Can You Tell How Useful Are The 'Aglets' -- The Plastic Tips At The End Of Shoelaces?

Question

'Aglet' is considered by some as (possibly) one of the greatest inventions.

How uesful, do you think, are the aglets - the plastic sheaths at the end of the shoelaces?

How do' Aglets' stand before 'Thimbles'?

'Thimble is a small metal or plastic object you wear at the end of your finger to protect it when sewing' - in short 'a needle prick protector'.

Think & tell what would be the shoelaces without 'aglets' & where would we be with such shoelaces.

Answer 1

Aglets perform two main functions:

1. They help you thread the laces into the shoes

2. They prevent the laces from fraying (once threaded) so that the laces last longer

I wouldn't really say that they are among the greatest inventions. As a banker once said, "The one who invented Compound Interest was nobody's fool."

On the Aglets vs. Thimbles question, we're really pitting apples against oranges, aren't we? It's like asking if a torch (flashlight) is more useful than toilet paper. There have been occasions when I needed both and would have been severely handicapped, had one been absent.

Answer 2

Without the aglets, we would have a difficult time lacing our shoes, if we removed the laces for washing. Both aglets & thimbles are great inventions but there are many other inventions, far greater, like the commode for one.

Answer 3

You can always wrap a piece of tape around the end of the shoelace to get it through the hole. I think the thimble is harder to replace.

Answer 4

i never use a thimble... but i have struggled with my 9yr olds shoes many a time because he picks the Aglets off, it makes the job so much harder!!!!

Anyway i say go the Aglet!!!!!!!

Answer 5

They are good not only for decoration but for getting the shoelace through the holes to string your shoes.

Answer 6

OMG that's the first time I ever heard those things had a name even!

And monumentally useful, certainly a boon to civilization as we know it. Without them, we'd still be wearing button or buckle closing shoes, and where would your Nikes be with those?

Answer 7

I would hesitate to put it among the "greatest" inventions, but it is definitely a helpful one. It can be difficult to thread a lace when the end is uncoated and begins to fray.

Answer 8

Extremely useful to thread the lace through shoe's eyelets.

Answer 9

the real word is aglet, but its usually called the bead

Answer 10

Having had to lace a pair of shoes without those agelets, I have to say they are very very useful!!