Best Laces for Walking Shoes UK: Comfort & Durability Guide
Best Laces for Walking Shoes UK: Comfort, Support & Style
Whether you're walking the dog every morning, exploring the countryside at weekends, travelling on your feet all day or walking for fitness, comfortable shoes make an enormous difference to how you feel. But there's one thing most walkers never think to look at their laces. The right laces can genuinely improve comfort, support and stability, while the wrong ones quietly undermine all the good work your shoes are doing.
Why laces matter on a long walk
Walking puts repeated, sustained pressure on your feet in a way that short trips simply don't reveal. If your laces loosen gradually throughout the walk, create pressure points across the top of your foot or don't hold their tension properly, your shoes won't feel secure and over several miles that discomfort builds quickly. A heel that moves slightly with every step, a tongue that shifts, a fit that feels slightly off - these are all lace problems as much as shoe problems.
What to look for in a walking lace
The priorities for walking are durability, consistent tension and comfort over long periods. You want a lace that stays tied without needing constant attention, holds even tension across the foot throughout the day and handles whatever the British weather decides to throw at it. Polyester laces tick all of these boxes - they resist stretching, repel moisture and hold their shape far better than cotton over the course of a long walk. And let's be honest, UK walking conditions are rarely bone dry, so a lace that absorbs water and goes slack isn't going to serve you well.
Getting the length right
For most walking shoes, 140cm is a great all-round choice - long enough to tie comfortably with a secure knot, without so much excess that you end up with unwieldy loops. If you're wearing boot-style walking shoes that sit higher on the ankle and have more eyelets, 160cm to 180cm is more appropriate. Getting the length right makes the whole shoe feel better fitted and more controlled.
Heel lock lacing - worth knowing about
If your heel slips or rubs during longer walks, heel lock lacing is a simple technique that can make a dramatic difference. The extra loop at the top eyelet locks your heel firmly into position, reducing movement inside the shoe and the rubbing and blisters that come with it. It's particularly useful for full-day walks, hiking and any travel day where you're on your feet for hours at a time.
Comfort doesn't mean boring
Walking shoes don't have to feel purely functional. Fresh laces instantly clean up older shoes, and a subtle colour choice or something a bit bolder if that's your style - adds a touch of personality without compromising comfort at all. Some of our most popular walking lace choices are in earthy greens, warm rusts and classic navies that feel right at home on the trail as well as the high street.
Good walking shoes matter enormously but the right laces help them perform at their absolute best. Once your shoes feel properly secure and comfortable from the first step to the last, you'll wonder why you never thought about it before.