Duke of Edinburgh Expedition Footwear: Could the Way You Lace Your Boots Help Your Feet?

You've packed the rucksack.

You've checked the waterproofs.

You've worked out how you're going to fit what appears to be half the contents of your bedroom into one bag.

You've got the snacks.

Lots of snacks.

But if you're preparing for a Duke of Edinburgh's Award expedition, there's one piece of kit that's going to become very important indeed after several hours of walking.

Your feet.

And while choosing the right walking boots and socks matters enormously, there's another little detail worth thinking about before you set off:

how you lace your boots.

Because if your heel is moving around inside your walking boot, simply pulling your laces tighter and hoping for the best isn't necessarily the answer.

Sometimes, changing the way you lace them can change the way your footwear feels.

Why Your Feet Matter So Much on a DofE Expedition

There's a rather big difference between walking around in your boots for half an hour and wearing them for hour after hour while carrying a loaded rucksack.

Small irritations can suddenly become much more noticeable.

A heel that moves. A pressure point across the top of your foot. A lace that continually works loose. A little area of rubbing that didn't seem particularly important when you left.

The official Duke of Edinburgh's Award advice places considerable emphasis on getting walking footwear right. It recommends getting your boots early enough to wear them in before an expedition, trying them on with the socks you'll actually wear, and making sure the fit is comfortable and secure.

And interestingly for us at Love Your Laces, DofE also suggests trying different lacing techniques, because how you lace your boots has a surprising effect on how they fit.

Now you're talking our language.

Is Your Heel Slipping Inside Your Walking Boots?

Put your walking boots on and walk around.

Pay attention to what happens at the back of your foot.

Does your heel feel secure? Or can you feel it lifting and moving inside the boot with each step?

Some movement can indicate that the fit or lacing needs attention. And repeated movement and friction are exactly the sort of things you don't want on a long walk.

First, though, an important point:

Lacing cannot rescue a badly fitting pair of boots.

If your footwear is significantly too large, too small, uncomfortable or simply the wrong shape for your feet, changing the laces isn't a magic fix.

DofE recommends a professional fitting, and trying boots on in your expedition socks so you can judge the fit properly. (Their recommended retailers offer free fittings - worth knowing.)

But if the boots otherwise fit well and your heel could simply do with feeling a little more secure?

That's when it's worth experimenting with the lacing.

Meet Heel Lock Lacing

You may also hear this called heel-lock lacing or, particularly with running shoes, a runner's loop.

The principle is wonderfully simple.

Instead of using the top of your lacing exactly as you would in ordinary criss-cross lacing, you use those last eyelets to create a little extra hold higher up, around your ankle.

The aim is to help keep your heel more securely positioned.

And no, the solution isn't:

PULL EVERYTHING AS TIGHT AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE. 😂

In fact, over-tightening footwear can create an entirely different set of pressure problems.

What we're looking for is secure and comfortable.

How to Try a Heel Lock

If your boots have a spare set of eyelets near the top, here's the idea. (Many walking boots have hooks or D-rings up at the ankle instead - the same principle works, you just wrap around the hook rather than thread through an eyelet.)

1. Lace your boots normally until you reach the second eyelet from the top.
2. Now, instead of crossing over, take each lace straight up and thread it into the top eyelet on the same side - but don't pull it tight. Leave a small loop hanging on each side.
3. Cross each lace over to the opposite side and feed it down through the loop you've just made there.
4. Gently pull both laces downward. You should feel the loops close and the top of the boot draw in around your ankle and heel.
5. Tie your normal bow.
6. Stand up, walk around and check how it feels.

Your heel should feel secure - not strangled. Have a look at our video on how to Heel Lock.

If reading that back has left you slightly cross-eyed, don't worry. It's one of those things that's far easier to watch than to read. Our Lace Library Heel Lock Lacing tutorial shows it step by step, slowly, on a real boot.

And importantly, don't wait until expedition morning to discover whether you like it.

Test Your Lacing Before Your Expedition

This might be the most important piece of advice in this entire article.

Experiment before you go.

Wear the boots around the house. Walk to school in them. Take them on shorter walks. Then take them on your proper DofE practice walks.

DofE specifically recommends getting your boots well before the expedition and gradually wearing them in - its guidance even suggests walking to and from school, going to clubs and youth groups, and heading out on practice walks in them.

