Converse or Vans is a question that doesn’t have very much attention but really should. Vans are labeled as a skateboarding shoe as well as Converse, but they are much less than the same. The sudden rise in Vans popularity has taken away from the original purpose of the shoe, making it more of a fashion statement instead of a skating shoe. But what qualifies it as a skating shoe? They have shoe bottoms designed for gripping and are made to last longer than other shoes because they don’t rip as easily. While these are key qualities to look for in a shoe for skating, is it the end all be all?

Practicality
Converse shoes have more useful features; the rubber capped toe helps give more control to the rider, and they also have a suede edition especially for skateboarding. Whether is suede or regular, both are designed for skating making most of their marketing skater focused. Also, their market stretches from basketball wear to casual wear while Vans fail to have an inclusive marketing. 

Style
Vans do have some interesting designs for their shoes, ranging from solid colors to different colors and patterns. They are cool to look at, and I applaud Vans’ ability to create variety in their shoes. They have a slider version of the shoe at the moment that is popular, and are best known for their checkered design. The original Vans shoe was a low top shoe that resembled Keds and was marketed towards rugged skaters. 

Converse, on the other hand, has several different styles ranging from boots, basketball shoes, and denim. They have knee high boots that were popular back in the 2000’s after being seen on Zendaya Coleman in Disney’s “Shake it up”. They recently came out with a limited- edition platform boot this summer. They also have shoes specifically designed for basketball.  The brand has multiple colors and All-Stars that they recently released.  

Comfort
Vans are not very comfortable and, one of the most difficult things to do is attempt to put on a new pair of high top Vans. They’re very tight, and some consumers might have to push with all their might to shove their foot into it. Along with that, adjusting the laces is a disaster. People shouldn’t have to work that hard to get into a pair of shoes. I don’t think it’s worth it, which is mostly why I don’t even wear my own pair of Vans. Breaking in a new pair of these shoes is a nightmare. It feels like walking on concrete. 

Putting on Converse is a cakewalk compared to Vans. Consumers really don’t have to put in much effort, which is, yet another reason why Converse is the superior shoe. Although they don’t have the most support, it isn’t as awful as Vans. I do concede that with Converse, if someone is walking on rough terrain, they will feel rocks and other hard objects under their feet the more worn the shoes gets, so there is a limit to their comfort. 

In virtually every instance, Converse is the supreme shoe.In practicality, style and comfort, if you ask me converse has the win.