For years and years I have suffered terrible pain with the toes on my left foot after just a few miles on the trail. I've tried different boots, shoes, socks, inserts, etc to no avail. It made me apprehensive about my favorite outdoor activity and always put a damper on our outings. Your lacing tricks solved in 5 minutes what I have struggled with for years. I can't thank you enough!

I never thought I'd see the day when I need to relearn how to tie my shoes. Well done young lady.😎

I do a medieval martial arts game in large combat boots, and I used to stub my toes on the front of my boots until I watched this exact video and used the techniques you demonstrated. I have not stubbed my toe in two years now. You have saved my effing life. Thank you very much.

You cover every "poor ft" issue and couple it with a solution. Thank you! So well presented. I hiked some steep inclines and declines, yesterday and will have black toes, no doubt. I've just put my arch supports into my hiking boots and, armed with your double over hang knot, I will have some tools for our upcoming week of hikes in the Sierras.

This is very good advice. I've been wearing mountaineering boots and combat boots for over 37 years and can verify that these tips are sound. One idea I'd add: Switch out your boot laces for 550 (para) cord and wax them with bees e wax to avoid slippage. The laces will outlast your boots and will be handy extra cordage in a pinch.

You rock. You're the first person to explain high arch and low arch boot lacing properly. My Scarpa Manta's will now come out of the cupboard and get re-laced for high arch. Thank you, you're an angel.

57 years old and I finally learned how to tie my boots properly. Thank you.

68 years old, just bought some combat hiking boots for spring fall cycling. Never once in my entire life did it ever occur to me there are different ways to lace a boot for comfort I really learned something today especially since today is my first day out biking with my new boots

Thank you for showing us these lacing options; you are a terrific teacher! Kudos to your camera person too.

your video has really helped me! no one teaches stuff like this. I've started hiking recently and my boots kept untying all the time. who knew there was a better way to tie them! thank you thank you thank you, you literally changed my life in terms of hiking.

This technical review of lacing is honestly a game changer. I've been chasing new boots and insoles without ever considering lace practice.

Learned a lot with this video. Thanks for sharing and for making a professional video without all the garbage most KZfaqrs think is necessary.

This worked great for me with my high instep. I was on the verge of returning a pair of wide hiking shoes and your alternative lacing made my wide hiking shoes keepers. I will use this technique on all of my shoes with laces. Thank you!!

Thank you for producing an excellent and instructional video on lacing hiking boots. In the past, I have not locked my laces, skipped eyelets, or used any of the techniques you've demonstrated here. My walks, both in the city and the country, streets or trails will be more comfortable, so thanks again, Internet person!

Wow! So simple, yet I wouldn't have thought of either of these techniques on my own. Thanks.

BE, That is THE most clever way I have ever seen of lacing boots--evening trumping several military explanations. Kudos, Madame!

Thank you for this video. I've been a backpacker for 40+ years and though I'd come up with some similar lacing methods, mainly for sparing the toes on the downhill, what you show is spot-on, simple, and truly works. Excellent!

I followed your advice 3 yrs ago and I still can't get my boots off!!

This is a thank you: I've been using this lacing technique for years now thanks to this video- really a game changer. I have foolishly wide feet and so have to buy boots that are too long and this makes the whole thing work. Cheers!

HELLO! i know this is an old video but I found it while trying to solve my issues with my toes being WRECKED by the end of my hikes. This tip was amazing, I made it up and down Mt Washington NH with zero toe injury! couldn't believe it. THANKYOU!

Well done young lady. Learnt something today and will try them on my next walk. Thanks.

You have stopped me from throwing away an expensive new pair of boots. I belong to a rambling group in the UK and a lot of members have found your video very helpful. Many thanks for producing it.

Just watched this and looks like some good ideas. I been doing the square knot at the end for many years. On taller boots I go around the top one time. It stays tied and is very easy to untie. Good video,thanks! 🛶

Thanks for the positive feedback and encouraging comments!

This is the best video I've found on boot lacing. What this lady terms as the double overhand knot, I was taught is called a *surgeon's knot*. The other over-under at the top I know as the *heel lock*. Both work well. She also describes a method of keeping the lacing somewhat loose on top of the foot.

This is probably the best video on boot-lacing tips I've seen. For those who'd like to experiment with the trend shown here, I would suggest a tip that I was once told was common knowledge among outdoors folks 80 or more years ago, which I learned from an old timer about 50 years ago and still use. For this trick, when putting the double-overhand knot at the shoe's flex point (right at the ankle where the foot flexes), make that a complete square knot instead. Whether that square knot is based on the double-overhand knot or a single, it won't ever work its way loose, while the simple double-overhand knot can work loose over time and usually will, no matter what other lacing tricks you combine with it. This trick is especially handy on tall, bulky, felt-lined winter boots where the lacing tends to "puff out" at the boot's flex point, leaving you with a very sloppy fit at the ankle (and for people who hate such boots, it turns out that this almost always the reason for it). Working on making that flex point fit snugly every time you put the boots on, finished with a square knot, will break-in the boot so that as time goes on it flexes like a hinge at that location, and also gets easier and easier to establish that fit with this lacing trick. Done properly, it will cure anyone's hatred of bulky, insulated boots! There's also a neat trick for making a tight square knot without the need for basing it on double-overhand knots, but this post is longer than some people will have the patience for already.

