Not to be that nerd, but a couple other changes they made was make the Popcush insole thinner on the heel and more firm, and added a plastic plate in the sole on the heel/arch area. Glad to see you like them! "The more I talk, the less I skate" I feel you on this sentiment 😄
thank God they fixed the pop cush insole, that big ass heel area always throws me off, especially when I skate a thinner shoe with less padding then go to Van's
@@johnnycake1410 It's still a big ass heel though. It's still (too) thick. Maybe it's just preference, but I like UltraCush HD better than Popcush insoles. The 'new' stuff is actually too firm. My feet got beat up in the Kyle Walker Pro 2s (which by the way have most of the 'new tech' of these 'Skate Classics' series shoes, including the outsole etc.). And in terms of new materials, at least the Kyle Walker Pro 2s wear down as easily as something like the Vans Style 112 Pros. And yes, it's the new stuff too. More like 'new'.
I am a cabinetry carpenter and just started skating again at 31 years old. I feel like I maybe have 5 or 6 years of skating before I start breaking down physically too much. The fact that you shred way harder than me and your a little older gives me the confidence I can keep this up for a while. I found skateboarding again was like getting reacquainted with an old friend. I love it
Bro, you can definitely skate for much longer than that! You don’t stop skating because you got old, you get old because you stop skating! Just adjust what style you like to do like I really wanna learn slappys, flat ground, low-impact and stuff like that. Maybe try that? You can definitely squeeze out more than 5-6 years!
You can keep skating, 31 ain't even close to old. I'll be 48 in 2 days and have worked in construction since you were in diapers and still skate, sure not like I used too or as often and trust me, I feel 80 the first couple hours I'm out of bed some days but staying active will keep you younger! As long as I can balance I'll at least be rolling around!
I’ve been plagued with lower back problems and I ruptured my knee back when I was a teenager skating, along with 15 years of construction my body is rougher shape than most. All it takes is one tweak and I’ll be out of commission for a while
@@RobertSmith-ge8hj believe me I hear ya, I have lower back problems, messed up left knee, nerve problems in my left arm and off and on problems with sciatica. 30 years in construction has worn my body down but I just keep truckin and stretch everyday, stay hydrated, eat healthy(ish) and try to get some cardio in. I take a lot less risks as I get older when I.skate because I can't afford to miss too much work, but I get what you're saying. Sounds to me like you just need to find a routine that works for you to keep your body going, if you convince yourself you only have a few years left then no doubt you'll only have a few. You still have longer than you've been alive until you can retire so sorry it to squeeze in some effort to stay fit enough to survive it.
It's rad to see Vans give love and upgrades to an already popular product. Personally, I REALLY wish Converse would do the same with their more popular models... could do with some tune ups.
The CTAS Pro in high and low received Nike Zoom Air insoles a couple years back, but CONS/Converse has changed insoles in the skate Chucks every couple years since they launched anyways. The One Star Pro and CTAS Pro could really use some more upgrades, but having the internal booty system and Lunarlon was a pretty solid upgrade around 5-6 years back.
@@ianturnbow7011 I knowwww. I miss lunarlon that shit was the best. I hate how the CT's have metal eyelets it feels like it helps shred them quicker. A little extra padding around the collar couldn't hurt either.
@@Dieozam did you ever skate the OG CTS? They had memory foam padding in the tongue and collar. I loved those so much. Most of the models had an all suede toe instead of the classic rubber toe cap.
Jack purcell, Chuck taylor and one stars all got upgraded to all suede, reinforced ollie areas, new rubber compound, and lunar control insoles. To name some of the upgrades converse made to their classics.
Well Ben I think i'll be coming back to this review purely for the skate edit. More of a Etnies guy but that music and skating was a 10/10. Absolutely satisfying piece of art at it's finest.🛹👌
Not to be one of those people popping into the comments to be like "hey you should review this unrelated product" but, hey, you should review the new Ace formulas now that they're out. Honestly you're the only person who's review I know I could trust when it comes to trucks.
Love how you do what you want when you want. I also just recently watched your chat with Jake Shunt which offered cool insight into your life and how and why you do things 🤘
I just got the sk8-hi's. They're slightly narrow for me, but not broken in yet. I really like them. Super grippy outsole. Insoles are nice. Construction is pretty good. I'd recommend them for sure.
Do you skate the regular sk8 low or the pro version? I feel like the sk8 low pro is such a beast skate shoe that i actually stopped skating them because I got tired of looking at them haha
@@alexanderayala6262 just the regular sk8 low. They had a sale online so I grabbed a few pairs. Might have to give the pros a go once I get through my current ones.
I recently discovered the AVE shoes and they are great. Light,not sweaty,good flick,amazing grip, the soles are a bit stilffer than the normal vans but that helps w/my foot soreness.
If you sand them down though, they will last you only two weeks, instead of 4 !! It's a total no-no. Anyway, for now I won't be buying any more Vans. It's kind of a waste really.
Also very much wondering this. Super interested in footprint products but dont know if i want to commit to exchange rates/shipping until Sk8 Father Ben tells me i should. haha
Best insoles ever. I tried one pair of their shoes about 3 years ago and wasn’t really impressed. But the insoles I’ve been using every time I skate for the past 5 years
I personally did not like the footprint insoles I bought. I had them in a pair of old skool pros and they just felt off to me. Not worth the $40 i paid for them
with the amount of half cabs i do on flat/qp/pyramid etc the collar on these things tend to blow out before i can get through any toe caps or let alone soles...usually the toe area on the sole will blow out on a better designed(durability wise) vans shoe like a sk8-high/mid. Old skools and trujillo sg which has a similar design, for me bc of half cabs are just too easy to blow out the collar on. Or at times the pinky toe knuckle/nib will blow through that canvas upper. As nice as vans are to skate and widdle down the toe caps to be perfect for flip tricks. I usually get that hole right under the vans symbol as it starts curling up...and blow out the collar too fast. Even on suede or stronger uppers on authentics. Add slipping on these vans or folding back the back and trying to curl it over which is pretty common pulling on the collar like that just encourages tearing/blowing out of the collar. Its the main reason i dont skate low top vans. I really thought they were going somewhere a few years back when they did that collab with alex olson and put out the VERSA i had 2 pairs and they were tanks. Some vans just cant pass certain tricks. These newer skate classics seem to make up for a lot of the "CLASSICS" pitfalls, bolstered heel/cap so if you slip them on constantly and wear them with slightly loose laces when not actually skating, the heel will hold up a lot longer than the previous classics. BUT i really liked how flimsy old skools or even eras feel for driving as i do it/drive by trade. These newer sk8-highs with the added rubber/depth, and new duracap toe rubber makes it feel more like a boot IMO esp with the added plastic in the mid sole. Totally different feel when driving/walking BUT TBH its more like when converse/cons were fully absorbed by nike and started changing up the insoles/midsoles etc like lunarlon Allstars etc and so on to the now CTAS and how the various all stars or JP convers have felt inregards to board feel/flick. They definitely seem to be a lot more durable. Old skool pros only lasted me as long as the canvas upper/collar could until it started tearing into the sock/blown out collar/heel and terrible half cab potential. Theyre also a lot better for manuals. The same way it felt switching from old emerica WM tread to the G6 cupsole. That bolstered heel on both design changes was huge for fakie/nollie half cab grip. And if the collar didnt blow out with the old'skool the footbed usually would if you didnt tear through them. IDK they felt like too loose of a shoe, the TNT SG was a fine "uptdate/upgrade' to the oldskool pro at the time, these pro classics look to make up for a lot of the issues the old skool pro had. While coming at a better price than the pro lines. Just that toe rubber needs some breaking in with these vans theres a finite noticable flick to catch ratio with sliding suede and that gap/thick rubber toe when you ride grippy grip like mob that inconsistency is really annoying when it transitions from suede/toe to that thick rubber. Especially after skating some allstars/Jp pros. Sk8-highs and half-cabs are better fans for this ratio/angle for fliptricks imo than this more narrow angled old skool toe shape. I really like busnitz shoes they have a great toe angle for upper material to rubber. From the original to adv that has a good natural flick. Like i said as durable as the vans are unless youre really doing kickflips the old issue with vans was blowing out the collar, or canvas upper at your pinky toe joint. It proves to most skaters that the sk8-high and half-cab are really the only true option from vans to skate. Just with this new re-design they fit more like a boot, and im sure the low top/low profile shoes got a lot of what they needed in these updates. Old skools do rip laces less though bc of their shape
As a Vans worker, skating these were pretty nice. The only issue I really have with Old Skools (same with Sk8-Hi's) is that since I have a wider foot, my baby toe tends to rub inside the shoe and I get blisters after a while. All in all though, solid shoe that works well and looks dope too.
A Wide toe box is the solution for all vans shoes. They need to improve that aspect. It doesn’t matter what other thing they do IMO because no matter what at present their toe box is always narrow and if we genuinely do the research and think about most peoples feet are wide and most peoples feet have been deformed over time by all these brands making shoes.
I have these and 2 months into them theres a huge hole in the canvas from ollies (got my foot cut too from the griptape) and now theres a hole in the sole too on my front foot thats started hitting the insole too. I snapped the laces 4 times before getting a new one. I loved the rubber though, its not super durable in my experience but nice and soft that grips the board really well. It was a good shoe just be ready to use a lot of shoe goo and buy a lot of laces.
Amazing reviews as always! May i suggest adding sizing advice when doing shoe reviews? Makes it easy to know which to grab (perhaps compare the fit to some very popular shoes)
Haha atta boy take advantage of that time. I have a couple pairs of vans I got real cheap waiting to test should be great. In some Nike SBs and they are quite nice. Cheers!
Are these ones better than the Kyle Walker or the Rowan Pros? My skate shoes are completely destroyed and I need some new ones but I can’t decide for which pair get
I’ve been skating for over a year after getting back into it after a 15 year break. I rotate skate shoe’s depending on my mood. I have been favoring the Shane O’Neils a lot because they feel like a slipper. I love the light, thin shoe but board slams really halt my sessions. I want to get the half cabs you reviewed in another video but I keep hearing the flick and bulk is an issue. Currently I’m skating the Vans Rowan’s and love them but they don’t have much time left. Would you recommend the half cabs to someone who likes the Rowan’s? Thanks for any feedback. Love all of your content!
Man I'm just about to start getting back into skating and I'm not much younger than you. I hope I can get at least half my tricks back lol seems like the hardest part is getting your legs conditioned again since I don't really have a manual labor job.
I think the foot sitting lower in the skate vans made your heelflips feel better. Maybe wrong but it seems like that would make the heels more stable. The old skool pros felt like my foot was popping out of the shoe due to insoles sitting so high.
Vans shoe sizing is broken, had a UK size 8 show up and it was like a 10, ordered a size down and the inner wasn't even sewn in. Can't fault their customer service but these "improvements" are minimal. Also what you said about the rubber makimg small flicks harder is probably what's hindering my kickflips. Got some DC plazas on the way. Subbed.
One thing I noticed right out of the box was that the skate classics fits bigger than the older models of the Old Skool. (I usually go with 10, but with the new I’m thinking about going a full size down)
Good review! I got a pair and because of the bulky front that f*** the kickflip trick a basically don’t skate them. For wathever reason The Rowan was ok and yes the « new » Vans are much more durable than before! Yes! I got it for Carroll!
Hey Ben, which shoe would you recommend that’s good for consistent and high flips and heelflips, but also very precise for ledges? I’ve recently started using a Vans Half Cab, and I feel less confident on ledges. I don’t feel as precise; maybe the sole is too thick, but I’m not exactly sure. I’m a bit disappointed because I was just starting to learn ledge tricks now.
I actually love the eggshell/marshmallow/cream white suede. It’s not so dull as a corrected grain white leather shoe, but is markedly less expensive than skating a full grain leather shoe.
Hey Ben, Emerica just came out with a new lineup of vegan shoes. Would love to see you give them a try and hear your thoughts. Been skating some old Romero Laced with coated canvas, and they hold up pretty well.
Just bought the shake junt old school pro for 60% off. Are the minor upgrades not worth paying full price for some tongue straps, and and a little deeper sole tread.
The shoes also have a bit of a taper near the heel to improve fit and decrease heel slip. Great additions, honestly. I’m about to pull the trigger on some Skate Half Cabs.
I tried on the Skate Sk8 Hi, I didn’t like the heel cup thing. I’ve got big feet so even 13s are tight until I break them in well. I’ll stick to my Rowan Pros for now.
