Often overlooked, lacing your boots is an essential step for hiking safely and, above all, comfortably throughout the entire outing. Let's take a look at how to lace your hiking boots properly.
Why lacing your boots correctly matters
Choosing the best hiking boots is only half the battle — you also need to know how to lace them properly. Well-laced boots prevent a host of comfort issues: friction from boots that are too loose, or pain and pressure from boots that are too tight. They also provide proper support for the foot and ankle, which is essential for your safety, and they won't come undone mid-trail. Let's walk through how to lace your hiking boots correctly.
How to lace your boots properly
Properly laced hiking boots conform perfectly to the shape of your foot without exerting any unwanted pressure. Start by lacing the lower section of your boots, adjusting the tension eyelet by eyelet so that the boot hugs the top of your foot without crushing it or cutting off your circulation. Remember that above all, you need to feel comfortable in your boots — so keep some flex in the lacing. If your foot still feels like it's floating inside the boot despite tightening, add an insole to fill the space.
It's also important to keep some freedom of movement at the toes, to prevent them from being crushed against the front of the boot. To achieve this, you can either put your boots on while standing on a slight slope (heel downhill, toes uphill) rather than on flat ground, or give a few firm heel taps on the ground to seat your heel firmly at the back of the boot.
To make sure you hold the tension you've built up, finish lacing the lower section (below the ankle bone) with a locking knot. Do this at the base of the ankle before moving on to lacing the upper part of the boot, which sits around the collar. Some boots even feature a dedicated locking hook designed specifically to separate the lower and upper sections.
Next, move on to the upper part of the shaft, threading your laces through the hooks — not from bottom to top, but from top to bottom. Why? This way you create more tension and avoid losing the tension built up in the lower section of your boots: the laces are less likely to slip out of the hooks, and the final knot won't dig in during a descent, for example.
Finish lacing your boots with a surgeon's knot — more secure than a double knot and easier to undo at the end of a hike.
Check out our tips for cleaning and caring for your walking shoes.
