A Short History of Vans Skate Shoes
Vans is the oldest skate shoe company in existence: founded by the late Paul Van Doren in 1966, the California-based brand initially went by Van Doren Rubber Company. Because that sounds suspiciously like a contraceptive barrier device, the company quickly rebranded. The first Vans shoe ever produced was the Authentic, a model that continues to be one of the most recognizable skate shoes today. In 1976, they introduced the famous Off The Wall logo: the term Off The Wall was used by early skaters who shredded the emptied pools throughout California’s backyards. Today, the company remains true to their original mission, which is to create skateboard shoes that are both durable yet comfortable.
From Vans Pro to Vans Skate
As a brand, Vans can look back at a storied history. As a cultural icon, it has shaped the world of skateboarding substantially. In addition to releasing game-changing videos such as the Propeller skate video, Vans has been home to countless pro skaters; the most prominent of which is probably Geoff Rowley, who has also released a series of Rowley Pro shoes. Rowley shares the team roster with the likes of Andrew Reynolds, Anthony Van Engelen, and Gilbert Crockett, to name a few. Also, fucking Tony Hawk skates for Vans, for chrissakes. If the Birdman trusts in the Waffle sole, you might as well. Speaking of which: the company’s signature tech has been improved over the years. Initially released under the Vans Pro program, the brand developed Duracap layers for extra wear protection and Ultracush insoles for improved impact absorption. Recently, the company rebranded Vans Pro: it’s now called Vans Skate and features even more sophisticated versions of the aforementioned tech.
Buy Vans Skate Shoes online at Bonkers Shop
From the Authentic to Vans Era to the Old Skool: Bonkers offers you the latest Vans Skate shoes, and then some. The company is known to frequently collaborate with other brands, Dime Mtl, for instance, and these joint drops are true crowd pleasers — so be sure to check our blog regularly for upcoming Vans releases.
