Straight European Lacing

When I tried to set up my new hunting boots, my dad sat me down and taught me a lacing method that his grandfather had learned in boot camp during World War One. After looking at your site, it turns out that he was taught Straight European Lacing. It's very effective for these boots!

My dad also mentioned that he once saw an exhibit on World War One with mannequins and photos. The mannequins were wearing boots with Criss-Cross Lacing, but in photos, all the doughboys were using Straight European Lacing. Just an interesting anecdote on little historical details!

– Eli K., Pennsylvania, USA, Nov-2020

I did the straight European lacing on a pair of shoes with 5 pairs of eyelets, but when finished, one end of the shoe string is longer than the other. Is it supposed to be this way? The technique works fine on my shoes with 6 pairs of eyelets.

– Vin M., Apr-2017

(In response to Vin M's question, I added the End Length Adjustment section above.)

– Ian Fieggen, Apr-2017

My father lost his right hand in an accident at 18-years of age. Having been a right-handed man, he needed a way to hold laces in place while tying his shoes. He tried many lacing methods before happening on what you call European. This method of lacing holds the shoe together without slipping loose so he could tie one-handed with his left hand. Before his death at age 89, he thought [sic] his method to many others handicapped by accident or injury, including many disabled soldiers.

– Charles & Jan D., Jan-2017

In the past I was using the straight bar lacing because I was used to shoe where we could see underneath. It made my shoe very hard to tighten. With this new lacing, I am liking my oxfords more and more ! :)

– Rémi D., Dec-2015

I've attached some photos of my Church's dress shoes with the Straight European Lacing method. I like it. It's a little messy underneath, but that's why I like it. It gives the ordinary straight-bar look of the classical oxford lacing a bit of edge -- some credible vibe.

– Emilio B., Jul-2012

I have a pair of those Chuck-Tailor-Converse-sneaker-whatever-like shoes, which were just boring and also the laces were too long.

I am happy that i found your site; i now use the Straight European Lacing on them and your “Ian's Secure Shoelace knot” and i have to say it really helped.

The shoes are no more boring-looking and now the ends are sufficently shorter – without doing any modifications or a shopping tour.

– Nicholas W., Lübeck, Germany, May-2011

In most shoe stores, the shoes come pre-laced from the manufacturer, either with “Shoe Shop” lacing or “Display Shoe” lacing, depending on the type of shoe.

The shop assistant rarely laces new shoes at all, except in the cases where the store has a policy of relacing shoes to make them easier for customers to try on (usually with Straight (European) Lacing or Criss-Cross Lacing).

– Lars R., shoe store assistant, Jul-2008

I use the lacing method (straight European) a lot with regular laces too, as it is much easier to pull the lace tight.

– Erik, The Netherlands, Oct-2006

My favorite laces is the Double helix and the Straight(European) because of the cool zig zag style on the bottom.

– Ryan M., Jul-2005

I just want to say that on the Straight (European) Lacing my laces always end up being really tight.

– Saagar B., Jul-2004

I learned the “Straight European” pattern long ago when I was a kid, at a time when ski boots were still just very stiff-soled lace-up boots. I still use it on skates, or anywhere I need maximum lacing support. The particular advantage of this pattern is that one can lace a boot very tight by pulling up on each crossing, starting at the bottom, picking up slack as you go. That “messy” pattern underneath prevents slippage, so the entire tension of the lacing isn't dependent on the knot. In fact, to loosen it one has to pull the lacing apart one crossing at a time. I've never tried “double-back” lacing, so I don't know how it compares, but this is the tightest of any lacings that I've tried, and worth noting. Try it with a tall boot and you'll see what I mean.

– Matthew C., Vermont, USA, Mar-2004