As always, if I ever get the chance to get a special release early, I like to put together a little review for those who are impatiently waiting for the drop date, or for those who are on the fence about these. Sometimes the quality and detail doesn’t come through with official press photos, so I like to provide a lot of macro shots. Everyone loves to see a premium full-grain leather up close, displaying each wrinkle, or perhaps a nappy suede with each individual fiber highly focused on. For some, it might be the insoles, lining, bottoms, or even the packaging. Hopefully I’ve left nothing to the imagination, and I hope those who are seeking these, get theirs.
First off, the choice of using a Prison Issue was an awesome idea. This model doesn’t come around often, and if so, it’s buried amongst a lineup of other general releases at your typical Vans store, and the last premium pair we saw were the Vault perforated nubuck edition. The shade of white utilized on this Prison Issue LX is pure, and I’d say it has just a slight tint of gray compared to the all-white Vault leather pack that just re-released. The contrasting blue suede heel strip lets you know these aren’t your average pair, and the very minimal RFC lettering on the side of the heel doesn’t distract from the overall aesthetic. The heel pad lining has the Ringleaders custom logo, as every proper collaboration should include, and the rest of the footbed has a unique black and white pattern on it. Your favorite gum waffle sole finishes these off nicely.
The Ringleaders and O.T.H. did a superb job on these, and I expect them to go quick on Saturday morning. I’d like to shout out Denis and Graeme from OTH, for allowing me to get these early, so that I could share them with you all. I’m not one of those guys that brags about getting connected, or getting stuff early, or for free, or blah blah blah, but I always am humbled by it. I don’t run this site with a purpose to get anything out of it, except for maybe respect, or at the very least, acknowledgment that we are the official gatekeepers of all things Vans, in the realm of sneaker collectors. We care about the details that other sites and reviewers fail to point out, because this is our hobby. Our passion, if you will. Thanks, and I hope you enjoy the pics! -Guamstyles
The Vans x OTH, R.F.C. project will be released exclusively at the Vans x OTH store and online on October 4th at 9 am in store and 11 am online (Eastern time). The shoe will be retailed for 130$ CDN . A hoodie, a pin, and a t-shirt with the new Ringleaders branding will also be available in very limited quantities.
tons more hi-res pics after the jump Read More
I had a chance to stop into Blends Costa Mesa today, down in the OC, and to my surprise they had the Huichol Vans on display, in an awesome build-out that Vans had made for their store. I noticed that the actual production pairs were slightly different from the official press pics that were released today, and this should answer a few questions that were raised about these, mostly the ones about the Syndicate 35th Anniversary Sk8-Hi being used as the base shoe for customization. Well, I’ve confirmed that the pairs that will be released, are in fact their own shoe, albeit very similar to said Syndicate version. The released pairs will feature pigskin linings, and the heel tabs are tonal white, to seamlessly blend in with the foxing, allowing the attention to be focused on the beadwork and hand-stitched artwork. Side flag tags are embroidered with Vault on the backside like usual, and the footbeds have the newly familiar leather heel pads that are branded with the Vault logos. SO have no fear, these aren’t just a reconstructed existing shoe. Sorry for the less-than professional photos, as all I had on me was my iphone, but I hope you appreciate the time I took to bring this info to y’all! It’s because we care damnit! Lol. Enjoy the pics, and as always, thanks to Nobu, and the Blends fam for all the continued support. BTW, these are so rare, that most shops will be only selling them in-store, but hopefully remaining pairs will be up for grabs online. 360 pairs worldwide!!!