Ben, I'm curious as to whether or not you've had the chance to try the carroll xlk's. not saying do a review, but I'm just curious as to what you think (in a sentence or two)
Ben I have a question based on deck "freshness", how much of a difference does it actually make, and would you be better off buying a £25 enuff or similar "cheap but usable" brand deck every month or a more expensive brand every 3 months? I figured you would have more knowledge in this area, pros always seem to be on fresh decks, probably because of sponsorship, but how much of a difference does it really make? Is it just placebo?
yYou can pop dead decks, look up my vids from back in the 90's. Decks sucked back then and i skated them for a really long time. If you just stomp the tail of any board it will fly 5ft in the air so they def can pop. Peiple don't want to admit they suck and blame the board. I'm still skating and these boards today are way better, i'm riding Traffic Boards.
I def feel you in the fliping a trick lightly, i'm more of a all or nothing type flipper. I see guys like Rick Howard kind of finnese their flips but i'm not that good, i can pop though so its not all bad. If i try and finnese a flip i land primo
a friend gave me a pair like that late last year, just a different colorway. & yes i can say theyre much different now, much better.. a year or 2 and that hair will be full on White Ben :)
I don't dig the hexagon pattern under the toes of vans or id skate em. and i thought that was farely knew thing but looked it up and they go all the way back to the 70s.
Sprained my ankle a month ago learning heelflips. I cant risk messing my ankles up on a regular basis at this point so Im considering giving up on flips, but damn do I wanna go skate right now.
and im over here thinking vans are not optimal for skating , i always felt just by looking at them that they would wear out for skating didnt realize the rubber helps before it gets to the actual shoe
the tongue straps are gonna be essential for the half cabs. the tongue moved around OD in the pro versions. also that new checker board tab thing is hideous
Not to be that nerd, but a couple other changes they made was make the Popcush insole thinner on the heel and more firm, and added a plastic plate in the sole on the heel/arch area.
Glad to see you like them!
"The more I talk, the less I skate" I feel you on this sentiment 😄
Dang, I want to hear about this haha
(Another nerd)
Yea me everytime I get to the park
thank God they fixed the pop cush insole, that big ass heel area always throws me off, especially when I skate a thinner shoe with less padding then go to Van's
That must be why I like them more.
@@johnnycake1410 It's still a big ass heel though. It's still (too) thick. Maybe it's just preference, but I like UltraCush HD better than Popcush insoles. The 'new' stuff is actually too firm. My feet got beat up in the Kyle Walker Pro 2s (which by the way have most of the 'new tech' of these 'Skate Classics' series shoes, including the outsole etc.). And in terms of new materials, at least the Kyle Walker Pro 2s wear down as easily as something like the Vans Style 112 Pros. And yes, it's the new stuff too. More like 'new'.
Ben's content are really top tier
🙂
For sure
So is your grammar
Is*😂
Is
I am a cabinetry carpenter and just started skating again at 31 years old. I feel like I maybe have 5 or 6 years of skating before I start breaking down physically too much. The fact that you shred way harder than me and your a little older gives me the confidence I can keep this up for a while. I found skateboarding again was like getting reacquainted with an old friend. I love it
Bro, you can definitely skate for much longer than that! You don’t stop skating because you got old, you get old because you stop skating! Just adjust what style you like to do like I really wanna learn slappys, flat ground, low-impact and stuff like that. Maybe try that? You can definitely squeeze out more than 5-6 years!
You can keep skating, 31 ain't even close to old. I'll be 48 in 2 days and have worked in construction since you were in diapers and still skate, sure not like I used too or as often and trust me, I feel 80 the first couple hours I'm out of bed some days but staying active will keep you younger! As long as I can balance I'll at least be rolling around!
I’ve been plagued with lower back problems and I ruptured my knee back when I was a teenager skating, along with 15 years of construction my body is rougher shape than most. All it takes is one tweak and I’ll be out of commission for a while
@@RobertSmith-ge8hj believe me I hear ya, I have lower back problems, messed up left knee, nerve problems in my left arm and off and on problems with sciatica. 30 years in construction has worn my body down but I just keep truckin and stretch everyday, stay hydrated, eat healthy(ish) and try to get some cardio in.
I take a lot less risks as I get older when I.skate because I can't afford to miss too much work, but I get what you're saying.
Sounds to me like you just need to find a routine that works for you to keep your body going, if you convince yourself you only have a few years left then no doubt you'll only have a few. You still have longer than you've been alive until you can retire so sorry it to squeeze in some effort to stay fit enough to survive it.
Eat healthy and work on your body. :)). You can definitely add way more years.
