Vans Slip-Ons. Who hasn’t owned (and battered) several pairs at any given time? They’re timeless, and they’re simple. And periodically, Vans’ product team iterates to give them some added function. That’s the plan behind the new Vans Trek Slip-Ons, a rinsable alternative to sandals and shoes.
So, What Are the Vans Trek Slip-On For?
I see it this way: We shouldn’t have to pack our cars and trucks with rinse buckets, gallon water jugs, dry mats, or mobile hose units for a surf. They’re all pretty inconvenient accessories when all we really want is to throw some quarters in the meter and get in and out of the water without bringing an entire beach back into the car (and eventually, home) with us. Such is life, though.
Functionally, the Vans Trek Slip-Ons help ease that pain. A quick spin under the shower by the parking lot easily cleans them off while drain holes allow for fast drying without having to do a one-legged parking lot dance, toweling off feet, and inevitably picking up more sand or dirt anyway. In a nutshell, that’s what they do: They’re shoes you can wear when you go out for a surf, rinse them off when you’re leaving the beach or getting off the trail, and repeat.
Dylan Graves puts the Vans Trek Slip-Ons to the test. Photo: Courtesy of Vans
There wasn’t much need to get super technical testing out the pair I got my hands on. Personally, I don’t love getting sand and dirt everywhere in my car or home, so I’ve always packed a full trunk of things to help minimize the mess. They all help for overall cleanliness but not so much for clutter. Since the Trek Slip-Ons are completely foldable, they’ve been getting crammed into my bag pretty easily without taking up much space. Now I just rinse my feet off with my shoes on and they’re typically dry enough to stuff back in my bag by the time I’m fully changed and ready to get back in my car.
Pros:
-They dry really fast.
-Foldable and bendable, so they fit into a backpack, weekend bag, or boardbag easily
-They have good traction, which came in handy taking a few rocky, and slippery, trails in and out of the water.
-They’re comfortable.
Cons:
-There are no half-sizes in the Trek Slip-On
-Solid colors only. If you wanted the true checkered slip-on, you’re out of luck at the moment.
Functionally, the Vans Trek Slip-On has been holding up to exactly what Vans designed them for — a solid alternative to sandals at the beach and perfectly functional as a comfortable, lightweight, and easy-to-pack pair of shoes. Check out Vans site to learn more.
In their element. Photo: Courtesy of Vans
Grippy! Photo: Courtesy of Vans
