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Notes Who we are. We are Vans shoe fanatics who have been collecting for a long time but have been frustrated by a lack of a universal price guide for our hobby. So we decided to do it ourselves with honesty, integrity and hard work. We live in Manhattan Beach, California, USA. ******************************************************************************** Sk8 Hi's made their debut in 1978. ******************************************************************************** Photos. As Vans does not provide a comprehensive list of photos of their sneakers over the years, we have to grab 'em where we can as well as take our own. So you might see a snapshot of your kicks here. Some dudes are very protective of their photography and we understand that. We hope you consider this a compliment and not us just coppin' your shot. Please let us know if you'd like us to credit you, we will, take 'em off, we will, add your link, we will, just drop us an email. Let's work together. Those of you who have provided the many photos you see here, we thank you and hope you keep 'em coming. Vans History. Outrageous interview with Steve Van Doren. More History... On March 16, 1966, at 704 E. Broadway, in Anaheim, California, Paul Van Doren and three partners opened up their first store. The Van Doren Rubber Company was unique in that it manufactured shoes and sold them directly to the public. On that first morning, 12 customers purchased Vans deck shoes, which are now known as Authentic. The shoes which were made that day were ready for pick-up in the afternoon. The company continued to grow into the 1970s. During this period they also produced wool lined canvas and rubber mukluks under contract to the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Air Force. Skateboarders who liked Vans rugged make-up and sticky sole were seen sporting Vans all over Southern California in the early 1970s. In 1975, the Vans #95, known today as the Era was designed by Tony Alva and Stacy Peralta. With a padded collar and different color combinations the Era became the shoe of choice for a generation of skateboarders. In 1979, Vans introduced the #44 shoe, and with the help of skateboarders and BMX riders the Vans Slip-On became all the rage in Southern California. By the end of the 1970s, Vans had 70 stores in California and sold through dealers both nationally and internationally. As the 1980s rolled around, Paul Van Doren began to take a lesser role in the companies’ activities. Over this period, Vans started to create shoes for a number of sports from baseball, basketball and wrestling to skydiving in an effort to compete with large athletic shoe companies. Vans Slip-Ons gained international attention and appeal when they were worn by Sean Penn in the 1982, iconic youth film Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Although Vans core shoes were selling well, the wide range of products that the company now offered had drained the companies’ resources, and with Vans not able to overcome its debt they were forced to file for bankruptcy in 1983. After three years, Vans had paid back all creditors and emerged from bankruptcy. In 1988 Vans original owners sold out to an investment banking firm. The company has been sold several times since; most recently for $396 million in 2004 to Greensboro, N.C.-based VF Corp. Steve Van Doren, the son of co-founder Paul Van Doren, is still with the company, as is his sister Cheryl and his daughter Kristy. Vans began manufacturing footwear overseas in 1994, allowing for development of new shoe styles. In 1994, Vans sponsored the Inaugural Triple Crown series which developed into the Vans Triple Crown series. In 1998, Vans opened a 46,000 square-foot, indoor-outdoor Vans Skate park at the Block in Orange County and in 2002 an enclosed skatepark was opened in the Festival Bay Mall on International Drive in Orlando, Florida. In 2000 and 2001, Forbes recognized Vans as one of "America’s Best Small Companies." In 2004, Vans launched the Vans Customs on their website. This allowed customers to log onto the Vans website and design their own pair of Vans Slip-ons, mid-cuts, or high-tops. Vans has been the primary sponsor of the Warped Tour music festival since 1995. Signature Shoe. Vans will design a shoe along with one of their team riders. It started in 1989 with Steve Caballero and the introduction of the Half Cab. Then in 1999 with Geoff Rowley and introducing the Vans Rowley. Tony Trujillo and the TNT, etc. Sigs include skaters as well as motocross and BMX riders. ******************************************************************************** Estilo (Style) is John Cardiel's first pro model. ******************************************************************************** Vans Vault. Began in 2004 with the now famous Marc Jacobs collaboration. Vaults are older, classic designs that have been upgraded using better materials and are very limited. Many collaborations are from the Vault line. We can't stress enough the quality and craftsmanship that go into Vaults. Super killer leathers and suedes as well as perfs, nubuck, rubber and more. No problem wearing Vaults