Laces Too Long? How to Fix It Without Cutting

You tie your shoes and are left with loops that almost touch the ground. Or you step on your own lace while walking. Laces too long? It is one of the most common lace problems and fortunately also one of the easiest to fix. In this blog you will learn how to tuck away laces that are too long, when a shorter length is the better choice and how to pick the right length when you buy new laces.

In short

• If the loops and ends hang a good 10 cm too far on each side after tying, your lace is one step too long.
• Veter.nl works in steps of 20 cm. One step shorter therefore takes 10 cm off each side.
• A little too long is easily fixed with a double bow or by tucking the loops under the lacing.
• Using every eyelet or lacing a heel lock takes up extra lace and makes the ends shorter.
• You can cut them, but then you have to make a new aglet yourself. A shorter lace is often the neater option.

When are laces too long?

A lace is the right length when you can tie a normal bow with loops and ends that are roughly equal in length and do not hang over the edge of your shoe. If the loops touch the ground, slap against your shoe with every step or you always need a double bow to get rid of them, your laces are too long.

That is not only a matter of looks. Long loops catch on things more easily and a lace you step on pulls itself undone. The blog laces keep coming undone explains why long ends pull a bow loose sooner.

Laces too long: 5 fixes without new laces

If your laces are only a little too long, you do not need to buy anything. These fixes work with the laces you already have.

Fix	How it works	Works best on
Double bow	After the first bow, tie the loops around each other once more	Sports shoes and kids’ shoes
Tucking the loops away	Tuck the loops and ends under the top crossings of the lacing	Sneakers with flat laces
Using every eyelet	Lace the top pair of eyelets as well if you skip them now	High-tops and sports shoes
Lacing a heel lock	Use the extra eyelets at the top to make a loop on each side	Running and sports shoes
Hiding the bow	Tie the lace behind the tongue or tuck the ends into the shoe	Low-top sneakers

A different lacing pattern can help too. Ladder lacing uses noticeably more lace than criss-cross lacing. How that works and how much length each method takes is covered in the blog how to lace shoes. If you want the bow completely out of sight, you will find the methods step by step in how to hide shoelaces.

When should you choose a shorter lace?

If you find yourself tucking loops away every day, a shorter lace is the tidy solution. The sum is simple. Tie your shoe the way you normally wear it and see how much lace is left over on each side. If that is about 10 cm per side, go one step shorter. If it is about 20 cm per side, go two steps shorter.

Excess per side	What to do	Example
Less than 5 cm	Nothing, or a slightly bigger bow	120 cm stays 120 cm
About 10 cm	One step shorter	From 140 to 120 cm
About 20 cm	Two steps shorter	From 160 to 120 cm

Veter.nl carries lengths from 60 to 180 cm, in steps of 20 cm. The widest choice is from 100 to 160 cm. If you are torn between two lengths, count the eyelets on one side of your shoe and look up the length in the shoelaces length guide. The basic flat laces come in most lengths and colors. If you still get it wrong, you can swap unused laces in their original packaging within 14 days through the exchange service.

Can you shorten laces that are too long?

Yes, but it is rarely the best solution. When you cut a lace, the aglet goes with it. That is the hard end you use to push the lace through the eyelet. Without an aglet the lace frays and becomes almost impossible to lace.

If you do want to cut, take the same amount off both ends and finish the ends again. How to do that and which aglets you can buy separately is explained in what is an aglet. With elastic laces, shortening is part of the plan. You cut them to size after lacing and the end disappears into the lock.

Why are the laces in new shoes often too long?

Manufacturers supply the same model in many sizes, often with the same lace length. A small size is then left with more spare lace than a large one. Manufacturers also allow for every eyelet and a generous bow. If you skip the top pair of eyelets, you quickly end up with an extra 5 to 10 cm per side.

When you buy replacement laces, do not blindly measure the old lace if it was too long. Bring the measured length down to the step below.

Frequently asked questions

How long should the loops of a bow be?

There is no fixed measurement. As a guideline, the loops and the loose ends are roughly the same length and stay within the outline of your shoe.

Is too long better than too short?

Yes. A lace that is slightly too long can be tucked away. A lace that is too short can only be fixed by skipping a few eyelets or by buying a longer lace.

My laces are exactly between two lengths. What now?

Choose the longer one if you use every eyelet or tie a double bow. Choose the shorter one if you tie tightly or skip the top pair of eyelets.

Do laces get longer with wear?

A little. Cotton laces in particular can stretch slightly with heavy use. That is a matter of centimetres, not a whole step in length.

Know which length you need? Browse all laces by type or work out your length on the shoelaces length guide page.