This was a great video explaining the different lacing techniques. So thankful! Clear and easy to understand - having that ankle stability is a game changer! So grateful!

Thank you very much for your informative video on how to lace up your boots for different foot shapes and the double tie off enabling the sectionalising of the boot eyelets.

Many, many thanks from a high arch person! That lace technique makes all the difference in the world to keep the tops of my feet from aching.

9 years later and still worth watching. Thanks

Super useful lacing methods shown here!! Thanks so much. You likely saved my feet

I thought I would never find a pair of hikers that would be wide enough for me, little did I know that the keens I had already doubted after spending 200$ were PERFECT. All I had to do was skip a few crosses at the toes and tension it to a comfortable position and tie up my ankles with your method! Worked perfectly. Thank you dearly.

Brilliant! I wish I had known this decades ago. I have extra wide feet, high arches and narrow heels. Buying boots that fit is really a challenge.

So glad our video was helpful to you! That's great to hear. Thanks for watching!

Thank you, thank you! I have Morton's Toe and my toes always hurt when I hike. This was a lifesaver! No more sore toes.

What a game changer this video is. Thank you so so much.

Thank you so much for sharing this video!!! What a difference with how comfortable my new pair of hiking boots feel. Thank you!!

Thank you for helping me understand better methods for tying boots, I have very high arches causing tremendous pain long after a walk or hike. The simple arch relief helps

This helped a whole lot .. More stability to my ankle is going to help me out . I can feel it already

Wow! Well done! Just tried your technique in my Scarpas and no toe-rubbing! You are a genius! Thanks so much.

Thanks! -- good examples and good explanations as to "why."

Thanks for this great video, I wasn’t able to figure why my lace was coming loose. Now after watching your video, I no longer have this issue.

Tried this a couple of back and yes, it works perfectly. Thank you so much

Awesome! Glad our video helped and thanks for watching.

Wow. I never even knew how useful that double underhand technique was so useful. Thanks!

Just tried this on quickly and it feel so much more secure I am very confident it will help while out walking and I will not suffer another black toenail thank you.

I have used a lacing system I first learned when lacing up the inner and outer of leather ski boots (back in the 60s) , but this has set my mind free, I will not forget this, having seen it once. A great contibution to the cause of happy feet. Don't forget to wear 2 pairs of socks, thin next to skin, and then heavy on top.

My MOST Heartfelt THX for two lacing options [Esp.,The 2nd One] for people (like me!!) w/ High Arches..!!!😎🇺🇸

This was a fantastic video! I've had problems with finding the right fit for my boots when hiking and I am very much looking forward to trying your lacing techniques.

Super helpful. You probably saved me from abandoning a pair of boots that I had heal slippage in. What a difference!

Thank you very much for this video, I always have the issue of my toe slamming the front of the boot, can’t wait to try this today... 👍

Useful and informative. I will share a tip or two myself. Before I start lacing I kick my heel into the ground to set the heel into the back of the boot before I start lacing. I expect to adjust my lacing after the first mile or so, laces will gradually stretch and loosen. Good socks and sock liners can be a real blister saver. I brush my hands over my socks to check for any debris stuck to them before I put my boots on (and shake out my boots to check for debris and critters) I do not keep suffering if my boot is too tight or loose, i stop to readjust. I try to keep water and dirt out of my boots. A little bit of grit and wet socks can cause a lot of suffering. Consider gaiters, especially if using walking shoes or trainers. I buy inexpensive walking boots and shoes which can be transformed by replacing with good quality but inexpensive insoles.

I remember learning this tip when working at an outdoor store many moons ago. Makes a huge difference.

Thank you very much for showing a very good technique to lace a hiking boot.

Wish I had watched this video on earlier hiking trips! Now I know how to work better with those laces, thank you, nicely done!

Always dealt with foot aches and pinching. Best hiking video I have seen.

Going hiking this Saturday and will try one of these techniques out and see how it goes! Thanks!

That helped out a lot on my fav pair of boots. At times my foot felt like it was dumped in a bucket. Now its more secure

BEST tutorial on lacing options! Thanks a million. My feet/toes thank you 😊

And remember our feet , left to right are different..length, width, arch position and height. Socks and foot beds can help also....great post..and on the nail

Amazing video. Had no idea you could do all these things with laces!

Thank you so much for your advice! I am still getting over my first case of black toes and I feel like I now have something to combat it with!

