As Paul Sperry watched his cocker spaniel, Prince, run across the ice on a winter's day in Connecticut, he noticed his dog's amazing ability to maintain traction on the slippery surface. Turning over Prince's paw, he observed hundreds of tiny cracks and cuts going in all directions. These wave-like grooves became the inspiration for Mr. Sperry's latest patent, called Razor-Siping™, and were instrumental in maximizing the traction and performance of the Authentic Original Sperry Top-Sider first introduced in 1935.
Originally known as the Van Doren Rubber Company, Vans started producing skateboarding specific shoes in Anaheim, California, in 1966. Throughout the following decades, Vans established itself as the market leaders in skate and BMX footwear and since become the brand of choice at the heart of many youth cultures. Check out all the latest Vans footwear collections right here.