Hiking boots are sole performers that make or break your experience of hiking. While conquering the light or hard terrains, hiking boots are your companions that face the hardships equally with you. They also carry the blissful pleasure you carry while on a hiking venture.
That is why your hiking boots must be the best fit. To be the right fit, the laces of the hiking boots play a huge role as they make a shoe tighter or lose. So, question is What Length Shoelaces For Hiking Boots? The laces of the boots should be of appropriate length to tie them easily.
With time, the shoelaces can wear or tear depending on how much you are wearing them and if they are getting wet. Throwing the boots out because the laces are not functional as before is a stupid choice to make. Hiking boots are a huge investment, and you can’t throw them away for not lacing up properly. The answer is to replace the laces with the right length ones made of durable material.
What Length Shoelaces For Hiking Boots?
What length should shoelaces for hiking boots be? It depends on several factors, and in this guide, we have curated some tips and tricks to help you find out your lace’s length.
Tips To Find The Right Shoelace Length
Now, finding the right-length shoelace may seem too easy to you, but it gets tricky. If the shoelace length is short or very long, it can cause problems for you on the terrain.
The short laces will not hold up tightly, and you’ll face difficulty tying them up, while the long ones will come under your feet, and mostly they just get untied. If you aren’t aware of such conditions, then there are high chances that you will be slipped on a hike.
So here are some tips to help you know what length shoelaces for hiking boots should be:
Compare With The Old One
It is the easiest way to manipulate the right length of the shoelace. check the length of the previous shoelace that you were tying. But, you must know whether the old shoelace was the perfect length. If it was shorter and you had trouble lacing it up, you must not consider it.
Also, you cannot take the right measurements if the shoelace is broken, as it will not give you the exact measurements from the broken links. The best way is to go to the store and compare the lace with the hiking boot model you have.
Type Of The Hiking Boots
Another way to judge the right shoelace length is to determine the type of hiking boots that you wear. Are they athletic shoes or hiking boots? Do they have low-cut, mid-cut, or high cuts?. When you’re sure about the type of boots, it will be easier for you to measure the length that suits the boot.
If the boots are shorter means low-cut, then the length of the lace doesn’t need to be very long, but if the shoes are high-cut or long, the longer laces are needed to buckle them up correctly.
Observing The Eyelets On Boots
If you’re still unsure about the right length of the shoelace, then you can count the eyelets of the hiking boots. It is a mathematical and accurate way to know the perfect shoelace size. To know the exact number, count the holes on both sides and divide by 2 to get the average number. This average number is then used to determine the shoelace length.
For instance, if the number of eyelets ranges from 2 to 5, the type of boot would be street style boot, and the shoelace length would be 27-36 inches. If the type of boots is hiking boots, the shoelace measurements would be 45 to somewhat 84 inches.
Tye Boots With A String Or Rope
If your old shoelace is broken and you’re in a hurry to find the measurement, you can tie a string or a light rope around the boot. For this method, count the holes, put the string through every hole, and buckle it up. When you do so, put a mark through a marker on the endpoint of the string you tied. Then untie the string and take a measurement.
You can also place the laces of sneakers or other boots and try to fit them into the hiking boots. You will get an estimate of what length shoelaces of hiking boots.
Choose The Same Brand Shoelace
When you buy hiking boots from a certain manufacturer, they gain your trust. The part of trusting them becomes stronger when your hiking boots are exactly what they claimed them to be. So, when buying new shoes or just replacing the shoelace, try to buy from the same brand.
Some brands manufacture their shoelaces because they are the masters of their work, and they know the importance of shoelaces and how being the correct size affects your overall hiking experience.
Also, while being in the stores, do ask for a professional opinion or help because it may lessen the tension caused by the tiring calculations you’re going to do in your mind.
Choose The Shapes And Fabrics Carefully
Shoelaces come in various fabrics, including cotton and polyester material. The laces made of polyester material are the most durable ones, but cotton material tends to be water absorbent.
Your shoelaces endure the harshness of the trails and provide grip to your feet. The fabric of the shoelace has to be strong enough. The long life of the laces depends on the material or fabric used.
Also, there are many shapes of the laces: oval to round and flat shapes. Some shoelaces are also braided. But the right shoelace is the one that is the right length for the hiking boot, irrespective of shape or material, so you don’t need to puzzle yourself in shapes and materials.
Check The Thickness Of Shoelaces
Laces are both thick and thin. How do we know that? We determine it with the diameter of the shoelaces. Its width starts from 0.2 and extends to 0.24 inches. While the thickness is beneficial for the long life of the laces and enhances their durability, they have fitting issues.
Thicker shoelaces are difficult to insert into the eyelets of the shoes, and once in, they need force to pull together and tighten the boot. If you try to tie by force, your eyelets can get broken.
Thicker shoelaces are for military or heavy-duty boots. If you’re just a mild hiker, you won’t need them anyway, so it is wise to stay away from the thicker or wider shoelaces.
Final Thoughts
Buying hiking boots is a long-term investment, but they can get damaged. Sometimes the problem isn’t with the whole boot. Rather the shoelace needs a replacement. In this case, what length shoelaces for hiking boots are needed?.
You can find the perfect shoelace size by measuring the old one and then buying a new one. You can also check the diameter and the eyelets or the holes in the shoes to determine the exact measurement of the shoelaces.
If you remain unsure, then you can seek professional help. If you’re wearing a certain brand, we recommend visiting the store and buying shoelaces from them. It will save you time and money.
Now that you have read our guide rush to the store or try doing these tips at your home immediately. Wish you luck!