Sizing

The Vans TNT Advanced Prototype fits true to size.

Durability

Durability-wise, the TNT Advanced Prototype is good. Despite looking like the pop-punk Old-Skool and a 112 Pro, the shoes held up pretty well. At first glance, the area where the rubber hits around the toe and side panel had me scratching my head. Admittedly, I’m not much of a toe-cap guy. But I have to admit, performance-wise it was exceptional. Normally  rubber around the toes makes for clumsy flip tricks due to a lack of predictability, especially as the rubber becomes tackier with time. However, the TNT Advanced Prototypes maintained a consistent “flick” over the lifespan of the test. 

All in all, the latest TNT shoe is very respectable in terms of durability. It’s outfitted with a DURACAP upper for extra reinforcement should you wear trough the suede/rubber barrier and the Pro Vulc Lite construction helped maintain a level of consistent, predictable flex.

Cushioning

Years back, I used to exclusively skate Vans thanks to their predictable board feel and sock-like feel once broken in. Over the years Vans has really improved, developing an insole that’s impact-ready and still provides great board feel. First, you had the UltraCush, then the UltraCush Lite and then came along the UltraCush Lite 3D. The UltraCush Lite 3D is a dual-density foam insole with a molded heel cup that not only helps keep your heel stable but also disperses impact energy.

Shape

The TNT Advanced Prototype sports a standard Vans silhouette. I wasn’t joking either about this shoe’s resemblance to the Old Skool. They might look nearly identical, but I assure you they’re not. 

For starters, the Old Skool’s toe is a bit more pointed than the TNT Advanced Prototype’s. It’s not super noticeable, but there’s a clear-cut distinction between the two. If you’re already a fan of Vans shoes, the TNT toe box is pretty standard and predictable, which is good.

Moving onto the side of the shoe, you’ll notice that there are very few seams despite a fair bit of stitching. The entire side quarter is one-piece, which has proven to stand up to abuse quite well. There are no seams to superglue, no stitching to rip and expose your foot…just a wall of magenta-dyed suede.

Boardfeel and Grip

Great and great. It’s a Vans shoe after all – it’s going to have exceptional board feel and grip thanks to the original waffle outsole. The UltraCush Lite 3D liner tapers down to the balls of your feet, providing optimal board feel. And with any waffle outsole shoe, the grip is exceptional.

Comfort and Stability

In general, the TNT Advanced Prototype is pretty comfortable, but there were some noticeable areas for improvement after the test.

Out-of-the-box fit and general comfort level was fine. My problems arose after skating for a couple hours. Maybe it was the 40 (104F) degree weather I was skating in, but these shoes were not designed with enough technical elements to combat breathability. Although Vans did implement a mesh stripe on the inner panels of each shoe my feet were still noticing from the lack of breathability. 

Due to the lack of escape routes for the excessive heat and sweat to exit, the shoes started to lose their shape and structure rather quickly. With that said, any shoe could fall victim to this, and having a truly breathable skate shoe is a tall order, especially if you want it to last more than a few sessions.

Another noticeable drawback was the weight of the shoes. This was my first thought when taking them out of the box. Compared to the other shoes I’ve weartested before, as well a bunch of other shoes at home, the TNT advanced prototype was indeed more on the heavy side. Depending on what you like to skate, this might be a deterrent.

Summary

The Vans TNT Advanced Prototype is a good addition to the Vans Pro Skate lineup. If you generally like Vans, you’ll like the new TNT’s. They’re much more durable than an Old Skool or Era Pro and provide a similar level of performance. If you can sacrifice a slightly heavier shoe for added performance and durability, then these are a surefire win.

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Sizing

The Vans TNT SG fits a bit bigger than usual. We recommend going a half size down for skating.

Durability

At first glance, this model resembles the Vans Old Skool very much with its detailed stitching. However, after inspecting and skating it, it can be safely said that the TNT SG is more durable. Like the Old Skool, the TNT SG is stitched up into three main parts: The forefoot and the midfoot, which are both made of suede leather, and the posterior area, which is made of canvas. The forefoot to midfoot area, where kickflips often make the most damage to, has a larger surface area and is triple stitched. This proved extremely beneficial in preventing the dreaded kickflip hole on the edge of the shoe, which didn’t appear during or after the 10 hour test. Another plus of the shoe was the stitching of the Vans leather logo.

Cushioning

Cushioning for the Vans TNT SG was quite average. This model does feature an Ortholite Sockliner aimed to enhance cushioning capabilities of the shoe as minimally as possible. But in the end, The TNT SG is a vulcanized model, which just can’t beat cupsole cushioning. Upon first skating the shoe, the insole is extremely hard and stiff. However, after a few hours, the insole broke in and the Ortholite Sockliner began to show its usefulness. Cushioning was the weakest in the forefoot, but this may have to do with more wear in the sole where the forefoot spends more time in plantar flexion during pushing and molds the waffle cup sole to the insole more tightly, minimizing cushioning overall.

Shape

The shape of the shoe is similar to a mid-top, but with a lower top-line collar. If laced to the top, the shoe almost fits in snug like some kind of skate boot. The rear foot area where the heel fits is slimmer, and it widens much more around the midfoot, before tapering off into a rounded edge in the front foot area. The slim heel area is a very snug fit for skaters who prefer a more secure heel.

Boardfeel and grip

This is where Vans has proclaimed their shoe shines the brightest, and to be honest, this shoe can definitely back that claim. There are three elements of Vans’ technical features that are working together to create amazing board feel and grip. The first is Van’s gum rubber waffle outsole, providing more than enough grip, and is the perfect thickness for maximal flex and boardfeel. The second feature is Vans’ Pro Vulc construction, which is just a thicker, beefed up, and ready for abrasive contact vulcanized outer. The third feature is the aforementioned Ortholite Sockliner, which isn’t the best for cushioning and impact absorption, but instead packs a punch when it comes to boardfeel. The sole was thin enough to feel direct concave contact of the board when setting up for tricks. All three of these elements play their part in showcasing amazing boardfeel and grip, which Vans is notorious for. The suede upper also did not tear open during the 10 hours of skating, despite the vulc wearing all the way down.

Comfort and stability

The shoe lacks a technical element to ensure airflow and breathability for the skater. For those who get sweaty feet during skating, this is an element that is quite important when designing a shoe. The toe box is lined with 10 tiny holes that may help a bit with breathability, but in the end, there were sweat stains in the suede from sweaty hot-boxed feet. Moreover, the shoe is initially very stiff right out of the box. But once it is broken in, the shoe excels at providing the skater with maximum flex while still retaining a supportive and stable shape. A positive characteristic of the shoe was the added heel support in the rear section of the shoe, made of suede that helped maintain a supportive and stable shape during skating. Moreover, the canvas rear foot area retained its shape through grinds, slams, stress flex and pushing. The Ortho-Lite Sockliner provided a deep and secure fit for the heel when skating, no slipping out occurred when skating stairs.

Summary

The sixth installment of TNT’s line-up from Vans doesn’t fall short when it comes to boardfeel and grip. It’s a great shoe to skate flatground, transitions and ledges, but not so much for jumping down big gaps and stair sets. With that said, cushioning and breathability could be improved for the next model.

A

Check out the Vans TNT SG at ARROW&BEAST

Vans TNT SG

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