These Elastic Laces Are Probably the Best $10 I’ve Ever Spent.
One thing no one tells you about parenting is how much time you spend reminding your kids when to put their shoes on and take them off. (Not counting the extra time you spend reminding them when their shoes are not in place.) To smooth out this surprisingly difficult daily transition, I recently bought my 9-year-old son elastic laces so he can easily put his Nike high-tops on and off without tying or untying them.
The next day I ordered more for myself, and I can’t remember the last time I made a better purchase.
It’s not that I have trouble tying my laces—I’ve even gone from the “two bunny ears” method to the “around the Christmas tree” method!—but the truth is, I’m middle-aged now, which means I’m even less inclined to bend over to do things than I used to be. If I’m wearing low-top sneakers, I can usually tie them loosely enough to slip them on and off without untying the knots or sitting down, but with high-tops or, especially, all-canvas shoes like Converse or my current pair of super-flexible minimalist “sandals,” it’s much more challenging. But everything changes when you swap out fabric laces for elastic ones. They look like regular cotton laces, so no one will know your little secret laziness, but they’re incredibly stretchy, turning even the stiffest or most flexible shoes into comfortable slip-ons. Now I can take off my canvas shoes by stepping on the heel with my other foot, and put them on as easily as slippers. The extra elasticity of the laces is also a benefit—they still fit snugly, but the laces don’t press on the top of my foot, making the shoes feel lighter and more comfortable.
After a few weeks of using elastic laces, I’m seriously considering replacing all my other shoes— they come in all sorts of colors , even for dress shoes , which are incredibly awkward to take off, not to mention terribly difficult to tie (if you’re like me). A week’s worth of replacement? A lifetime’s worth of replacement.