Vans' Bulky Mule Is Snug Like an UGG Boot & Grippy Like a Skate Shoe
Unlike most Vans’ footwear, the Harbor Mule VR3 isn’t a skate shoe. In fact, it's contentious whether it’s a shoe at all. The cozy clog is more like a slipper that’s been infused with the brand’s skate DNA.
The shoe’s construction is delightfully simple, comprising a one-piece suede upper that feels plush to the touch and is lined with a fuzzy recycled textile for peak coziness.
Underfoot, Vans utilizes its VR3Cush midsole (the same cloudlike compound used on its techy hiking shoes) for a cushy, springy ride.
And in true skate brand style, even clogs need grip. The full-length VR3Waffle Regenerative rubber outsole nods to the brand’s iconic tread from 1966, so you still get that dependable Vans traction.
All brought together, you get a shoe shaped like Birkenstock Boston, snug like an UGG boot, and with the sole of a classic Vans sneaker. It’s quite the mashup.
While best known for its signature skate footwear, Vans does have a history with backless slip-ons. There’s the Style 17 Mule, for instance, built with premium suede or its sleeker counterpart crafted from dressy leather.
Even collaborators are in on it, A$AP Rocky flipping the Vans Slip-On into a backless streetwear item, while OTW by Vans pushed things into sci-fi territory with Sterling Ruby’s futuristic FUTURE CLOG. House shoes, skate mules, sculptural slip-ons that look like a Cybertruck… Vans has all bases covered.
Vans’ new black Harbor Mule VR3 is set to release later this year, with an expected retail price of around $40.
Highsnobiety has affiliate marketing partnerships, which means we may receive a commission from your purchase. Want to shop the products our editors actually love? Visit the HS Style Guide for recs on all things fashion, footwear, and beauty.
