Everything You Need to Know About Roller Skate Laces

Broke your laces or just want to spruce up your skates and give them a fresh look? Well, it’s time to take a trip to the lace bar and choose from the literal hundreds of options. Like most things in roller skating, laces aren’t as straightforward as they would seem. But trust us when we say there is a style for everyone, and yes, personal preference does come into play. So what do you need to know to find your ideal laces?

To wax or not to wax?
There are two main types of roller skate laces, waxed and unwaxed. Most roller skates come standard with an unwaxed lace but when making a change you might want to think about which type is right for you.

Waxed laces have a thin layer of wax applied to the lace surface, which can make them feel slightly sticky.

• Pros – The wax helps to keep your laces tied the same throughout a session, they’re moisture resistant, and the coating makes them more durable.
• Cons – Can feel too firm or tight for some people, the wax can leave a residue or mark suede skates but you can reduce the risk by washing the waxed laces before installing them on your skates.

Unwaxed laces are just like traditional shoelaces and are made of polyester.

• Pros – They have a bit of stretch so can be nice to relieve foot pressure and help with skate moulding, nice and flexible so you can customise your fit and they are easier to lace.
• Cons – They can loosen during sessions and are more prone to frays and breaks.

Size matters!
Width
Roller skate laces can come in varied widths, the most common being 6mm and 10mm wide. Thinner laces are easier to lace and manoeuvre. Thicker laces are popular with more aggressive styles of skating such as roller derby and park skating as they provide a more secure fit, but they can be difficult to lace through hooks and eyelets.

Length
Any skate shop worker will have heard this question a hundred times, “what length laces do I need for my roller skates?” The most common lengths are 72, 84, 96 and 108 inches. There are some general guides, but it also depends on your preferences. Some like them short, some like them long, and some wrap around their skates, just keep this in mind when choosing what will work for you.

• 72 inches – For low cut roller skate boots like derby and sneaker-style skates. If you have very small size skates you may even need 60 inch laces.
• 84 inches – Ideal for heeled or high top roller skates up to size 7 or firm boots up to size 5. Close to Chuffed Skates stock laces (they are 80 inches).
• 96 inches – Ideal for heeled or high top roller skates from size 7-10 or firmer heeled roller skates up to size 7. A common choice for Moxi Roller Skates wearers who like the stock laces (they come with 90 inch laces).
• 108 inches – For heeled or high top roller skate sizes 10 and up or firm boots size 7 and up. If you have stiff, firm or wide roller skates in a larger size you may even need a 120 inch lace.

Still not sure what laces you have or need? You can always take the laces out of your skates and measure the length.

You can shop all our roller skate laces over here. If we don’t have the length you’d like in stock, let us know and we’ll see what we can do to get you laced up right.

How should you lace roller skates?
There are a bunch of different ways to lace your roller skates, you can keep it standard similar to how you lace shoes, or you can mix it up to suit any foot issues that you may be experiencing. This can include ways to lace to relieve pressure for bunions, wide feet or high arches or ways to find a more secure fit to prevent heel slippage. Moxi Roller Skates have put together a super informative and helpful video with examples of how you can lace your skates which you can watch here. Want a lacing technique chart that you can save to easily call on, try this one.

There you have it, all that you need to know about roller skate laces. Just remember there’s no right or wrong when it comes to laces, so you do you! If you still have some questions send them our way, our staff will be happy to help.