Tag Archives: Vans

footwear, History

Off the Shelf: Authentic by Paul Van Doren

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” After twenty years, I had learned every aspect of the sneaker business. I could make them in my sleep and suggested starting a small sneaker factory in Southern California.”

This memoir by the founder of Vans is my bittersweet summer memory for 2021 and forever on. Mostly sweet. Premillennial Vans-heads will find Authentic extra nice because it covers just about every event along the company’s timeline from the days of being a Californian specialty to the gigantic global present. Sadly, Paul’s Van Doren’s death in May left an indelible legacy in the American shoe story, and as these chapters tell, an irreplaceable family presence of which the history of Vans includes the many dedicated members of—Paul’s sisters and brothers who helped make the operation possible in the analog days. Motivational as well as informational—anyone who’s ever enjoyed their shoes, or daydreams about canvas tongues and metal eyelets—would find this a great gift. From Braintree Massachusetts to southern California, thoughts on unions, efficient systems, some sad parts but lots of happy ones, a horse race or two—It’s all here. And There’s a picture gallery! For just under 300 pages you get to hang out with the man who started something huge. I was positively obsessed with Sk8 His and Old Skools in the 1990s and couldn’t put this down. The original California Vans hand-vulcanized with the super-sticky rubber soles are a special step in the evolution of an enduring style and we couldn’t think of a radder way to honor Van Doren than having had the pleasure to read Authentic.

laces, running

Little Shoe Things To Be Happy about

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Sometimes I feel like the only one- the only one who is never content with the length of shoelaces that come stock with some footwear. Laces always seem way too long right? Shoe shops never seem to have a great selection of laces, but I was pleasantly surprised that behind the counter of Journeys Shoes and Clothing hung this pair of 39-inch laces that fit a pair of my Mauris perfectly. 36’s were too short, 45’s too long so yes, a pair of shoelaces made me happy. 

Journeys39InchBlackLaces

Thanks to a gigantic attention-getting promotional Skechers sneaker on a table at a volunteer fair I happen to be walking by the other day, I came to learn about an organization called Back on My Feet.

BackOnMyFeet

Back on My Feet works to combat homelessness by directing resources toward specific housing and employment initiatives, while fostering self-esteem in homeless individuals (many who are veterans) through the communal act of getting together for a run. Big city marathons to small morning groups- keep an eye out for them. There are chapters in 12 major US cities. I encourage anyone to check out their site for more information. Wicked-cool shout out to the staff from the NYC chapter.

Vans Bike Grips 

I needed some new grips for my mountain bike. I used to love the ODI mushroom grips back in my BMX Freestyle days- were they still making grips? (searches web) Hell yeah they are.

ODIVansBikeGripsFor someone who grew up wearing Vans, these rubber grips featuring the classic waffle-sole pattern, also made-in-the-USA like the old Vans used to be- bought ’em faster than a wheel spin.

What the heck- just a few little things that made me happy recently 

boots, comfort, footwear, sneakers

May Popgallery

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Rick from Massachusetts and I have been talking about shoes and sneaks since the 90s. When he’s not battling blazes as a member of the Brockton Fire Department, he also does paintings with a sneaker theme; check the lobster Nike piece^

Rick’s daughter graduated from The Culinary Institute of America earlier this month and jumped right into working at one of the premier bakery/cake shops in southern New England.  She copped a pair of the Vans Sk8 Hi KS to wear at work.

BsKitchenVans2I haven’t seen a pair since I heard they dropped last year. The idea is the classic Sk8 Hi body is modified to meet the needs of professional chefs; Water repellent canvas uppers, more comfortable footbeds and the inside-out rubber waffle soles make these Sk8 His a stronger version of the originals.

BsKitchenVansI grew up in Sk8 His and from 1990 to 2010, could not have imagined wearing anything else. I could envision these Vans being wearable in many different workplaces where black shoes are required. They sell for 75$, but it looks like they’re almost all gone. Who knows if Vans will make more.

