Evil shoelace conspiracy?

[Doctor Q]

I have never researched the shoelace industry, and I'm not a member of any shoelace forums, so I'll ask my MacRumors friends about this.

When I buy new shoes for work (men's casual styles), they almost always come with round laces. The laces slip against each other easily, so they tend to come untied. It's a pain to use double knots, so I just retie them now and then. When I get tired of doing that, I buy some flat laces at the drugstore and replace them.

Then I end up throwing out the round shoelaces because the clothing charities never ask for them, the laces don't make good spaghetti, and I don't need props for a movie named "Tiny Snakes on a Plane".

Are these round laces a sinister plot by the flat lace vendors, who send a kickback to the shoe companies so they'll keep outfitting shoes with round laces? Or are round laces simply cheaper for them to use? Or are they considered better looking, even if they are less convenient, so I'm committing a fashion faux pas?

What's the real story here?

 

[r.j.s]

Not sure about a conspiracy, but my shoes come with flat laces ...

 

[Jaffa Cake]

While I can't comment on the scourge of the round lace, my otherwise splendid plimmies – equipped as they are with flat laces – come undone all the time. It's quite annoying.

I think the problem therefore goes beyond round laces – I think it's a wider conspiracy to ensure we're never properly shod. It's a frightening thought, it really is.

 

[remmy]

Why are you buying shoes that come with round laces, you obviously lack style.

 

[mkrishnan]

I would go with fashion faux-pas on non-athletic shoes... it's complicated, though.

Lots of running shoes use fairly fancy round laces -- I think I've had round laces on Saucony ever since I started running in them. Those laces generally don't come untied very easily.

On dress and casual/dress shoes, it tends to depend on the lace. I think the aesthetics is dominant, but if the laces are waxed fabric, then they actually don't come undone that often.

Otherwise, I just double knot the suckers.

 

[dukebound85]

my shoes come with flat laces or oval shaped ones

round laces tend to come with boots and stuff

 

[Jaffa Cake]

round laces tend to come with boots and stuff

My boots have flat laces, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[r.j.s]

Lots of running shoes use fairly fancy round laces -- I think I've had round laces on Saucony ever since I started running in them. Those laces generally don't come untied very easily.

My running shoes have laces like these:

 

[jav6454]

Erie indeed... round laces need to be controlled.

 

[iJohnHenry]

My running shoes have laces like these:

That's just twisted.

I am at the stage of using sports walkers now, with the reflective bit on the back, and they all come with flat laces.

Haven't purchased dress shoes in ages, although I do have a pair for the coffin.

(I do wish the sports walkers would come with the flashing LED's that the kids have. They is some cool.)

 

[Rt&Dzine]

OMG! I spent an entire afternoon trying to find the right shoelaces for a member of my family. They were for a pair of hiking boots so they had to be long. The round ones kept coming untied. I went to several shoe stores that carried hiking boots. In the end, I found a pair of round ones that weren't as slippery and I haven't heard any more complaints from the boot wearer.

 

[Doctor Q]

Hiking boots aren't a problem for me. They get caked with dirt or mud and that holds the laces in place!

 

[Rt&Dzine]

Hiking boots aren't a problem for me. They get caked with dirt or mud and that holds the laces in place!

That didn't seem to help in our case. I couldn't believe how many slippery laces are out there.

 

[iJohnHenry]

That didn't seem to help in our case. I couldn't believe how many slippery laces are out there.

Did you try some rosin???

 

[XnavxeMiyyep]

I just wear laceless shoes. It solves the problem entirely.

 

[Rt&Dzine]

Did you try some rosin???

I'm unfamiliar with that term. Am I missing a good joke?

 

[iJohnHenry]

Not really, unless you saw the movie Junior Bonner (I think??).

Rosin just offers resistance to slipping, but is used mainly by baseball pitchers, and musicians using bowed instruments.

 

[Rt&Dzine]

Not really, unless you saw the movie Junior Bonner (I think??).

Rosin just offers resistance to slipping, but is used mainly by baseball pitchers, and musicians using bowed instruments.

Oh, of course!!! My brain isn't functioning very well. Anyway ... that's a good idea. Thanks!

 

[poopyhead]

you need to start a post your shoe laces thread to help get to the bottom of this

 

[Abstract]

My running shoes come with round laces, which I find strange, because these are the shoes I find to be the most important with regards to the laces staying done up.

My other shoes come with flat laces, except my leather winter boots.

 

[NT1440]

That's just twisted.

OMG I laughed. Thank you so much for the subtle humor.

 

[flyfish29]

I worked in the shoe industry for 15 years and yes, I think the lace industry is taking us. I think they provide the round laces cheaper than flat ones when they sell them to the manufacturers therefore making customers repurchase new ones when they get driven crazy by untied laces- not to mention that untied laces wear out quicker for sure. (Scotch tape will only last so long holding together the end of a shoe lace with the tip comes off!!!)

I have half and half on round vs. flat laces- agree that hikers traditionally come with round laces- but of course there are exceptions.

One could just buy these for everything!!! locklaces

Round, but hold together!

(note- I don't wear these...really...LL Bean sent me the link when some laces of my daughters hikers broke and were this cinch style lace. Although it does make we wonder why I don't buy a dozen of these and forget trying to teach my 7 year old to tie laces...he is lace challenged for some reason.

 

[Doctor Q]

I worked in the shoe industry for 15 years and yes, I think the lace industry is taking us.

I knew it! I'm phoning my congressperson to demand a full inquiry and some new laws!

(Scotch tape will only last so long holding together the end of a shoe lace with the tip comes off!!!)

I believe they are called aglets. (Or maybe aglets are little kids wearing Texas A&M T-shirts.)

Slip-ons are OK if you can find them in the style you want, but they have to fit perfectly. With laces, shoes can be a tiny bit bigger than perfect, since you have a chance to tighten them.

Maybe it's time for velcro shoes. Or servants to tie my shoes for me.

 

[bruinsrme]

this is the best thread in a long time.

Kids sneakers come with round laces. Even doube knotting them they still come untied. that drove me crazy.

Round laces are more attractive. Flat laces are more user friendly.

 

[LumbermanSVO]

I found me some elastic laces and tied them in a square knot. I haven't messed with my laces in almost two years. Most of the time I go barefoot or wear flip flops though.