Lace Basics: Skipping for Comfort
High arches, insteps, or both can pose significant footwear comfort issues. High arches are defined as increased vertical height in the bottom of the foot between the ball and heel. A high instep is relative to the vertical volume of the foot.
People with high arches and insteps may be more susceptible to mid-foot lace bite and cramping from footwear that doesn’t correctly fit or from laces that pull too tightly across the mid-foot area. There are a few ways this can be helped.
Most people will first try keeping their laces looser in the midfoot. While this provides immediate relief, they must often stop and readjust their laces. As footwear moves, laces stretch and distribute their tension over time to be even. Having to stop at all, let alone frequently, is not a long-term solution, and living with pain – and potential injury from ill-fitting footwear – isn’t either.
The second solution is skipping eyelets. While this method will result in a longer-term solution for discomfort, it can pose additional fit problems. In particular, it can cause excess gapping and unexpected flexion in ice skate boots with skipped eyelets. This extra movement causes problems for your fit and can lead to premature wear.
The third and most reliable solution is Panther Teeth. Using two Panther Teeth lace lock devices, you can set custom tension zones like in the first solution without worrying about your laces loosening through time and competition. The consistent tension on the boot will also alleviate premature wear concerns.
Tighten the bottom third of your laces and add a Panther Teeth lace lock device between where you want the tension and where you don’t. Then, snug the center section as tight or loose as you want, and add a Panther between this loose section and the top third of your footwear. Finally, tighten the top third and go!
With Panther Teeth’s patented design that prevents lace stretch and movement, your laces are guaranteed to hold the exact tension you want where you want it stride after stride.
Ready to attack life in comfort? Shop all Panther Teeth lace lock options and be Fit to Perform!