I had this buried in one of my other posts, but decided to make it its own topic since it has helped me so much and I hope it will help others.

I was one of the people that just couldn't get comfortable with the knot and was trying several different options.   I think I've ended up with the simplest and easiest approach for me.

Steven's recommendation to try tying the knot with the core of the cord removed really helps reduce the size of the knot.  My addition onto that idea is to heat up the knot after tying and then use a pair of pliers to smash the heck out of the knot.  That results in a VERY flat knot that seems much more comfortable, at least for my feet.  I suppose that the knot would have flattened almost as much on its own over time, but this accelerates that process significantly.

I  hope this is helpful for others.

btw, I'm getting psyched up to do my first 5k in invisible shoes this Wednesday.  There is a local 5k series that is run on a cross-country course (80% grass, 20% dirt trail).   I did  a couple miles with my kids this morning alternating between concrete trail and the grass shoulder and had no issues at all.  I'm finding that when I run, the knot does a much better job of "auto-positioning" for me than when I walk.  Again, I'm quite certain this is because of I have a bit of an unusual gait, but I'm feeling more confident that I'll be able to make a full transition away from my traditional running shoes.  At least for the summer/fall here in NE…..

brad