We’re fully in the era of Curren Caples.
Back in 2007, Curren emerged as a young talent alongside Louie Lopez, joining Flip Skateboards as a grom and learning from some of the most iconic names in skateboarding: Geoff Rowley, Arto Saari, Tom Penny, and Rune Glifberg, the crew behind Sorry and Really Sorry. At the time, Flip and Vans were closely linked, and with a push from Rowley, Curren joined the Vans team at just 11 years old.
Fast forward to today, both Curren and Louie now ride for Fucking Awesome under the guidance of Jason Dill. At 29, Curren has quietly built a lasting career in a space where longevity is rare. While many of his early peers have faded from view, Curren continues to evolve – thanks in part to a strong circle of close friends like Louie, Jake Anderson, Mason Silva, and filmer Ryan Lee, along with the early mentorship that shaped his foundation.
That journey brings us to a major milestone: the release of Curren’s first signature pro model shoe with Vans. It marks a new chapter in his career, placing him among the ranks of Vans’ most influential riders: Geoff Rowley, Steve Caballero, Chima Ferguson, TNT, Elijah Berle, Gilbert Crockett, Kyle Walker, and AVE.
We put the new Vans Curren Caples to the test. Read on to see how they performed.
The Vans Curren Caples fits true to size but has a slightly narrower, snug feel.
Overall, the Vans Curren Caples impresses with its solid durability, thanks to a three-layer rubber outsole, a suede upper, and an underlying Duracap layer. The upper combines suede in high-abrasion areas with canvas in the midfoot to reduce weight. Unsurprisingly, the suede toecap held up well against grip tape, further protected by the extended outsole. While the Duracap layer is present for added protection, it wasn’t needed in this test, as the suede never developed holes.
The canvas side panels began to show wear after roughly 10 hours of skating, highlighting their lighter construction. Still, the real MVP is the outsole. Its triple-layer build prevented blowouts and significantly extended the shoe’s lifespan. As seen in the photos, the top layer of rubber wore down in a way that suggests weaker bonding with the layers beneath, likely due to differences in texture, but it didn’t compromise overall performance.
When it comes to impact protection, Vans Skate models typically feature one of the brand’s proprietary cushioning systems. For the Curren Caples, the designers opted for PopCush, a thick insole foam paired with a thin vulcanized sole, consistent with Vans’ classic skate feel. A standout feature is a reinforcement layer that runs from the heel to the midfoot, adding structure to an otherwise soft and flexible sole. In our weartest, the shoe maintained the expected boardfeel and flexibility of a vulc construction, while offering noticeably above-average cushioning.
The Curren Caples Pro Model features a low-profile silhouette that blends classic Vans design with subtle modern refinements. The toebox is slightly tapered, offering a sharper, more precise flick point without feeling overly narrow. This shape supports consistent flip tricks, while the moderate toe volume helps maintain structure and prevents the shoe from collapsing too quickly.
As a vulcanized model, the Vans Curren Caples places a strong emphasis on boardfeel and grip. While cushioning is present, Vans kept it minimal to preserve that close-to-the-board connection. The thin, straightforward sole construction provides the right amount of flexibility, making the shoe feel extremely responsive underfoot.
In terms of grip, the deep tread pattern and Vans’ signature SickStick rubber compound deliver excellent traction. Throughout our 10-hour weartest, grip remained consistently strong. As expected, Vans’ grip continues to set the standard in skate footwear: still unmatched in the industry.
Comfort and stability show both strengths and room for improvement.
Starting with comfort: the shoe fits snugly and sits close to the foot, with tongue straps that enhance the inner-sock feel. On the downside, the shoe feels noticeably heavy, which takes some time to get used to. The break-in period is relatively short—just one or two sessions—after which the sole becomes fully flexible and stays consistent.
In terms of stability, the snug fit and well-defined arch wrap help lock the foot in place, especially when paired with the padded collar. This design is necessary, as the Curren Caples model has a very low ankle cut, which can lead to heel slippage if not laced all the way to the top.
Overall, the shoe offers above-average stability for a vulcanized model but leans more toward boardfeel and flexibility than a locked-in, cupsole-like feel.
The Vans Curren Caples Pro Model delivers excellent durability, boardfeel, and grip, making it a standout vulcanized skate shoe built for performance and durability. However, its very low ankle cut and noticeably heavy build may take some time getting used to.
