Back in 2004, while bored in my college dorm, I learned the Ian Knot from this site. I've used it ever since. A few weeks ago, my 10 year old decided it was time to learn how to tie his shoes "dad's way". I was pleasantly surprised to see the site was still up, so I used it to help teach him how to do it.
If you have trouble with toe nail trauma (all chipped for instance) check out heel lock lacing. It will prevent your toes to hit against the front of the shoes.
One example here [0] for running shoes but it's useful also for normal walking. Ian of course has his own entry about this [1]
I haven't mastered the Ian's knot (the super fast one) yet, but I've been tying the "Ian's Secure Knot" [1] for years. I try to teach parents on my kid's soccer team as well, because in my experience, half use the "standard shoelace knot" which is mediocre at staying tied, and the other half tie the granny version of the same, which comes out in about 5 minutes.
This seems very much like the kind of thing that a kid probably learns and is drilled on in late preschool in Japan, and given how much time must be wasted daily by even grown adults re-tying shoes it makes me wish we taught kids practical skills like this. (Yes, I know scouts learn knot-tying in general, but a lot of kids don't even get to do scouting).
P.S. to be honest, I've started buying and installing the sets of elastic laces with buckles (they're only a couple bucks) every time I get a new pair of shoes, so I don't tie shoes anymore, except for things like soccer cleats.
> Yes, I know scouts learn knot-tying in general, but a lot of kids don't even get to do scouting
But do knot scouts learn to tie their shoes correctly? I never did scouting but I have done sailing, and was interested in knot tying as a kid, but shoe tying wasn't given much attention. They certainly told us how to tie a reef/square knot properly, but no one looked at our shoes even though half of us did it wrong. In most books, you had the standard shoe tie if you are lucky, but nothing more.
Ian seems to be the only one who takes shoe tying seriously, even though it may be the most tied knot in the world. I have the Ashley Book of Knots, widely considered the reference on knot tying, if a little dated, and shoe tying only occupies a single page out of 600. Interestingly, a knot analogous to the "Ian's Secure Shoelace Knot" is mentioned (#1219) but despite being, I think, the best in the book, its existence is merely acknowledged.
> I also have to admit that it’s really not the best for small knots or when having to knot with limited lace, mostly due to the required finger setup.
On the other hand, when the length of lace is limited and you need to maintain tension (e.g. wrapping gifts, tying ice skates) the Ian knot is better than many other methods. Although nobody ever asked, I imagine every onlooker is wondering how I can maintain tension in the lace without asking someone else to put a finger on the first overhand knot. It's because of my finger placement when I tie the knot!
I've been tying my shoes using the Ian knot for years (decades??) now. Makes your laces sit a bit funny compared to regular, but my shoes never come untied by accident. Highly recommend trying it out if you have this problem even occasionally. Once you have the muscle memory down, it's a nice minor life upgrade.
Makes your laces sit a bit funny compared to regular
The 'sit a bit funny' issue is the classic symptom of 'the granny knot'.
If you have inadvertently been tying granny knots, you may notice:
1) Instead of the bows hanging to the sides, they naturally want to hang along the length of your show (one pointing diagonally away from you, and the other diagonally towards you).
2) Your shoelaces get undone often, unless you do a double knot.
The fix (whether you tie your bow using the regular way, bunny ears, or Ian Knot) is to reverse the direction of your initial knot.
If you watch this video I made, you will see that the Ian Knot (when done according to the instructions on Ian's site) results in the laces sit just how they should: https://youtu.be/JaBmehtalAY
> The fix (whether you tie your bow using the regular way, bunny ears, or Ian Knot) is to reverse the direction of your initial knot.
Far too many people say that you need to reverse the direction of your main knot. This also works, of course, but it's way more difficult to unlearn then relearn the main knot. Far easier to change the direction of the initial knot. When I first learn the Ian Knot I quickly discovered I'd learnt it "backwards". So I reversed the initial knot and I've been tying it that way for close to 20 years now.
