SK8-Hi Slim

Waffle Tread Fail

Having worn nothing but Vans since 1982, I was very excited to finally discover these (I last bought a pair of Vans hi-tops in 1985, which I still have). In spite of...Read complete review

Having worn nothing but Vans since 1982, I was very excited to finally discover these (I last bought a pair of Vans hi-tops in 1985, which I still have). In spite of the fact that they are being marketed as a re-imagined, more feminine design, I immediately ordered a pair. But now upon closer inspection, I'm not at all satisfied with these. I could easily live with the fact that the "re-imagined" ankle support is almost an inch lower than the originals (also equating to one less shoestring hole), and I could easily replace the spaghetti shoestrings, but the micro waffle tread is an absolute deal breaker. I'm extremely disappointed that Vans simply refuses to acknowledge and offer one of their most legendary classic shoes in its correct form, except when releasing special editions like the Bones Brigade or Haro versions. It's obvious they want to push the second generation Sk8-hi, with its wider leather for ollies, because they are undoubtedly more durable for skating. But aesthetically speaking, the current iteration of the Sk8-hi looks heavy and chunky, cutting off the most defining aspect of the "jazz stripe." Why Vans can't offer the "slim" version as the original classic (with the correct waffle tread, ankle height, and shoestrings) and the beefier Sk8-hi as the re-designed classic that it is for skating is beyond me. I can't imagine there would ever be an instance where a girl would balk at buying a pair of "slim" hi-tops because they have traditional waffle tread soles, but I know plenty of guys besides myself that would absolutely balk at buying a pair because they have micro waffle tread soles. This makes zero marketing sense to me, and I work in marketing. Make this legendary shoe design in its true original form, which the Sk8-hi slim really only misses by the waffle tread, and I'll buy multiple pairs at a time. But until then, they're going back and I'm not buying another pair.