The Sneaker Hack You Didn’t Know You Needed

Last week, we were introduced to the Hickies lacing system. These elastic bands take the place of shoestrings and are designed so you never have to tie your laces again. Kindergarteners, rejoice!

Granted, the bunny-ear method doesn’t take exceptionally long (unless you’re dealing with a pair of lace-up skates, which is basically like tying a mini corset around your foot). So, while you might save a minute each day, these laces' real hack comes from their ability to customize fit. There are multiple ways to snap the Hickies laces onto your sneakers, each providing a different feel — if the toe box feels a little too roomy, use the "tight fit" lacing technique to make it more snug. We’re told that triathletes are fans of these laces, since slip-ons help speed up the transition from bike shoes to sneakers for the last leg of the race.

And, from a functional-fashion standpoint, Hickies means no dangling laces to trip over, and no tucking in the bunny ears for a cleaner look. You can even mix and match the colors and styles to personalize your sneaks. Click through to see these elastic laces in action.