the cord locks. Although i found a few, with the 1 megapixel camera i used to use, and the fact that i wasn't doing a closeup of my shoes, I don't think any of them would give you the image as well as the one i posted above. It is very easy to do (the cord lock thing) the biggest thing is to cut the laces to the correct length: too long and you'll trip over them, too short and you can't get your shoes off very easily.
anyway, it saves lots of time, trouble and is so easily adjustable.

[Cuffs]

Not sure if this place has the right products (cord locks) but this had been previously posted on WB somewhere... they will send you 10 pieces of FREE samples!! http://www.itwnexus.com/catalog.html

[bLUE cIPHER]

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