These Boots are Made for Walkin'

How we choose our footwear and lacing for comfort.

Got a pair of shoe or boot, tried in the shoe shop it fits just perfect but when hiking uphill and downhill it was not so perfect after all. 

Many failed to realize the comfort of the shoe when walking depends in how we buy the right size shoes / boots and how we lace them. 

How we choose our shoe sizes

Take out the inner sole, with the right kind of socks to be used, place the feet on the inner sole and measure from sole top to feet. Have one thumb spacing, this will allow space for the feet to swell when walking too long.

How do we laced them

Recently bought a cheap lightweight Adidas Plein Air AX1. When hiking, my feet was sliding inside the shoe and felt very uncomfortable. To prevent my feet from sliding, I did Surgeon's Knots.

Surgeon's Knot

many sport shoes comes with last lace hole and these is how we used it 

read below under Low-Cut Shoe Heel Lock

to prevent the laced knots from loosening, tuck it in 

Optional Comfort 

My feet takes all the weight of my body and gears  carried. To ensure my feet do not wear me down, I have the Superfeet inner sole and it has been serving very well for many years.

Do note that most footwear needs time to break-in so before any hiking, wear them as often around town to get use to it and do necessary lacing for comfort.

Below are info from Montrail back in 2003 

The standard lacing technique works well for many people but not everybody. Correct lacing is taut, but not too tight, from the toe up to the top of the boot or shoe. There should be no loose lacing and the lacing should contact the boot evenly and firmly.


Below are a few tried-and-true techniques. Use this as a starting point and experiment with your own.
Loop: If laces are slipping on a hook, lace "down" a hook instead of "up" creating a loop.
D-ring lock: By bringing the lace around through the eyelet from the top, pressure is applied on the lace.
Overhand knot: The most common means of locking off tension below the knot.
Surgeon's knot: this is a very secure means of locking off any chosen tension below the knot.
Marathon loop: Improves heel lock for low-cut shoes.

Common Techniques

Other Lacing Techniques
Low-Cut Shoe Heel Lock
Boot Heel Lock
Low Volume
High Instep
Cuff Pressure

Special Knot Techniques
Granny Knot
Square Knot

Low-Cut Shoe Heel Lock

Make a loop through the double eyelet at the top of the shoe and lace back through the loop. Pull up against the loop to snug your heel into the heel pocket.

Boot Heel Lock

To distribute pressure create a loop between two hooks and pass the lace from above and through, then continue upward.

Low Volume

To improve performance with lower-volume or narrow feet, utilize on or more of the "locking" techniques to hold the foot securely in place without causing excessive pressure or irritation.

High Instep
To reduce pressure over the instep, simply skip crossing the laces over the sensitive area sometimes associated with having a high instep. It's a good idea to use with a locking procedure before and after. As shown here.

Cuff Pressure
To eliminate lower skin irritation, finish the lacing by bringing the laces over the top of the hooks before tying the bow knot.

Granny Knot
This is a very common knot that is less secure than a square knot. If you end up with a knot where the bow loops point up and down, you have a granny knot.

Square Knot
To tie a square knot, begin with an overhand knot, take the two loops and pass "right over left, then left over right" and you have a square knot. The finished product should have bow loops that point to the sides.