If you’ve ever looked closely at a pair of Air Jordan 6 Retro, there’s a good chance you stared at that random extra hole on the side panel and wondered:
In this full guide, I break down everything about that “mystery” side hole, why it exists, how it was intended to be used, and the exact lacing method I use to make the shoe sit clean on-foot while keeping the classic Jordan 6 shape.
This is based on the pair you see in the photos — a clean white/black Air Jordan 6 Retro that I picked up and restored. I show the before/after, the difference between using the side panel hole and skipping it, and how the laces change the silhouette of the entire shoe.
🕶️ Why the Jordan 6 Has That Extra Side Hole (Real Explanation)
The Air Jordan 6 was designed in 1991 by Tinker Hatfield, the same genius behind the Jordan 3, 4, 5, 11, etc. The 6 was built for support and lockdown because this was the shoe Michael Jordan would wear while chasing — and winning — his first NBA championship.
Today, most people ignore the hole because they don’t know how to thread it, or they want a looser lifestyle fit instead of a performance basketball fit. But if you’re wearing the Jordan 6 in 2025 as a lifestyle shoe AND you want a clean shape, the side hole actually makes the shoe look better.
👟 What the Jordan 6 Was Made From (Materials & Build)
This pair uses:
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Tumbled leather upper — classic retro material
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Neoprene inner sleeve — gives that sock-like fit
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Rubber spoiler pull tab — inspired by sports cars
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Visible Air unit in the heel
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Two pull-holes on the tongue — standard Jordan 6 design
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Perforation clusters for breathability
The perforations, side holes, and the panel geometry were all designed so the shoe tightens in a specific direction. If you don’t use the hole, the shoe can look loose around the top of the foot. When you run the lace through the side hole, the shape tightens and looks more athletic.
🔧 Step-by-Step Lacing Using the Side Hole
Here’s the exact method shown in my video:
1. Start with straight bar lacing
This keeps the toe area clean and lets the shoe sit flat.
2. Lace the first 3–4 holes normally
Keep it snug but not tight. Jordan 6 tongues sit high, so you want a smooth flow up to the midfoot.
3. Thread into the “mystery” side hole
4. Bring the lace back into the main eyelets
Now the shape becomes sharper and more vertical.
5. Tie the shoe loose at the top
Jordan 6s look best when the top two lace points are loose, letting the tongue stand straight.
6. Compare before/after (huge difference)
👀 About My Pair (Details Shown in Photos)
Inside this pair you’ll find markings like:
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F14911
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M/S
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03041406R
These don’t indicate “vintage” but are factory production codes, mold stamps, or batch numbers used for sorting specific runs. I share them because collectors often ask and because some buyers want to verify markings before buying used Jordans online.
Later, I’ll put this pair on eBay — when the listing is live, I’ll update this article with the link.
🧼 Restoration Notes (If You Found a Pair Like Mine)
This Jordan 6 Retro pair had:
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creasing around the toe
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tongue discoloration
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lace yellowing
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dust inside the neoprene sleeve
I cleaned it using:
✨ Why This Lacing Method Makes the Jordan 6 Look Way Better
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the midfoot looks empty
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the leather panel collapses inward
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the tongue looks too tall
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the front angle looks sloppy
When the side hole IS used properly:
Most people have never even tried it — that’s why this tutorial exists.
📣 Conclusion
If you ever wondered:
The Jordan 6 Retro has a lot of personality, a lot of history, and a lot of design thinking behind it. When you lace it right, the shoe transforms from “okay” to “damn, that looks legit.”
Whether you’re restoring a pair, selling a pair, or just want your Jordan 6s to look cleaner, this method works every time.
