Perfect! As an arthritic, one-handed runner (not that I need two hands to run, but you get the picture!) I have always left my runners tied and just jammed my feet in each time I go for a run. With these nifty little gadgets I can get my shoes on faster, there's no more wrinkled socks, and best of all... I'm not breaking down the heels of my shoes each time I put them on. I got my first set at the Diva 10k run and will be looking for a few more sets in the future. Thank you!     Jane Ono

With my back and hip problems I've had to call my wife every time to put on and take off my shoes. Since discovering lace-amatic I never again had to rely on anyone else to put on or take off my shoes or runners. Not only do my shoes go on and off quickly and easily but they give me the lace tightness I need for comfort and support.           Marty Weiten

I am an Occupational Therapist and Certified Hand Therapist and think that the lace-amatic is marvellous, whether one is able-bodied or not.   I love their elegant and clever design and the simplicity of putting on and removing my own runners is very convenient.   I have many clients with all sorts of hand problems and have no hesitation in recommending this useful device to them.       Joanne Smith

User questions, discoveries and adjustments for Lace-amatic: (That we can test & confirm)

SIGHT IMPAIRMENTS

• Give the knob on the end of the lever a light sanding and paint it the color of your choice with nail polish.
• Use a 3/4" length of heat sensitive electrical shrink wrap tubing over the lever knob to make it more visible and to give it a tactile grip. Lightly heat it with a lighter to shrink it into place around it.  *Note- Make sure that the shrink wrap is not so long that it can reach the lace-amatic base catch or it will get too sticky to slide off easily.

THE TOOL SOMETIMES POPS OUT OF ONE OF THE BASE HOLES WHEN I KICK OFF MY SHOES, AND IT FEELS LIKE THE LACE-AMATIC  IS TOO HIGH UP MY LACES.. 

• Keep the tools the way they are, but enclose more lace sections within the base to pull the whole lace-amatic further down the shoe.  This will hold the lace-amatic more securely in place when the shoes are undone.  Seven lace sections is the average but some people prefer  8 to 10  for personal comfort.

I HAVE FEET THAT ARE VERY SENSITIVE FROM  HIGH ARCH PROBLEMS.

•  I have found that skipping  the first, second or third lace section when installing the lace-amatic will reposition the lace-amatic off my arches and down the shoe.

TRAINING FOR 5-10 K RACES

• We have found that sliding the lace-amatic bases closest to the outside of the foot where it's flat works the best for our runners.

I PLAY BASKET BALL AND MY OPPONENTS HAVE LEARNED THEY CAN  UNDO MY LACES DURING PLAY BY STEPPING ON THE LACE-AMATIC LEVERS.

• I now get around this by tying an elastic band through the inside eyelet that is highest on my shoe. I leave a 1/2 inch of it free so that whenever I need to, I can  pull it up and over the end of the lace-amatic lever knob. This stops the levers from being pushed off the holding catches during the game. After the game, I just unhook the elastic band where it stays in place in the eyelet and everything returns to normal.

I  CAN'T BEND OVER TO REACH MY SHOES WITH MY HANDS.

• But it still works if I use a reacher to hold the shoe by its tongue. The shoe just slids on and I use either foot or my cane to swing the levers over and under the catches.

I DON'T LIKE THE WAY THE CLEAR LACE-AMATICS LOOK ON MY BLACK WALKING SHOES.

• I sand the lace-amatics lightly and give them a number of thin coats of flat black spray paint. You need to put a bit of tape on the levers where they go through the tool to stop the paint from getting inside, or they will get difficult to swivel. You will also need to remove any paint that has landed in the axle holes for the same reason. (I use a round file.)  A flat black lace-amatic, covered with black laces on a black shoe is invisible.

I HAVE  LITTLE HAND OR ARM STRENGTH.

•  I have found that lace-amatic works best when my OT put a drop of sewing machine oil on the joint where the lever goes through  the tool.