we need to talk about vans footwear

[buttpirate]

the newly manufactured shoes suck. blisters for days. separating rubber sole for days. floppy shoes after 3 sessions. crappy insoles.

am I the only one experiencing this?  the last good pair of vans I had was the DD Spawn pro model, and they've discontinued that now. even the half cabs are getting worse.

[Frank]

i agree. i just got a pair of tnt5s for skating and the rowley classics because they look dope. although i had 2 pairs of tnt5s before of the same size, the newer ones just suck. super stiff and much more narrow somehow. i wore them for almost two weeks straight and they still feel stiff as fuck whereas i could skate my first pair right away. the rowleys look sick but the materials are dirt cheap, too. sidewalls already start to seperate from the shoe after not even a weeks wear. the synthetic upper feels like cardboard with a rubber coating and has already stains from coming into contact with edgy objects.

i will probably sell the tnts and keep the rowleys for a teenage nostalgia look, but this were most likely the last vans i ever bought. this company is pretty much dead to me now. prices rise every season while the quality of their shoes seems to be at an all time low.

[Firebert]

I was pretty disappoint with the most recent syndicates I got, the cardboard under the insole wasn't even glued down, and the heel slippage is INSANE, I have to lace em as tight as possible all the way up just to keep em on... I couldn't even be bothered to skate them.

They LOOK nice though...

[Strike A Pose]

People don't buy Vans for the quality, they buy them because they like the way the look and how they feel (paper thin).

It's not a secret that they suck and it isn't worth discussing. If the lightbulb FINALLY came on for you guys then you are on some SLOTH shit and need to move forward!


When you build shoes with weak materials and little to no reinforcement they are bound to fall apart!

Fuck VANS

[Will Easley]

I've always seen vans as more of a "fashion over function" type shoe brand. Yeah they've got a few solid models, but the ones most worn by skaters (era's, slip-ons, etc) don't even seem o be made for skating. Other than overated boardfeel, their durability is sub-par & they really don't protect your feet at all. Most skateboarders see to give Vans a pass for everything tho so whatever

[foureyedjim]

I've always seen vans as more of a "fashion over function" type shoe brand. Yeah they've got a few solid models, but the ones most worn by skaters (era's, slip-ons, etc) don't even seem o be made for skating. Other than overated boardfeel, their durability is sub-par & they really don't protect your feet at all. Most skateboarders see to give Vans a pass for everything tho so whatever

I see it as some people are just too used to it at this point and can't be bothered to try out other types of shoes

[paraquat]

Vans would be the best if they were cheap/free.

[ontheswarm]

While were on the subject of cheap shoes Adidas has forsure gone down in quality. The insoles are total shit that they provide with the shoe. Has anyone looked at the original busenitz insole vs. the new one? Definitely selling cheap products for higher prices.

[GAY]

People don't buy Vans for the quality, they buy them because they like the way the look and how they feel (paper thin).

It's not a secret that they suck and it isn't worth discussing. If the lightbulb FINALLY came on for you guys then you are on some SLOTH shit and need to move forward!


When you build shoes with weak materials and little to no reinforcement they are bound to fall apart!

Fuck VANS

This. A thousand times, this. Vans have ALWAYS been the most terrible shoes on the market but they're a "look" and unfortunately that "look" became super popular and destroyed the skate shoe industry over the past...7...8 years? Vulc shoes suck.

[Big Skatefase]

Vulc shoes suck.

[L33Tg33k]

Fuck every single one of you guys. Vans feel the best and look the best. Era Pros are the best shoes I've ever skated.

[Cthulhu!]

But they're such a core company!!!1!

[Steyv Seynystyr hyhy]

Fuck every single one of you guys. Vans feel the best and look the best. Era Pros are the best shoes I've ever skated.

this

been skating eras/halfcabs for the past couple of years. one session, some "shoegoo" and i can skate them just as long as you skate your janoskis.
and look 10 times better!

[idealhandmades]

Expand Quote

Fuck every single one of you guys. Vans feel the best and look the best. Era Pros are the best shoes I've ever skated.

[close]

this

been skating eras/slipons/halfcabs forever. one session, some "shoegoo" and i can skate them just as long as you skate your janoskis.
and look 10 times better!

I'd also like to point out that destruction is an inevitability of any (good)shoes you skate, as friction is one of the key elements to grip. and if anybody were actually concerned/bummed about that, they can go skate some weather treated hard leather DC snowboard boots.

But again, I'm one of those guys that doesnt jump down what I can't jump up, so maybe some of yall tight trucked hucksters are bitching about lack of airbags for good reason...

[Glue Reed]

so i've seen threads about vans going downhill, adidas going downhill, and nike going downhill. 

who's gonna step up?  dekline where you at??

[foureyedjim]

so i've seen threads about vans going downhill, adidas going downhill, and nike going downhill. 

who's gonna step up?  dekline where you at??

dc is upping their shoe game with new tech, emerica just came out with the g6 which everyone really seems to like, and they're coming out with the new reynolds soon too.

[Steyv Seynystyr hyhy]

well you would be amazed how nice i can reinforce my shoes.

and no i don't really mind, figure i will have to do it even if they are nikes, emericas or whatever.
Vans have that waffle grip and they make me look sharp as fuck.

[Paco Supreme]

Era Pros are the best shoes I've ever skated.

[wallieD]

eras would last me a few months but the soles on the last couple pairs were done after 2 weeks. swore off vans after that

[NCSB]

they've proabably been losing alot of money in the past few years because they arent popular in the non-skate world anymore. now they have to cut costs, resulting in cheaply made shoes.

[AsianVegan]

I dunno where you are, but I honestly don't know a person that doesn't own at least one pair of era's/authentics. Not talking about skaters either, so I think they're doing fine. Large scale companies like that are constantly looking for ways to shave production costs and increase margins. But yeah, I haven't touched Vans since I noticed the soles becoming so concave that the only part touching the board is where the vulc wrap meets the waffle part. 

[idealhandmades]

... But yeah, I haven't touched Vans since I noticed the soles becoming so concave that the only part touching the board is where the vulc wrap meets the waffle part. 

This is why I steer clear of any vans that don't have the OG orangey/brown gum sole. The warped ones are ALWAYS when they make that shit purple or lava camo or some bullshit.

[biggietoms]

just skate rowley xlt and greco 2's

seriously tho.....i was wish they'd bring back that cupsole low cab....scott kane's signature i think. retro em or sumthin. vans was sick in the early-mid 2000's before they basically converted to vulc only. loved me some rowley slims too

[scorpion1001]

skating the spitfire chukka lows now and before that, the spitfire AV6 - both held up damn well.  i've had the best luck shoe-wise with vans so they're the shoes i usually get now

[Paco Supreme]

i will say this for the pair of era pros im skating right now, im used to the average ollie marks and worn down suede, but on this pair, once the black wore off, theres now this bright pink ollie mark...

[otis shredding]

i got upset with vans after how good the first batch of era pros were when they first came out and how the got progressively worse after that.

[JoeyDirt]

i got upset with vans after how good the first batch of era pros were when they first came out and how the got progressively worse after that.

Hey .

[paraquat]

Emerica

[pizzafliptofakie]

I'm loving my TNT 5's.

[Mad Lauder]

While were on the subject of cheap shoes Adidas has forsure gone down in quality. The insoles are total shit that they provide with the shoe. Has anyone looked at the original busenitz insole vs. the new one? Definitely selling cheap products for higher prices.

yeah while thats weak it really shouldnt be a serious problem.
their not a skate company so their gonna cut costs when ever they can.
you should be doubling up on insoles any way.