Learn How to Lace Running Shoes for Wide Feet
If you are a runner and have wide feet, this is crucial for you to learn how to lace your running shoes for wide feet. This saves you from buying a new pair of shoes for the sake of comfort. This guide is aimed at teaching you the same.
Due to wide feet, your toe is already pinched and your forefoot is already shrunk inside the shoes. We do not want to increase the pressure with a wrong lacing method. Otherwise, your wide feet may start aching soon and may develop some conditions in the long run.
It is crucial to learn how to lace your running shoes for wide feet. Otherwise, your feet may develop frequent blisters in the short term and chronic pain in the long run. This chronic pain may also become a condition called plantar fasciitis.
In this article, I have explained in great detail how to lace running shoes for wide feet. The lacing methods below will make your feet comfortable and offer you enough grip. Let’s start.
How to Lace Running Shoes for Wide Feet (STEP BY STEP)
Below, I have laid down two different methods step by step about how to lace your running shoes for wide feet. Go through them and choose one that suits you the most.
Method 1
I’d suggest you apply this first method first and try it for a few days. After a week or so observe how you feel. Chances are, you will be happy with this lacing technique.
In case you want an even more comfortable lacing method and don’t mind sacrificing a bit of fit, only then try the second method. Here you are:
- Start lacing your running shoes at the bottom eyelets.
- Work your way up and skip the next two pairs of eyelets on both sides.
- Onwards, continue lacing in a traditional criss-cross manner.
- Keep skipping one pair of eyelets on your way up.
- End with a standard two-loop knot at the top.
This way you will end up with a lacing style that will take the pressure off your toe and will give ample room to your ball area. The standard knot will keep the heel at its place.
Method 2
The criss-cross technique mentioned above is the best method for both comfort and grip.
If you have extra wide feet and want to lean on more to the comfort side, here is another technique that you can use. Hre you are:
- Run your laces through the top eyelet on one side and through the bottom eyelet on the other side.
- Now skip the bottom two pairs of eyelets while working your way upward.
- From the third pair of eyelets and onwards, run the laces through eyelets in a linear way from right to left and so on.
- It will create a weaved look instead of a criss-cross look.
- In the end, you may do the same standard tow-loop knot.
This way you will end up with a lacing style that will create more room inside the shoes for comfort but may compromise a bit with the fit. Still, try the two methods and see which suits you the most.
The goal of Lacing Running Shoes for Wide Feet
This guide on how to lace running shoes for wide feet is aimed at giving you both comfort and proper fit. It is not aimed at giving you only comfort but an ill-fit overall.
We are trying to achieve a balance here. A balance between comfort and fit. Here’s how the lacing techniques discussed in this article do that:
Relieve Pressure Off the Toe
Our first goal is to relieve any pressure off the toe area. A tight lacing will pinch the toe and make them ache after a few hours of wearing. Our lacing methods take this pressure off feet by using relaxed knotting at the bottom eyelets.
Create More Room for Forefoot
Wide feet require ample space in the ball area to feel comfortable. This is especially true if you are going to do your training for long hours. So, we want to create as much room as possible for the forefoot. Our lacing methods create this room for feet by using semi-relaxed knotting at the middle eyelets.
Maintain a Firm Fit
Our last goal is to maintain a proper fit. Even if comfort is our priority, we can’t sacrifice a good fit. Otherwise, you may find it difficult to run efficiently as your heel won’t stay in its place. Our lacing methods maintain this fit by using a standard double loop knot at the end.
Thus, the two methods discussed about how to lace running shoes for wide feet are the perfect recipes at your disposal.
Before You Buy Laces for Wide Feet
- Wide feet demand laces of full length. Make sure the laces you are going to use comes with a length of at least 72 inches for each thread.
- An easy alternative will be to use a pair of trim-to-cut laces. Such laces come with a length that is way more than 72 inches. You lace your running shoes with as much length as needed, and then trim the extra length.
- Last but not least. This guide on how to lace running shoes for wide feet will be useful only if you have bought the shoes of the right fit. If your shoes are too tight or too loose, playing around with different lacing methods won’t help much. In such a case, either ask for a replacement or buy a new pair.
Conclusion
As you have learned how to lace running shoes for wide feet, this is time for taking action. Choose one method and try for a few days. Do the same with another method. Then decide which one suits your style the most.
These lacing techniques will help you increase your performance on the track. Also, they will help you avoid some nasty foot conditions in the long run.
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