Cascade Lacing

Cascade Lacing (icon)

A decorative lacing with each row looped under the previous row, forming a diagonal series of loops that appears to “cascade” down the shoe. (From: Tim Talley)

Eight pairs of eyelets
Pairs
8
7
6
5
4
3
Flip
Step
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0

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Lacing Technique

• Begin with the shoelace fed through the bottom-left eyelet, with the inner (blue) end much shorter than the outer (yellow) end.

• The inner (blue) end runs all the way up the inside and out through the top-left eyelet.

• The outer (yellow) end runs across on the outside and is peaked towards the right side before feeding into the bottom-right eyelet.

• The right (yellow) end runs straight up the inside and out through the next higher eyelet, then loops under the previously peaked row.

• The right (yellow) end is once again peaked on the right side before continuing across the shoe and into the adjacent eyelet.

• Continue up the shoe, alternately running straight up the inside or across on the outside and looping under the previously peaked row.

• On shoes with an odd number of eyelet pairs, finish with a diagonal segment on the inside to emerge through the top-right eyelet.

Features

Decorative look

Harder to tighten

Laces wear more

“Lengthens” ends

Notes

• To make the loop-unders consistent, take care to alternate the direction in which the lace end is fed under the previously peaked row. Based on the non-flipped diagram:

  • After emerging from a right-hand-side eyelet, feed under the right side of the previously peaked row and out at the bottom before continuing over and to the left.
  • After emerging from a left-hand-side eyelet, feed over the left side of the previously peaked row and in at the bottom before continuing under and to the right.

• This method is asymmetrical. Lacing the left and right shoes in reverse (flipped horizontally) creates a symmetrical looking pair.

Shoe lacing photo

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Shoelace Lengths for Cascade Lacing

Pairs of
eyelets
Approximate
length needed
“Lengthens”
ends by
8 pairs121 cm48 in+6.3 cm+2.5 in
7 pairs115 cm45 in+4.2 cm+1.7 in
6 pairs101 cm40 in+5.8 cm+2.3 in
5 pairs95 cm37 in+3.6 cm+1.4 in
4 pairs82 cm32 in+5.0 cm+2.0 in
3 pairs76 cm30 in+2.6 cm+1.0 in
2 pairs = (N/A)

NOTE: These are approximate shoelace lengths for using this lacing on an average sized sneaker. For more accurate lengths, use the Shoelace Length Calculator.

Comparative Length

• Shorter shoelaces needed than those for basic Criss Cross Lacing.

• If the original shoelaces are re-used, this method effectively lengthens the ends.

More details about length comparisons.

Visitor Feedback

I've been trying out as much as I can on the site and I can say some of these lacing methods have fascinated people as I have had them on my various shoes. Some of them I will admit like the Cyclone Fence Lacing I sent you last time while it can be done with flat shoe laces, it ends up as a mess unless you really straighten it up and round laces are the best way to do it - if your not a neat freak about it like me. The same goes for the Cascade Lacing as well which took me several tries to get right somehow.

– Ian S., New York, USA, Oct-2018

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This page last updated: 02-Sep-2023. Copyright © 2004-2023 by Ian W. Fieggen. All rights reserved.

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