We’ve always known Vans for their skate footwear, which has been their calling card since they rose to prominence back in the 70s. Suffice to say, they have some of the most memorable skate shoes in the category. In recent years, though, they’ve also been making noise with their MTE line, which combines the outfit’s classic styling with all-weather, trail-capable designs. The Vans UltraRange EXO Hi Gore-Tex MTE-3 is the latest cold weather boot in the line that you can pair with your favorite winter outfits to keep you warm from head to toe.
Billed as the outfit’s most rugged and versatile winter boots, the shoes boast a technically-advanced build that will keep your feet warm and dry in the harshest weather, all while letting you make your way in wet and slippery terrain without losing your balance. Whether you’re spending your winter enjoying the slopes at the resort, snowbiking up snow-covered hills, or just trying to survive the city in the biting cold, these shoes should offer all the cold weather protection you need to make the most of your time outside.
The Vans UltraRange EXO Hi Gore-Tex MTE-3 looks more like a hiking boot than the outfit’s usual skate shoes, with a mid-height collar, allowing you to cover up your ankles to keep cold air from entering through the top. It has an upper cut in a mix of leather and synthetic materials that should hold up to rugged activities, with a 3M Thinsulate layer underneath to retain heat and keep your feet warm in low temperatures without any unnecessary bulk. Inside, it gets a Gore-Tex bootie to provide breathable waterproofing, ensuring any snow, rain, or moisture that manage to get through the leather won’t make it inside the layer.
Designed to keep you comfortable, it comes with a dual-density UltraCush molded EVA footbed to offer the right kind of cushioning for the forefoot and backfoot. On top of the footbed is an Ortholite topsheet that, the outfit claims, provides enhanced comfort while adding very little weight.
The Vans UltraRange EXO Hi Gore-Tex MTE-3 is equipped with the outfit’s All-Trac outsole, which is made from a cold weather rubber compound that, the outfit claims, provide increased flexibility and ground contact in cold temperatures. It features a dynamic lugged thread pattern that provides a powerful grip in all sorts of winter terrains, allowing it to handle the wet and icy landscapes you’ll encounter during snow season. To keep your feet safe from impact, they also threw in molded toe and heel panes, ensuring a protective shield to keep your feet safe from the hazards all those slippery surfaces bring your way.
If you want your winter boots to have a bit of skate shoe flair, we can’t imagine a better footwear than this cold weather performer. It, literally, looks like a rugged and reinforced version of Vans’ skate silhouettes, which many of us have all grown to know and love. The shoe comes in five colorways, namely olive/black, khaki/gum, vintage white, black/gold, and gray/multi.
Want one? The Vans UltraRange EXO Hi Gore-Tex MTE-3 is available now, priced at $210.