How To Lace Vans Sneakers: The Essential Guide

Globally recognised as the original skate shoe brand, Vans sneakers have long been synonymous with comfort, durability, and versatility. Designed to be beaten up on the board, the scuffs, tears and marks from a good old worn pair of Vans are just some of the things that makes each pair so unique. With this in mind, Vans sneakers have always been a kind of canvas for self-expression – whether that’s through scribbed-on soles, rips and tears and even painted canvases, so it’s no surprise that people often want to switch up the lacing system too.

From classic cross lace style, to bar laces, zip laces and even tips for hiding them all together, if you’re wondering how to lace Vans then read on to find out more.

We love to cross lace our Vans kicks – especially the Old Skool and Vans Authentic silhouettes. Fact is, criss-cross lacing is far more comfortable than any other lacing style, as the crossovers occur at the side of the foot, so the feel is more even and there is less pressure on the top of your foot. Chances are you already know how to cross lace, but if you need a quick refresher, follow our step-by-step guide below to find out how.

If you’re not a fan of the cross-lace look, you can always bar lace your Vans instead. Bar lacing just means straight laces, but bear in mind this works best on shoes with an even number of eyelets as you'll get a neater finish.

Bar lacing is a pretty comfortable lacing method, as it helps to take pressure off the upper of your foot. How do you do it? Find out below.

Vans Sk8 Hi sneakers are probably one of the brand’s best-selling silhouettes. Personally, we prefer to cross-lace our Sk8 Hi’s, but if you bar lace them, you’ll get a tighter fit which is perfect for both on and off the board.

You can even switch your lace style to match your mood! Go bar lace one day and cross lace the next, we won’t judge.

If you don’t like the look of tied laces or you want to prevent the laces getting caught under your board or in your bike chain, tucking them away is probably the best option. But, if you’ve ever done this, you’ll know how annoying it can be when the aglets dig into your ankle! We’ve got a few tips and tricks that might help…

So, there you have it! As you'll have seen, there's no right or wrong way to lace your Vans, it all comes down to personal preference and self-expression. One thing we will say is, if you are skating, please be careful if you choose not to lace your Vans, as this is way more likely to cause an accident!

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