Vans has always been of skate culture and for skate culture. Long before slip-ons and lace-ups became high school hall staples, before Gen-X claimed them as the perfect balance of comfort and cool, and before SZA was appointed artistic director, Vans was already embedded in the DNA of skating. What started on the fringes now moves everywhere.
This past weekend in Montreal, Vans leaned into that identity with a full-circle celebration in partnership with the beloved Dime. The Dime Glory Challenge—skateboarding’s most chaotic, most theatrical, and most unmissable competition—turned ten. Fifty of the world’s best skateboarders flew in to test themselves physically and psychologically against obstacles that felt closer to video-game hallucinations than real life. And to mark the milestone, Vans and Dime unveiled a reimagined Skate Era Stub, a silhouette rooted in skateboarding’s history and tuned for today’s riders.
The weekend opened not with a contest, but with dinner that wasn’t really a dinner. Limousine, chef Laurent Dagenais’ brand-new French restaurant, played host to Vans, Dime, and the extended skate family. The tables carried foie gras crowned with huckleberry and shallot, espresso martinis dusted in blueberry, and an open bar that swapped martini olives for Vans logos. On paper, it sounded like fine dining. In practice, it was closer to a block party disguised with caviar. Skaters rolled in with snapbacks, work jackets, and, of course, Vans laced up, filling the polished space with an unpolished verve. Conversations overlapped, laughter echoed, and the vibe made it clear: this is going to be an epic weekend.
Out on the streets, the celebration continued to expand. Vans and Dime threw a true downtown block party that pulsed with raw energy. Vodka tonics became fuel for mosh pits. The DJs kept the crowd in motion, each set louder and looser than the last. Montreal belonged to skateboarding for the weekend. As the night gave way to morning, the city itself carried a charge that refused to fade. By daylight, Quebec’s most shining gem transformed into skate terrain. Ramps, curbs, benches, and K-rails turned into makeshift obstacles as skaters claimed every corner. A storm rolled in and postponed the main event, but instead of dampening the mood, it fueled it. Crews took to parks, bombed hills, and shared beers between lines. The unofficial challenges became part of the ritual, warming everyone up for what would be an even more explosive Glory Challenge the next day.
As Sunday quickly came, anticipation had reached a fever pitch. The IGA stadium filled with the sound of boards cracking against concrete, amplified by the buzz of a crowd ready for chaos. Everywhere you looked, the new Skate Era Stub stood out. Cream and tan colorways looked crisp in the stands and raw on the floor, each pair uniquely broken in. You could hear SickStick rubber screech as it clung to rails, see Duracap reinforcements hold up against punishing slams, and feel PopCrush cushioning soften landings that would break lesser shoes. No one needed a product breakdown. The performance spoke for itself.
Then the spectacle began. Dewalt crew members flipped across the floor as rap blasted through the arena. A rail grew longer with every attempt, daring even legends like Highsnobiety’s own FrontPage alum, Andrew Reynolds, and Ryan Sheckler to second-guess themselves. They landed, and the stadium erupted. From there, the obstacles only got more surreal: ancient pyramids, lava pits, mummies, and fire. Each skater took on challenges that blurred the line between parody and impossibility. Tricks landed to deafening roars, and crashes drew winces and cheers in equal measure. It was skateboarding at its most absurd and most authentic.
When the dust finally settled, the weekend closed at Apartment 200. Skaters, fans, friends, and even Evan Mock crammed into the room, raising glasses to winners and survivors alike. The afterparty cemented what the 10th anniversary of the Dime Glory Challenge meant: a living, breathing testament to skateboarding’s power to adapt, disrupt, and unite.
For Vans, the weekend wasn’t about product or placement. It was about honoring the culture that made the brand. Half a century deep, and a decade into skateboarding’s most outrageous competition, Vans is still exactly where skaters want it: in the middle of the ride.
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