I never mastered the most common single loop method; it never made sense to me to have an asymmetrical way to tie a symmetrical knot, so I used the bunny ears with two loops, until I learned about the Ian knot with zero loops, and it's a very easy and quick way to tie your shoes.
The resulting knot is the same with all of them, however. Either the regular knot or the granny knot, depending on how you do them.
I have been using the Secure variant for the last 10 years. It's effective, in that time my shoelaces have become loose precisely zero times, even though the knot is otherwise easy to untie.
I started using the Berluti knot last year, and it has never failed me. It takes a bit longer to tie, but it has never failed me. It is also easy to get undone without making another knot out of itself.
The Secure variant seems to be a slightly easier/quicker knot. I might give it a try. :)
I was in my teens when I discovered this site. I am now forty. I have been tying my shoes quicker than the average person literally for the better half of my life.
A few years ago I discovered that many brands (but I like Skechers) make "hands-free" shoes, with no laces or velcro, just hidden elastic, and a stiff heel so that you can literally step into your shoes and walk away without ever touching them. They actually fit better than laced shoes.
If you prefer a non-disposable shoe, look into Chelsea boots made using a Goodyear welt, such as from one of the many shoemakers in the Northampton area of England. A pair if taken care of will last you a lifetime.
I like Cheaney and Crocket & Jones. Church's is popular but a little overpriced compared to the others. The classic Chelsea boot has a leather sole but both Cheaney and Crocket & Jones make them with rubber soles which are much more hard wearing. Crocket & Jones make them with Dainite soles which last years and cope with all weathers.
Expect to pay £400-450 for a new pair (more in London) and remember to get some conditioning cream like Saphir Crème which is to be used regularly. You can wax them if you like but not necessary for caring purposes. When the soles finally go you can get them resoled at the factory they were made in for around £100 (less than a pair of trainers). My Dainite soles have lasted over 3 years of daily use.
If you are close to the area you can go to their factory shops and often find shoes with slight imperfections for half the price.
Ian's knot saved me some time in the past decade or so.
Is there a knot with two settings for tying and releasing? Releasing it to a point that allows taking off the shoe and pulling somewhere else to fix it firmly again?
It must be adjustable because laces get longer over time.
I use the two loop knot.. The beauty of this knot is that it doesnt come undone as easily and i can remove/wear my shoes without entying shoelaces. It has come undone only 3-4 times in past 2 years for me. Very effective
I found this looking for a more secure knot (I did; Ian's Secure Shoelace Knot). What I wasn't expecting was how strange it would be to be as skilled at tying my shoelaces as a four-year-old.
It is the best way to tie shoelaces (and similarly knotted things). It takes a while to get used to, but it’s so worth it. It works! Unlike every other shoelace knot you’ve ever tied.
I’ve used this site twice, most recently last week for Lock Lacing. I had to upsize my Fuego dance shoes because they don't come in wide sizes. Consequently the heels were slightly loose; everything else was fine. Customer service recommended Lock Lacing which worked and tightened the heel ever so slightly but enough.
Back in 2004, while bored in my college dorm, I learned the Ian Knot from this site. I've used it ever since. A few weeks ago, my 10 year old decided it was time to learn how to tie his shoes "dad's way". I was pleasantly surprised to see the site was still up, so I used it to help teach him how to do it.
If you have trouble with toe nail trauma (all chipped for instance) check out heel lock lacing. It will prevent your toes to hit against the front of the shoes.
One example here [0] for running shoes but it's useful also for normal walking. Ian of course has his own entry about this [1]
[0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBbc6TackDQ&t=68s [1] https://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/locklacing.htm
Why isn't all internet like this website?
I haven't mastered the Ian's knot (the super fast one) yet, but I've been tying the "Ian's Secure Knot" [1] for years. I try to teach parents on my kid's soccer team as well, because in my experience, half use the "standard shoelace knot" which is mediocre at staying tied, and the other half tie the granny version of the same, which comes out in about 5 minutes.
