Zubits: Tiny Magnets Make Shoelace Tying A Thing Of The Past

By John Dodge

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Based on conservative mathematical calculations, a typical person around the age of 50 has tied his or her shoes more than 50,000 times.

Judging by female shoe styles, women may have done this fewer times. Regardless, it's still a lot of times.

By now, two things have happened:

1) Those people have mastered the skill.

2) Those people are probably tired of doing it.

A child who has yet to master this skill has asked their parents to tie his shoes--a lot.

This was the motivation behind Zubits.

More than two years ago, Ryan and Valerie Wiens started asking whether there could be an easier way to put on and take off shoes.

Their three children had a lot to do with this.

In that time, they developed these small magnetic fasteners that can be tied onto your shoes, thus eliminating the need to ever tie laces.

Looking at videos of the product, the magnets are designed to remain fastened during any typical activity, such as walking, running, jumping or playing on the playground.

Now the couple has launched a fund-raising campaign through Kickstarter.

Judging from the response, there are a lot of people who don't want to tie shoes.

A $20 donation gets you one pair of Zubits, with an expected delivery date of January, 2015.