Great tips! My heel is no longer sliding up or forward in my boots, and no pinching any part of my foot. Thank you

Excellent! I have recently goten back into hiking and on my last hike my toes crammed into the toe of my boots every time I went downhill. Can't wait to try this! THANKS!

thanks to you guys I can fit my salomon boots a lot better now. I'm usually a size 9 or 9.5 depending on the what shoe I wear, my Mom got Me the salomon x ultra mid 2's in 9.5 for xmas they feel amazing but just a tiny bit big, the first lacing technique was very very helpful and now my boots feel great on my feet

Excellent techniques. I have been using the double overhand knot (also known as the nurses knot, I heard) for a while now and it works great. Thanks. Good job.

Thank you so much for this video! It was a great help for me as I am doing the DofE award and have never really Done much professional / excessive walking so wasn't too sure if my boots were going to give me blisters and they were a bit too big. Using these techniques worked really well and I feel a lot more comfortable in my boots now and am looking forward to it! Great video

Great information. I can never find a hiking boot that fits well; your techniques will be a great help. Thank you!

Learned something new about a good lacing technique for my Scarpa's.

Good stuff! It also explains why hiking boots always have such long laces.

THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS! I have struggled with boots forever because I have as high arch, 9.5EEE size foot. My toes take a beating on the mountains (especially going downhill) and it doesn't matter how many times I tighten up the laces. Using BOTH options shown in this clip may just solve my problems. How come I never saw this before? Best post on AT yet IMO. God bless you for this. Can't way to experiment!

Backpacking boot designers should start playing around more with the idea of heel lacing. I have a pair of La Sportiva boulder x approach shoes that have this built in. It gets rid of the heel slippage. Super cool design

Good video. I've been hiking for >40 years but still learnt something from it. :)

Awesome... just what I needed... just did a day hike on the AT... Port Clinton to Hamburg, PA about 20 miles and 1500 ft in elevation change... first time I had the "sore toe" syndrome on the "roast beef" toes... will adjust my lacing to expand the toe box... Thanks... PS, when you hike PA wear boots...

Great! Thanks much for watching!

This was so helpful!! I have bunions and could never find a way to lace my boots so that I had enough room around that part of my foot *and* get the top portion laced snugly enough. The combination of techniques you demonstrate here seems to work really well. Thanks!

just wow.... thanks a lot for these tips! never thought about what a difference the lacing could do

NO ONE has ever told me what that extra hole was for in the top of the shoe, probably because they didn't know themselves. But now I do and I'll pass this along....THANKS!

nice tip i have a weak ankle thats been damaged many times and never seem to get the right support from laceing up this works better many thanks..

Just what I needed for my hunting boots. Thank you for sharing this gem of information.

You are Brilliant! Just tried it on a new pair of Alpine boots and it feels great!! THANK YOU!

Excellent technique, going to be using this all the time now. Great work

Wow, great ideas! I never thought of these things. And here I always thought I knew how to tie my shoes!

Thanks, as others have pointed out... this was a very informative video. Now I know why my ankles get blisters, I don't tie that particular area tight enough.

This advice makes so much sense

Thank you for a well thought out lacing approach for different comfort scenarios. It's something I think about a lot because I am the one tying the shoes for my kids' different comfort levels.

So helpful, thank you so much. The double over hang knot, high volume and lock lacing were a tremendous help. Thanks again.

Great video. With all the tech. improvements to back country boots now days, many people don't think about lacing techniques. I have a WIDE flat foot. The both of the lacing ideas presented here helped me quite a bit. Thanks

My mom and dad never told me this. Thank you !!

Excellent video madam! People fail to appreciate how important it is and what a difference it makes to be able to adjust your footwear to fit comfortably. Some great sensible ideas there. Much appreciated presentation. Thank you. John

Great ideas, will for sure try these methods to see if my feet feel that bit better in my boots. Thanks for sharing.

Excited to try these out!

Your video fixed my foot sliding forward downhill! Thank you!!

I've lost both my big toe nails because of haematomas underneath the nail bed. (black toe) I was going to not use my boots b/c of this. Thanks for your great instructions, I will now lock my heels in with proper lacing.

This is brilliant. Lots of things I didn't know about lacing options. Wonderful and thank you!

Good video. I have some Keen Voyageur Mids and the top knot would sometimes slip over the short tounge that they put on these shoes. The first tying method solved that problem so thanks !

This was very simple, and helped me tremendously! Thank you so much for this video - super simple, but so important.

@MotivatedFitness1 Thanks for the positive feedback - glad we could help!

Thank you, these tips have made my boots more comfortable to wear. Before your tips my boots felt too big and my feet slid about whilst hiking.

Many thanks, just bought a new pair of boots without being able to try them first...doh They ain't cheap so I hope these techniques will help me out. First class info.