Spotted on the walls of Delancey St. Essex St. NYC subway station
Spotted on the walls of Delancey St. Essex St. NYC subway station

I’ll be following up to see how she likes them. The KS Vans seemed to get slammed in reviews on Vans.com, but a poster named Jim the Hiker wrote that they are the best hiking shoes ever and that in the woods he stunts on all the people wearing REI gear. I”m sure you can still skate in them too.  

JimTheHikerOnChefVans

I had to know what Rick wears when he’s not in firefighting gear, and he sang the praises of these boots by Keen.  

RicksKeenBootsThanks Rick and congratulations Brianna !

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footwear, sports

Your Feet and BMX Freestyle Flatlanding

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There’s a flatland BMX freestyle contest going down in southeastern Massachusetts this Sunday.

FlatlandFracas5

Flatland freestyle, as you may gather, is done on flat land, and often involves intricate footwork where the rider dances with the bike while trying to avoid touching their feet to the ground. I chatted with the manager of the Flatland Fracas contest series- my old BMX chum- Rick Macdonald, about the shoe angle:

P. What type of footwear do you recommend for riders when flatlanding?

Rick: Mostly low or mid top skateboarding shoes like Vans, Etnies, etc… Some older guys who need the support are using full hightop basketball shoes, but those are getting hard to find with a flat sole, or no devices implanted into them. I don’t know how some of these riders do it with low-top canvas shoes. I would break a metatarsal or something within minutes.

P. Remember those “bear-trap” style pedals? Does anyone use those flatlanding, or were those more for BMX racing? 

Rick: Nobody uses those for flatland- one false move and you are talking a few hundred stitches! Actually, flatlanders prefer a plastic pedal. Some even use a flat, grip tape surfaced pedal that looks like a mini-skateboard.

Moto Bicycles pedal
Moto Bicycles pedal

P. Do you ever put extra grip tape on your bike?

Rick: Sometimes I will put a small piece at the base of my seat post (where the platform used to be) for a little assurance on certain tricks, but today’s most progressive riders don’t touch the frame much with their feet, or even scuff their shoes on the tires… it’s all fast rolling and pumping for momentum! It’s pretty crazy to see the evolution of what is possible on these bikes after so long.

P. Do you still have any of those Kool-Stop Vans brake shoes?
KoolStopVansBrakePads

Rick: Kool-Stop actually sent us a ton of brake shoes to give out at the Fracas last year! They still make the Vans shoes today, even though many BMX riders use no brakes at all. That trend comes and goes, but brakes will always be part of riding. No brakes equals quicker worn-out shoes.

P. I find a lot of shoes these days come with really long laces. When I BMX freestyled, my worst dread was having the shoelace get caught in the chainwheel. Have you ever laced your shoes “bicycle” style?

Image: Lacing Shoes app
Image: Lacing Shoes app

Rick: No, that’s an excellent idea though. I sometimes cut them shorter and melt the ends with a lighter- a “do it yourself” aglet.

P. You are running this event, and you also still ride. What’s your current stunt peg scheme? platforms, fork-stands, etc…

Rick: Years ago, standing platforms pretty much disappeared from freestyle bikes, as balance tricks and any frame-standing moves were pretty much phased out. Riding styles change and that drives the design of the bikes, but axle pegs in varying quantities will always be found on freestyle BMX bikes.

P. Do any good foot-plants lately?

Rick: I love foot-planting and boosting over a planter or curb, and it seems like a good footplant or fastplant can always fit into street riding, all you need is the right loading dock! Some things will never go out of style in BMX.

