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Introducing the Vans UltraRange Pro

Available in store and online this Saturday, July 1st, Vans, the original action sports footwear and apparel brand, proudly announces the European release of the UltraRange Pro. This revolutionary performance skate shoe is designed to enhance the fundamental union of skate cushioning and grip with the introduction of a unique co-molded bottom unit, combining Vans’ trustedUltraCush™ Lite foam with Vans’ original waffle outsole.

With decades of design heritage and more than 40 years of critical feedback from Vans’ legendary professional skateboarding team, the Vans UltraRange Pro’s versatile build pushes the boundaries of skate progression to provide uncompromising functionality with creative innovation. The UltraRange Pro also utilizes a brand-new internal sock-fit construction, providing a breathable, responsive and snug fit, along with ventilated tongue, collar and quarter panels for increased airflow. 

FEATURE BENEFITS

• A lightweight and durable co-molded outsole merging UltraCush™ Lite and Vans’ original rubber waffle tread for unparalleled cushioning and grip
• Seamless LuxLiner™ internal sock-fit construction for a breathable, snug fit.
• Molded Duracap™ reinforced pig suede uppers in high-abrasion areas for added durability
• Breathable tongue, collar and quarter panel vents for increased air flow

The Vans UltraRange Pro is available Saturday, July 1st in store and online.

With forthcoming releases to be announced throughout the year, Vans’ innovative UltraRange footwear line embraces a life of exploration, enabling creative pursuits from all corners of the globe to inspire you to get there—new cities, new spots, new unknowns.

Ben-G x Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Pro OP

We're a little late on this release but super excited about the Ben-G x Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Pro OP collab finally arriving on our sunny shores.

Ben-G is a well known premier skate store from Amsterdam and the collab features details like the "Sad Eyes" symbol on the tongue, inspired buy a tattoo on Ben-G's founder, Benny Komala's index finger. 

The shoe itself features an upper made with premium perforated leather in black, with a solid white midsole and reinforced with a matching white toe cap, an ollie patch and Lunarlon sockliner making it an all round decent skate shoe.

The Ben-G x Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Pro OP will be available this week, keep an eye on our Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Vans Announces the All-New Crockett Pro 2

Launching in store this Saturday, February 11, Vans reveals the latest breakthrough in performance skate footwear to introduce the second signature pro model from Vans team rider, Gilbert Crockett. Unlike any other, the all-new Crockett Pro 2 is a union of craft and science, upholding Vans’ revolutionary Wafflecup bottom unit construction, improved fit, and fully-fused Duracap upper reinforcements.

The new Crockett Pro 2 model introduces a new outsole that utilizes the performance advancements of Vans Wafflecup technology, providing the premium support and unrivaled grip demanded by skateboarders everywhere. Gilbert’s second edition highlights new blind-seam suede overlays on the toe cap, maximizing Vans’ Duracap reinforcement capabilities while employing Vans’ proven Ultracush HD drop-in sockliners for the highest level of impact cushioning.

Last week Sunday, Vans South Africa invited a bunch of skateboarders from across Cape Town to try out the new Gilbert Crockett Pro 2 on the streets of the city. The guys spent a day cruising together, starting up on the slopes of Table Mountain and ending up at Civic Centre in the heart of downtown. Check out the edit below and some more pics over at Session.

BENNY GOLD X STEVEN HARRINGTON

Benny Gold are pleased to offer a very special collaboration with a leader of contemporary Californian psychedelic-pop aesthetic, Los Angeles–based artist and designer Steven Harrington. Steven was asked to pilot the Benny Gold plane with a reinterpretation of some of their most popular items and he flew them straight into an alternate universe soaked in psychedelic sunshine.

We are especially thrilled with this collection because we are longtime fans of Steven's work.

This is a very limited release and certainly one not to be missed! Check out the collection on our online store here.

(Words and pics from Benny Gold)

SOUTH AND BEYOND - Celebrating 5 years of ADIDAS SKATEBOARDING IN SOUTH AFRICA

With all that, adidas is proud to present South and Beyond, a video feature starring the adidas South Africa skate team.

