Vans’ Rugged Trail Sneaker Doesn’t Mind a Detour

There was a time when Vans only had one job: make shoes tough enough to survive a skateboard. Fast forward a few decades and the California label is just as comfortable wandering up a trail as it is dropping into a halfpipe.

The Crosspath XC GORE-TEX is the latest proof.

Sure, the Sidestripe is still there, but everything else feels like Vans has been spending a little too much time outdoors, in the best possible way. Chunky trail-ready tooling and a rugged build all point in one direction, away from the skatepark and towards whatever adventure you've convinced yourself to wake up early for.

The best part? It never loses sight of what makes it a Vans sneaker in the first place.

Unlike a lot of gorpy footwear that looks like it belongs halfway up a mountain, the Crosspath XC GORE-TEX still carries that laid-back signature attitude. It just happens to be a little more prepared when the weather turns or the pavement disappears. 

Finished in an all-white colorway, the silhouette feels surprisingly clean for something built to get dirty. It's technical without looking over-engineered, rugged without trying too hard and exactly the kind of sneaker that makes you wonder why more trail shoes can't look this good.

Because if Vans is going to keep making outdoor sneakers like this, hiking boots might have a problem.

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