to weddings or fancy business meetings. You'll only be able to purchase these through authorized Vault dealers or on Ebay. Very hard to find and they run out fast. So grab 'em when you can! Vault 2004 box features the word "VANS" in large print on the top panel. Vault 2005-2009 box features the "off the wall" skateboard logo on the top panel. ******************************************************************************** Dustin Dollin Lineup No Skool - DD-66 - DD No Skool 2 - DD No Skool 2 Mid ******************************************************************************** Vans Syndicate. Began in 2005. These are limited edition releases usually involving a collaboration with one of many artists, clothing retailers, skaters, designers, etc. Very high quality kicks featuring current, cutting edge, powerful design. Syndicates also feature the killer sliding black shoebox. You can only buy Syndis from authorized retailers, usually well run, popular skate shops. They can also be had on Ebay. ************************************************************ Anthony Van Engelen Lineup AV Era - AV Sk8 Lo - AV3 - Avenge - Marauder ************************************************************ Collaborations. Occasionally, Vans will join forces with an outside partner to design a shoe. In 2004 Collabs exploded hooking up with Supreme in New York, Proper in Long Beach, WTAPS in Japan, Undefeated in Los Angeles as well as many other boutiques, artists, designers, skaters, bands, etc. Many collabs are Vault and Syndicate quality. ********************************************************** Geoff Rowley Lineup Rowley - Rowley XL3 - Rowley Shambles Rowley Shambles Hi - Rowley XLT Elite Rowley X - Rowley Specials - Rowley Squares ********************************************************** Production Date. Usually listed on the box label. On current pairs, you can find the month and year following one of the following symbols: DTC, IFC, SJC, SMC, CHC, JFC, SSP, QTC. Vintage and Japan issues have no production date on the box. We find "Copyright 1994 Vans Inc." on first Made in China pairs (kraft brown/black box). Production dates play an important role in determining the rarity and value in many cases. ************************************************************ Tony Trujillo Lineup TNT - TNT2 Mid - TNT3 Slip On - TNT4 - Dr. T ************************************************************ How can I get my Vans listed in your price guide? Contact Us Email us a clear, closeup photo of the shoe with good lighting and black or white background. Include: Name, Colorway, Production Date and the Price you paid for them. A photo of the box label would take care of most of that. We’ll research the value and get your shoes into the guide. ************************************************************ Christian Hosoi Lineup Rising Sun - Sk8 Hi - Era - Skate Vert Pro ************************************************************ Shipping. When shipping shoes, always be careful to double box and bubble wrap the shoebox. Foam peanuts are also a good way to protect during shipping. ************************************************************ Bucky Lasek Lineup Bucky Lasek Sig - BL3 - BL4 - BL4.5 ************************************************************ Storage. We recommend storing your Vans shoes in semi permeable plastic bags such as regular household baggies or poly bags and put back in the original box. Silica gel packs can be helpful in high humid climates to prevent fungus or mold. Store in a dark room to prevent fading. ********************************************************** Johnny Layton Lineup JLay - JLay Mid ********************************************************** NOS. Stands for New Old Stock. Means a brand new pair of shoes made long ago. Leftovers if you will. You'll find sellers selling NOS from closed down skate shops or retail shoe stores for very cheap prices, way below market value. We recommend you jump on these sales. We feel there is great value here as the older a pair gets, the higher it's value climbs in most cases. It's quite apparent that as time marches on, Mint pairs of shoes slowly get worn or disappear and the rarity becomes much more of a factor. ************************************************************ Era's made their debut in 1976 ************************************************************ Restoration. We don’t recommend it unless you’re doing it for personal enjoyment. Vans shoes that have been restored deflates the value. Restoration is cosmetic only and should always be pointed out when describing a pair of Vans. ************************************************************ Half Cab's made their debut in 1985 ************************************************************ Fakes. We have no interest in fakes and will not devote space to it at this time. True Vans lovers do not waste their money on fakes. ************************************************************ Slip On's made their debut in 1973 ************************************************************ Ebay. Auction superstore where a great majority of collectible Vans shoes are bought and sold. We scour Ebay as a large part of our research. However, Ebay can