What Size Shoelaces Do I Need?
The short answer
Count the pairs of eyelets on one shoe, then match it to the chart. If you're between two lengths, go shorter for low-tops and longer for anything you lace tight.
| Spiffy length | Eyelet pairs | Typical shoes |
|---|---|---|
| 30 inch | 2–3 pairs | Kids' sneakers, slip-ons, very low-cut shoes |
| 45 inch | 4–6 pairs | Most adult low-tops — Vans Old Skool and Era, Air Force 1 Low, Samba, New Balance runners |
| 55 inch | 6–8 pairs | Dunks, Air Max, Stan Smith, Jordan 1 Low, most mid-tops |
| 65 inch | 8–10 pairs | High-tops, Jordan 1 High, Air Force 1 Mid and High, Chuck Taylor highs, boots |
The honest version: every chart disagrees
Look up a shoelace length chart and you'll find five different answers for the same shoe. One retailer says a Jordan 1 High takes 63 inches. Another says 72. Both are selling laces, and both are guessing at an average.
They disagree because lace length doesn't depend on the shoe model alone. It depends on how many eyelets it has, how far apart they are, how you lace it, and how big a bow you like. A 10½ and a 7 in the same model don't need the same lace.
So treat any chart, including ours, as a starting point — and use one of the three methods below if you want to get it right the first time.
Three ways to get it right
1. Measure the laces you already have (most accurate)
Pull one lace all the way out, lay it flat, and measure it end to end including the plastic tips. That's your number. If those laces felt too long or too short, adjust by one size — not two.
2. Count your eyelet pairs
Count the holes on one side of one shoe. That's your pair count. Match it to the chart above. This is the fastest method and it's right most of the time.
3. The string method (for odd shoes)
If you've lost the original laces and the eyelet count is unusual, thread a piece of string or a phone charger cable through the shoe exactly the way you'd lace it, leave enough at both ends to tie a bow, then pull it out and measure it flat.
Why our sizes aren't the standard ones
Most lace brands sell 36, 48, 54 and 63 inch. We run 30, 45, 55 and 65. That isn't an accident — the lengths were set around how our flat lace actually sits in the shoes people were buying them for, not around an inherited standard.
In practice it means our 45 inch sits between the common 36 and 48, and our 65 inch runs slightly longer than a standard 63. If you're used to 48 inch laces, our 45 is the closest — with a slightly smaller bow. If you're used to 63, our 65 gives you a little more to work with.
Flat laces lace differently
Every Spiffy lace is flat, and flat laces behave differently from round ones in two ways worth knowing:
- They take up more room in the eyelet. A flat lace sits wider, so it can feel tighter through small metal eyelets even at the same length.
- They hold a knot better. More surface area means more friction, so flat laces come undone less. You can go slightly shorter than you would with round laces and still tie a bow that stays.
When to size up
Go one length longer if you do any of these:
- Tie a double knot every time
- Like a big, loose bow
- Lace straight-bar or ladder style, which both eat more lace than criss-cross
- Wear a US men's 12 or larger
Go one length shorter if you skip eyelets, prefer a tight minimal bow, or keep tucking the ends in.
Still not sure?
Tell us the shoe you're lacing and we'll tell you the length. It takes us thirty seconds and saves you a return.
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