Lacing up your Nike Dunks to achieve that sleek look seen in official images can be a challenge, especially with a fresh pair. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with step-by-step guidance.
Our guide walks through lacing up some of Nike’s best sneakers since their debut in 1985. Plus, we've included top tips for a secure, comfortable fit, whether for basketball or everyday wear, across all styles—Lows, Mids, Highs, or even the iconic SB line.
We understand that traditional lacing techniques might not fit everyone's style, so we've included a few alternative methods to suit all preferences too. So, grab your best Nike Dunks and follow our top tips below.
How to lace Dunks
Here’s the recommended technique if you're aiming to replicate the clean, iconic look Nike achieves with its Dunks, often hailed as some of the best basketball shoes of all time, in their official images.
Although we’ll focus on lacing the Low version here, this method works just as well for both high-top and mid-top styles. The key steps remain consistent, taking you all the way to the top eyelets. So, let’s get started…
Step 1: Begin by threading one end of the shoelace through the first eyelet, then repeat on the opposite side. Pull the lace evenly to ensure both sides are equal in length.
Step 2: Cross the laces and thread each end through the second row of eyelets from underneath, so the crossover sits on top.
Step 3: Continue crossing and threading the laces through each set of eyelets as you move up the shoe.
Top Tip: Keep the laces flat and pull them snug as you go to ensure a clean, tight finish without any slack.
Step 4: Around the fifth or sixth eyelet, you’ll have the option to either thread the lace through the tongue tab or cross over it. For a more secure fit, we recommend threading through the tab.
Step 5: Decide whether you want to lace all the way to the top or stop just before the final eyelet. Stopping early is a popular choice, leaving you with a bit more lace to tie a comfortable knot.
Step 6: Repeat these steps with your other shoe, and your Dunks are now laced up and ready to go!
Following this approach will give your sneakers the perfect blend of style and security—just like you see in Nike's official images.
What laces do you need?
To adequately cover an average of seven eyelets and ensure sufficient length for tying a knot, it's advisable to pick shoelaces measuring around 140cm or approximately 55". This length is also the standard size for stock shoelaces. Subsequently, you are faced with the choice of opting for either flat or rounded laces.
Typically speaking, Nike Dunks, like these popular "Industrial Blue" Lows, come with flat laces as standard. However, that doesn't mean round, or even oval laces are out of the question. For instance, you can pick up white oval laces, like these from DELELE, to achieve a look similar to the one seen from the "Infrared" Dunks.
The color is down to you as well. You can either opt to match your laces to your sneakers, or mismatch them entirely for a more unique and standout look.
Alternative ways to lace Dunks
While our step-by-step guide details one of the most common ways of lacing a pair of Nike Dunks, it isn't the only method out there. We've detailed a few alternative techniques below.
Straight bars
The straight bar method is perhaps the next most common lacing technique after the aforementioned method. It's one we've also covered before in our guide to lacing Air Force 1s, so head on over there for more information.
To start, create a straight bar between the first eyelets, then take the left aglet and feed it through the third eyelet up on the right from underneath before threading it through the opposite eyelet over the top to create a bar across the tongue.
Do the same with the right aglet, but instead of the third row of eyelets, feed your shoelace through the second eyelets, leaving three neat straight bars ready for you to repeat the previous steps until you reach the top.
Un-tied And loose
Keeping your Dunks loose and untied is also another highly popular lacing technique. Fortunately, the method remains the same as our first technique. The only difference is once you've reached the top, you'll want to go back and loosen each crossover section, leaving a couple of inches of shoelace spare on either side.
That's it! Hopefully, you can now lace your sneakers with ease so you're ready to go out. Stay tuned for more guides like this here at RealKit.