Shoes with Velcro closures instead of laces are a great aid for those with arthritic or otherwise challenged hands, or folks in a hurry to shoe-up and go — say, after removing their shoes at airport X-ray checkpoints. But what if you love your lace-up shoes — except for the laces? Enter Zubits Magnetic Shoe Closures. Just unlace the shoe’s top three eyelet rows and relace through the holes on both sides of the rectangular plastic Zubits casing, with the magnetic inner edges connected. Then twist the two sides of the rectangle in opposite directions to pull them apart. Step into your shoes, bring the two very strong magnetic halves together and you’re good to go. OK, the process is a little more complicated than that, requiring some trial-and-error adjustments based on walking around, bending your feet and then snipping off excess shoelace ends. The company website provides detailed instructions, as well as tips on lacing and tying, with and without cutting the laces. Once your shoes are on and the Zubits halves are reunited, the magnetic closure will hold tight during normal walking, running and leaning forward onto your toes. To get out of a shoe, step on your heel and lift the foot up and then forward to split the Zubits apart (a lot easier than pulling them apart with your hands). Zubits come in three strengths, designed to work with a range of foot sizes and shoe heights, from flats to mid-top (above-the-ankle) boots. Color choices include basic white or black, pink, blue, brown and gray. Zubits are not recommended for children under age 5, and may be too difficult to maneuver for some physically challenged individuals.
Zubits Magnetic Shoe Closures are $19.99 – $21.99, depending on size at .
Judi Dash, Gear & Gadgets syndicate
