VANS INTRODUCES THE NEW ULTRARANGE VR3
VANS INTRODUCES THE NEW ULTRARANGE VR3
SHOP OUR VANS ULTRARANGE VR3 COLORWAYS →
Like all past Vans Ultrarange lines, the philosophy behind the shoes is not where you are going, but how you get there. You get there with good looking, comfortable, breathable, durable and lightweight footwear, which is the perfect description of the new Vans Ultrarange VR3, aside from the fact that this new shoe was re-thought, re-engineered and rebuilt to make it sustainable.
The Ultrarange VR3 represents a small step towards a larger goal of producing more sustainable footwear and Vans commitment to sourcing 100% of the brand’s top 4 CO2 impact materials (cotton, leather, rubber and polyester) from Regenerative, Responsibly Sourced Renewable, and/or Recycled sources by 2030. That’s a huge step forward for Vans right there and we love it!
To describe it briefly, the new Ultrarange VR3 includes a molded EcoCush™ midsole, a lightweight construction, EcoWaffle™ rubber outsole, and a breathable upper. The upper is designed to reduce waste in production compared to Vans’ traditional cut and sew uppers. The UltraRange VR3 is the manifestation of the Ultrarange mantra: It’s not about where we are going, but how we get there.
KNOW YOUR ULTRARANGE HISTORY
Before jumping into the shoes technicalities, let’s jump back in time to see how the UltraRange line of shoes was originally designed. This all around footwear design was actually created for the Vans surf team as a versatile travel shoe they could wear across all their adventures.
From trips to the store to jogs around the neighborhood, the shoes have been tested on all of the surf team daily adventures. This resulted in one of the most lightweight and comfortable shoe in the biz and one you can always count on.
Fast forward to 2022 with this new sustainable version of the beloved Ultrarange. Did you know that still to this day, the idea came from surfers as Vans partnered with surfboard shaper Pepe Rivas to understand his approach using reclaimed materials such as leftover foam scraps that occur from the initial surfboard shaping process. Rethinking the materials, process and overall impact, Pepe and Vans share a common goal to reimagine the lifecycle of a product. And the Ultrarange VR3 was born out of this iconic collaboration.
THE SHOE
On the sole level, the re-engineered and rebuilt UltraRange VR3 has an EcoCush™ midsole made of at least 50% biobased EVA foam partially derived from plant-based sources. The shoe also features Vans all-new EcoWaffle™ rubber compound made with responsibly sourced natural rubber (instead of petroleum-derived synthetic rubber) obtained from sources that follow proven sustainable practices intended to reduce impacts on the planet and is engineered to maintain the grip and durability for which Vans is known.
On the upper level, the one-piece knit upper is made from a blend of 50% organic cotton, 36% recycled PET, and 14% recycled nylon. The upper is designed to reduce production waste compared to Vans’ traditional cut and sew uppers, and leverages leather sourced from a high rated tannery for environmental responsibility by the Leather Working Group. Offered in chive and cobblestone colorways this season, the UltraRange VR3 retains the comfort-driven versatility that’s synonymous with the UltraRange, but with a more responsible approach.
If you ever wore Ultrarange shoes in the past, you know exactly what we’re talking about here. The ultimate level of comfort with a lightweight feel and high durability to lead you forward on your journey.
With all these attributes and now with the fact that this shoe is paving the way for Vans toward a more sustainable production, getting a pair of these was a no brainer for us. We personally love this shoe and highly recommend you try it out.
