Is Vans Ditching Skate Style for Gorpcore Gear? This Sneaker May Hold the Answer

The California sneaker and lifestyle brand is no stranger to outdoor reinterpretations, but this take on the Old Skool is a new spin.

Vans Old Skool 36 FM Shoe side stripe closeup

By Sean Tirman

Published 11 hours ago

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Founded in Anaheim back in 1966, Vans is one of the world’s most iconic sneaker brands. While the Off the Wall brand is deeply tied to Southern California surf and skate culture, it has also dabbled in other avenues.

However, one of the brand’s latest drops, the Vans OTW Old Skool 36 FM — a reinterpretation of the brand’s flagship footwear — could be a hint that the brand is evolving in a surprising direction.

Vans Old Skool 36 FM Shoes black and white — While not an outdoor shoe, the OTW Old Skool 36 FM takes a surprising number of cues from the hiking and camping industries.

Off the wall (and the trails)

Vans is no stranger to outdoor sneakers. The brand’s MTE (short for Mountain Edition) series — which saw some of its most beloved sneaker designs transformed for all-terrain, all-weather use — debuted over a decade ago. Now, the brand has a full line of all-weather sneakers, often made for hiking, camping and the like.

Furthermore, the Old Skool itself has recently been transformed into a legit hiking shoe. But that’s what makes the 36 FMs a bit different: they’re not outdoor sneakers.

These are lifestyle sneakers (meaning you’d wear them daily rather than for a specific purpose) — style pieces made for city-going. While the other shoes saw Vans’ signature skate style applied to outdoor activity, these see the reverse: outdoor styling making its way into a classic skate shoe.

Vans Old Skool 36 FM Shoe top and bottom — Sound waves and radio frequencies inspire the outsole’s wavy pattern.

It’s hard to say whether this is just a one-off project or the brand is testing the waters with a new design language. Even so, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the latter were true, as Vans has recently been in financial trouble (the brand’s parent company, VFC, saw a 20 percent tumble last year, credited mainly to Vans).

Could a shift away from skate culture and into gorpcore be the answer? It seems like this sneaker could be a pretty big indicator of things to come, if so.

Vans Old Skool 36 FM Shoe backs — The wavy outsole pattern extends to the midsole.

New school

This design still resembles the original Old Skool sneaker in both name and style. However, many of its elements are a major departure from the classic skate shoe. And they’re largely drawn from the outdoor industry.

Take the upper, for instance. Instead of a solid canvas, this shoe sees it swapped for a more breathable, mesh-like “lofted engineered-knit” cotton. It also sees the classic eyestays swapped for rubberized ones that connect to the sneaker’s signature side stripe.

Speaking of the side stripe, this crucial element is also different on this shoe. Instead of a strip of leather, this version is a 3D-injected synthetic.

Vans Old Skool 36 FM Shoe laces closeup — As you can plainly see, the lacing system and tongue were pulled directly from the outdoor world.

Even the lacing system is different, with outdoor-inspired daisy-chain-like tongue webbing that keeps the laces solidly in place. Plus, there’s a rubberized toe cap and matching heel that help up the sneaker’s durability.

Lastly, the sole is changed out for one inspired by sound and radio waves. It’s important to note that this last bit, the outsole, is what distinguishes this shoe from its outdoor counterparts.

It doesn’t have a grippy all-terrain tread. While it’s definitely treaded, those treads are relatively shallow and wouldn’t be very effective in an outdoor context.

Vans Old Skool 36 FM Shoe toecap — The rubberized toe cap adds some reinforcement and makes these sneakers more durable overall.

Pricing and availability

The Vans OTW Old Skool 36 FM Shoes are available now in three colorways: off-white, black and olive green. All three are priced at $125

Editor’s Note: The green colorway is listed as “Premium,” but there is no discernible difference between it and the other two versions apart from the color. Even the price is exactly the same.