Are Vans bad for your feet? I ask this because I recently bought my goddaughter a pair of Old Skool Vans that she was lusting over. Her brother loves them as well. Is this because of fashion or comfort? Well probably it is a bit of both but it got me thinking about whether wearing Vans shoes is bad for your feet or whether these popular shoes help your foot health.
As I take a keen interest in footwear and write about shoes I thought I would investigate and give you some of the pros and cons of choosing Vans casual shoes when you are next out shopping.
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Are Vans Good For Your Feet?
Well, there is no perfect answer to this question because the problem is that everyone’s feet are different. Some people will love their flat Vans shoes and find them comfortable and easy to wear whilst others will think they have very little support or cushioning.
What I can say is that regular Vans are most definitely not an orthopedic shoe developed with foot health in mind. They are a shoe that was originally designed for skateboarding.
Trying to compare orthopedic shoes with casual skate shoes is like trying to compare chalk and cheese.
People who wear Vans are predominantly young people. That doesn’t mean older ages can’t wear them but it tells you a lot about the brand’s core market. Young people time and time again put fashion about sensible shoes. As you get older you need more support than these skate shoes offer.
My goddaughter and her brother love them and never complain about foot pain but then they are a good number of years younger than me!
If Vans were super comfortable you could guarantee you would see older age groups wearing them but the reality is they have thin soles and most have very little arch support making them harder for us oldies to wear.
Is it Bad To Wear Vans All The Time?
Are Vans bad for your feet? Well if you choose to wear them all the time then yes but the same goes for other shoes as well.
Wearing shoes day after day doesn’t allow them to dry out properly between each use. If you are wondering what I mean by drying out I am talking about sweat.
When you wear shoes your feet will sweat to a certain degree. Usually, it takes at least 24 hours for this sweat to evaporate between uses. Wear them the next day and the sweat accumulates and makes your shoes a breeding ground for bacteria and fungus.
Vans skate shoes also tend to lack support which can impact not only your feet but other muscles in your body as well.
Are Vans Supportive?
So what exactly does support mean when talking about footwear like Vans shoes?
Support means extra cushioning to make it a more comfortable shoe. It means that the shoe will have limited flex apart from near the toes so that your feet don’t move around. It means the material they are made from is rigid enough so your feet don’t start to pronate. Plus it also means arch support that cradles your feet to keep them in the perfect position when you are walking.
If you look at Vans shoes and other forms of skater-style canvas shoes this extra support that you need is generally lacking.
Vans slip-ons and lace-ups are generally made from canvas which can move and bend easily. Many of the basic shoe styles lack cushioning so you would need to make sure you are buying Vans sneakers with Ultra-Cush insoles. Plus their basic original style shoe styles don’t have any arch support.
They also offer very little in the way of ankle support because of the low profile that many of their original style sneakers have which makes people more vulnerable to ankle injuries. If you do have a need for ankle support think about buying Vans High Tops.
Do Vans Make Shoes With Arch Support?
Whilst the basic Vans shoes don’t have arch support their ComfyCush line of sneakers does.
Good arch support is incredibly important in helping to increase shoe comfort and reduce future foot pain because of the pressure from walking. It also is essential if you suffer from flat feet.
Flat feet where you do not have sufficient support in the mid-section of your foot can potentially cause problems over time. It can lead to foot and muscle pain. This is why if you have flat feet even if you are young it makes sense to buy shoes with good arch support.
If you can’t get the arch support from your shoes you can, of course, buy custom orthotics to help but I can almost guarantee that many younger people wearing Vans won’t think of that option until they get a problem.
So buying a pair of Vans Comfy Cush sneakers can make a difference and are more supportive shoes than many of their other styles.
Are They Waterproof?
Are Vans waterproof? It is important to note that Vans make a huge range of different types of footwear so not all of their shoes are going to be the same.
When I am talking about Vans I am talking about their Old Skool designs and whilst they may be water resistant they are not waterproof.
