PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
2024, the Supercross BMX 35th year anniversary in the sport, has seen a few celebratory re-released products from the brand. We’ve already seen the SX250 frame and forks and the AMX 250 frame to name a couple, and now we have the sure to be highly desirable Supercross BMX Vans shoes. The new shoes are completely new designs, brimming with all the latest technology from the iconic shoe brand, but with a nod to Supercross’s 35-year history.
The shoes have painstakingly been designed to perfection, and while they are obviously still Vans, they are most definitely Supercross Vans. We’ve been lucky enough to have seen the early concepts, and the many design iterations that have led to this, the ‘BMX Old Skool’ and the ‘Era 95 DX’. These are BMX shoes, make no mistake, ‘When BMX has been on your mind for over 4 decades, you need a shoe that is specifically designed with BMX in mind’, Bill Ryan of Supercross told us. ‘The BMX Old Skool has been our go-to shoe for years, and when it came time to create a special 35-year anniversary Supercross BMX / Vans collaboration, there was no question that this had to be the first shoe we made. It has been formulated for modern riding. With an iconic look, maximum pedal feel, and enhanced cushioning, this vulcanized low-top silhouette offers unrivalled BMX innovation to support your progression. Now, we’ve added a Supercross BMX look and feel. We incorporated the design of the Dream Team Uniform and our iconic Supercross BMX colors of Yellow, Blue, Red, White, and Black, creating a shoe that isn’t over the top, but one you’ll want to wear every time you head to the track, the trails, the pump track, or out with friends.’
The ‘BMX Old Skool’ features a first of its kind, BMX specific, Vans ‘Wafflecup BMX’ sole, constructed with ‘VDFPR (Van Doren Factory Pedal Recipe)’, the latest proprietary gum rubber compound, specifically formulated to enhance pedal grip and durability. The design also features reinforced ‘Duracap’ underlays in high-wear areas to add unrivalled durability and prolong the life of each shoe and ‘PopCush’ cushioning, the company’s best cushioning and impact protection. The PopCush energy return footbeds protect your feet, while helping to lessen leg fatigue for longer sessions.
The second shoe, the Supercross ‘Era’ is an evolution of the famous skateboarder’s design from the mid-1970s. The Era was perfect for BMX back then and the same holds true today. An evolution of the original low-top silhouette, the Era placed an emphasis on comfort and style by debuting the padded collar. It was also the first shoe to feature the iconic ‘Off the Wall’ heel tab and remains the shoe of choice for BMXers worldwide.
‘When Stevie Van Doren approached us about doing a Supercross BMX / Vans 35-year collaboration, we chose two shoes, and we knew that the Era had to be one of them.’ Bill told us, ‘Back in the day, we used to go to the Vans store in Anaheim, Torrance, or Redondo Beach, and since we couldn’t afford to buy a pair, we would buy just one shoe. The right shoe usually wore out first from using it as a brake since side-pull brakes sucked. So sometimes, we’d end up with mismatched shoes. It became a trend in the early ’80s among us poor BMXers—to have one shoe Red/Blue/Red and the other Gold/Blue/Gold, or a few other color combos that we could put together. Well, Stevie let me bring that into these ERA Supercross BMX / Vans with the mismatched tongues. One is Red, one is Blue, and of course, there’s the one Bright Yellow Eyelet by the Supercross BMX “95” logo.’
The Supercoss Era features the legendary low-top shoe design, lace-up closure, a sturdy canvas upper, the essential supportive padded collars, metal eyelets, the Vans signature rubber waffle outsoles, and the ‘UltraCush’ insole, for the most comfortable Era Vans ever, in a simple Supercross BMX stylish package.
We’ve been lucky enough to be cruising around in the new Vans for a week or so now, but we are poised to order some backups because they won’t be available for long. They are limited to 600 pairs of the ‘BMX Old Skool’ and 300 pairs of the Supercross ‘Era’ … worldwide!
More info on the Supercross BMX site.
To advertise on Fifteen, email advertise@15.ie
Subscribe to Fifteen BMX HERE
