Ian's Secure Shoelace Knot

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Adoption and Reported Benefits

  • Many commenters say Ian’s Secure Knot and Ian’s Fast Knot fully solved their “laces coming undone” problem after decades of frustration.
  • People report years or tens of thousands of running/walking miles without unintentional untying, even with marathons, hiking, cycling, or rescue work.
  • The secure knot is praised for combining strong hold with easy, single-pull release, unlike traditional double knots.
  • The fast knot is highlighted as a “life upgrade”: faster to tie, looks normal, and becomes muscle memory quickly.

Granny Knot vs Proper Shoelace Knot

  • A recurring theme: many discovered in adulthood they’d been tying a granny knot rather than a square/reef knot.
  • Simple fix: reverse the direction of the starting knot (left-over-right vs right-over-left) so the final bow lies horizontally.
  • This minor change alone often stops laces from loosening multiple times per day.

Use Cases and Variants

  • Runners discuss combining good knots with heel-lock / lace-lock lacing to prevent heel slip and blisters.
  • Some favor Ian’s Secure Knot for demanding activities; others find the fast knot alone “good enough” with decent laces.
  • Related knots mentioned: Better Bow, Berluti knot, Double Slip Knot from knot literature, and other reinforced bows.

Lace Quality and Alternatives

  • Several note lace material matters: slightly stretchy or flat laces hold better; cheap, round “fashion” laces perform poorly.
  • Alternatives: elastic or quick-lace systems effectively turn shoes into slip-ons; some switch entirely to slip-on or Velcro shoes.
  • A few argue simpler tweaks (extra wraps, double-cross, or just fixing the granny knot issue) are sufficient and less fiddly.

Website and “Good Internet” Nostalgia

  • The shoelace site is widely admired as an example of the “old web”: static HTML/CSS, fast, stable URLs, minimal non-intrusive ads.
  • Some note the site’s low financial return relative to the creator’s time investment and mention donation/support pages.
  • Discussion touches on ad models, privacy, and appreciation for detailed, free, non-funnel content.