Feet, footwear, manufacturing, podiatry, sneakers, Welcome

Popdiatribe: Everything’s Berry

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BerrycompliantTrainers
Berry compliant  950v2s Instagram.com/NewBalnce

Last Friday, while you were thinking about dinner and I was working sound at a theater in Manhattan (wear-testing a pair of Injinji toe socks*), the United States Department of Defense made a move toward ensuring that service members are outfitted head to toe with gear made in the USA. The Berry Amendment was introduced 73 years ago to promote the purchase of certain U.S. goods. Over the years, exceptions were made when it came to military training sneakers. Boots were an issue item, but most service members wore their choice of trainers. These New Balances pictured are made in Maine using soles, uppers, textile parts, and straps sourced from Massachusetts- plus laces made in Rhode Island- making it a Berry Amendment compliant product. This NB 950v2 athletic shoe is being tested by the military and may soon become available to recruits via their vouchers. U.S. Congressional reps Niki Tsongas (D-Mass), and Mike Michaud (D- Maine) were instrumental in pressuring the D.O.D. to get it right with Berry. Michaud is a bigger New Balance head than you, and even sports made-in-USA blue and yellow New Balances while campaigning for Governor. Wolverine Worldwide, who already provides Berry-compliant boots through their Bates brand, and New Balance are currently the only American companies capable of producing competitive sneakers in the US. Now that Pentagon officials have made this announcement, other brands may consider rekindling their domestic production in order to compete for these military voucher bucks.

I never heard of the evil stepsister procedure until reading Laren Stover’s piece in the New York Times. “Make them fit, Please!” is something women have been saying to foot doctors in regards to outrageously impractical high-heeled footwear. Elective cosmetic foot surgery is a thing, and there are procedures ready to treat high heel foot, hitchhikers toe, toebesity and other man-made ailments that are keeping sufferers from comfortably wearing Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik, and Christian Louboutin products. Get a load of the comments after the article as well. 

Voting is now open for the 5th annual Vans Custom Culture Art Competition. Vans, who dropped some Star Wars gear this week, sends blank white shoes to 2000 high schools across the country so art classes can battle for design supremacy (and resources for their art programs).

Wellesley High School's entry
Wellesley High School says this

Click here to check all the custom Vans designs

Did you know VIbram has a line of FiveFingers for golfers?

V-Classic LR: Not your dad's golf shoes
      V-Classic LR: Not your dad’s golf shoes

* I went my first day wearing some Injinji toe-socks under some New Balance walking shoes. I was moving around all day with them and like that they allow some splay.

 

footwear, pop, Shoes

The First Popdiatribe

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I hope you are having a happy shoe year so far.  This will be the first of many Popdiatribes, where I will run through monthly observations about footwear and the feet that fit them. In my home of New York City, it has been wet, cold and salty (in that order). That means boots, and proper boot care. Don’t be that guy who never takes off his All-Stars trying to navigate slushy northeast sidewalk ends, unless you have bread bags over your socks. Or maybe you are a running enthusiast who wears Icebugs.

Swedish Icebug trainers - icebug.se
Swedish cold weather trainers – icebug.se

Late last year, I couldn’t ignore the stories about how NBA star LeBron James wasn’t loving the design of his signature Nike high tops. Then on January 2nd (Heat vs. Golden State Warriors) he fell during the game and sneakerheads wondered out loud about the tread marks left on the court- presumably from the soles of the improved version of those Nikes. Maybe he just went to an unclean movie theater before the game? The NBA also saw New York Knickerbocker J.R. Smith being suspended for repeatedly pulling opponent’s shoelaces untied during free-throw formations. Remember to double-knot your laces whenever you visit Madison Square Garden. NBA All-Star week is coming up and all the big companies are rolling out more kicks than you can blow a whistle at- remember to save for retirement!

I’m thinking of doing a periodic piece called “shoes I was curious about, but never bought”. Clogs would be on the top of that list. I have always heard they were an excellent choice for people  who worked on their feet all day. “But what if there is an emergency where you have to run?” I would say. No matter, I really enjoyed Rebecca Adams’ HuffPo piece Why Dansko Clogs Are Pretty Much The Best Shoes In Existence .

New Balance did something with Disney, Adidas got 2 Chainz, Converse did Black Sabbath, Vans did The Beatles, and have also dipped their toe into high-school art class with their Vans custom culture contest. Actress Sarah Jessica Parker stepped into the market with her own line of shoes. The term maximalist shoes is now coined, and I have to walk away from this computer right now.