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Lock Lacing
Often referred to as "Lace Locks"
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Not a lacing method as much as a technique for creating a super-tight finish. It's often recommended for lacing
running shoes to help prevent heel slippage, particularly when running downhill, as well as for rock climbers to
prevent any movement or twisting of the shoe under the stresses of climbing.
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Method 1: High lace lock
Method 2: Low lace lock
Method 3: Looped lace lock
Lock Lacing Method 1 on my new Puma sneakers (thanks, Puma!).
Close-up showing detail of Lock Lacing Method 1. |
Lacing Technique:
1. The shoe is laced until the lace ends emerge from the second set of eyelets from the top.
2. The ends run straight up and are fed into the top eyelets.
3. The ends are crossed over, then each end is fed under the vertical section on the other side.
FEATURES:
 Tightens firmly
Reduces slippage
 Harder to loosen
NOTE:
Whilst Criss Cross Lacing is shown in these examples, and is the probably the
most common method used, the shoe can be laced with almost any lacing method. In fact, as pointed out by Kyle B.
in U.S.A., Ladder Lacing naturally ends with a High Lace Lock.
Variations:
1. One variation is to run the vertical section from top to bottom instead of bottom to top, as shown in the second
diagram at left. This results in the knot sitting slightly lower.
2. Another variation, as shown in the third diagram, is to feed the lace out and then back into the top eyelet,
forming a loop instead of a straight vertical section. This results in the tightest lace lock, at the expense of
being harder to loosen.
Lock Lacing Theory:
Many shoe stores recommend Lock Lacing techniques to help prevent slippage, and many people swear by them. In fact,
many sports shoes have twin eyelets at the top to suit Lock Lacing. So what's behind the "magic"?
The answer is simple leverage, which helps pull the lacing very tight. When the ends are tied, the upper straight
sections get pulled sideways, acting like "pulleys" to provide just that little bit of extra tension, more than is
possible by pulling in a straight line.
If you're suffering from slippage, it's more likely that your shoes don't fit properly, and a far better solution
would be to get a pair that does. When shopping for shoes, don't be too impressed by a savvy shoe salesperson using
Lock Lacing to make an otherwise loose pair of shoes feel nice and snug!
Lock Lacing also creates more friction, which should help prevent the knot coming loose, especially if you have
slippery synthetic laces or are unknowingly using a Granny Knot. Replacing slippery
laces or changing your Shoelace Knot are better alternatives. |
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This page last updated: 08-May-2008. Copyright © 2005-2008 by
Ian W. Fieggen. All rights reserved.
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