Lacing them up was worth the effort.
I knew there would be a lot of lacing, but it took a while to get used to it. Each lace is 10 1/2 feet long, so the first thing was to find the middle and make 2 knots about 2 inches apart. This is so when you start the lacing or at any other time when the laces become undone putting the lace through the first 2 eyelets closest to the toe will always be exact so the laces will come out with equal lengths when they've been completely laced up. Getting started I had to go back a couple of times when one of the eyelets was missed. Once you get to the part on the long tongue with the loop for crossing the laces you can push it all down after it's laced-through, even roll it up down to the bottom of the shoe on the inside. Then the rest of the laces become much easier without that floppy thing in the way. I laced each shoe up tightly and then the girl put them on by unzipping the side and then pulling the zipper up. It was remarkably close fitting and some small adjustments can be made to the laces for a better fit. She likes black so I got the black pair. >>Black canvas and black laces need decent light or you can't see what you're doing!<< If there are loose baggy laces down around the beginning of the eyelets it's helpful if you have one of those small tools for macrame or knitting with the little hook on the end to find the loose lace and pull it tight (without damage to the lace.) This is when the shoes are completely laced-up but some of them aren't tight... I had to admit these are good-looking shoes, and without those 2 zippers it would take FOREVER to put them on or take them off. She has little size 5 feet and said the shoes are very comfortable including the pressure of the knee-length lace-up top which she likes on her legs. She was already wearing knee socks that probably make the shoes even more comfortable. I suggested there's also security because neither of those shoes has a chance of falling off! Read more
