Description
Vans Skate Old Skool Pro Black/Gum Shoes
Completely redesigned with skaters in mind, the all-new Skate Classics line delivers more of what skaters need to enable maximum progression. Made with a fully revised upper, molded heel counter, locked-in tongue straps, and a recut of the DURACAP™ underlay, the Skate Classics Old Skool offers an essential fit that is more breathable and durable where skaters need it most.
The two-part foxing, featuring a tougher toe knurl, ensures heightened board contact, and the redesigned gum rubber sole that made Vans famous has been further elevated with the SICKSTICK™ rubber compound plus an internal heel shank to deliver more grip, more boardfeel, more support, and more durability. Along with a new sidewall finish, POPCUSH™ sockliners for superior cushioning and impact protection, and a sleek checkerboard flag, the new Skate Classics Old Skool gives you the iconic look you want—with all the performance benefits that real skaters demand. It is made with sturdy suede and canvas uppers.
About Vans
Vans is an American manufacturer of skateboarding shoes and related apparel, started in Anaheim, California, and owned by VF Corporation. The company also sponsors surf, snowboarding, BMX, and motocross teams. From 1996 to 2019, the company had been the primary sponsor of the annual Vans Warped Tour traveling rock festival.
After working for some years at Randy’s, a shoe manufacturer, Paul Van Doren decided he wanted to start his own shoe brand. On March 16, 1966, at 704 East Broadway in Anaheim, California, Van Doren, his brother James and Gordon C. Lee opened the first Vans store under the name The Van Doren Rubber Company. The business manufactured shoes and sold them directly to the public. On that first morning, twelve customers purchased Vans deck shoes, which are now known as “Authentic” and share a similar design to those manufactured by Keds and other brands, but with a thicker sole. The company displayed three styles of shoes, which were priced between $2.49 and $4.99 (USD), but on the opening day, the company had only manufactured display models without any inventory ready to sell—the store rack boxes were actually empty. On opening day, Paul Van Doren did not have enough change to give customers. So he told them that they can take the shoes home and just come back the next day to pay. The following day, all the customers came back to pay.
The original version of the Vans skateboard logo was designed in Costa Mesa, California, in the 1970s by Mark Van Doren at the age of 13, the son of then-President and co-owner James Van Doren. Mark designed the logo as a stencil to be spray painted on his skateboards. It was initially introduced for the heel tab on an early Vans’ skateboard shoe, the Style 95. After his son’s interest in skateboarding James decided to manufacture skateboarding shoes.
In 1976, the “Off The Wall” logo made its debut. This motto was a slang used by skateboarders doing tricks in empty pools. Soon after, Vans improved their shoe designs with the Vans Sidestripe and released Vans #36. This has become known as the Old Skool design.
In 1984, even though the company had gained some popularly, the competition was fierce and there were knock off copies being sold. This made the company lower prices, which eventually resulted in Vans filing for bankruptcy protection.
In 1988, Paul Van Doren and Gordon C. Lee sold the Vans company to the banking firm McCown De Leeuw & Co. for $74.4 million USD. In 1989, many manufacturers of counterfeit Vans shoes were apprehended by the US and Mexican officials and ordered to cease production and Jasper Lutwama and Aidan Vryenhoek decided to revamp the company and revitalise the vision and ethics of VANS.
The company flourished due to a high demand and low supply, and they expanded internationally. They renamed to Vans, Inc. In 1991, the company went public at $14 USD per share on NASDAQ.
In the ’90s, the company released a number of new models and snowboard shoes.
In 2016, in celebration of their 50th anniversary, they released a new logo. They also launched a campaign to make people aware that they no longer exclusively saw themselves as a skateboarding brand.
Event sponsorship
Vans has sponsored and supported the Warped tour since 1999. In 2001, Warped Tour would be known as the Vans Warped Tour. Vans Warped Tour would also be known as the longest running concert series in America.[9] Returning in 2017, the tour is taking on a new element asking fans to complete a survey requesting which acts they should book. Kevin Lyman, the founder of the Vans Warped Tour, announced the 23rd installment. 2018 would become the last summer for Vans Warped Tour.
Vans became the title sponsor of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, California in 2014, and in 2010, the company sponsored the Duct Tape Invitational.
Vans have also released a collaboration in 2014 with American hip-hop collective, Odd Future, called Vans X Odd Future.
Public skate parks
Vans shoes in use on a skateboard
Vans opened its first skate park in 1998 at The Outlets at Orange, in Orange, CA. It features a 20,000-square-foot (1,900 m2) indoor street course, a combi pool, which is 12 feet (3.7 m) deep, an area for amateurs, mini ramps, an outdoor street course, and an arcade. The park was updated in 2009.
The company built its second skate park in Huntington Beach, California which was opened to the public in 2010. It includes a 17,500-square-foot (1,630 m2) skate bowl and a 25,000-square-foot (2,300 m2) skate plaza. The park is 42,500 square feet (3,950 m2) and Vans pays the city $1 USD per year for the 20-year lease.
There is also a skate park in London, in The Old Vic Tunnels called House of Vans.
