OK, we all know YT and Vans here, right? Well, the mountain bike and skate shoe maker have teamed up for some special edition co-branded shoes. Equally designed for your time off the bike than actually on the pedals, the YT x Vans collection includes three colors of styling BMX 114s and a set of La Costa slides for chilling your toes post-ride…
Vans x YT Industries BMX shoe & slip-on sandals collab
So, there’s no doubt that this is just a ploy to give owners of YT mountain bikes a new reason to buy a set of vans shoes. And the shoes are not anything new really either. But if you’re a fan of both YT & Vans, these might be hard to pass up.
“YT Industries is breaking fresh ground, dropping an all-new MTB-dosed collaboration with revered footwear giant Vans. Led by an ethos to LIVE UNCAGED, YT Industries rises above the noise and is never afraid to do things its own way. The launch of this co-branded collection cements that, drawing from both the new and shared influences Vans brings to the party for a team-up deep in street culture.”
Did you skim past that video?
Don’t miss skate legend Steve Caballero along with YT Mob’s Erik Fedko and their BMX team in the new YT x Vans shoes.
But what about the shoes?
The BMX 114 is a purpose built shoe for riding bikes, just smaller wheels than most YT bikes. There is the 26″ Dirt Love dirt jumper that comes close to BMX origins, though.
The mid-height BMX cycling sneaker features the classic Vans waffle-print sole, updated for riding with a reinforced BMX WaffleCup pattern layout designed to grip flat pedal traction pins. And to survive to tell the tale. Their Van Doren Factory Pedal Recipe (VDFPR) gum rubber compound is also incredibly sticky. And the sole construction super flexible. I almost did a front flip when I first put them on – no bike involved.
Built to survive kids-on-bikes abuse, the shoes get extended reinforcement that comes higher up the sides that normal, and a bit more over the toe cap. There’s also an extra layer of protection in the inside edge at the pedal axle to further guard against crank & pedal wear.
Inside, a thick PopCush Pro “energy return” insole with a 12mm thick heel and 4.5mm thick fore foot promises to “protect your feet while helping to lessen leg fatigue for longer rides.” It’s an odd feeling at first coming from more rigid mountain bike shoes or even thin, zero-drop street shoes. But my feet quickly adapted, and I’m happy to use them for walking or cruising on flat pedals around town. The matte white synthetic nubuck upper of mine will likely never be clean again, though. Oh well, should have pick black ones.
And slides, too?
The La Costa slides are simpler, but still wild. The look pretty normal, but the thick padded strap does a surprisingly good job of providing a secure fit on a basic slip-on sandal.
And their classic gum rubber Vans waffle print sole delivers more grip than you would expect from a slide.
They also feature a subtly sculpted footbed that felt odd under my low-arch foot, and maybe would even be a more comfortable fit if I sized up once from my US 10s. I let some friends try them who generally wear an EU size smaller than me, and they both loved the unique feel. These I would say are probably even better to try on somewhere in a shop before you buy. (You should be able to find the regular Vans La Costa slides at some brick and mortar shoes stores, I would guess.)
Slides can be the perfect post-ride option to let tired feet breathe. So, I’d be sure to dial-in the most comfy fit.
YT x Vans shoes – Pricing, options & availability
You can get the YT x Vans BMX 114 shoes in one of three colors for $100 / 100€. Pick from Off-white or Black with a natural gum rubber sole, or Red with a classic white sole. The Live Uncaged YT x Vans La Costa slide-on sandals come only in black with a dark gum footbed for $45 / 45€. Both come in US half sizes 5.5-13 (EU 37-47).
YT didn’t share numbers, but all are officially a limited edition run… so, “first come first served”.
Get them now exclusively from YT.
