View Full Version : Tie Your Boots Dummy! (Shoelace Problems)
It seems like everytime you hike there's something new to see, learn or experience. My hike last Sunday provided one of those new experiences:
I was walking on a trail, same as I've done hundreds of times before and suddenly with no warning, I'm flat on the ground with my face in the dirt. I generally find my hiking poles very useful in preventing falls, but not this time. As I tried to stand I found that my feet were tied together. The inside loop of the double knot on my left boot had snagged in one of the speed lace hooks on the inside of my right boot. This happened so quick there was no chance of preventing the fall.
After a little reflection I realized how serious this could have been if it occured while climbing down a steep cliff, rock-hopping across a stream, or dashing across a road.
Has this happened to anyone else? Is this something all experienced hikers already know?
In the future I'll either tie the lace loops multiple times to shorten them or pull them down and under the laces below.
one technique that I use may be of some interest to you - I use flat shoe laces in my trail runners with a relatively strong cord lock - the laces are a bit shorter than what one would use when using a typical tied method - the ends of the laces are just tucked into the shoe under the arch - because they are flat they rarely are noticable when walking - if they do get to be noticable I just pull them out and retuck. I started using this technique having gotten tired of retying the shoes during bushwhacks. In your terms the effect is that there is very little of the shoe lace outside of the shoe to catch on anything.
Daddy Longlegs
11-13-2007, 10:21
Never had it happen. but I also do not wear boots:D I can see how that can happen if your loops are too big and you get your feet close together.
Did anyone else see it?
Uncle Silly
11-13-2007, 10:22
Lace your boots all the way up next time? Learn to keep your feet apart when you walk? I've never heard of this happening but I suppose anything's possible. My bootlaces form pretty short loops when they're laced all the way up, and I only tie them in a single knot.
Take a good look at how you normally lace your boots, and the result: Are they laced all the way up? (If not, you'll have less ankle support, and more lace flopping around to get caught.) Do you have too much lace left over after tying? (If so, your laces are too long; try replacing them with shorter laces.)
I rarely have trouble with my laces, though once in a blue moon one will come untied. More often I trip over a root or rock, or stub a toe. It reminds me to pay attention to where I'm putting my feet... I just consider it a hazard of walking!
Never had this happen, but you might want to try bending the speed lace hooks in a bit. I have had them bent out, so that they stand more open than originally designed. This may invite a casual hooking of another lace.
Moose2001
11-13-2007, 11:07
gaiters!!??
nitewalker
11-13-2007, 11:17
Never had this happen, but you might want to try bending the speed lace hooks in a bit. I have had them bent out, so that they stand more open than originally designed. This may invite a casual hooking of another lace.
this little adjustment of the boot lace speed hook really works. i had the same problem on two ocasions luckily i was only working outdoors and not hiking at the time. im sure if i was hiking i would have been at my usual pace and flat on my face, poles or no poles:eek: .. after the 2nd catch i bent the speed hooks both in some and thus the problem has gone away:sun . when you bend the hooks make sure not to snap them off:mad: . i have done this to one pr off hiking boots and it bites:mad: ....:D peace:D
my feet were tied together. The inside loop of the double knot on my left boot had snagged in one of the speed lace hooks on the inside of my right boot.
Jeez, this happened to me too! Except I was cutting the lawn :eek: I bent the hooks in as much as possible after that but I don't really trust them anymore and keep thinking of hacksawing them off.
Once the hooks bend outward, the boots are on the way to the backburner.
You might have laces that are just too long. Some styles have that. (Looks cool?)
gsingjane
11-13-2007, 12:45
This is so funny, when I was out with the Boy Scouts this weekend, one of the boys had his laces tied with big loops, and they kept catching on the hooks and he kept falling down. I finally suggested to him that he either use the hooks, or tie his laces so they didn't have big loops, but he insisted that he was "going to have the hooks removed." I think there is a chance this may be a "guy thing"...
Jane in CT
dzierzak
11-13-2007, 13:50
Nah, not a guy thing, just an invincible Scout thing!
ed
Blue Jay
11-13-2007, 16:12
one technique that I use may be of some interest to you - I use flat shoe laces in my trail runners with a relatively strong cord lock - the laces are a bit shorter than what one would use when using a typical tied method - the ends of the laces are just tucked into the shoe under the arch - because they are flat they rarely are noticable when walking - if they do get to be noticable I just pull them out and retuck. I started using this technique having gotten tired of retying the shoes during bushwhacks. In your terms the effect is that there is very little of the shoe lace outside of the shoe to catch on anything.
This is very good advice. I can never get the round laces to stay tied and always replace them from the beginning with the flat ones.
caiti pi
11-17-2007, 16:18
i usually pull my sock back down over my boot, or i wear gaitors.. it all depends on the weather.
When my shoe laces have been very long, I just do a double-bow tie. That never comes undone, flat or round lace! ;)
HIPOCKETS
11-19-2007, 18:15
If the top of the boots have eyelets instead of hooks, put the shoestring through the eyelet from the inside out and then back in the same eyelet to form a loop do the same on the other side and place the tails of the loops through the other loop, pull tight and tuck the tails in the tops of the boots Laces tied this way come lose even when wet or frozen by pulling the tails toward the toes
When my shoe laces have been very long, I just do a double-bow tie. That never comes undone, flat or round lace! ;)
My momma started me on the same path.
I recently removed the lace locks from my Keen Sandals and replaced them with round (but not tightly woven) laces that I bought at REI. I haven't needed to double the bow tie on them, but at least now they stay tight!
Tip: If you need new laces and 31" per shoe will work, buy a pair of 72" laces and cut one in half. Two pair for the price of one (same price at REI regardless of length).
Jack Tarlin
11-19-2007, 18:23
Everything you ever wanted to know about shoe or boot laces, including all sorts of cool ways to tie them, can be found here:
www.shoelaceknot.com
bigmac_in
11-19-2007, 19:59
Just wear trail runners - no hooks, and lighter.
Just wear trail runners - no hooks, and lighter.I agree! Hooks are only found on heavy leather, usually high-top boots, which I will never wear again. I've got plenty of miles (and blisters) in the rear view mirror with them! :eek:
Tipi Walter
11-20-2007, 07:14
This is very good advice. I can never get the round laces to stay tied and always replace them from the beginning with the flat ones.
Exactly my problem. On every nice Asolo boot I buy(3 so far), I immediately remove the round laces and replace with flat. The round are too stiff and just won't cinch down tight enough. But it's not so easy finding high quality flat laces locally.
Flat laces are easy to make from 550 cord - just strip the guts out of the cord and use the sheath for the laces - melt the ends to keep it from fraying and they last a very long time
As to whether they are high quality - well that is for you to decide - they work well however with the cord lock and tuck method that I use.
Isn't it amazing what consumers put up with? We buy very expensive hiking shoes, pull the inserts that come in them out and replace them with $30 better inserts, and then remove the shoe laces and replace them with better shoe laces! What did we pay be big bucks for . . . so we could add more big bucks? :eek: