Dane Reynolds approves this message.
Sneakerheads amuse me. They really do. We were walking through Venice to the bowls — kicks stowed away in their shoeboxes — for a quick shoot when a kid who was walking by stopped in his tracks. He wheeled around and caught up with us: “Those the new Dane Reynolds?” … What the f*ck? Who knows these things? There were literally peeking out from under a partially lifted lid, tucked under one of our arms. I was dazed and amazed, but I suppose he responds to shoes the same way I would to cheap beer or sweet potato fries with ranch dipping sauce.
Anyway, as you might have gleaned, I don’t stand in lines or feel otherwise obliged to go out of my way to snag a pair of sneakers. And to be completely honest, the only preferences I really have are fourfold: comfortable, durable, affordable, and simple — in that order. The Dane Reynolds Pack (a deconstructed Happy Daze, classic Costa Mesa, and canvas Chukka Boot) is all four.
Wear them to the beach!
Comfortable? Durable? I’ve had a number of different flip flops and trainers and dress shoes since my feet stopped growing back in 10th or 11th grade. The one pair I have today that I had when I was 16? Vans Slip-Ons. Sure, they’re faded and the heel is a little stepped down, but for the most part, they’re the same reliable Slip-Ons I used to slip out of back doors at house parties in when running from the cops. And being as comfortable as they were when I first started wearing them, they’re either made to last a really long time, or are “10 years broken in” from the get-go. So unless they’ve overhauled their design — which it looks like they haven’t, aside from a couple technological advancements such as a UltraCush™ Eco Footbed — they’re going to be both comfortable and durable.
Affordable? At $52, $47, and $60… you do the math, there’s not much of it.
And as for simple? With the Ventura free surfer behind the aesthetics with his “unique artistic direction” (says a Vans descriptor), these are as back-to-basics as you get. I’d go on, but you’re reading this, so take a peek for yourself.
Pick one, two, or all three! You’re an adult! (We assume…) Photo: Vans
For more information on the Happy Daze, Costa Mesa, and Chukka Boot, visit Vans.com.
