How to Ladder Lace Boots? (Step By Step)

The personality you bear reflects in your shoe styles!

While a neatly tied and polished shoes will give your personality a spark, loosely tied laces with threads coming out from it will offer you a dishevelled look.

There are a number of lacing techniques with which you can tie your shoes and boots and you know what’s the best match for your style and comfort.

But back in the 1970’s and 80’s nearly all military boots were tied with the ladder lacing technique in which the laces are tied through the eyelets first horizontally and meet the next set of eyelets vertically.

This ladder lacing was actually used to offer a very tight and secure fit to the boots while fights so that the military men did not have to bother about their steps while the wars.

The ladder lacing was also used by the punk community who wore contrast laces of different colours (mostly yellow and purple) to display a contrast in their opinions from the general stream.

Nowadays, this ladder lacing technique has become immensely popular and this article will tell you the reasons behind it and will also show you how to actually tie your laces with the ladder lacing technique!

So, without further delay, let’s proceed…

Steps to ladder lace boots:

Begin just straight across the bottom and run up the sides and at each set of eyelets, you will notice rungs that will eventually lock everything tightly:

1.) First of all, start straight across the inner side of the eyelet and out through both bottom eyelets

2.) Now at each side of the eyelet, take the lace and feed it up the sides and in through the next higher eyelet

3.) Repeat the same step at the other side of the eyelet

4.) Next those laces from both sides of the eyelets, get fed under the verticals on the opposite side in order to form the locks

5.) Repeat the same steps with the next set of eyelets (go up on one side and then up on the other side, cross the ends, then feed under one side and then under the other side)

However, there are two ways in which you can finally tie the knot of this lacing system:

1.) The ends are tied across the top as is done normally

2.) The ends of the laces are once again fed under the vertical sections on the opposite sides just before to tie the knots in the middle section. This option provides more tightening effect to the laces and thus offers you with the best fit.

Comparison of lace lengths for different types of lacing:

The following table will let you know the difference in the lengths of the laces needed in different types of lacing systems:

Pros of ladder lacing technique:

√ This type of lacing really looks very sophisticated and distinctive

√ This lacing actually gives a very tight fit to the boots

√ This lacing helps to hold a tight grip and is therefore very beneficial for hiking boots, skating boots, etc

Cons of ladder lacing technique:

⊗ The ladder lacing technique is quite difficult to try for the first time

⊗ It takes more time to tie lacing in this technique 

⊗ It is difficult to tighten the laces at the first hand

⊗ You will require longer laces for ladder lacing technique

See also: Lacing and Acing Welding Boots: Guide to Lace Your Welding Boots

When to use ladder lacing?

You can use ladder lacing technique in the following situations:

If you have contrasting laces (ladder lacing will really look very attracting in such case)

This lacing is very effective on high boots because they hold the lower sections of the boots very tight and thus offer a firm fit

They are great for hiking boots and skate boots

Shoe lace length needed for ladder lacing based on the pairs of eyelets:

This particular chart tells you the lace length needed only for ladder lacing. But if you need to know lace length guide for every type of boots and lacing, here’s the comprehensive guide (Boot Lace Length Guide: The Definitive Guide) .

And it’s a wrap!

That’s all with the ladder lacing technique. If you want to look one in a crowd, do give this lacing system a try and be flooded with compliments thereafter!

I hope you enjoyed reading this article and if so, do visit workgearz for an endless number of exciting and informative articles on all work wears…

Until then…

Take care and have a great day ahead!