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There are many ways how to lace vans, some simple while others being more complex to make a statement.
Follow our guide to ensure your lacing your vans the right way, we have made sure to include multiple options enabling you to pick the style best aligning with your personal preference.
This is how to lace Vans!
Cross Laces
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Here’s how you can cross lace your Vans:
- Take one end of your shoelace in your right hand and insert the aglet (tip of the shoelace) into the bottom right eyelet (shoelace hole) in a downwards motion. Repeat on the left side.
- Pull the lace from the opposite direction until a bar is formed between the bottom eyelets. Make sure it’s not twisted, then pull on both ends of the lace to tighten it.
- Now, take the end of the shoelace that’s coming out of the bottom right hole, and place it into the second to last eyelet on the left in a downwards motion. Repeat on the left side, making sure this time, you place the aglet in the right eyelet. This should create an “X” or crisscross.
- Repeat this process until you get up to the tongue of your sneakers (or wherever you feel most comfortable). Ensure the laces aren’t twisted or else it will interfere with your results.
- When you get to the final two eyelets, insert the aglets upwards (from inside of the shoe, towards you).
- Reverse the lacing for the other shoe, meaning lead with the left this time to create a mirror effect with your laces.
Cross lacing is perhaps the most popular way to lace Vans. Probably because that’s how they come in the box for Vans Authentic and Vans Old Skool.
This lacing style says you’re pretty chill and laid back. It can also say you’re reserved and not too fussy. This makes sense especially if you couldn’t be bothered to change how your shoes were laced after you got them.
Straight/Bar Laces
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Here’s a quick tutorial that will show you how to lace Vans, straight/bar style.
- Grab one end of the shoelace in your right hand and place the aglet (tip of the shoelace) into the bottom right eyelet (shoelace hole) in a downwards motion. Repeat on the left side.
- Once they’re both in, grab both ends and pull them outwards to tighten the lace. It shouldn’t be twisted or bent and should lay flat to create a bar.
- Take the right aglet and place it underneath the eyelet directly above it from inside the shoe. Pull the end of the lace that pokes through the top towards you. This hides the inner lacing, making it even neater!
- Take the left aglet and place it underneath the third to last eyelet. This means you should skip the one above it. Pull the end of the lace that pokes through the top towards you.
- Now, you should have space opposite the right lace and a space opposite the left lace. Don’t worry, this is what it’s supposed to look like.
- Take the right lace and push the aglet through the eyelet on the left (opposite it) in a downwards motion. It should form a straight bar similar to the one below it, without any twists or bends. Now, both laces will be on the left side, except one is above the throat, and the other is below it.
- Grab the one that is above the tongue ( from Step 4), and push the aglet through the eyelet on the right (opposite it). This should also form a bar similar to the one below it, without any twists or bends. Now, you have 3 bars.
- From here, you should feed the right lace into the eyelet above it (Right-hole 4). Skip the hole above the left lace and feed it into that eyelet (Left-hole 5).
- Repeat this process until you get up to the tongue of your Vans (or wherever you feel most comfortable), then do it with the other shoe.
Straight/bar laces are generally tighter than cross laces and help to give you a snug fit throughout the day.
Straight/bar lacing says you’re a minimalist or that you like everything looking neat and clean. It’s perhaps one of the easiest ways to lace your Vans too and is perfect for when your laces aren’t very long.
Ladder Lace
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- Feed one aglet (tip of the shoelace), into the bottom-right eyelet (shoelace hole) using a downwards motion, then pull it under and across to the left eyelet.
- Push the aglet through the left eyelet and pull it out towards you. Grab both the left and right end of your shoelace and pull them until they are even.
- Next, take the right aglet and push it downwards into the eyelet directly above it, This should form a short bar. Repeat on the left side. At this point, both ends are at the inside of your shoe.
- Take the aglet on the right, and cross it to the left side. Slide it underneath the bar on the left, then let go of it. Repeat this on the other side by taking the left aglet and crossing it to the right. Slide it under that bar, then release. This is the first rung of the ladder.
- Take the right aglet and push it downwards into the eyelet above it to create another short bar. Repeat on the left side.
- Repeat step 4 to create another rung until you are ready to tie your laces.
If you want something a bit more unique, then maybe you should try ladder lacing. This lacing technique is a bit trickier than cross and straight/bar laces and will show that you’re always willing to put in a little extra effort.
It also shows that you like a challenge, and more importantly, that you really know how to lace Vans.
No Tie Laces (Zipper)
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- Tie one end of your lace into a knot. The knot should be big enough so that it won’t pass through any of the eyelets (shoelace holes) This is an anchor and will help to make lacing your Vans using this style much easier. Plus you won’t need to tie your lace afterward.
- Take the unknotted end in your hand and place it underneath the bottom-right eyelet. Pull it out towards you until you are stopped by the knot.
- Cross the unknotted end to the bottom-left eyelet and push it inside in a downward motion.
- Pull to tighten, then bring the lace over and under the second-to-bottom right eyelet.
- Pull it upwards, then cross to the second-to-bottom left eyelet. Repeat until you are at the tongue of your shoes or out of lace. Pull as tight as you can and tuck it away.
Interlocking Lace
Last, but certainly not least is the interlocking lace. This is one of the more complicated styles of lacing.
When you rock these, it says that you are loving these Vans and that you’re never letting them go! Plus, it keeps shoes on tight, especially if you have slippery shoelaces.
When you have mastered this style, only then can you rightfully say that you know how to lace Vans. It’s a combo of cross laces, straight/bar laces, and fun! Here are the steps:
- Place one end of your shoelace into an eyelet (shoelace hole) and pull across to the other end. Push it through then ensure you have equal length on both sides. The ends of the laces should be on the outside of the shoe.
- Cross the laces in the air and pull, then cross again so that they are back in their original positions. Push the right aglet (tip of the shoelace) underneath the second-to-bottom eyelet and pull it out, then repeat with the left. OR Push the right aglet underneath the second-to-bottom right eyelet and pull it, leaving a little slack. Push the left aglet through the ‘slack’, then push it under the second-to-bottom left eyelet to interlock the laces.
- Repeat, this step until you are ready to tie your laces, ensuring the lock is in the center at all times.
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Now that you know how to lace Vans in five different ways, which method are you going to try first? They’re all pretty awesome!
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