tons more pics after the jump Read More
Vans Syndicate x Civilist Sk8-Mid Pro “S” – (Flaschen) Black / True White
Reviews of the 2 other models after the jump Read More
I have to give the biggest shout-out to our friends over at Blends!!! I can’t believe they’re finally here! When sample pics first popped up online of the black Old Skool with the familiar bones jazz stripe, we instantly knew who was behind this creation, and started beasting over them. It was only about a year ago that Blends released their 10th anniversary Sk8-Hi Reissue Zip LX “Bones”, and with that epic shoe, and instant cult status, a legacy was born. Now, we’re only two shoes deep into this legacy, but this awesome design is all theirs. Nobody did it before them, and quite honestly, who would dare replicate it? We’d shame them in an instant! The apparent motorcycle culture inspiration is awesome and makes for some great design aspects. Simple black colorways, with white accents, and white soles are all that you need when you have premium leather, a side zipper reminiscent of a leather motorcycle jacket, and a bad-ass bone on the side of your shoe! And let me go back to the leather on these once more. If I’m not mistaken, Blends utilized a higher grade of leather on these Old Skool Zip LX’s, than they did on the Sk8-Hi Reissue Zip LX from last year. It just feels softer, more supple, and the grain looks to be of higher grade. Take a peek at my detailed shots for a better look. Unlike the 100 pair production of last year’s release, this year there are about triple that, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to stroll into your local Blends location mid-afternoon and be able to pick these up. If I were you, I’d be dusting off your camping chairs, and deciding on which location you want to line up at, as these are on everyone’s radar this time, and there shouldn’t be any rain in the forecast like last year, to keep some folks at home. Bottom line…don’t underestimate these if you want them. I’ll be seeing some of you in line on Saturday morning, if you plan to go to the Costa Mesa location. There will also be pairs allocated for Blends online shop, so stay tuned to their newsletter, twitter, Instagram, etc. for drop info and pricing.
Drops: Saturday 5.31.14
In-store: 11:30 AM PST
Online: 10 AM PST / 1PM EST
tons more DETAILED pics after the jump Read More
Check out UTP member Tom aka SamColt12’s complete set of the Vault x Star Wars collection. Each pair is limited to 300 pairs, and were only sold at 6 stores worldwide. Completing this set is an awesome thing, and I’m glad he was able to show us each pair, and give his personal opinions on each pair!
Check out the rest of the pairs after the jump Read More
Thanks to Facebook group Strictly Vans member Liam Saria aka @Julian_spamusubis for shooting this cool video! Waterproof right out of the box, with that Scotchgard treatment!
Edit: UTP member Akamedaniel shared this link from WeAreTheTrend on Youtube, who did a test with water, fire, and oil, and you might like this one as well!
The fine people over at Montreal’s favorite boutique, Off The Hook, along with Chef Chuck Hughes, have put together one of the most unique, and purposeful Vans releases that we’ve seen in awhile. While most collaborations typically represent a story or local landmark, these represent an entire industry, or culture if you will, of those who work in kitchens everywhere. Why did I bring that up? Well, to make a point that these will surely raise interest worldwide. Chef Chuck Hughes was looking out for those who are stuck wearing less-than-awesome black on black non-slip shoes, while they cook, clean, and serve us fine folk. If Vans is taking notes, they could offer up an entire line created especially for these group of individuals. But I digress, let’s get back to the shoes. This “Black Crab” collection is beautiful. Yes, even black on black can be beautiful. It’s all about the details, and Vans Vault is who you go to when you want the details to stand out. From the water resistant panels, to the moisture-wicking liners and gusseted tongue, to the cork footbeds, waxed laces, and non-slip waffle soles, you really couldn’t have asked for more. They even had a custom box made up, featuring a white diagonal stripe on an all orange background, with a chrome crab insignia with black lettering. Such an awesome job was done on these! They release tomorrow, so be quick with the keyboard if you plan on getting these. (Oh, and do yourselves a favor, try and remove the label that is affixed to the cork sole. These are abnormally hard to take off for some reason, and if you step into your shoe, and press down on that sticker, then you won’t be removing them anytime soon). So to recap, they covered the 5 things that any great collab should have: An original idea, some unique materials, branding on the shoe, custom packaging, and a story or inspiration to back it.
A special shoutout goes to Graeme, Denis, and Will from OTH for allowing me to get my pairs early, so that I could put together this review for you all. I hope it helps you decide if you really want them or not. I tried to capture as many of the details as I could! -Guamstyles
Release date:
3/22/14
In-store 10 AM EST
Online at 12 noon EST / 9 AM PDT (Click HERE for link to webstore)
lots more detailed pics after the jump (click on pics to see a higher-res file) Read More
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