Four Ways to Lace Your Hiking Boots for a Perfect Fit

You may have learned how to tie your shoes as a kid, but lacing hiking boots requires a bit more thought. Proper lacing can prevent blisters, reduce pressure points, and keep your feet secure throughout your hike. Adjusting your lacing method allows you to fine-tune pressure distribution, delivering a fit that is more secure, comfortable, and supportive.

Choosing the right lacing technique can also reduce strain and prevent injuries. The Australian Physiotherapy Association emphasizes that improper loading or movement of the feet can cause imbalances, increasing pressure and affecting the joints of the spine, ankles, knees, hips, and lower back.

At Outside Sports, we do our best to make shoe fitting as easy as possible. Here are four ways to fine-tune your boots for a perfect fit:

This is the classic lacing style used on most shoes and boots. If your boots already fit well without specific foot issues, this method will keep things simple and effective by evenly distributing pressure across the top of your foot.

How to do it:

1. Thread the lace through the bottom eyelets, ensuring both sides are even.
2. Cross the laces diagonally to form an "X" and thread them through the opposite eyelets.
3. Repeat the criss-cross pattern until you reach the top, then tie your knot.

If your heel slips while hiking, it’s often a sign of too much interior volume at the top of your boot. The Surgeon’s Knot helps lock in tension exactly where needed, preventing heel lift and reducing friction that can lead to blisters. This method is especially helpful for hikers with narrow or flat feet.

How to do it:

1. Lace your boots traditionally until the mid-foot area (or where your feet feel loose).
2. Create a Surgeon’s Knot by wrapping the laces around each other twice, pulling tight.
3. Thread the laces through the next set of eyelets to lock in the tension.
4. If needed, repeat the knot after the next set of eyelets.
5. Continue lacing the rest of the boot using the criss-cross method.

If your boots create a pressure point on the top of your foot, Window Lacing (also called Box Lacing) can provide relief. This method skips the problem area, offering a looser fit where it’s needed most. It’s ideal for people with high arches, wide feet, or a bone spur on the top of their arch.

How to do it:

1. Unlace your boots down to the area just below the pressure point.
2. Lace vertically (go straight up) instead of crossing over, skipping the tight area.
3. Resume the criss-cross lacing pattern for the rest of the boot.

If your toes often feel cramped or painful, Toe-Relief Lacing can provide quick comfort by creating extra space in the toe box. This technique is particularly useful during long hikes when discomfort arises unexpectedly. If this is a recurring issue, consider boots with a wider toe box—Lowa is a great option for those with wide feet.

How to do it:

1. Completely unlace your boots.
2. Start lacing again, but skip the first set of eyelets near the toe box.
3. Continue with the regular criss-cross lacing pattern for the rest of the boot.

The way you lace your hiking boots plays a key role in keeping your feet comfortable and supported. Whether you're addressing heel slippage, pressure points, or cramped toes, these four techniques will help you customize your fit and avoid common issues. If you need new laces, you can check out our collection.

With these methods, you'll be ready to hit the trails confidently—no more sore feet or discomfort holding you back!