Vans' hardy skate shoes are getting their sea legs and honestly looking better for it. The Vans OTW Authentic 44 Siped Vibram sneaker is a refined iteration of a classic Authentic sneaker, featuring a water-friendly outsole that doubles as a stylistic weapon.

Vans OTW, the skate label’s premium subdivision, is known for turning classic skate shoes into elevated wonders but there is usually an aspect of enhanced function present as well.

For the Authentic 44 Vibram Siped sneaker, this materializes as a, well, siped outsole. 

Traditionally, “siping” refers to the process of making thin cuts in tire treads to improve grip in wet and icy conditions. Vans, in all its ingenuity, turned this mechanical process into a functional upgrade for its most classic skate sneaker.

Instead of Vans' traditional waffle outsole, the Authentic 44 Siped, available on the Vans website for $105, wears a wavy, cherry-hued outsole designed to last on wetter grounds.

Basically, it’s built for hardy skate sessions and casual strolls in any weather.

Beyond all of that, though, the Siped outsole looks really good. It's kind of like Vans' own version of a red bottom. You know that signature outsole staple Christian Louboutin made iconic? Yeah, well Vans' just put it on a board — in a sense. 

And much like red bottoms are a Louboutin signature, Vans' Siped outsole is bespoke to Vans, a subtle change that makes the shoe tougher in every sense of the word.

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