A lacing system for tightening a shoe comprising: a first guide member coupled with the shoe and positioned within a first zone of the shoe; a second guide member coupled with the shoe and positioned within a second zone of the shoe, wherein at least a portion of the second zone is different than the first zone; a first tension member being a first lace guided by the first guide member within the first zone, wherein tensioning of the first tension member causes tightening of the first zone of the shoe; a second tension member being a second lace guided by the second guide member within the second zone, wherein tensioning of the second tension member causes tightening of the second zone of the shoe; and a tensioning mechanism being a reel assembly coupled with the shoe and with the first tension member and the second tension member, the tensioning mechanism being configured to tension the first and second tension members to tighten the first and second zones, wherein the reel assembly includes a knob that may be grasped and rotated by a user to tension the laces (1002, 1004) that are wound around the guide members of the shoe, wherein the first and second laces have lace ends (1012, 1014) that terminate in or adjacent the separate zones and that are adjustable relative to the shoe to vary the length of the lace (1002, 1004) available for tightening the respective zone, and wherein the lace path of the first lace represents the first zone of the shoe and the lace path of the second lace represents the second zone of the shoe, wherein the reel assembly is attached to a side of the shoe, in which the shoe sides (112a, 112b) are designed to be drawn closely together by multiple laces when tightened, the first lace crosses the shoe's tongue and terminates in the first lace end and the second lace crosses the shoe's tongue and terminates in the second lace end, and wherein the tensioning mechanism causes a differential tension to be applied to the first tension member and the second tension member to differentially tighten the first and second zones such that an upper region of the shoe is tightened at a differential rate from the forefront of the shoe. a first guide member coupled with the shoe and positioned within a first zone of the shoe; a second guide member coupled with the shoe and positioned within a second zone of the shoe, wherein at least a portion of the second zone is different than the first zone; a first tension member being a first lace guided by the first guide member within the first zone, wherein tensioning of the first tension member causes tightening of the first zone of the shoe; a second tension member being a second lace guided by the second guide member within the second zone, wherein tensioning of the second tension member causes tightening of the second zone of the shoe; and a tensioning mechanism being a reel assembly coupled with the shoe and with the first tension member and the second tension member, the tensioning mechanism being configured to tension the first and second tension members to tighten the first and second zones, wherein the reel assembly includes a knob that may be grasped and rotated by a user to tension the laces (1002, 1004) that are wound around the guide members of the shoe, wherein the first and second laces have lace ends (1012, 1014) that terminate in or adjacent the separate zones and that are adjustable relative to the shoe to vary the length of the lace (1002, 1004) available for tightening the respective zone, and wherein the lace path of the first lace represents the first zone of the shoe and the lace path of the second lace represents the second zone of the shoe, wherein the reel assembly is attached to a side of the shoe, in which the shoe sides (112a, 112b) are designed to be drawn closely together by multiple laces when tightened, the first lace crosses the shoe's tongue and terminates in the first lace end and the second lace crosses the shoe's tongue and terminates in the second lace end, and wherein the tensioning mechanism causes a differential tension to be applied to the first tension member and the second tension member to differentially tighten the first and second zones such that an upper region of the shoe is tightened at a differential rate from the forefront of the shoe.