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Source: https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/q/17894
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

<p>I recently came across a hiking boot maker with a front page photo showing someone walking off trail in ankle high boots that are untied. </p>

<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/jaeVV.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/jaeVV.jpg" alt="Hiker"></a>
<a href="http://www.solepowertech.com/#solepower" rel="noreferrer">Source</a></p>

<p>This seems to be a current fashion trend, and if you google <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=untied+boots+look" rel="noreferrer">untied boots look</a> you get several hits showing and describing how to get the 'look'</p>

<p>Shopping in the mall, with untied boots is one thing. But I wonder if there are negative impacts from trail (or off trail) hiking with untied boots.  </p>

<p>We have the existing Q&amp;A <a href="https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/questions/13910/">Is ankle support a myth?</a> that goes into detail about ankle support, presumably all the linked studies had people wearing properly laced foot wear. I am not asking about ankle support in this question.  We also have a Q&amp;A about <a href="https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/questions/7946">When is it OK to hike off trail?</a> which is not the subject of this question.</p>

<p>How important is it to "properly" lace and tie your boots when hiking?  Can I just hike in boots without laces at all? </p>