Yes, boots are a really important part when it comes to the gear a soldier is wearing. A good pair of tactical combat boots can help protect a soldier’s feet from shrapnel, the cold, moisture, twisted ankles, and so much more.

Most people don’t know that the boot is an integral part of a soldier’s gear, but it most definitely is. What you may also not know is that lacing boots the right way is also very important, and it can make a big difference in terms of comfort. How to lace boots the right way is what we are here to figure out. There are several tactical boot lacing methods which we will discuss here, with the most popular and useful method coming first.

Ladder Lacing Method

When it comes down to it, the method of lacing boots which is most often used for tactical boots is the ladder lacing method. Now, this method of lacing boots is a bit complicated and it takes practice to do it well, but it is also the most supportive, and support is very important with this kind of thing. Let’s go over a step-by-step method of how to lace your boots the ladder way.

You have to start at the very bottom lace eyelets of the boots.

You want to thread the lace straight across the boots, through those bottom eyelets, from one side to the other. Make sure that you end up with an even length of lace on each side of the eyelets.

Take the ends of each lace and pull them up vertically through the next set of eyelets directly above the bottom eyelets. Push each end of the lace into the eyelets from the outside towards the inside.

Now take the laces and cross them over the boots from one side to the other.

Now, instead of just pulling the laces through and moving on to the next set of eyelets above, you want to thread each of the laces under the vertical section of lace you created in the third step.

Make sure to pull the laces tight so they are taught, and then thread each lace end into the eyelets above the second eyelets, so the third set of eyelets from the bottom of the boot.

Now you just need to repeat steps 5 and 6 until you have threaded the laces through all of the eyelets to the very top. If you want to ensure a uniform look, always cross the laces the same way, either always right over left or left over right.

Now that you are at the top of the boots, you can tie a knot either on the outside or inside of the boot. If you need a bit of extra tightness and increased support, thread each section under the final vertical section of lace between the second top and top eyelets, and then tie the knot. However, keep in mind that it is highly recommended to tie the knot on the inside of the boot, because you do not want any excess lace hanging around, as that can be dangerous.

Other Popular Boot-Lacing Methods

There are two other fairly popular methods for lacing up combat boots, and neither are nearly as hard as the ladder lacing method, much easier in fact, but they also don’t provide as much support for the foot or ankle.

Straight Bar Lacing

Straight bar lacing results in the laces having a horizontally parallel look to them. It does provide a clean and neat appearance, which is fine for formal occasions, but it really does not do much in terms of comfort or support.

Crisscross Lacing

This is a diagonal lacing pattern that is pretty standard across most types of boots. It’s fast and easy to do, it looks pretty decent, but once again, it is really not the best in terms of support or comfort.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, while the crisscross and straight bar lacing methods are easy and clean looking, they do nothing for your feet in terms of comfort and support, especially when compared to the ladder lacing method.

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