At this point, you’ve heard or seen Rowan Zorilla. He has had parts in the Shep Dawgs videos, the Vans Video, Baker, and the Supreme video. He’s a talented skater and fun to watch; he skates gaps, stairs and does wall rides. He’s everything but boring, and I like his approach to skating. At first, I wasn’t a fan but grew to like him, unlike his shoe. 

The Vans Rowan Pro is an exciting shoe to look at that mixes the Bearcat and Half-Cab and doesn’t forget the seasoning. It’s also Vans’ first shoe to introduce SickStick and my first Vans with PopCush. In the name of this site and your wallet, I decided to get a pair. I was sick for two weeks after I began skating the shoes. But once I could, I was back on them. 

First Impressions

What I noticed in the Vans Outlet was that these shoes made me feel secure. They feature tongue centering straps and are a well-padded pair of shoes. While it is a heavier shoe, they do feel comfortable, and you feel locked in and ready to roll. 

My first session with them went very well. The SlickStick works, and I felt like my flicking was on point and enjoyed them for that. The shoe was sturdy and held up to my heelflips and kickflips. There wasn’t any tongue shifting around or funny business that gets uncomfortable. 

Fit and Comfort

Comfort is where the weight comes from; the shoe is a mid-top and has a padded tongue. The tongue is attached with centering straps, and it doesn’t shift and helps with the locked-in feel. The mid-top isn’t restrictive or very high. You could tell me it was a low-top, and I would believe you. The insole is thick and very bouncy, and I surprisingly didn’t notice or feel it flatten; this is both good and bad, as when an insole molds to your feet, it can feel supportive ( I also have arch issues and love the support) but, it also thins out at the forefoot. You get more boardfeel and feel the impact. 

Durability

After I got sick and was back on board, the shoe fended off quite well against the time it took for me to get both of my flip tricks back. I put in a few hundred, maybe close to a thousand kickflips, and the shoe never felt wrong. Due to the new formula and the sidewall built, there was a significant grip. I balded the sole, and as a vulcanized sole, I didn’t notice it as much. But, I felt that it lasted a good time. I skated the shoe from mid-December to mid-February, which felt like my money’s worth.

My pair did not feature the Vans jazz stripe, so I didn’t have to worry about them coming off. It does have a toe cap that is triple stitched and stretched to the ollie area that functions like an ollie pad. I didn’t manage to wear the shoe enough to see the Vans Duracap, but you have that additional durability layer. 

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Overall

Rowan is a fantastic skater, and this shoe matches him. It was a comfortable and durable shoe. Boardfeel wasn’t as present as expected for a Vans but, the grip was very there; this was because of the insole. I liked the shoe. It was an 8/10, and I honestly do recommend it. The shoe isn’t like the AVE pro that has the super fancy tech to make it last longer; instead, it has thicker materials and multiple layers. It’s not the heaviest skate shoe, but it is noticeable, and you’ll adjust to it, and how it will skate will at least make up for it.