The original plan was to screen South and Beyond at Yourstruly but things didn't work out and Baseline was more than happy to help. So Friday the 21st came around and we converted the store into a cinema for the night, luckily Justin Leslie was there to document it, the photos below are what followed.

If you want a more in-depth look at the history of adidas Skateboarding in South Africa head on over to Session, they have a great post up.

Vans x Odd Future

HARD LUCK F.U.

We’re excited to stock the new collab between Brixton & Hard Luck.

Founded by Brixton’s Jason Jessee, Hard Luck makes high-performance skateboard
bearings and accessories and works with a stacked team of riders including
veterans Mark Gonzales and Neil Blender as well as Brixton Union riders Kenny Anderson,
Dolan Stearns, Jake Reuter and Jordan Taylor.

The Brixton & Hard Luck Friendly Union includes a custom plaid flannel and two different tees.
Each product features custom Brixton & Hard Luck graphics and details by artist Necalli. Go Fast.

The Brixton x Hard Luck collection will be available from the 23rd of September.

Paul Grund on the new Cons One Star Pro mid.

Converse Cons are celebrating the release of the new One Star Pro 90s, a mid version of the classic One Star Pro. They sent a host of team riders from Europe and the US on a few tours and the resulting coverage is a special zine project called 'The Relay', as well as some video coverage by the same title, you can find part one here and part two here. We caught up with French Cons and Polar Skate Co team rider Paul Grund to find out more.

Where did you guys travel to on these trips with Free Skate Mag?

I only went to Italy, we went to Milan and Rome first, and then a couple weeks after we went to Napoli and other cities around. Some of the other guys went to Germany as well.

How long did you spend in each city and was it easy to be productive, or did having such a large crew cause any issues?

We stayed like a week in Milan and 2 days in Rome, and then less than a week around Napoli. Yeah it's always pretty hard to be productive for me, but it's not related to the size of the crew, it's sick when you're a lot, you feel less individual pressure I guess...

What was your favourite place to visit during the mission?

I really liked Rome because of the history of the city, Napoli was really nice too! Mario is living around there, he was our guide and really took care of us.

The Converse crews from each area of Europe seem to be pretty tight with one another, collaborating on trips quite often. Then there are the US guys too. Who is your favourite CONS team rider to chill and skate with, from outside of France?

There is a good vibe around all of us, Kenny is sick to skate with cause he's always hyped and David because he's hilarious!

Between Polar and Converse you seem to constantly be featured in skate clips, do you find it easier to get stuff done on the road, or do you prefer to work on video parts or mag features closer to home?

It's hard to answer this question, at home you have time to focus on something but it's always the same spots, whereas when you are on trips there's new spots and you have to be more spontaneous.

How much time do you actually get to spend back in Bordeaux and what is the skate scene like there?

The last few months I always seem to be away so I'm not spending that much time in Bordeaux, but when I'm home I'm usually skating with Ben Chadourne (Cons filmer) and trying to film, but mostly having some rest and chilling with my friends. There is a really active skate scene back home with all the guys around Riot Distribution.

Are you an honorary member of the Bloby's crew, even though you don't come from Paris?

I'm not an honorary part of the Bloby's crew, let's say I'm more of a guest.

Did you grow up skating in the 90s, and if so did you ever imagine that you'd be traveling so much because of skateboarding today, it seemed like you had to be based in the US to do that back then?

I started skating in the late 90s in a really small town in a middle of the biggest forest in Europe, so no I didn't think I would do so much traveling with skateboarding. Now the European skate scene is pretty big so that's why I can do all of it.

Did you know about the One Star back in the 90s?

At that time I didn't really care about shoes.

You seem to skate in the One Star Pro 90s more than most of the crew, what do you like about them specifically?

I don't know, they just look good and they are nice to skate.

