Do you have a friend or family member that loves to ride on a skateboard? Or do you know someone from your village who also considers him/herself as a skateboarder? If you don’t know anybody, have you ever seen a skateboarder that is in their full skateboarder outfit?
If you know somebody who is a skateboarder or has seen a skateboarder along the streets, have you noticed what shoes they are wearing? Yes! Most of them wear vans shoes! However, what are the reasons why they wear vans shoes? Let me answer that.
Why do skateboarders wear Vans shoes? Skateboarders usually wear vans for many reasons. One of the reasons is the history of vans in skateboarding. Vans is the first shoe company that makes a shoe designed specifically for skateboarding. Vans also have some of the best soles that are essential for skateboarding.
Today, we will talk about vans shoes and skateboarding. We are going to talk about the types of vans shoes for skateboarding. I will also answer various questions that are related to our topic. If you are ready to know more about vans shoes, let us proceed!
Table of Contents
Do Skateboarders Actually Wear Vans Shoes?
Yes! Skateboarders actually wear vans shoes. The reason why skateboarders wear vans shoes is that Vans are flat-bottomed shoes that have little grippies on the bottom of the shoe.
Why are skateboarders finding that kind of shoe? Because they will have a lesser chance of falling off their skateboard. Vans give that benefit to skateboarders, which is why many skateboarders use vans shoes!
Another reason why skateboarders wear vans shoes is because of the design and aesthetic of vans shoes. When you look at the vans store, you will see lots of enticing designs made by different artists. The design of Vans shoes fits perfectly for skateboarders!
Before, skateboarding was illegal, and no shoe company wanted to make a shoe specifically for skateboarding because they didn’t want to get tied up with hooligans who invaded the backyard of others or vandalized the streets.
However, vans are the only company that has grown in tandem with skateboarding ever since! Vans are always present, and the shoes are a timeless look. The team that creates designs for each Vans shoe is made up of some of the best and creative skateboarders.
Vans are committed to skateboarding. They are one of the few brands that are so recognizable as an iconic skateboard brand. It is safe to say that Vans will never get old for skateboarders. They have been a part of skateboarding for as long as skateboarding has existed. Vans are truly for skateboard culture!
Are Vans Shoes Good For Skateboarding?
Vans dedicated themselves to skateboard shoes because they see that the skateboarding community is rapidly growing. They sense that they can earn so much money from it while helping skateboarders to get the best shoes for skateboarding!
Vans shoes are great for skateboarding. However, you have to make sure that you pick the pro model. Vans shoes have the signature waffle grip outsole to make sure that skateboarders always have the grip they need while skateboarding.
Aside from that amazing grip, vans shoes are also adept at creating beautiful and enticing designs. Even though canvas may not be durable, it is the favorite choice among many skateboarders or skaters. Skateboarders love Vans shoes because they can make skateboarders look cool!
Types Of Vans Shoes For Skateboarding
Vans offers cool designs in all sorts of sizes and quality. If you want Vans shoes for skateboarding, you can go for cupsole or vulcanized shoes.
Cupsoles provide more arc support and are sturdier. The sole of cupsoles is made of a single stitched to the bottom of the shoe. They give less boardfeel than vulcanized shoes. However, cupsoles cost more bucks than vulcanized shoes, but you will surely get what you pay for because cupsoles last longer.
Vulcanized shoes have a few layers which are baked and compressed together, and glued to the sole. This shoe offers less arc and heel support. Lots of skateboarders prefer vulcanized shoes because of the thin sole. Some skateboarders love to wear shoes with flat soles because they want to feel that their feet are really close to your skateboard deck.
Vans Low
Vans lows give you freedom of movement, and they are less heavier when compared to the mids and highs. However, if you have some injuries on your ankles, you should avoid using Vans lows and stick to others.
Vans Mid
Vans mids are between lows and highs, which is why it was named mids. Make sense, right? Vans mids feel a bit more stable around your ankles, and protect your ankles. You can also have enough freedom of movement when you use vans mids. When looking for Vans mids, you should go for pro models if you skate often.
Vans High
Vans highs can give you a good feeling around your ankles. They prevent injuries on your ankles or Achilles. However, they might be irritating during hot days because your feet will get sweaty. After all, there isn’t much ventilation. Also, they might be hard to put on your feet. You have to adjust the tightness of the laces so that you can wear them effortlessly.
