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Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
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LockLaces

John Hudak

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I found a replacement for the BOA lacing system that has so far worked flawlessly:  LockLaces.  The elastic laces thread through the existing eyelets, and then connect at the top with a moveable lock, and then get clipped together at the end, where you can slip the end clip under the front of the laces.  The North Face Hedgehog GTX XCR waterproof shoes that I wear used to come with the BOA lacing, which I originally heard of through ultra runner Dean Karnazes' book 50/50:  Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days.  In the book, he mentions his love for the BOA system, because it allows you to skip the step of bending over to tie your shoe, which becomes more difficult the more marathons you run in a row.

The BOA lacing system consists of metal wires threaded through the shoes, meeting at the back of the shoe in a ratchet twist knob, that can be turned to tighten when the knob is pushed in, and loosens when the knob is pulled out.  You can read more about the lacing system here.

I have seen a few other brand shoes using the BOA system, but with the knob on the top of the shoe on the medial side (towards the center of your body).  I think having the knob on the back of the shoe is much more comfortable to tighten, and you can give yourself a quad stretch while you are at it.  Unfortunately, The North Face has discontinued using the system.  A lot of people had complained about the wires breaking, or the knob/ratchet system breaking, rendering the shoes useless.  I always found The North Face customer service to be quite helpful, even if the shoes were years old, they would still send me a small kit that consisted of the wire, knob pieces, and instructions.  I am guessing people didn't know about it.

Locklaces are a great substitue for the BOA lacing system.  Even though the elastic will probably wear out faster than wire, it can easily be replaced.  After my last pair of BOA shoes wore out, I was resigned to the fact that I would have to tie my running shoes from now on, but while looking around a local sporting goods store, I found a package of these hidden underneath the smart phone arm band holders.  Just recently, I noticed them on a triathlete friend's shoes and decided to give them a try, and was happy I did.

 

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