Water resistance means that they will be able to cope with some rain if you are walking around a city or town. If however, you want to wear them all day in the pouring rain then forget it as the rain with eventually seep into your feet. This isn’t just uncomfortable but can also lead to foot infections as well.
You can of course use a waterproofing spray like Crep Protect to improve how well they hold up in wet weather but it will never be a 100% guarantee that water won’t get in.
If you need Vans shoes that are waterproof then look to their VANS MTE™ range which is designed to withstand wet conditions.
Are They Breathable?
If you suffer from sweaty feet then Vans shoes are going to be a lot better than some sneakers that are on the market because the canvas material they are made from is relatively breathable.
Breathable shoes allow moisture to escape as your feet sweat, especially in the summer months. This is obviously bad for your feet.
If you do suffer from sweaty feet make sure you wear moisture-wick socks with them to help alleviate the problem and use a foot antiperspirant like Carpe.
Are Vans Designed for Wide Feet?
Whilst their ordinary shoes might not be suitable for wide feet Vans do design a large range of their shoes in a wider fitting.
This means if you have wide feet you should be able to purchase a shoe that fits correctly and doesn’t hurt your feet.
The width and shape of each shoe will dictate your individual comfort. The good thing about Vans shoes is that most of their designs have a reasonably wide toe box which helps when your toes need room to spread out.
Just be careful with some of their designs which don’t have a high-toe box. That means that if you need a little extra height in your shoes you may find that they could hurt your feet because of friction.
Will Vans Keep Your Feet Warm?
One area where most Vans do fall down is that their Old Skool shoes are not really designed for cold weather.
Most of their sneaker designers are fine for spring and summer but you might struggle to wear them in autumn and winter especially if the temperatures in your location aren’t particularly warm.
The simple fact is that they don’t have great insulation so your feet are going to get cold in them if the temperatures dip even if you are wearing thick socks. As for snow don’t even think about wearing them when there is any on the ground as your feet will freeze.
Personally, I believe that most of their regular sneakers are designed for better weather.
Buying Cushioned Insole Shoes
Are Vans bad for your feet? Well, whilst I am not the person wearing the recently purchased Vans I do know that unless you get the styles with the extra cushioning you have an extremely flat shoe with little shock absorption. This is bad for your feet especially if you are planning to walk reasonable distances in them.
Good walking shoes need substantially more support than traditional Vans styles offer. Therefore keep them for casual use or buy the styles with additional cushioning for comfort.
I know that people like me steer away from Vans or Converse shoes because they make them feel like they are walking on hard ground.
I need a shoe with great padding and even then I usually buy extra insoles to cushion my feet further. Vans Old Skool sneakers are a design of shoe that is going to hurt my feet and cause me to start developing blisters because it lacks these extras.
Switching up to a different style can obviously help but I am not convinced that their regular sneakers are that great when it comes to comfort especially if you already have some foot problems.
How Long Do They Last?
There is no easy answer to this as it will depend on how much you wear them and in what conditions.
My goddaughters are still looking great a year or so after I bought them for her but she’s still at school so doesn’t wear them much during the week.
If you are going to be wearing them as your main shoes then you are going to get less wear out of them. On average you should get at least a year’s wear from them if you are wearing them regularly.
You should of course note that if you are going to wear them in the rain then they are not going to last nearly as long.
Are Vans Bad For Your Feet Or Should You Invest in a Pair?
Are Vans bad for your feet and should you invest in one of their regular styles?
I think that as a casual shoe that you wear some of the time then you are probably going to find that they will be ok providing you don’t have any foot problems or intend to wear them for long walks.
The biggest issue they have is the lack of support and cushioning for your feet especially with the original designs that most people wear. Of course, if you upgrade and buy some of the newer models you will get extra features.
If you have any foot problems such as plantar fasciitis, flat feet, or tendonitis as I have then I would give them a miss and buy something that is going to support your foot and minimize foot pain.
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