The things that guide the laces are just poor design. I like similar things that you often see in construction boots. They make it easier to tie shoelaces. The "appearance" of these things in the photos of these shoes looked like they were similar. Although the top of these guides is rounded, the edges of the holes are square. The edges prevent the laces from going through the holes. The result of the design is that you simply cannot tighten the laces enough to give the shoe a secure fit. And since I can't pull the laces tight enough, the knot doesn't tighten, causing the knot to unravel after a while. Aggravating. I've always liked Rockport. It's just not a very good design.