Sneaker Lacing Styles

Lacing sneakers doesn't seem like a complicated task, with even young children fully capable of lacing up and tying the laces on their new sneakers. However, choosing the wrong lacing style for your foot type and leisure activities can create undue pressure on your feet or result in your sneakers continually slipping off.

  1. Crisscross Style

    • Crisscross lacing is perhaps the most popular lacing style for sneakers, training shoes and boots. The crisscross style is achieved by inserting the lace through the bottom right and left eyelets of your sneaker. Once you have pulled up the lace so that each strand comes up roughly to the same height, you can begin to make the crisscross pattern. Insert the strand on the right through the eyelet slightly above it on the left and push the left strand through the eyelet slightly above it on the right. Repeat this process until you reach the top of the sneaker and tie together in a bow style.

    Lock Lacing Style

    • The lock lacing style utilizes the two extra holes found at the top of training sneakers. Lock lacing can be used in combination with another lacing style, such as the crisscross pattern. However, the crisscross pattern should be stopped two eyelets before the top. Each strand is then pushed vertically through the top eyelet. This lacing style is designed to ease tension on the upper portion of the foot and to prevent your foot from slipping during running. Lock lacing is also used by parents who buy shoes that are slightly too big for a child during "growth spurt" periods of childhood.

    High Instep Lacing

    • If you have feet with high insteps, you are more likely to feel the strain of lacing, which can create pressure and pain. This can also cause heat marks and wear down your sneakers quickly. High instep lacing alleviates pressure in the middle of the shoe, but without reducing stability in the heel and toe areas of sneakers. If you have a high instep, thread the left lace strand to the eyelet just above it on the right. Now instead of moving the lace diagonally to the left, insert it through the eyelet directly above its current position on the right. Now thread the lace to the eyelet just above it on the left. Crisscrossing at every second interval puts less pressure on the sneaker.

    Narrow Foot Lacing

    • Some shoe manufacturers produce shoes specifically designed for people with narrow feet. However, if your shoes are a standard size and you have narrow feet, you may need to use a tighter lacing style to prevent them from getting loose. Use a crisscrossing style if you have a narrow foot, but lock lace in any areas where the shoe seems loose or unstable.