The Vault by Vans x Off The Hook “Varsity Pack” release is just a few days away, and as we near the end of the year, I start to think back on all of the releases that stood out, and I’ve already made up my mind that these will be in my top 5. That’s a bold statement, but I’m confident I won’t be changing my mind. One close look at the craftsmanship on this pack, and you just might have to agree with me. Both are equally exceptional, and when tasked with designing two totally opposite silhouettes, it can be difficult to give them both a unique identity, without having them look like some horrible set of twins. Think of Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger! Huh? What? Ok bad analogy. What I mean to say, is that these are more like a pair of good looking siblings, featuring both the awesome wool and premium leather traits that their designers came up with, but in their own unique way.
The Authentic is known for having a lot of open space up in the toe area, a perfect place to showcase the fine wool material, in all it’s nappy gray glory. The dark pebbled leather wraps the entire back half of the shoe, completing the varsity jacket aesthetic, and the brown leather accents contrast nicely. They finish off with high-quality red waxed round laces. Square leather laces are also included.
For the Sk8-Hi 46 LX, the premium brown leather steals the spotlight. The Sk8-Hi 46 utilizes a unique two-piece toe box construction, which I assume was for a more durable, work-wear type of shoe. We’ve seen it used before, particularly on the Vault Schaffer Pack, and the added panel and stitching helps add some depth to this shoe’s design, as well as draws more attention to the perfectly tanned leather. The details don’t stop there. For the back half of the shoe, the same wool and pebbled leather combination can be found on the outer panel, and is “flipped” on the inside panel of each shoe, which is dope and allows everyone to see all of the different materials chosen for this shoe, from just about any angle. These are finished off nicely with squared leather laces, and comes with the red round waxed laces as well.
These are a thing of beauty, and I do hope you don’t hesitate to pick these up. They won’t last long. The Authentic ($95 CAD) and Sk8-Hi ($135 CAD) will be available in limited quantity on Saturday, October 25th at 10AM in store and 12PM in the online store (Eastern time).
tons more pics after the jump
How can I purchase the black crab chef shoe
Those were a super limited release, and the only place pairs pop up for sale now are on eBay. Good luck!