[This information was compiled for Footbag WorldWide by
Jeffrey Komar.]
Essential Modifications
Before you use your Lavers, you must make a few basic modifications to the
shoes to make them right for freestyle (if you don't make these modifications,
you may not enjoy this shoe -- but once you make them, your life will change
and you will find eternal joy in footbag freestyle).
To make these modifications, you'll need a small pair of scissors
and a sharp knife (or razor blade):
- Remove the insole (assuming you have your Spenco insoles without
any support, just flat green neopreneish stuff ready) and the entire insole.
- Remove the stitches that hold down the front toe area. But not all the
way. Stop when you get to the leather strip that runs around the toe. That
stays.
- (Most difficult) Carefully remove the hard canvas stuff on the
inside of the inside part of each shoe. This is delicate because you don't
want to cut through, so pinch a little from the outside and pull from the
inside, then gently nip at the inside with the scissors to weaken
it, then get the scissors in there carefully and open a small slit, then
use you pinky finger to separate the canvas from the nylon and carefully
cut out the canvas. Then most difficult, remove the canvas from under the
toe area using similar technique.
- Insert the insole and lace 'em up.
- (Optional) Remove foam padding from just above toe area.
Lacing for Freestyle
There are several ways to lace your shoes for freestyle -- we give two ways below. These
instructions apply to any type of shoe (not just Lavers). Both of the methods below
create the same basic effect.
Method #1
Start on the fourth set of holes from the bottom, center your lace and work
each side up, first along the outside and in, straight across to the other
side out and up to the next hole, straight through to the other side and up
one more, and straight through to the other side. Do this with both
"sides" of the lace. There should be 1 untouched level of eyelets at the
top. Note: two laces go through each hole in above step(s), no
criss-cross. Now bring the lace down along the outside of lacing area to
the 3rd row (highest available empty row) and go in but not across, then go
down along the inside of lacing area to the 2nd row (next row) and go out
there and bring lace all the way to the top most row (previously left
empty) and go in there and straight across. Do that for both sides.
Method #2
Start in the fourth hole and pull the laces up through that hole and lace
them normally through the 4th, 5th, and 6th, but stop at the 6th (just
bringing it up through the 6th). Then, take the laces from the 6th, down
through the 3rd, and back up through the 2nd. From the 2nd hole (always
counting from the TOE) go way up to the hole 7th closest to your ankle. Go
down through that hole (inward) And once each lace has gone through the 7th
hole take them up through the opposite seventh hole.
|