No-Tie Shoelaces Have Saved Me From SO Much Arthritis Pain
in 2019 I got my first set of no-tie shoelaces, and I was immediately obsessed. I even wrote about them here! Then I realized those laces weren’t that perfect, and I moved on to Lock Laces (and wrote about those too). I have since bought eight pairs of Lock Laces, and I will certainly buy more. They are THE laces I prefer to have on my Hokas (another thing I’ve bought over and over again). I recently got a pair of cute little sneakers from Inkkas, and I knew I wanted to make them no-tie, but Lock Laces were a little too sporty. I found some alternative no-tie laces, in purple, and now I can again pursue my goal to never tie shoelaces again.
Lock Laces are my true love when it comes to no-tie shoelaces. I have bought so many pairs that I can basically install them without even thinking. These laces are great for sportier shoes that you want to keep easily adjustable. There’s a little spring loaded gripper that holds the laces in place wherever you want, and to adjust the fit you just slide the clasp down the laces, toward the end cover, adjust to the fit you want, then slide the clasp back up to the top of your shoe. The images for Lock Laces show a LOT of extra lace on the shoe, and then tucking all that excess under your laced shoe. I don’t do this — I cut the laces close to the top of my shoe and just leave a little tail sticking up. Either way works, and these provide a secure fit that I never have to worry about once my shoes are on.
The no-tie laces I got for my Inkkas are from Anan520, which maybe probably is one of those brands made up just to sell on Amazon (there are multiple items that look exactly like this, I bought the one with the most reviews). They’re not adjustable, but they are just as easy to install and use. These laces you just fit on your shoe, cut the excess, then screw the two metal end pieces together. They recommend burning the ends of the laces, but I skipped that part and it’s working just fine.
The only downside to these is the lack of adjustability, but since I’m wearing them on more fashion-y shoes and not workout shoes, I think it’s fine. I had to make them a little loose so that I could get them on, but wearing them it’s not a big deal that they’re not super snug.
Not only are no-tie laces convenient, they’re also a big help for days when my arthritis is flaring and I still want to put my shoes on. Tying shoelaces SEEMS like an easy thing, until your hands don’t work the way you want them to. Doing fine motor skill activities can also make a small amount of pain or stiffness worse, so I dont even tempt it with tying laces. We’re a slip on only household now!
