Best known for slender skate shoes and slip-ons, Vans isn't the first name that'd come to mind when trying to conjure up imagery of a beefy sneaker. You know who is, though? HOKA. So, guess who's doing HOKAs now? Exactly.

Well, sorta, at least. While this is no official team-up, Vans’ new UltraRange Neo MTE does bear striking (or flattering, if the glass is half full) resemblance to HOKA's ultra-cushioned trail runners. 

Atop a stacked rubber waffle sole sits a suede-and-mesh-mix upper, with Vans’ signature V-stripe gracing the model's sides. It's like if Vans low tops and bulky HOKA trail shoes had a baby.

Vans

Generally, though, it seems all paths lead to HOKA eventually. Even Miu Miu, the luxury house that singlehandedly (or shall we say, -footedly) turned the footwear landscape upside down, gave into the French running shoe makers’ charms, recently slotting a hunky, foamy runner into its roster of skinny sneakers.

Anyhow, with Vans’ Authentic Shoe currently making the rounds as a muse to everyone from Dior to Prada, the Californian brand is free to try new things. And it's embracing that freedom wholeheartedly. 

Because before there was the HOKA-style Vans shoe (available now for $125), there were minimalist Vans mules, Old Skools featuring Chanel-like tweed, and embroidered Mary Janes, to name only but a few of its latest product additions. Oh, and did we mention the hiking shoes?

But then again, with successes this big, we'd have fun experimenting, too. 

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