So, OK, maybe these aren't the best laces for actually *tying* your shoes, but we got them for costume purposes (Tron-inspired). When they arrived I was so impressed that I immediately ordered more. Keep in mind that if you're going to use them in your shoes and are going to do a lot of moving around, the ends may sometimes slip out of the little battery powered pack - a minor inconvenience. But for the price these were really great!