It's rad to see Vans give love and upgrades to an already popular product. Personally, I REALLY wish Converse would do the same with their more popular models... could do with some tune ups.
The CTAS Pro in high and low received Nike Zoom Air insoles a couple years back, but CONS/Converse has changed insoles in the skate Chucks every couple years since they launched anyways. The One Star Pro and CTAS Pro could really use some more upgrades, but having the internal booty system and Lunarlon was a pretty solid upgrade around 5-6 years back.
@@ianturnbow7011 I knowwww. I miss lunarlon that shit was the best. I hate how the CT's have metal eyelets it feels like it helps shred them quicker. A little extra padding around the collar couldn't hurt either.
@@Dieozam did you ever skate the OG CTS? They had memory foam padding in the tongue and collar. I loved those so much. Most of the models had an all suede toe instead of the classic rubber toe cap.
Jack purcell, Chuck taylor and one stars all got upgraded to all suede, reinforced ollie areas, new rubber compound, and lunar control insoles. To name some of the upgrades converse made to their classics.
@@Dieozam pop the rivets and you wont have metal eyelets anymore.
Ben, ya motivated me to start skating again at 35. Love your content brother.
Well Ben I think i'll be coming back to this review purely for the skate edit.
More of a Etnies guy but that music and skating was a 10/10. Absolutely satisfying piece of art at it's finest.🛹👌
Your an inspiration! Really... Been watching for a while now and I love your content. Thanks and keep it going as long as you possibly can.
That music with the skate clips is really groovyyy
I’ve been riding deck rails lately and they have been fun, maybe you would enjoy them too.
Not to be one of those people popping into the comments to be like "hey you should review this unrelated product" but, hey, you should review the new Ace formulas now that they're out. Honestly you're the only person who's review I know I could trust when it comes to trucks.
Nice how at ease you ride switch, even when pushing the board around.👍🏻
Look REALLY good for nearly 40 and you can SHREDD !!!
Love how you do what you want when you want. I also just recently watched your chat with Jake Shunt which offered cool insight into your life and how and why you do things 🤘
Hey Ben. As a fellow skateboarding carpenter your videos are the best! Keep killing it.
Thank you🙂
I just got the sk8-hi's. They're slightly narrow for me, but not broken in yet. I really like them. Super grippy outsole. Insoles are nice. Construction is pretty good. I'd recommend them for sure.
Was so close to quit wearing vans after 20+ years. Ben...... ya kept vans on my feet brotha✌️🇨🇦👍
Love the lines you're doing. You really popped the nollie heelflip out of that noseslide!
Great review. I've been exclusively skating vans sk8-lows like the last 5 pairs because they suit my wide feet and last a decent amount of time.
Do you skate the regular sk8 low or the pro version? I feel like the sk8 low pro is such a beast skate shoe that i actually stopped skating them because I got tired of looking at them haha
@@alexanderayala6262 just the regular sk8 low. They had a sale online so I grabbed a few pairs. Might have to give the pros a go once I get through my current ones.
I recently discovered the AVE shoes and they are great. Light,not sweaty,good flick,amazing grip, the soles are a bit stilffer than the normal vans but that helps w/my foot soreness.
FINALY SOMEONE TALKS ABOUT THE TOO MUCH RUBBER ON THE TOE. I have to sand down the toe so i can flick my board when they are new.
Haha! Maybe i should try! I was less patient a barely skate them
Forreal, I either airball my kickflips or I grip them too much and they stick to my front foot
Just wear Lakai shoes, problems all solved.
@@Tcstewie haha! in fact is because i couldn’t find some Lakai whit my size that i buy those Vans!
If you sand them down though, they will last you only two weeks, instead of 4 !! It's a total no-no. Anyway, for now I won't be buying any more Vans. It's kind of a waste really.
