# What's that belt loop-like thing on the tongues of athletic shoes?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-belt-loop-like-thing-on-the-tongues-of-athletic-shoes/378371>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 29, 2006, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-belt-loop-like-thing-on-the-tongues-of-athletic-shoes/378371 "2006-10-29T23:46:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2006, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-belt-loop-like-thing-on-the-tongues-of-athletic-shoes/378371/1 "2006-10-29T23:46:17Z")

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Well?

Here’s a [pic](http://static.flickr.com/47/141239942_5db7128552_m.jpg) if you don’t know what I’m talking about.

It seems that all brands of athletic shoes have that thing. Are you supposed to put your laces through there or something? If so, why?

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**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2006, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-belt-loop-like-thing-on-the-tongues-of-athletic-shoes/378371/2 "2006-10-29T23:47:52Z")

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Yes, so the tongue doesn’t drift to one side or the other while you’re running. I rarely use it.

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**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-belt-loop-like-thing-on-the-tongues-of-athletic-shoes/378371/3 "2006-10-30T00:02:50Z")

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I use it on all athletic shoes. It works nicely to keep the tongue from sliding from side to side.

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**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-belt-loop-like-thing-on-the-tongues-of-athletic-shoes/378371/4 "2006-10-30T00:10:18Z")

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Ah - OK. Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Lobelia\_Overhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@Lobelia\_Overhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobelia_Overhill)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-belt-loop-like-thing-on-the-tongues-of-athletic-shoes/378371/5 "2006-10-30T12:04:29Z")

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I always thought it was to stop the tongue being pushed into the toe of the shoe when you’re trying to force your feet into the shoes…

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**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-belt-loop-like-thing-on-the-tongues-of-athletic-shoes/378371/6 "2006-10-30T17:28:36Z")

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Back when I played tennis regularly in the 80’s, this little loop was invaluable. The constant side stepping would shift the shoe tongue off-center, which got very uncomfortable. Not all brands followed the practice at the time, so I made sure that my shoes had the little loopy thingy.

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**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-belt-loop-like-thing-on-the-tongues-of-athletic-shoes/378371/7 "2006-10-30T22:02:03Z")

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OK - follow up just for fits and shiggles: does that thing have a name?

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**Author:** ![cardsfan1975](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f9b8f/32.png) [@cardsfan1975](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cardsfan1975)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-belt-loop-like-thing-on-the-tongues-of-athletic-shoes/378371/8 "2006-10-30T23:00:12Z")

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[QUOTE=Scruloose]  
OK - follow up just for fits and shiggles: does that thing have a name?  
[/QUOTE]  
Fluglebinder?

cf’75