The French Converse crew seem to get as much coverage (if not more) than most of the global crew. You guys always seem to be on some sort of mission, do you do any other sort of work other than skating or can you make a living by skating full-time in France nowadays?

Yes I do but it's hard to work on the side since I'm always away, I'm pretty lucky I guess.

You were just over in Sweden too, and you were there for quite a few weeks, any specific projects in the works that you can tell us about?

Yeah since I'm on Polar, I'm going there every Summer for at least a month to skate with all the guys. And yeah there's always something going on with Pontus, maybe a new clip coming next year
Ok thanks Paul, maybe we'll see you over here in SA one day too.


Look out for 'The Relay' a special Converse Cons x Free Skate Mag Zine project available in-store now, featuring Paul and huge crew of Cons riders. There are also some banging edits dropping on Free Skate Mag's site from this project too.

Vans x Baseline Pro Classic Skate Event

Photo: Gav Scott

The House of Vans is where creative expression lives. It’s a place where imagination lets loose over skate obstacles, art installations, workshops and concert stages, inspiring every person who runs, rolls, or stomps through its door.

Vans continues its enduring commitment to creativity and the support of the skate community through the House of Vans at 94 Juta Street, Braamfontein. The pop-up location showcases three days and nights of music, photography, art and skateboarding. In this vein, Vans has partnered with Baseline Skate Shop to host the second Vans x Baseline Pro Classic skate event on 27th August, supported by Red Bull.

Vans is pushing the experiential envelope by opening up 94 Juta Street to the people of Johannesburg. Tickets are free and the public is invited to House of Vans Johannesburg (a former inner city primary school) by registering here.

The Vans x Baseline Pro-Classic skate event introduces a skate obstacle that pays tribute to one of Johannesburg’s iconic street skate spots. There will be R10 000 cash for tricks given away, and Vans team riders Trae Rice, Joubert Van Staden, Brett Shaw and extended Vans family Wynand Herholdt, Dave De Witt and TK Modise will be in attendance, alongside other top skaters from around SA.

Baseline Skate Shop, whilst being the epicentre of skateboarding in Cape Town, holds strong roots to the Johannesburg scene. Owners Adrian Day and Clint van der Schyf grew up skating and filming in downtown Johannesburg, and it will always hold a special importance to them, skateboarding and the history of SA skating. For the Pro Classic skate event, Baseline wanted to pay homage to a classic JHB skate spot, and designed an obstacle that is a tip-of-the-hat adaptation to the infamous Angle Banks on Loveday Street, one of JHB’s most unique and iconic natural street spots.

Be a part of the three day festivities by participating in the House of Vans Workshops, which include tote bag customisation, mug printing, a photo booth, and playing the Vans claw machine. There will be House of Vans merchandise available as well as food and drink on sale.

House of Vans Johannesburg 50th Anniversary Celebrations

Thursday 25th August
Mvelo
Ms. Cosmo
Kid Fonque
Maphorisa
KiD X
Themba Lunacy

Friday 26th August
Golden Yolk
The Tazers
Bye Beneco
Sol Gems
Al Bairre
The Make-Overs
Your Own Asian

Saturday 27th August
Baseline x Vans Pro Classic Skate Event
Olwee
Slice Frederico
Speedsta
Youngsta
Stilo Magolide
Sean Kross & Vino

VANS & PASS~PORT COLLECTION

Vans & Pass~Port have come together to offer a mouthwatering collection of shoes & limited soft goods. Including two colour ways in an old skool pro in both dark “chocolate” brown & off “marshmallow” white. From afar the shoe takes on a very classic & stripped back look, but on closer inspection has all the textures & touchy feely parts that make you feel special. Including such materials as the furry suede & washed canvas sides to the pig skin collar & Jazz stripe. With finer details including an embroidered tongue & heel, plus gold foil insides…its all a little arousing.

Available Here

...and now seven minutes of ripping from Callum Paul and Nick Stipanovic to announce the new collab shoe.

Available Here

(Words from Pass~Port)