Damn! Nice skating 👏🏻
Have you ever tried footprint insoles/shoes? Curious what you would think of them
Also very much wondering this. Super interested in footprint products but dont know if i want to commit to exchange rates/shipping until Sk8 Father Ben tells me i should. haha
Best insoles ever. I tried one pair of their shoes about 3 years ago and wasn’t really impressed. But the insoles I’ve been using every time I skate for the past 5 years
I personally did not like the footprint insoles I bought. I had them in a pair of old skool pros and they just felt off to me. Not worth the $40 i paid for them
with the amount of half cabs i do on flat/qp/pyramid etc the collar on these things tend to blow out before i can get through any toe caps or let alone soles...usually the toe area on the sole will blow out on a better designed(durability wise) vans shoe like a sk8-high/mid. Old skools and trujillo sg which has a similar design, for me bc of half cabs are just too easy to blow out the collar on. Or at times the pinky toe knuckle/nib will blow through that canvas upper. As nice as vans are to skate and widdle down the toe caps to be perfect for flip tricks. I usually get that hole right under the vans symbol as it starts curling up...and blow out the collar too fast. Even on suede or stronger uppers on authentics. Add slipping on these vans or folding back the back and trying to curl it over which is pretty common pulling on the collar like that just encourages tearing/blowing out of the collar. Its the main reason i dont skate low top vans. I really thought they were going somewhere a few years back when they did that collab with alex olson and put out the VERSA i had 2 pairs and they were tanks. Some vans just cant pass certain tricks. These newer skate classics seem to make up for a lot of the "CLASSICS" pitfalls, bolstered heel/cap so if you slip them on constantly and wear them with slightly loose laces when not actually skating, the heel will hold up a lot longer than the previous classics. BUT i really liked how flimsy old skools or even eras feel for driving as i do it/drive by trade. These newer sk8-highs with the added rubber/depth, and new duracap toe rubber makes it feel more like a boot IMO esp with the added plastic in the mid sole. Totally different feel when driving/walking BUT TBH its more like when converse/cons were fully absorbed by nike and started changing up the insoles/midsoles etc like lunarlon Allstars etc and so on to the now CTAS and how the various all stars or JP convers have felt inregards to board feel/flick. They definitely seem to be a lot more durable. Old skool pros only lasted me as long as the canvas upper/collar could until it started tearing into the sock/blown out collar/heel and terrible half cab potential. Theyre also a lot better for manuals. The same way it felt switching from old emerica WM tread to the G6 cupsole. That bolstered heel on both design changes was huge for fakie/nollie half cab grip. And if the collar didnt blow out with the old'skool the footbed usually would if you didnt tear through them. IDK they felt like too loose of a shoe, the TNT SG was a fine "uptdate/upgrade' to the oldskool pro at the time, these pro classics look to make up for a lot of the issues the old skool pro had. While coming at a better price than the pro lines. Just that toe rubber needs some breaking in with these vans theres a finite noticable flick to catch ratio with sliding suede and that gap/thick rubber toe when you ride grippy grip like mob that inconsistency is really annoying when it transitions from suede/toe to that thick rubber. Especially after skating some allstars/Jp pros. Sk8-highs and half-cabs are better fans for this ratio/angle for fliptricks imo than this more narrow angled old skool toe shape. I really like busnitz shoes they have a great toe angle for upper material to rubber. From the original to adv that has a good natural flick. Like i said as durable as the vans are unless youre really doing kickflips the old issue with vans was blowing out the collar, or canvas upper at your pinky toe joint. It proves to most skaters that the sk8-high and half-cab are really the only true option from vans to skate. Just with this new re-design they fit more like a boot, and im sure the low top/low profile shoes got a lot of what they needed in these updates. Old skools do rip laces less though bc of their shape
As a Vans worker, skating these were pretty nice. The only issue I really have with Old Skools (same with Sk8-Hi's) is that since I have a wider foot, my baby toe tends to rub inside the shoe and I get blisters after a while. All in all though, solid shoe that works well and looks dope too.
Also, the added rubber for kickflips is a pain as well, feels like I'm either gripping too much or airballing my kickflips.
Same here Dawg. I got mad wide feet.
A Wide toe box is the solution for all vans shoes. They need to improve that aspect. It doesn’t matter what other thing they do IMO because no matter what at present their toe box is always narrow and if we genuinely do the research and think about most peoples feet are wide and most peoples feet have been deformed over time by all these brands making shoes.
same, try putting vaseline on your feet before skating, helps against the friction caused from sweat, most skate shoes aren’t very breathable
I have these and 2 months into them theres a huge hole in the canvas from ollies (got my foot cut too from the griptape) and now theres a hole in the sole too on my front foot thats started hitting the insole too. I snapped the laces 4 times before getting a new one. I loved the rubber though, its not super durable in my experience but nice and soft that grips the board really well. It was a good shoe just be ready to use a lot of shoe goo and buy a lot of laces.
Love your griptape design Benny!!!