How Long Do Vans Shoes Last?
Honestly, I can’t give you a direct answer because it depends on how often, where, and your style of skateboarding. The part of the shoes that wear out fast is the heels, soles, and the side and top of your shoe.
Skate shoes usually collapse fast if your skateboard has a new grip tape and if you do many tricks that involve sliding of your shoes. You can use old grip tape if you don’t want your shoes to get eaten by your new grip tapes. Also, you can apply some shoe goo or patch up the holes to make your shoes last longer.
Vans canvas shoes can get destroyed in a day if you execute ollie on your skateboard that has brand new grip tape. So if you are a fan of ollie tricks and do it often, suede Vans shoes are the best for you! In other words, pro models last longer.
If you are always skateboarding, you should make sure to buy on sale and buy bulk. Why? Because skateboard shoes are not that durable. Most skateboarders that I know replace their shoes every month and some twice a month. However, if you don’t skate too often and don’t do lots of tricks, your skateboard shoes can last longer.
Is It Ok To Wear Vans If You Don’t Skate?
Yes! Absolutely! You can wear Vans shoes even if you don’t skate. You can also try to imitate the clothing of skateboarders even though you don’t skate. I know many people who wear Thrasher shirts or Vans shoes that do not even know how to ride a skateboard. Yes, some people might call you a poser but don’t listen to them. If you love this kind of style, do it.
Are Vans Good For Longboarding?
Yes! Vans are great for longboarding. Why? Because they have flexy nature and feel very comfortable. You don’t execute ollie or kickflip on a longboard. So the materials will stay undamaged.
Also, you can use a canvas. However, I still recommend you to buy Vans with a sturdy sole and proper cushioning because, after 30 minutes to 1 hour of pushing, your feet might get hurt.
Are Vans Slip-Ons Good For Skateboarding?
Vans slip-ons are trending in today’s generation. I see many skateboarders and people who don’t know how to skate wearing it.
Most of my friends that love to skate, wear Vans slip-on. Guess what? My friends can still perform amazing skateboard tricks! However, some skateboarders are not fans of Vans slip-on and prefer to wear classic models. It really depends on your personal preference. But to answer this question, yes, Vans slip-ons are great for skateboarding.
Which Vans Shoes Are Best For Skateboarding?
The best Vans Skateboard shoes are the pro models. They are sturdy and provide lots of support to your ankle and Achilles. These shoes are loved by many skateboarders because of their comfy feeling and it is not so hard to put them on.
All pro models have DURACAP technology. What is it? It is basically a rubber layer that reinforces the areas that are typically first to wear. The DURACAP is on the front of the shoe. It provides grip and can tolerate abuse. Even though these shoes are sturdy and have good heel support, they still feel very flexible.
Most of the pro models have an insole cushioning system called ULTRACUSH that implants your feet deep inside the shoes. It can protect you when you land hard on the ground, and you can take them out to replace them if you want.
Skateboarders that have bruises should use pro models. The insoles give extra support. If you also want more support, go with pro models with specialized insoles. However, you can buy them separately. When you have these great insoles, you will feel like you are walking on the clouds.
However, not only Vans have this kind of insoles. Other shoe companies that offer skateboard shoes have this kind of insoles, such as Nike.
Vans was the first one who invented shoes with extra grip, which is the waffle thread. The pattern was invented by the Van Doren family. It helps you to have a powerful grip on your skateboard and allows you to move around to fix your position if you are wrong.
Conclusion
Skateboarders wear Vans shoes because of their rich history in skateboarding. Like I have said, Vans was the one who made shoes specifically for skateboarders since no shoe companies want to support skateboarders before. The other reason why skateboarders wear Vans is because of their powerful grip!
Even if you are not a skateboarder, you can still use Vans. I use Vans when I go to shopping malls or Mcdonalds. I also use Vans if I go for a bike ride. Yes! Vans are also great for cycling because of their powerful grip. However, that is a different topic that we will talk about soon here.
So overall, I would say that Vans shoes are great for skateboarding, and every new skateboarder or skaters should consider these shoes!
