When I was asked to join our good friends from Vans Canada in Los Angeles to test the new Berle Pro shoe, I was down for sure, but still, the first thing that came to my mind was the fact that I would have to skate with new shoes for a full day … My feet are pretty ruined from more than 20 years of skateboarding, and skating fresh shoes is usually pure torture for me. You see, the expression “ready to skate right out of the box” never really applied in my case…

I never thought it would happen, but the Vans Berle Pro made me believe that having a great session with new kicks is fully possible!



If you’re ultra picky about your shoes, their shape, their flick, their sole and every single detail that could affect your skating, the Berle Pro could save you a lot of trouble. Honestly, I never thought I could do a good first kickflip with a pair of new shoes, but it happened.

KEEP READING TO UNDERSTAND WHY THIS SHOE IS A MUST FOR EVERY SKATER AND DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT OUR INSTAGRAM STORIES FOR A RECAP OF THE BERLE PRO WEAR TEST DAY IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.


WAFFLE CONTROL

The Berle Pro doesn’t just look a bit more tech than your usual Vans, it really is. I was surprised by the grip, the boardfeel and the comfort the shoes provided within the first minute of skating in them. Thanks to the new WAFFLE CONTROL sole. What I loved the most about the shoe’s sole is their instantaneous comfort. the sole is not too thick, not too thin and offers a level of impact absorption that kinda made me want to huck at The Berrics!


Probably the most important aspect of the Berle Pro: Its outsole. This is the first shoe using the new Vans WAFFLE CONTROL sole and let me tell you that I was very pleased with this innovation. The same Waffle pattern we all love, but with empty diamonds at the heel level, allowing unparalleled grip and great impact protection. The foot protection it offers is so next level, landing primo has never been so mellow.


I was also a little uncertain about the fact that the WAFFLECONTROL Outsole is a cup sole. I’m a vulcanized kind of guy and like many skaters, I hate changing a formula that works good most of the time. Once again, the Berle pro proved me wrong. After my session at the Berrics, I realized that not only did I have no pain in my feet, but that I was able to skate without even thinking about my brand new shoes. The sole is grippy, but nothing too gnarly, perfect enough to allow good flip tricks. The sole feels more comfortable than a vulcanized, is just as grippy and provides the legendary board feel only Vans can deliver.

The Flick

If you skate, you know exactly how it feels to get that perfect flick. It’s another great thing about the Berle Pro. The flickability is really on point! As I started to cruise around The Berrics and try a couple flip tricks here and there, I realized my flick was already super precise, solid and clean. Something that usually does not happen to me with new shoes.

The more I skate with toecap shoes, the more I like it. I use to only want to skate suede shoes, but a good toecap like the one on Elijah Berle’s first pro model allow a more constant flick and the Duracap rubber reinforcement technology from Vans makes it last for a long time.


The shoe is also really durable! After 24 hours of skateboarding and a ton of flip tricks, the toecap is still almost in perfect condition.
The Look

At first glance, the shoe looks pretty good. You can tell it’s different and new and it looks a little tech, but nothing too crazy. It’s a Vans after all, meaning it still has the classic and timeless look that we all love from the brand. The fact that the Berle Pro look really good from the skater’s point of view is what I loved the most visually. All skaters know how important the shoes look is when you’re looking down, it plays a crucial role in comfort and overall feeling of your setup.


The front of the shoe is perfect for flip tricks. Its shape is not too pointy, not too round and the toecap allows regular grippiness. Like I said before, I never thought I could do a good kickflip with a pair of fresh out of the box shoes, but it happened. My first kickflip with the Berle Pro was surprisingly how I like to do them, as if I had already skated the shoes and had gotten used to it already.



Thank you Vans for making some of the best skateboarding shoes in the world and congrats to Elijah Berle for this well deserved and flawless pro model!