How to Lace Your Soccer Cleats: Lacing Hacks

Properly lacing your soccer cleats is one of the most important things you must do to improve your play this season. They are more than a way of covering your feet; they provide comfort, are well-fitted, and even protect your feet from injury. 

If you or your child has issues such as having wide feet, narrow feet, pressure points, or heel slippage when playing soccer, one should know that the lacing of cleats can also play a big role. 

I will share some lacing tricks that will help you, more detailed instructions, and tips that can help you perfectly adjust your soccer cleats.

Video: Lacing Hacks

Lacing Instructions

Step 1. Start from the Bottom: 

First of all, start by passing the lace through the lower holes of the cleats. One tip is to make sure that both ends are even.

Step 2. Criss-Cross Lacing: 

Fold one end of the lace to the second hole on the opposite side in a diagonal fashion. The same with the other lace end. Carry on this criss-cross pattern up the cleat.

Step 3. Skip Holes for a Looser Fit:

If you need more and less coverage around some parts of your foot then simply omit a particular set of holes. This can also be helpful if your cleats are tighter in some regions such as across the toes.

Step 4. Lock Lacing: 

The final measure for increased security should be taken at the top by using the lock-lacing technique.

When you get to the second last eyelet sew the lace through the last eye and hook it up horizontally forming a loop. Pass the lace through the opposite loop, and then tighten and knot it in the usual way.

Read More: Metal Cleats in Youth Soccer: Do Soccer Players Wear Them?

How to solve common fit issues

Wide Feet

For wide feet, try to differentiate them from the middle of the shoe and attachment, which can decrease the space. Stretch laces that increase with the size of the foot are another type of lace that you can also try.

Shoes Too Tight

To exercise your cleats if they are too tight, you should try lightly loosening the strings near the front part and then successively tightening the strings towards the back part.

Thinning the thickness of the sock can also go a long way in easing the situation as well.

Narrow Feet

For narrow feet, the tightening of shoes can be adjusted by the use of more eyelets. Another technique in this regard is that you can loop the laces through each eyelet twice to provide better fastening to your cleats.

Pressure Points

Lace, to ensure that pressure is reduced around areas such as the collar bonny and tight where required. Pain can also be eliminated by using gel inserts on the shoe.

Toe Pain

That leaves the laces to massage your tired toes; to avoid this, use toe caps or consider putting on a lace lock to avoid sliding your foot forward. This prevents your toes from sliding around inside your shoe while at the same time offering your toes some protection.

Heel Slippage

In the case of having your heels slipping, you should use the heel lock lacing technique to lock the shoe around your ankle. Extra padding can also be used if you want your partner to not shift around too much during sleep.

Quick Tightening

If you are in a rush, to tighten the cleats, take the laces in segments starting from the bottom. Certain cleats have compartments that allow the wearer to lace up the shoes much faster.

Hash Lacing

Zipper interlocking ensures that the clothes fit the contours of the body because, after every third hole, the pattern is in the form of a hash. This technique keeps the lace in a tighter state without having to apply pressure.

Read More: How to Break in Your Soccer Cleats: 9 Easy Steps

How to Tie Soccer Cleats

Soccer cleats are important to any football player and there is always that precise way of tying them depending on the occasion or the game plan of your team.

Double Knot Technique: 

Next to the tied bow create another knot by pulling the bows through them the way they were first tied. This keeps them from being untangled rather quickly.

Overhand Knot:

As an additional layer of protection, you may want to tie an overhand knot before the last bow. This increases the snugness further helping in maintaining the knot’s position and integrity.

More Tips for Lacing Your Football Shoes

Shorter Laces

When the laces are long they may interfere with play or become/loose from the shoes. You can either cut them short or just fold the overhanging lace with the help of crossed laces. 

They house them safely and keep them from getting in your way when you are playing.

Wrap differently

By wrapping your laces in another way, they will fit your shoes better. The laces can be wrapped around the shoe before tying or other techniques like the runner’s loop which provide even pressure around the ankle. 

It is also possible to try to change the wrapping techniques to enhance comfort as well as performance as well.

Final Words:

Soccer cleats need to be laced correctly. It makes your shoe fit well, and you are comfortable while playing the game with your feet. Don’t wear your cleats like that if they feel uncomfortable to you; instead, there are various ways you can lace them. 

Don’t forget to tie your shoelaces neatly, especially with a double knot to avoid having them loose during the game. when you get the right fit for your cleats, then you can work at being the best player you can be!

FAQs:

What is hash lacing?

Hash lacing is a lacing technique that produces a closer fit without that close contact by threading the lace under the lace and running along it in sets of three holes. This method aids in fixing the lace firmly to the head.

May I put some other laces on my cleats?

Stretchy or sticky laces can be used to prevent them from coming off as it is always a course to see them loose.