Introduced in 1977, the original Old Skool 36 (changed to just Old Skool in the ‘90s) was Vans’ second-ever shoe and was designed to be a durable skater holding up to everything you’d put it through on your board. Over the years, the California-based footwear legend has made relatively few variations on this simple silhouette.
Recently, however, things have been changing a bit. Vans did make a trail-ready version of the Old Skool with a sticky Vibram outsole as part of its Off the Wall label. And now, we get yet another utilitarian take on the skate shoe making it ready for wetter situations.
What Is GORE-TEX?
With origins dating back to 1959, in the basement of Bill and Genevieve Gore in Newark, Delaware when it was simply called “Gore.” Bill was a former employee at DuPont — the company known for materials like Teflon, Kevlar, and Mylar — and decided to start his own brand, hedging on an innovative material called polymer polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). He found that when stretched rapidly, the PTFE actually became highly resistant to moisture, incredibly strong, and durable. This new material was called expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) or, later, GORE-TEX.
Unlike other waterproof materials, GORE-TEX is actually porous, allowing for breathability. However, those holes are too small to allow moisture to get through. A favorite in the worlds of outdoor clothing, shoes, and even NASA equipment, GORE-TEX can be seen virtually everywhere.
Vans Old Skool Premium GORE-TEX
At first glance, the new Old Skool sneaker — available in Japan only at the moment — looks like your average black leather version of the silhouette, equipped with the emblematic white “jazz stripe” design on the side and classic waffle rubber outsole. However, as part of the Premium range, the overlays here are a nice suede. Also, the thick glossy side walls and foxing tape are “based on archive design.”
Also, at the risk of burying the lede here, the shoes also feature a very low-profile GORE-TEX membrane for waterproof breathability, allowing these to fare much better in the coming months. For extra waterproofing, the heel counter features taped seams. Aside from the regular cotton laces, you’ll also get a second pair of GORE-TEX laces.
Underfoot, Vans also implements its new SOLA FOAM ADC, a high-resilience polyurethane foam made with 30% bio-based materials intended to keep you from getting fatigued after wearing these all day.
Spec Sheet
Uppers: Leather and suede with GORE-TEX membrane
Midsole: SOLA FOAM ACD polyurethane foam
Outsole: Rubber waffle
Laces: Standard lacing system
Pricing & Availability
Again, the Old Skool Premium GORE-TEX is only available from the Japanese Vans site right now, but we hope and expect these will pop up Stateside soon. They’re priced at ¥19,250 (~$129), which is nearly double the standard Old Skool model.
Recap
Vans Old Skool Premium GORE-TEX
Vans adds waterproof-breathable GORE-TEX lining to its iconic Old Skool skate shoes, along with an antifatigue midsole.
