Faux Locs: Which Style, Which Length, and How Many Packs

"Faux locs" covers two pretty different looks, and if you've been searching "how many packs of hair for faux locs" and getting numbers that flat out disagree with each other, that's exactly why. Those numbers are usually talking about different techniques, not different opinions. By the end of this, you'll know which style you're actually picturing, whether you're shopping for yourself or your kid, what length and color options exist, and roughly how many packs to grab.

Step 1: Pick your style, classic and structured or boho and textured

Most faux locs searches split into two families. Classic, or traditional, locs are neat and smooth: uniform, cylindrical, the kind that reads as polished and intentional. Boho, or distressed, locs go the other direction. They're softer and more layered, often with loose curls or accent strands mixed in, for a look that reads more natural and lived in. Add curls or extra pieces to a boho style and your upkeep goes up along with it.

Here's where our two products land on that split. Soprano's Virgin 9A Remi Dred Locs sit on the classic side, by name and by build: 100% virgin human hair you can dye, bleach, or perm however you want. Realistic's Ghana Kids Boho Locs land on the boho side by name and category. One honest note before you shop: the product description for the Boho Locs doesn't actually spell out curl or wisp texture, so we're not going to promise curly ends just because "boho" usually implies that. The name tells you the category. It doesn't confirm the texture.

Source: miradreadlocks.com, "Boho Dreads vs Fake Dreads: What's the Real Difference?"

Step 2: Buying for yourself, or for your kid?

This is a real fork, not just marketing copy. The Soprano Dred Locs product page describes them as suitable "for individuals of all ages and genders... men, women, and children." The Realistic Boho Locs page goes the other direction and markets straight to parents: "Kid-Friendly Protective Style," language built around a child's comfort and a busy parent's patience during install.

If you're buying for yourself, the Dred Locs are the all-ages, fully customizable pick. If you're buying for your kid, the Boho Locs are the ones actually built and priced for that job.

Step 3: Length and color

Right now each line comes in one length. Dred Locs run 14 inches. Boho Locs run 10 inches. If you searched for 12, 18, or 24 inch faux locs, real searches we see plenty of, we don't carry those lengths yet in either line, and we'd rather say so than pretend one of these is close enough.

Color works a little differently on each side too. Dred Locs currently ship in one shade, Natural Black. Boho Locs come in four color options: -1, -4, -1B, and -T1B/BUG, so there's more room to match a kid's natural color or go a little playful with it.

Step 4: How many packs, if you're doing a pre-looped install

Our Realistic Boho Locs are explicitly pre-looped, straight from the product listing: "Pre-Looped Tension-Free Design." That means you crochet them in as a finished loc rather than braiding a base first and adding hair separately. Our Soprano Dred Locs don't use that exact wording. Their listing calls it "Effortless Installation," a hassle-free process with no fuss, but it never says pre-looped, so we're not going to claim the identical install method for both when only one product actually states it. Either way, this distinction is exactly why pack-count advice online contradicts itself. Some of it is about a two-part technique (a separate cornrow base plus loose human hair added for texture). Some of it is about a pre-looped, single-product install like the Boho Locs. The numbers for those two techniques aren't interchangeable.

For the two-part technique, which is not what our two SKUs are but comes up constantly in the same discussions, one detailed community thread put the base-braid hair at 5-8 packs plus 1.5-3 packs of loose human hair for the accent curls, with other posters in that same thread reporting anywhere from 2-8 packs total depending on hair density and braid size.

For a pre-looped install, the technique the Boho Locs listing actually confirms, that same thread landed closer to 3 packs for a shorter, full-head look and 5-6 packs for a longer one. A separate retailer's general sizing guidance backs up the same shape (longer and fuller both push your count up) without giving a number that converts directly to our pack sizes.

One thing worth saying plainly: this range comes from other buyers comparing notes on Reddit, not from either manufacturer. Treat it as a solid starting point for how much to order, not a guarantee. And since Soprano's own listing doesn't confirm a pre-looped install, we're giving you the pre-looped number below as your reference point for the Boho Locs specifically. For the Dred Locs, ask your stylist which technique they're using before you order, since the install method isn't spelled out on the product page.

For comparison, the two-part braid-and-wrap technique (a different install than the confirmed Boho Locs method): roughly 5-8 packs of braiding hair plus 1.5-3 packs of loose human hair, per the same thread.

Sources: Reddit r/BlackHair, "Human hair boho braids, how many bundles do you need for your whole head?", miradreadlocks.com

Step 5: Your install tools

Since our Realistic Boho Locs are pre-looped, a crochet tool is what actually gets them in, not a separate braiding technique, and the same tool works for a pre-looped install generally. We carry two that work for this, both in stock right now: the Qfitt Dreadlocks Crochet Tool 1.0mm and the Qfitt E-Z Locs Tool. A 0.75mm triple version exists too, but it's sold out at the moment, so we're leaving it off this list until that changes.

Because the Boho Locs are synthetic fiber, prep them before install the same way you'd prep any synthetic braiding hair: our synthetic braiding hair prep and sealing guide covers the apple cider vinegar soak that removes the itch-causing manufacturing coating and the hot-water method for sealing loose ends.

Want something to keep the finished style looking sharp between washes? LOC N Lock & Twist Gel, LOC N Braiding Gel, and Jamaican Mango & Lime Locking Gel are all built for locs and twists specifically.

Step 6: Soprano Dred Locs vs. Realistic Boho Locs, side by side

Cells with no confirmed answer (like the Boho Locs' reusability) are left out on purpose instead of guessed at.

Quick answers

So: figure out your style family first, decide who you're actually shopping for, then match your length and pack count from there. If you're buying for yourself and want the classic, fully customizable option, start with the Soprano Virgin 9A Remi Dred Locs. It's the one built for exactly that.