That's the perfect opportunity to experiment with your lacing too.

Don't introduce a completely new lacing technique five minutes before setting off on a long expedition.

Your feet deserve a rehearsal.

What If the Top of My Boots Feels Too Tight?

This is where lacing becomes particularly interesting.

Heel movement isn't the only thing that can sometimes be helped by changing how your boots are laced.

Perhaps your boots feel comfortable around your feet but uncomfortable across the top.

One trick some walkers find helpful is to lace all the way up to the top eyelet, then bring the laces back down one level and tie the bow there. That moves the pull of the bow a little lower and can ease the pressure right at the top.

It's a perfect example of why there's no single "correct" way to lace every foot.

Different feet. Different boots. Different problems. Different lacing.

What About Blisters?

This needs a little caution.

You'll sometimes see heel-lock lacing described online as a way to "prevent blisters".

We wouldn't promise that.

Blisters can have multiple causes, and lacing is only one part of the footwear picture. Properly fitting boots, appropriate walking socks, moisture management, wearing boots in beforehand and dealing with rubbing or "hot spots" promptly all matter.

DofE recommends proper walking socks rather than cotton ones, carrying spare socks, and keeping a blister kit somewhere you can actually reach it - even putting plasters on known trouble spots before you start.

So we'd put it this way:

If excessive heel movement is contributing to rubbing, a lacing technique that helps secure your heel may be worth trying.

That's rather different from claiming a knot can magically guarantee blister-free feet.

Lindsay's DofE Footwear Check

Before you head off, put your expedition socks and boots on and ask yourself:

• Are my boots properly fitted?
• Have I worn them in?
• Does my heel feel secure?
• Are there any pressure points?
• Do my laces stay tied comfortably?
• Have I tested my lacing on a proper walk?
• Have I packed spare laces?

That last one matters more than it looks. Spare laces appear in DofE's own expedition footwear advice - because halfway through a long day's walk with a snapped lace, you'll be extremely glad you brought another pair.

As professional shoelace enthusiasts, we're finding it very difficult to disagree. 😂

Don't Forget the Socks

We can't write about expedition feet and ignore socks.

DofE advises against cotton socks and recommends purpose-designed walking socks that manage moisture and add padding - often a thin liner sock under an outer sock to cut down friction, plus spare pairs.

So think of your footwear as a system:

Boot + sock + foot + lace + lacing technique.

Change one part, and you can change how the whole thing feels.

A Few Quick Questions People Often Ask

How tight should my walking boots be?
Snug and secure, not crushing. Your heel shouldn't lift as you walk, but your toes need room to wiggle - especially going downhill, when your foot slides forward. If your heel slips, try a heel-lock before you assume the boots are wrong.

Why does my heel slip in my walking boots?
Usually fit or lacing. An oversized boot (a common trap when boots are bought "to grow into") is the biggest culprit. If the fit is otherwise good, heel-lock lacing is exactly the thing to try.

Why do my laces keep coming undone?
Often it's the knot, not the lace. A "granny knot" sits crooked and works itself loose all day; a balanced knot sits straight across and holds far better. (And round, slippery laces come undone more easily than flat ones - worth knowing.)

What length of laces do I need for walking boots?
It depends on how many eyelet pairs your boots have - more eyelets, longer laces. Count them, and check a lace-length guide before you buy so you're not left with laces that are too short to tie or so long you're tripping over them.

The Love Your Laces Verdict

If you're preparing for a Duke of Edinburgh's Award expedition, don't think about your laces only when one snaps.

Think about them before you go.

Get your footwear properly fitted. Wear it in. Use good walking socks. Pay attention to where your feet move or rub. Experiment with different lacing techniques.

And if your heel is slipping, try a heel-lock during your training walks and see whether it makes your footwear feel more secure.

Because after several hours of walking with a rucksack on your back, there's one thing you definitely don't want occupying your thoughts.

Your shoelaces.

They should simply be doing their job.

Heading Out on an Adventure?

Explore colourful, practical shoelaces from Love Your Laces and don't forget a spare pair for the rucksack.

And if heel movement is your problem, visit our Lace Library Heel Lock Lacing tutorial for a step-by-step demonstration.

Small change. Big impact.