Vans is no doubt one of the best companies when it comes to skateboarding. They practically invented the skateboard specific shoe. They use some of the best materials, The Vans waffle grip outsole is the cream of the crop, and the jazz stripe is not something to fuck with. Face it, Vans is the most influential shoe brand out there, and wouldn't it make sense if the most influential shoe company has the one of the most influential skate shoes of all time? Of course!
The Vans Halfcab originated from skate-legend Steve Cab's first shoe, the full cab. In the 90's skaters took the full cab and modified it to fit the needs of the fast evolving trend of street skating. They did this by taking the full cab, and cutting the collar down by half of its height. Hence the name half cab. This soon caught the eye of Steve Cab, he then began to do it himself. He took the idea to Vans and in 1992 the Halfcab officially came into existence.
This year vans has been releasing a new color of the Halfcab every month of the year to mark "20 years of an icon". For december they aren't just releasing a new color way, but a completely modern spin on the classic Halfcab. Its called the Half Cab Lite.
The Vans Half Cab Lite
The Vans Halfcab Lite has a few profound differences from the original Halfcab. First and foremost it has taken off the excess layers of suede stitched together on the Halfcab. This has numerous advantages. Without the excess suede the shoe, of course it is lighter. Making the shoe feel more comfortable and making it fit more like a sock. This will make the overall board feeling better and will help control tricks with more ease. It also takes away any pressure points or hot spots that might give your foot blisters, or irritate your skin. Second, the upper only has three major panels. Which gets rid of seams that could be ripped. This increases the durability. Also the one peice toecap increases the longevity of the toecap, and also makes for a controlled and longer lasting flick. Lastly the decrease in materials allows for better breathability because the shoe isn't heavy, and also there aren't as many materials for the hot air to pass through.
From what it looks like and from what I've been hearing I believe that the vans waffle cup technology will be implemented in the sole of this new Halfcab. I can tell by the look of the sides of the sole it looks just like any other waffle cup model. The Vans waffle cup has been used in many of Vans latest shoes such as the Stage 4, and the Euclid. It is a hybrid sole. It has a foxing tape base layer that has a cup sole wedged onto it then the shoe is put into a curing oven. The point of the waffle cup is to create a bridge between cup sole and vulcanized shoe. Taking the positive aspects of both. It takes the flexibility, board feel, and grip of a vulcanized shoe, and pairs it with the support and durability of a cup sole, but no need to worry! The bottom still has that classic waffle tread pattern that we know and love. This is a good showing of Vans stepping out of the comfort zone of their classic shoe aspects and stepping into the high tech end of the skate shoe industry.
Vans: Waffle Cup Commercial!
A picture of The Wafflecup Sole and the CO Molded Polyurethane Footbed
Photo Credit: Ripped Laces www.rippedlaces.com (In no way did I take this photo, nor do I own the rights to it.)
The inside of the shoe has a few updated aspects, This shoe will be part of the syndicate collection. The syndicate collection features a special "moisture wicking" material lining the inside of the shoe. This will better the breathability of the shoe while soaking up any moisture created from muggy feet. This lining paired with the reduction of materials on the shoe should result in excellent breathability. Also this new shoe will feature Vans CO Molded Polyurethane Footbed. This footbed has been featured in shoes like the Lindero, Euclid, TnT 5, and the current Halfcab Pro. It has a large gel insert in the heel that is incredibly responsive and have amazing cushioning. It features a thinner gel in front that is made of a sticky material that prevents the insole from sliding around. The thinning of the insole towards the front of the shoe promotes the best board feel possible. The CO Molded Polyurethane Insole can't pack out too. These keep their shape and don't thin out over time. This makes for a long lasting responsive insole.
The last few features are the Waxed laces. The wax make the laces a little more durable. Even if they weren't waxed you could always superglue them. Also the collar and tongue have been thinned out. Most likely for more flexibility while maintaining the support of the mid top silhouette.
Picture of the Cab Lite Tag on the thinned out tongue, also spot the thinned collar. The waxed laces are also visible
I want to say how incredible this shoe looks. Vans has done a really good job making some modifications that could send the message of a more street specific shoe (The evolution from full cab, to half cab, to Halfcab Lite is quite the transition when you think about it.) Vans has successfully stepped out of the comfort zone of their classics. With such features like moisture wicking mesh, Molded footbeds, and their hybrid sole. Look out for this shoe in December for the holiday season. It is going to be around 80$ A review will surely be done since I am a big Vans advocate. Look out for more news to come!
