Rick Owens Boots Zipper And Lace Options Compared
choose zippers if you wear them often and want speed, choose laces if you want a precise fit and don’t mind the extra minute. Rick Owens boots come in both, and some skip both for snaps or pull-ons. This guide covers how each closure behaves, what breaks, who each one suits, and the one fit problem people don’t expect.
The two closures, one at a time
Lace-ups are the classic. A row of eyelets, a lace you pull tight, and total control over how snug the boot sits across your foot. Rick Owens does plenty of these, from combat https://rickowen.us/ to heeled ankle boots. One retailer lists the men’s Bogun, a lace-up heeled ankle boot priced at 1,685 pounds. A pre-owned listing shows a DRKSHDW high lace-up military boot, in size 42, at $750 with the box and dust bag. Zippers are the shortcut. A pull tab, a metal track, and you’re in. A Grailed listing describes Mainline calf leather zipper army boots from the 15FW season. Rick Owens’ zip-fronts are some of the most recognizable boots the label makes.Both look great. They just fail in different ways.
Which is faster to put on?
Zippers, and it isn’t close. You step in, tug the slider up, and you’re done in about ten seconds. Laces take a minute if you do them properly, and longer on a tall boot with a dozen eyelets.That gap Rick Owen Boots more than it sounds. Boots you struggle to put on become boots you don’t wear. I’ve seen people buy a gorgeous lace-up pair and then wear the same sneakers all winter because lacing up felt like a chore.If you take your shoes off at the door a lot, or you’re a commuter, zippers win. Simple.
Which one fits better
Laces. By a wide margin.A lace lets you loosen the instep, tighten the ankle and leave the toes alone. That’s a big deal in Rick Owens boots, because the brand’s Italian sizing runs narrow for many buyers, and a stiff leather upper doesn’t give much. With laces you can make a slightly tight pair bearable by easing the top rows.Zippers can’t do that. The boot is as snug as the cut says it is, and the zipper line sits right where the foot flexes. A zip boot that’s slightly off in size stays slightly off.Here’s the catch. A lace-up boot that’s too loose can be tightened, but the same boot gets floppy at the ankle if the laces are too long to tie neatly. Fit and fuss, you pay for one or the other.
What actually breaks
Zippers break. Laces don’t, exactly. Laces fray, then snap, then you replace them for a few dollars.A failed zipper is a different story. The slider wears out, a tooth gets bent, or the tape tears, and suddenly the boot won’t close. That Grailed listing for the zipper army boots mentions a “gently used” condition and visible wear being normal on pre-owned pieces. Zips take daily strain, so they’re the part to inspect on any used pair.A cobbler can usually replace a zipper, and it costs a lot more than new laces. Plan for that if you buy a pair you’ll wear every week.
Looks and silhouette
Closure changes the shape of the boot, more than most people notice.Lace-ups give you a layered, workwear look, especially in combat styles. You can swap laces for a different color or a flat waxed cord and change the vibe in five minutes. Zippers give a clean, sleek line, and the boot looks more sculptural, because there’s nothing across the front to break it up.If you wear trousers tucked in or long, wide hems, the zipper line tends to disappear under them. Laces show. Which one you want depends on whether you like the detail or the clean surface.
Care and upkeep
Neither needs much, but they ask for different things.For laces, wash them every few months or just replace them. Don’t leave muddy laces on a good boot, because dirt works into the eyelets and stains the leather. For zippers, brush off dust now and then, and rub a little wax or zipper lubricant along the teeth if it starts to catch. Don’t force a stuck zipper. That’s how teeth bend.Leather conditioner helps both, but keep it away from the zipper tape. It can stain the fabric.
Which should you pick?
Think about your week. A boot you wear daily and take off at the door? Zippers. A boot you wear on weekends and want to feel locked-in on? Laces.If you’re unsure about sizing, I’d go for laces, simply because they forgive more. That’s my honest take, and it goes against the idea that zippers are the “cleaner” choice. A boot that fits properly looks better than a clean one that pinches.And if you want both, there are zip-and-lace styles, though they cost more and add more parts to break.
Before you buy
Check the closure on the exact model, because a single name can come in both versions. Look at the return policy, test the zipper or laces the day they arrive, and make sure the boot fits with your usual socks. Pick the closure that fits how you actually dress in the morning, not just how the pair looks in photos. That’s how you get Rick Owens boots you’ll actually reach for.