Shoelace Length Calculator — Criss-Cross, Straight & Bar Lacing
Enter the number of eyelet pairs, the horizontal distance between the eyelet columns, the vertical spacing between rows, and your preferred lacing style to get the exact lace length you need.
mm
mm
mm
Lacing style
Recommended lace length for the selected lacing style
Base horizontal (straight across bottom): 38 mm
Diagonal length per cross: √(W² + G²) = √(38² + 16²)
10 diagonal crossings × 41.2 mm
Tying allowance (2 × 250 mm)
Total lace length
- 1
Diagonal segment length
√(38² + 16²) = 41.23 mmEach cross-over diagonal spans both the eyelet-column width and the row gap. - 2
Cross-over segments (10 total)
2 × (6 − 1) × 41.23 = 412.3 mm - 3
Tying tails
2 × 250 mm = 500 mm - 4
Total length
(38 + 412.3 + 500) ÷ 10 = 95 cm
How does this calculator work?
For criss-cross lacing: L = W + 2(n−1)·√(W²+G²) + 2·tail, where W = eyelet-column width (mm), G = row spacing (mm), n = eyelet pairs, tail = bow allowance per side (≈250 mm). A 6-eyelet adult sneaker (W = 38 mm, G = 16 mm) needs ≈ 95 cm. Round up to the next standard sold length.
Formula
How this is calculated
For criss-cross lacing — the most common style — the lace starts with a straight horizontal segment (W mm) across the bottom eyelets, then both ends cross diagonally between each pair of rows. The Pythagorean length of each diagonal is √(W² + G²), where W is the eyelet-column width and G is the row pitch. With n eyelet pairs there are n − 1 crossings on each of the two sides, giving 2(n − 1) diagonal segments. Finally, two tying tails of length t each are added for the bow.
For straight (European) lacing the lace alternates horizontal segments on the outside of the shoe with vertical runs inside. There are n horizontal passes (one per row, width W each) and n − 1 vertical segments (spacing G each), with no diagonals at all — hence a shorter total for wide shoes with close-set rows.
Display (bar) lacing is similar to straight but all horizontal runs are visible on the outside; it uses n − 1 horizontals and 2(n − 1) vertical runs, making it slightly longer than straight lacing. All three formulas add ±5 % for eyelet geometry; round up to the next standard lace length available (typically sold in 45", 54", 60", 63", 72" or 120 cm, 150 cm increments).
Frequently asked questions
A typical adult sneaker with 6 eyelet pairs, 38 mm width and 16 mm row spacing needs about 90–100 cm for criss-cross lacing when including a 250 mm tying tail per side. The standard 45" (114 cm) lace is a safe choice that leaves a generous bow.
Criss-cross diagonals have length √(W² + G²), which is always longer than either W or G alone. Straight lacing uses only horizontal and vertical segments with no hypotenuse, so for the same shoe it is shorter. The difference grows with narrower shoes or larger row spacing.
With the shoe unlaced, use a ruler or tape measure. Eyelet width (W) is the centre-to-centre distance between the left and right eyelets at the same row, measured horizontally. Row spacing (G) is the centre-to-centre distance between vertically adjacent eyelets on the same side. Standard athletic shoes are typically 35–45 mm wide and 14–20 mm apart.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Shoelace Length Calculator — Criss-Cross, Straight & Bar Lacing [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/shoelace-length-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Shoelace Length Calculator — Criss-Cross, Straight & Bar Lacing." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/shoelace-length-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Shoelace Length Calculator — Criss-Cross, Straight & Bar Lacing," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/shoelace-length-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_shoelace_length_calculator, title = {Shoelace Length Calculator — Criss-Cross, Straight & Bar Lacing}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/shoelace-length-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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