This seems very much like the kind of thing that a kid probably learns and is drilled on in late preschool in Japan, and given how much time must be wasted daily by even grown adults re-tying shoes it makes me wish we taught kids practical skills like this. (Yes, I know scouts learn knot-tying in general, but a lot of kids don't even get to do scouting).
P.S. to be honest, I've started buying and installing the sets of elastic laces with buckles (they're only a couple bucks) every time I get a new pair of shoes, so I don't tie shoes anymore, except for things like soccer cleats.
1. https://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/secureknot.htm
> Yes, I know scouts learn knot-tying in general, but a lot of kids don't even get to do scouting
But do knot scouts learn to tie their shoes correctly? I never did scouting but I have done sailing, and was interested in knot tying as a kid, but shoe tying wasn't given much attention. They certainly told us how to tie a reef/square knot properly, but no one looked at our shoes even though half of us did it wrong. In most books, you had the standard shoe tie if you are lucky, but nothing more.
Ian seems to be the only one who takes shoe tying seriously, even though it may be the most tied knot in the world. I have the Ashley Book of Knots, widely considered the reference on knot tying, if a little dated, and shoe tying only occupies a single page out of 600. Interestingly, a knot analogous to the "Ian's Secure Shoelace Knot" is mentioned (#1219) but despite being, I think, the best in the book, its existence is merely acknowledged.
I recently wrote an article about the Ian Knot, and what I’ve done with all the extra time I’ve gained from learning it:
https://blog.klungo.no/2025/12/31/two-years-of-the-ian-knot/
> I also have to admit that it’s really not the best for small knots or when having to knot with limited lace, mostly due to the required finger setup.
On the other hand, when the length of lace is limited and you need to maintain tension (e.g. wrapping gifts, tying ice skates) the Ian knot is better than many other methods. Although nobody ever asked, I imagine every onlooker is wondering how I can maintain tension in the lace without asking someone else to put a finger on the first overhand knot. It's because of my finger placement when I tie the knot!
Hadn't considered that! Do you use the left middle finger to apply the tension?
Definitely a neat time-save, even more so if the person you'd otherwise have to ask is far away or busy and the wait would've extra been long!
I daily drive this knot since my mid thirties. Fast, and practically never comes undone.
Recently interviews by Chris Person in Aftermath: https://aftermath.site/ians-shoelace-site-is-still-the-best-...
I've been tying my shoes using the Ian knot for years (decades??) now. Makes your laces sit a bit funny compared to regular, but my shoes never come untied by accident. Highly recommend trying it out if you have this problem even occasionally. Once you have the muscle memory down, it's a nice minor life upgrade.
If you have inadvertently been tying granny knots, you may notice:
1) Instead of the bows hanging to the sides, they naturally want to hang along the length of your show (one pointing diagonally away from you, and the other diagonally towards you).
2) Your shoelaces get undone often, unless you do a double knot.
The fix (whether you tie your bow using the regular way, bunny ears, or Ian Knot) is to reverse the direction of your initial knot.
If you watch this video I made, you will see that the Ian Knot (when done according to the instructions on Ian's site) results in the laces sit just how they should: https://youtu.be/JaBmehtalAY
> The fix (whether you tie your bow using the regular way, bunny ears, or Ian Knot) is to reverse the direction of your initial knot.
Far too many people say that you need to reverse the direction of your main knot. This also works, of course, but it's way more difficult to unlearn then relearn the main knot. Far easier to change the direction of the initial knot. When I first learn the Ian Knot I quickly discovered I'd learnt it "backwards". So I reversed the initial knot and I've been tying it that way for close to 20 years now.
I never mastered the most common single loop method; it never made sense to me to have an asymmetrical way to tie a symmetrical knot, so I used the bunny ears with two loops, until I learned about the Ian knot with zero loops, and it's a very easy and quick way to tie your shoes.
