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September 01, 2007
Yankz!
A couple of weeks ago while I was swimming at the lake with my tri group, the head coach asked me if I'd tried Yankz! no-tie shoelaces. She told me I should check them out, and I made a mental note to keep an eye out for them the next time I found myself in a running/multisport store. Fast forward to the tri expo last weekend when I found myself face to face with a pair of them that perfectly matched my running shoes. I was buying a few other things so I went ahead and picked them up.
I didn't get around to putting them on my shoes until the other night, and I'll admit it: I had my doubts. I tend to wear my shoes tied pretty tight to add extra support to my overly pronatey ankles, and I wasn't sure they'd be able to stay tight enough for me. It took me a few tries to lace them up right - the instructions tell you to leave a loop at the top and not to lace your shoes tight, and when I did it that way I wound up with some really loosey-goosey shoes that were not going to work. So I redid it my way - no loop at the top, and I laced them up like regular shoelaces (i.e., a little on the tight side). Once I had one shoe all done, I tried it on and I was amazed. The elastic was stretchy enough that I could get my foot in the shoe easily, but strong enough that the shoe felt tight and secure on my foot. Encouraged, I laced up shoe #2 and then waited for my next chance to test them out.
The test run happened this morning on my long run. I was mildly concerned that they wouldn't stay tight for the entire 2.5 hours, but I figured I could either deal with it or head home to relace with the regular laces. (Had I really been thinking, I would have taken the regular laces with me, but I wasn't so much on top of things this morning.) To my amazement, they stayed tight and secure the entire way. Color me impressed. Not only will these rock for triathlons, but I'll never have to worry about shoelace loops flopping all about ever again! (I switched to Saucony shoes a few months ago, and those things have freaking miles of shoelaces on them. It's mind-boggling.)
You can buy Yankz! from their web site for $7.50/pair and they come in 50 colors, with black or white clips. I paid $7.75/pair for mine at the Urban Tri Gear booth at the expo.
Posted by Dawn at September 1, 2007 05:30 PM
Comments
I've thought about getting those even though I'm not tri-ing. They sound really cool.
Posted by: ShoreTurtle at September 1, 2007 07:30 PM
thanks for the review! these are top of the list before hitting my next race!
Posted by: jeff at September 2, 2007 11:28 PM
I have never heard of them, but they sound pretty sweet. My question is...do they make it easier to LOOSEN shoes? My feet always get really fat during long runs (sweet, huh?) and I actually have to loosen my shoes. When you are hot, sweaty, tired, and your knees hurt - loosening your shoes suddenly becomes the biggest challenge of your life ;)
Posted by: lifestudent at September 5, 2007 01:10 PM
Those look fun. I definitely experienced the miles of saucony shoelaces in the tri this weekend--that might have chopped some seconds off of the transition :)
Posted by: Rachel at September 9, 2007 07:59 PM