I had bad heel blisters from the shoes, maybe from the leather on top of the shoe but I do really recommend them
You should review the ace af1s
Looking comfy Ben.. always killin it.. all I want to do is skate as well!!💯💯
Amazing reviews as always! May i suggest adding sizing advice when doing shoe reviews? Makes it easy to know which to grab (perhaps compare the fit to some very popular shoes)
Vans are usually true to size with maybe being a tad on the winder side of things
Bro good video i have a pair of vans era skate classics and are the best vulc
Haha atta boy take advantage of that time. I have a couple pairs of vans I got real cheap waiting to test should be great. In some Nike SBs and they are quite nice. Cheers!
🙂👍
Ben my bro. Your vids are top notch. Keep up this review/sesh style
Are these ones better than the Kyle Walker or the Rowan Pros? My skate shoes are completely destroyed and I need some new ones but I can’t decide for which pair get
I’ve been skating for over a year after getting back into it after a 15 year break. I rotate skate shoe’s depending on my mood. I have been favoring the Shane O’Neils a lot because they feel like a slipper. I love the light, thin shoe but board slams really halt my sessions. I want to get the half cabs you reviewed in another video but I keep hearing the flick and bulk is an issue. Currently I’m skating the Vans Rowan’s and love them but they don’t have much time left. Would you recommend the half cabs to someone who likes the Rowan’s? Thanks for any feedback. Love all of your content!
Man I'm just about to start getting back into skating and I'm not much younger than you. I hope I can get at least half my tricks back lol seems like the hardest part is getting your legs conditioned again since I don't really have a manual labor job.
I think the foot sitting lower in the skate vans made your heelflips feel better. Maybe wrong but it seems like that would make the heels more stable. The old skool pros felt like my foot was popping out of the shoe due to insoles sitting so high.
Vans shoe sizing is broken, had a UK size 8 show up and it was like a 10, ordered a size down and the inner wasn't even sewn in. Can't fault their customer service but these "improvements" are minimal. Also what you said about the rubber makimg small flicks harder is probably what's hindering my kickflips. Got some DC plazas on the way.
Subbed.
Ben please give ur opinion about ace truck af1, I seem thare is major change on construction
Hi Ben! Never been this early so I gotta tell ya man I’m a big fan keep it up
Thank you!!!
One thing I noticed right out of the box was that the skate classics fits bigger than the older models of the Old Skool. (I usually go with 10, but with the new I’m thinking about going a full size down)
Upd: 1 size down was perfect
Whats the sizing like? Great video
I just got a pair of the new half cabs loving them with the tongue straps
Good review! I got a pair and because of the bulky front that f*** the kickflip trick a basically don’t skate them. For wathever reason The Rowan was ok and yes the « new » Vans are much more durable than before! Yes! I got it for Carroll!
Do you wear a 10.5 in these as well
Hey Ben, which shoe would you recommend that’s good for consistent and high flips and heelflips, but also very precise for ledges? I’ve recently started using a Vans Half Cab, and I feel less confident on ledges. I don’t feel as precise; maybe the sole is too thick, but I’m not exactly sure. I’m a bit disappointed because I was just starting to learn ledge tricks now.
The heelflips feeling better is because they made the taping higher so they feel closer to how cupsoles heelflip
Where's that skate spot??? It looks awesome!
I used to never skate vans cause I wanted the most durable & softest shoes. I only skate vans now, they never rip & the ultra cush feel safe
Have had mine for a little longer than a month now and the bottom is about to blow out and I have only been doing beginner stuff
Hi ben! could you make a review of footprint insoles?
Man, what's with these companies and being reluctant to make their shoes white? It's always a dull grey, cream or off-white mix.
I think it's cause of the suede, hard to get true white suede I think
I honestly prefer that cream-like colorway over 100% white
I mean all of their shoes have white and black as standard options, this is kinda nice for a change
I actually love the eggshell/marshmallow/cream white suede. It’s not so dull as a corrected grain white leather shoe, but is markedly less expensive than skating a full grain leather shoe.
They make a true white version....
Hey Ben, Emerica just came out with a new lineup of vegan shoes. Would love to see you give them a try and hear your thoughts. Been skating some old Romero Laced with coated canvas, and they hold up pretty well.
Digging the manual tricks. Any tips on 180ing out of manuals?
Test out the new ace af1 trucks pls !!!!