The resulting knot is the same with all of them, however. Either the regular knot or the granny knot, depending on how you do them.
The end result is the same as the regular way of tying it. perhaps you are doing a https://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/crossedianknot.htm by mistake
As a way to keep kids from accidentally making a granny knot instead, which will not stay tied, it's pretty decent.
What the Internet should be.
So are your guides, by the way. Thank you for writing them.
I have been using the Secure variant for the last 10 years. It's effective, in that time my shoelaces have become loose precisely zero times, even though the knot is otherwise easy to untie.
I started using the Berluti knot last year, and it has never failed me. It takes a bit longer to tie, but it has never failed me. It is also easy to get undone without making another knot out of itself.
The Secure variant seems to be a slightly easier/quicker knot. I might give it a try. :)
I was in my teens when I discovered this site. I am now forty. I have been tying my shoes quicker than the average person literally for the better half of my life.
I was like 10 years old when I learned about the Ian Knot. I'm 28 now.
I remember showing my friends at school. They were shocked how fast I could tie my shoelaces.
I don't even remember the normal way you're supposed to tie them
I guess I just googled "how to x" for literally everything when I was a kid
A few years ago I discovered that many brands (but I like Skechers) make "hands-free" shoes, with no laces or velcro, just hidden elastic, and a stiff heel so that you can literally step into your shoes and walk away without ever touching them. They actually fit better than laced shoes.
Changed my life. I recommend highly.
If you prefer a non-disposable shoe, look into Chelsea boots made using a Goodyear welt, such as from one of the many shoemakers in the Northampton area of England. A pair if taken care of will last you a lifetime.
I’ve had a search and they look amazing.
Any recommended brands?
I like Cheaney and Crocket & Jones. Church's is popular but a little overpriced compared to the others. The classic Chelsea boot has a leather sole but both Cheaney and Crocket & Jones make them with rubber soles which are much more hard wearing. Crocket & Jones make them with Dainite soles which last years and cope with all weathers.
Expect to pay £400-450 for a new pair (more in London) and remember to get some conditioning cream like Saphir Crème which is to be used regularly. You can wax them if you like but not necessary for caring purposes. When the soles finally go you can get them resoled at the factory they were made in for around £100 (less than a pair of trainers). My Dainite soles have lasted over 3 years of daily use.
If you are close to the area you can go to their factory shops and often find shoes with slight imperfections for half the price.
Joseph Cheaney, whilst expensive, will save you £££ in the long run (and theyre a classy shoe)
Ian's knot saved me some time in the past decade or so.
Is there a knot with two settings for tying and releasing? Releasing it to a point that allows taking off the shoe and pulling somewhere else to fix it firmly again?
It must be adjustable because laces get longer over time.
I use the two loop knot.. The beauty of this knot is that it doesnt come undone as easily and i can remove/wear my shoes without entying shoelaces. It has come undone only 3-4 times in past 2 years for me. Very effective
I found this looking for a more secure knot (I did; Ian's Secure Shoelace Knot). What I wasn't expecting was how strange it would be to be as skilled at tying my shoelaces as a four-year-old.
I use the fast normal knot for shoes I am going to tie/untie a lot and the secure knot for everything else.
It is the best way to tie shoelaces (and similarly knotted things). It takes a while to get used to, but it’s so worth it. It works! Unlike every other shoelace knot you’ve ever tied.
This site made it my habit to search for granny knots on people's shoes on public transportation.
I’ve used this site twice, most recently last week for Lock Lacing. I had to upsize my Fuego dance shoes because they don't come in wide sizes. Consequently the heels were slightly loose; everything else was fine. Customer service recommended Lock Lacing which worked and tightened the heel ever so slightly but enough.
Some previous discussions:
2023 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37646964
"Secure" 2024 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42155457
"Ian" 2021 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27728002
"Granny" 2021 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26867300
"CIA" 2020 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24091391
Reminds me of inter-dimensional cable
[flagged]
Quirky or whimsical content has always been welcome on HN.