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How to Lace Wide Laces So They Stay Flat
A regular lace hardly stands out. A wide lace does. With a band 20 or even 30 mm wide, you give a sneaker a bolder, fuller look in one go. But lacing wide laces works slightly differently from regular laces: they twist easily, not every eyelet is big enough and you often need more length. In this blog you will read how to lace wide laces, which width suits your shoe and how to keep them lying nice and flat.
In short
- Wide laces are flat laces of 15, 20 or 30 mm. They stand out and give a sneaker more volume.
- They work best in sneakers with roomy eyelets. If the aglet won’t go through the eyelet without pushing, choose a narrower lace.
- The secret to neat lacing: keep the band flat and don’t let it twist anywhere.
- Wide laces use a little more length, so go one step longer than your regular lace.
- You can tie them, but many people tuck the ends away for a clean look.
What are wide laces?
Wide laces are flat laces that are a lot wider than the standard 8 mm. They became popular in the hip-hop and breakdance scene of the 1980s and have never really gone away. Today you mostly see them in chunky sneakers, basketball shoes and high-tops, but they make a difference in a simple white sneaker too.
| Width | Look | Lengths |
|---|---|---|
| 8 mm (standard) | Neutral, blends in | 60 to 180 cm |
| 15 mm (wide teddy) | Full, with a striking texture | 120 and 140 cm |
| 20 mm (wide laces) | Clearly wide, sporty | 120 and 140 cm |
| 30 mm (extra wide) | Maximum statement | 120 cm |
All widths are in wide laces, extra wide laces and wide teddy laces.
Will wide laces fit my shoe?
That depends on your eyelets. A wide lace is a flat band that you fold slightly at every eyelet. In sneakers with roomy eyelets or large metal rings, that is easy. With small round holes it becomes fiddly and the lace ends up looking crumpled.
Try this: if the aglet goes through the smallest eyelet without pushing and the band slides through without forcing, the width is right. If it’s a struggle, choose a narrower option. For a full look in smaller eyelets, fat oval laces (9 mm) are a good alternative.
How to lace wide laces, step by step
Wide laces look best when the band lies flat everywhere. Nobody notices a twist in a thin lace, but at 20 mm every twist shows straight away.
- Remove the old laces and lay the new lace flat on a table, without twists.
- Start at the bottom and push both ends down through the bottom pair of eyelets from the top. Even out the lace so both sides are the same length.
- Continue with criss-cross or straight lacing. Turn the band at every eyelet so the same side always faces up.
- After each crossing, straighten the lace and smooth it flat with your fingers.
- At the end, check that both ends are the same length.
Straight lacing makes wide laces stand out even more, because the bands sit across the shoe like neat bars. How to do it is explained in our blog on how to lace shoes.
What length wide laces do you need?
A little more than you think. Because the band is thicker as it passes through the eyelet, every crossing costs some extra length. First find the length for a regular lace in our shoelace length guide and then go one step longer.
In practice, 120 cm fits most low-top sneakers and 140 cm fits high-tops. The extra wide 30 mm laces come in 120 cm and are mainly meant for low-top sneakers.
Tie them or tuck them?
Either works. A bow with a wide lace turns out big and full, which looks good on a chunky sneaker. For a cleaner look, lace the shoe a little looser so you can slip it on and off without tying. Then tuck the ends away inside the shoe, under the tongue or along the side. Keep the shoe loose enough to get in with a shoehorn, though, or your heel lining will wear quickly.
Read on: thick laces for sneakers, what teddy laces are and skate shoe laces that keep breaking.
Frequently asked questions
Do wide laces come undone more easily?
No, if anything less so. A flat, wide band has a lot of contact in the knot, so the bow stays tied well. A big bow does swing more, so don’t make the loops too large.
Can I use wide laces in any sneaker?
Only in sneakers with roomy eyelets. With small holes the band folds too much and doesn’t lie nicely. Choose fat oval laces (9 mm) instead.
What is the difference between wide laces and wide teddy laces?
Wide laces have a smooth, flat band. Wide teddy laces are slightly narrower at 15 mm and have a striking texture in the band.
My wide lace keeps twisting. What do I do?
Re-lace it and keep the same side facing up at every eyelet. Smooth it flat after each crossing. Eyelets that are too tight can also be the cause. In that case, try a narrower lace.
Find more flat laces in every width in flat laces.
