Vans: Of Course A Footwear Brand Made The Best Surf Bootie

This is kinda like that scene in The Benchwarmers, where a well-goateed Dominican man slips a baseball umpire $10 inside of his “birth certificate” — which is actually just a white piece of paper that says “I am 12” in green crayon — and proceeds to hit dinger after dinger against a bunch of snot-nosed kids, all while Daddy Yankee’s epochal ballad, “Gasolina”, blares in the background. 

Vans entering a surf bootie competition against a bunch of wetsuit brands was never a fair fight. As an iconic and wildly successful footwear brand, they’ve got more experience, more resources, and frankly, more incentive to win than any of the other guys, for whom boots are simply an accessory.

So yeah, Vans is 12.  Ding, ding, ding! 

Watch the entire test here, and read more about the unequivocally best surf boot on the market below. 

Men’s submission: UA Surf Boot 2 HI V 5mm ($90)

Mikey says: This is superior surf footwear. I have no intention of wearing another boot until Vans comes out with an updated version of this exact model. Even though this boot was a 5 mil, it had remarkable sensitivity where it matters — on the bottom of your feet — while keeping you warm and cozy everywhere else. Yes, they’re a bit of a pain to get on and off at first, but after five or so sessions the neck loosens up significantly and you’re in and out like a tongue depressor. 

Warmth: 49
Performance: 48
Total: 97 (Winner)

Women’s submission: Hanna Scott Surf Boot 2 Hi V 5mm ($90)

Cori says: Behold: A surf boot made by an actual shoe company! Thanks to 50+ years of footwear design expertise, Vans has officially set a new standard for ergonomic feel and overall unobtrusiveness with regard to shredding. Featuring a single cavern for the foot to slide into (split-toe who?), these feel like your favorite waffle-soles, just wetter. And with round-toe construction and a hook-and-loop strap for adjustability, your foot fits snugly inside without slippage or trippage – the apex combination for surfboard-riders of both long and short persuasions. My primary complaint with these is how strenuous they can be to pull on and off. Maybe just do some core exercises before you wear them. Or wait a few sessions till they get worn in. 

Warmth: 50
Performance: 46
Total: 96 (Winner)