Nike Blazer vs Vans Sizing and Comfort Compared [What’s the Difference?]


I recently put my hands on the Nike Blazer and seven of the most popular types of Vans shoes so I could compare the Nike Blazer vs Vans on sizing and design. I found the sizing of the Nike Blazer to be very similar to the sizing of most types of classic Vans shoes.

In the sections below, I use side-by-side comparison photos to compare Nike Blazer to Vans sizing. This includes comparison photos of Vans Slip On, Vans Sk8, Vans Authentic, Vans Era, Vans Old Skool, Vans UltraRange, and Vans EVDNT.

One thing that the Nike Blazers have in common with Vans shoes is both were originally built to be performance shoes. In my experience, these shoes have a narrow, true-to-size fit (they do not fit wide). They have sturdy midsoles that provide support, but aren’t super flexible.

Let’s start by comparing the sizing of Nike Blazer to Vans shoes by using my side-by-side comparison photos of the shoes I own.

Nike Blazer vs Vans Sizing

If you look closely below, the Nike Blazer fits just a tiny, tiny bit longer than the classic types of Vans shoes (Slip-On, Sk8, Era, Authentic, Old Skool). Overall, I would say these shoes have basically the same fit (true-to-size, but snug due to narrow design).

I found the more modern styles of Vans (Ultrarange, EVDNT) to fit a tiny bit looser than classic Vans shoes.

Nike Blazer and Vans Slip On

slip-on-vans-vs-nike-blazer

Nike Blazer and Vans Sk8-Hi

sk8-hi-vans-vs-nike-blazer

Nike Blazer and Vans Era

nike-blazer-vs-vans-era

Nike Blazer and Vans Authentic

nike-blazer-vs-vans-authentic

Nike Blazer and Vans Old Skool

nike-blazer-sizing-vs-vans

Nike Blazer and Vans UltraRange EXO

nike-blazer-vs-vans-ultrarange

Nike Blazer and Vans EVDNT

nike-blazer-vs-vans-evdnt

Nike Blazer vs Vans Weight

Here are the results when I weighed the shoes that I own. The Nike Blazer weight is based on a low-top. All weights are from a size 12 men’s shoe.

ShoeWeight (lbs)
Vans UltraRange EXO0.63
Vans EVDNT UltimateWaffle0.87
Nike Blazer Low0.91
Vans Authentic 0.98
Vans Slip On0.99
Vans Old Skool1.03
Vans Era1.05
Van Sk8-Hi1.15

Even though they have similar designs, the Nike Blazer weighs less than classic Van shoes (Authentic, Slip-On, Old Skool, Era, Sk8-Hi).

Nike Blazer vs Vans Comfort

As I discussed earlier, the Nike Blazer and Vans both have a narrow design. They were originally built for performance, and because of that, they have a dependable design with a thick, sturdy midsole. Don’t think of these shoes as flexible running shoes.

In the picture below, you can see that the Blazer (left) has the same type of thick midsole as Vans:

nike-blazer-vs-vans-midsole

One thing I like regarding the comfort of the Nike Blazer is it has padding around the collar and tongue. This is especially helpful since it has a snug fit. Here is the padding of the Nike Blazer:

nike-blazer-padding

Most types of Vans classic shoes will have padding around at least the collar. The one exception is the Vans Authentic. It does not have padding around the collar or tongue:

vans-authentic-comfort

If you like the design of the Vans Authentic, but want padding, the Vans Era is designed the exact same, but has padding around the collar. The Vans Old Skool, Vans Slip-On, and Vans Sk8-Hi all have padding around the collar.

I think the most comfortable type of Vans is the Vans UltraRange. Here are mine:

vans-ultrarange-exo-sizing

I like to describe this shoe as a modern take on the classic Vans Old Skool. For comparison, here is a look at one of my Vans Old Skool shoes:

logo-vans-old-skool-sidestripe

The Vans UltraRange has the same sidestripe logo as the Vans Old Skool, but has a lightweight, modern design that is extremely comfortable and much more flexible than the Nike Blazer and classic Vans shoes.

The Vans UltraRange EXO might be a nice option if you prioritize comfort.


If you want to read more comparison articles, visit my resources linked below:

My Conclusion Regarding Nike Blazer vs Vans Shoes

The main takeaways are this:

  • Sizing – The sizing of the Nike Blazer is very similar to the sizing of Vans. Both have a true-to-size fit, but do have a narrow design. I ordered my normal sizing and they fit just fine.
  • Weight – The Nike Blazer low weighs less than classic Vans shoes.
  • Design – The Nike Blazer’s design is very similar to classic Vans shoes. They were built for performance and have sturdy midsoles that add support, but aren’t very flexible compared to running shoes.
  • Comfort – The Nike Blazer has a padded collar and tongue for comfort. I think the Nike Blazer fits a bit more comfortable than classic Vans shoes. That said, I think the most comfortable out of all of them is the Vans UltraRange, which is a sort of modern take on the Vans Old Skool.

Paul Johnson

Paul is a lead content creator for Workwear Command. He has had several blue-collar jobs which have provided him a wide range of experience with tools and gear. He also has a business degree and has spent time in business casual office settings.

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