All the shoe technology in the world won’t help if you can’t secure your shoe to your foot properly. Here are three alternative ways of lacing for a great fit.

Heel slippage

If you find the back of your foot moves around in the shoe, lock lacing will help. Lace the shoe normally until the lace ends emerge from the second set of eyelets from the top. Now thread the laces up each side and into the top eyelet towards the foot. Cross them over and feed each under the lace on the other side, then pull through.

Wide forefoot

As well as buying shoes that are designed with a slightly wider forefoot you can also help things along by threading the laces up each side of the shoe and only using the criss-crossing technique towards the top. Work out through trial and error which eyelets are the correct ones for you to start criss-crossing through again.

High instep

This method relieves the pressure from the top of your foot if you have a high instep, and prevents rubbing. Begin with standard criss-cross lacing at the bottom, and finish with it at the top – but in-between, feed the laces vertically up each side through the eyelets. Experiment with how many holes you do this with, depending on the shape of your foot and what feels comfortable.

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