be quite volatile at times so great care is taken to weed out the abnormal highs and lows. While we recommend Ebay as a great way to find rare Vans, be careful when buying on Ebay. Make sure to ask questions of sellers. We like to ask if shoes have been tried on or if there are there any flaws. ************************************************************* Steve Caballero Lineup Caballero (Full Cab) - Half Cab - Lo Cab - Cab 6 - Cab 7 ************************************************************ Japan. The Japanese are famous Vans shoe lovers. Some will argue that Vans are the #1 shoe in Japan. Many Vans colorways are distributed in Japan only and are highly sought after here in the US and other countries. You will notice some differences in styling. For example, the Chukka boot has 4 eyelets as opposed to 5 in USA style. Japan Vans also have a sleeker, slimmer design, similar to Vintage models. All Japan Vans have an "R" embossed on the heel of the waffle sole. How sweet is that little insignia? What does the "R" stand for? Hmmmm....dunno. Samples and One Shots: Some samples go into production and some don’t. They generally are size 9 and do not come with a box. However, new samples are obviously rare and can fetch full value or more at auction. One shots are a single pair or custom pairs of shoes. We’re always on the lookout for these values as they don’t come up for sale that often. NIB one shots are rare and values vary greatly but there’s always that one pair that gets everyone’s attention. Custom Vans. Unique pairs of kicks that are created by a particular artist, designer or skater. Made in very small quantities like a few dozen or less. Sometimes ONE SINGLE SICK PAIR! We love these and find them super dope and nostalgic, adding the creator to the already epic Vans history. You may not find a price value on many customs because they are not readily available for purchase, but if they do sell, we'll be the first to let you know. Sizes. We find that sizes 9 through 11 are most popular and command the highest prices. Therefore our prices are based on this size range. A person selling size 7.5 will get less than the person selling the same shoe in a size 9.5. Kids sizes are not in great demand but the market is there for smaller sizes. Made In USA: Vans started in 1966 in Anaheim California. The company was sold in 1994. Prior to that, Vans shoes were made in the USA and say so on virtually all the vintage pairs. “Made in USA” is usually found on the insole or the heel tag of most pairs. Vans has been making their shoes in China since 1994. We have seen a vintage pair go for $6 and another pair go for $350. All depends on the size, style, condition and demand. Off The Wall: The “Off the Wall” slogan began in 1976 with the introduction of the Sk8 Hi model which featured extra padding around the ankles. Sk8 Hi’s are the 2nd most popular style today behind the Chukka boot.
Taping a box. We’ve seen boxes with tears about to get worse. We prefer to see a clean tape job to prevent further damage than a torn box that doesn’t hold it’s shape. If a box needs repair, we recommend clear packaging tape. Sock balls. Small lint balls inside the shoe as evidence that they have been worn or tried on. Foxing. In the footwear industry, the term foxing describes the strip of plain or decorative rubber that joins the upper and sole of the shoe. The purpose of the foxing is to hold the upper and the sole of the shoe together, although the foxing can be decorated in line with the style of the rest of the shoe's upper. The foxing is added to the shoe during the manufacturing process through the process of vulcanization, in which the heat and pressure applied to the foxing vulcanizes the sole to the upper. Vulcanization. A specific curing process of rubber involving high heat and the addition of sulfur or other equivalent curatives. It is a chemical process in which polymer molecules are linked to other polymer molecules by atomic bridges composed of sulfur atoms or carbon to carbon bonds. The end result is that the springy rubber molecules become cross-linked to a greater or lesser extent. This makes the bulk material harder, much more durable and also more resistant to chemical attack. It also makes the surface of the material smoother and prevents it from sticking to metal or plastic chemical catalysts. Pretty gnarly huh? This process just happens to be the main way Vans seals the shoe uppers to the bottom soles. Dogtown and Z Boyz. 2002 Documentary film funded by Vans. Directed by Stacy Peralta, Vans first ever sponsored athlete. If you haven't seen it, well, you're loss. BMX: Vans has a large influence in this sport. It just goes to show you the broad range and cutting edge areas you'll see Vans shoes. VANS.COM/BMX should tell you all you need to know about this aspect of the company. We love all the team riders and the different shoes associated with them. We're busy working on BMX shoe pricing all the time. Nubuck: Killer material used in a number of Vans higher end shoes, Vaults and Syndicates, Collaborations, etc. A combination of Suede and Leather....super soft and durable. |
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