Okay, so the other day I was lacing up my favorite pair of tennis shoes, and I noticed the laces were way too long. I mean, I was tripping over them! It got me thinking, “How long are tennis shoe laces, anyway?” And is there a “right” length? So, I decided to do a little experiment.
Measuring My Current Laces
First, I took out the laces from my shoes. Then I grabbed a measuring tape – you know, the kind you use for sewing or whatever. I laid the lace out flat on the table and measured it from end to end.
They turned out to be about 54 inches long! No wonder I was having trouble.
Checking Different Shoe Sizes
I figured the length might depend on the shoe size, so I dug out a few other pairs of tennis shoes from the closet – my old running shoes and a pair my wife wears.I did the same method.
- My running shoes (size 10): The laces were about 45 inches.
- My wife’s shoes (size 7): The laces measured around 36 inches.
My “Perfect” Lace Length
I decided to try something.I went to my shoes again.
I laced up my shoes again, tying them like I normally would. Then, I took note of how much extra lace I had on each side. It was a lot! I snipped off a few inches from each end, little by little, until I had just enough to tie a comfortable bow without all the extra flopping around.
I found out that is okay for me.
What I Learned
So, it looks like there’s no single “perfect” length for tennis shoe laces.
It really depends on your shoe size and how many eyelets your shoes have.
But, if your laces are too long, don’t be afraid to trim them! Just make sure to leave enough to tie a good knot, and maybe melt the ends a bit with a lighter so they don’t fray.
It is a easy thing and funny!
