Categories
Skateboarding Product Reviews

Vans Apparel Fall 2008

Times change and people do too, Vans understands this better than most brands and instead of sticking they’re nose in the air, they adapt to the changes and roll with the times!

Chosen by curb surfers in the 70’s, Vans quickly became the skateboarder’s choice for comfort and style and still remains a core brand in our industry today. They’ve come a long way since 1966 and have tapped into many different markets since then, they stretch from goth to punk, hip-hop to funk, bikers to boarders, sneaker freaks to thread heads and the list goes on and on. Vans listened to the people and catered for these genres, thus leaving them in the position where they are now able to specialize in all these different fields to bring the consumer quality through experience.

AV FLANNEL II
Flannels are definitely a focus point at the moment, it seems to be a must have in every line that’s out at the moment, some get it right, others fail miserably, but Anthony made sure he designs stuff that he himself would actually wear. The result speaks for itself, it’s a blend of simplicity and practicality with performance in mind, with a recipe like that, it’s pretty hard to get it wrong. The shirt is 100% cotton, subtle on the eyes and comes with a removable jersey hood! It’s handy on cooler days when worn as a casual shirt, but it also works well as a hood under your jacket when the temperature drops a little more and you need to cover yourself up! Good quality and definitely worth a look at for a looming winter.

AV REVERSE COACH
Coach jackets have always been a favourite of mine, it’s a practical garment and it looks cool with any type pants. This one comes with a modern twist, it’s reversible and therefore becomes a BOGOF when purchased. One side is 100% cotton with AVE’s custom flannel design, where the other side is PU poplin coated to keep you nice and dry on them rainy days. It’s a great jacket, really tough and very warm too; practical in the day time when it’s cold and wet outside, then flip it over if you’re heading out to wow the ladies with your stylish choice of shirt.

VANS ERA – LX45 (FIXED)
Probably the best selling classic in their range, the Era, has been reinvented to cater for a whole different type of riding; this model has been designed around the needs of the fixed gear cyclist, a phenomenon that’s sweeping the skate world with no brakes in mind. Most fix heads that I know ride Vans regardless, so I think for a brand to go out of they’re way to build a shoe that now compliments the way a these guys live, is a pretty neat thing to do. On appearance, the shoe remains exactly the same, only when you actually try it on will you notice that they’re using nylon and leather instead of canvas to give the shoe a longer lifespan. The laces have 3M running throughout for added reflection and they come with a cute little saddlebag which straps around your seat post to carry bits with you whilst riding. These are a lot more stable than you’re average Era’s, but they break in quite easily and come in some decent colour ways too. If you dig Vans and ride brakeless, give them a go, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the minor changes.

Live FAST, Ride FAST
2P