How to loop laces through the metal buckles on your trekking shoes?

Did you know looping the lace in different ways around the metal buckles on your trekking shoes can alter the fit and relieve certain pressure points on your feet?

Even the best-fitting trekking shoes can get uncomfortable when you hike long distances. One common issue many trekkers face is their toes hurting during descent from constantly bumping into the section of their shoe on the front.

Often changing the way you loop the shoelaces through the metal buckles can relieve some of the pain caused on your feet from continuous trekking.

In this article, we’ll talk about the various ways in which you can loop laces through the metal buckles on your trekking shoes to give your feet a perfect fit, provide them with the space needed and prevent blisters and irritation.

Let’s start with Surgeon’s Knot:

1. Surgeon’s Knot

When choosing trekking shoes, it is highly recommended to find one that fits you perfectly. By perfect, we mean a shoe that holds your foot snugly with no space for the heel to slide back and forth.

If you find your heel slipping back and forth when you hike, it probably means that there is some extra space on the interior right above your foot.

Cinching on this extra volume with a couple of surgeon’s knots could help fix the problem.

i. Unlace your boot down to the start leaving the first hook and make sure they are pulled snug.

ii. Criss-cross your laces around each other twice and run the lace through the next hook to lock.

iii. Repeat step 2 as many times as you need to clamp down on the space inside.

iv. Then continue lacing up your boot in the usual way through the metal buckles.

2. Window Lacing

Another common pressure point many trekkers encounter on long hikes is at the top of the foot.

Changing the lacing pattern to the window lacing or the box lacing technique during this time can help relieve some of the built-up pressure.

i. Identify the spot where you are feeling the pressure.

ii. Then unlace the shoe to a point just below that spot.

iii. Re-lace by going vertically up the sides of the shoe until you’re above the hot spot.

iv. Resume lacing the shoe in your usual way to the top

3. Toe-Relief Lacing

If you find your toe hurting, especially during descents, then this lacing technique is perfect to create some breathing room, preventing the shoes from pressing down on your toes and nails.

i. Remove the lace from your shoe completely.

ii. Now, re-lace your boot after skipping the first set of hooks. This takes some of the pressure off of your toe.

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