Have you ever wondered why there is an extra shoelace hole at the top of your shoe? Many running and hiking shoes have the extra hole and most people don’t ever use it. Instead, they skip threading the lace through the last top hole and tie them as usual. After watching this video you will now know why they are there and how to use them to your advantage.
The extra holes can be used to prevent blisters on your heels and stop your feet from cramming forward into the front of the shoe. When you tie laces using the “heel lock” or “lace lock” technique it creates more friction between the laces at the top of the shoe which are closest to your ankle. This serves to make and keep the heel/ankle area tight and snug in place without having to re-tighten your whole shoe. Even if you do not have the extra shoelace hole you can still use the method on the top hole instead.
Here is how to tie the “lace lock.” Begin by inserting the lace in backwards through the top hole so that you create a small loop on each side of the shoe. Cross your laces and insert them each into the loop on the opposite side then cinch them down. Be sure to go down and not up because cinching upwards will leave the loop hanging out and that is not good. By pulling down towards the shoe you end up creating a nice tight lock that will keep your shoe in place and snug. Finish by tying your shoe as you normally would and you’re good to go!