1:48 what trick is that? A backside 360 heelflip? Whatever it is, it seems like a dream trick for me to learn
Switch big frontside heelflip
Switch bigspin heelflip
Just bought the shake junt old school pro for 60% off. Are the minor upgrades not worth paying full price for some tongue straps, and and a little deeper sole tread.
Fuck yeah love authenticats and slip pros can’t wait to try the skate versions
The shoes also have a bit of a taper near the heel to improve fit and decrease heel slip. Great additions, honestly. I’m about to pull the trigger on some Skate Half Cabs.
I found the skate rowans to be a really good heelflippy shoe as well
Buena Simón pesutic con 40 años
I tried on the Skate Sk8 Hi, I didn’t like the heel cup thing. I’ve got big feet so even 13s are tight until I break them in well. I’ll stick to my Rowan Pros for now.
great style Ben!
Hey Ben, have you tried the new half cabs?
Not yet
nose slide collie heel out was crazy!
I just got these and some new skate half cabs and yes they skate wayyyyy better
review Ishod wair set up please!
Thunder 147 on 8.3 deck! and two top busing
Ben, I'm curious as to whether or not you've had the chance to try the carroll xlk's. not saying do a review, but I'm just curious as to what you think (in a sentence or two)
I really want to try those. I love me some bulky shoes
Hey, can you review ace af1 for us?
Is the heel cup more stable? Is there a snugger more supportive fit overall, like a contemporary skate shoe by adidas?
Ben I have a question based on deck "freshness", how much of a difference does it actually make, and would you be better off buying a £25 enuff or similar "cheap but usable" brand deck every month or a more expensive brand every 3 months? I figured you would have more knowledge in this area, pros always seem to be on fresh decks, probably because of sponsorship, but how much of a difference does it really make? Is it just placebo?
yYou can pop dead decks, look up my vids from back in the 90's. Decks sucked back then and i skated them for a really long time. If you just stomp the tail of any board it will fly 5ft in the air so they def can pop. Peiple don't want to admit they suck and blame the board. I'm still skating and these boards today are way better, i'm riding Traffic Boards.
ben you should really try and give a review to the Adidas tyshawn, one of the best skateshoes out there. I think you will love them
I def feel you in the fliping a trick lightly, i'm more of a all or nothing type flipper. I see guys like Rick Howard kind of finnese their flips but i'm not that good, i can pop though so its not all bad. If i try and finnese a flip i land primo
Review ishod wair setup please!
147s thunder on 8.3 deck,2top bussing and 3 axle washers
Hey can someone please tell what the music is called at 6:00
a friend gave me a pair like that late last year, just a different colorway. & yes i can say theyre much different now, much better.. a year or 2 and that hair will be full on White Ben :)
Line at 4:50 was crazy 🔥
I need the big heel trick tip
QUESTION : have you tried Spitfire F4 97a already ? 🤔
Love to see a capsule skateboard review !
Please try the Last Resort shoes!
How do you not get ollie holes? My son doesn't either.
that little sewer ollie after the front nose reminds me of everything great about skating
where do you buy them
Video idea: You should see which Vans is more durable
Please do a review and skate session on a welcome board please! The graphics are something to look at .
What do you think of the bronson ceramics?
70k subs bro grats
I don't like the cosmetic changes but other than that it's a good upgrade
thanks for the response!
I don't dig the hexagon pattern under the toes of vans or id skate em. and i thought that was farely knew thing but looked it up and they go all the way back to the 70s.
Sprained my ankle a month ago learning heelflips. I cant risk messing my ankles up on a regular basis at this point so Im considering giving up on flips, but damn do I wanna go skate right now.
Question, rowan or the new skate classics?
Rowan Pro imo
i’ve got to get a pair of these, they’re making the exact additions i’ve been wanting
Is the fit about the same?
Does anyone know if the tongue straps are in all the new Skate Classic models? Curious if they added them to the Half Cabs.
Goat shoes
and im over here thinking vans are not optimal for skating , i always felt just by looking at them that they would wear out for skating didnt realize the rubber helps before it gets to the actual shoe
You should do a review on the DC Manual, they have a vegan option for it as well as suede.
You should review a gx1000 deck
the tongue straps are gonna be essential for the half cabs. the tongue moved around OD in the pro versions.
also that new checker board tab thing is hideous
what song are you using in the background