I’ve worn the Vans Authentic shoes and compared their sizing to other popular shoes and my conclusion is this: Vans Authentic sizing is true to size regarding length. However, like many types of Vans classic shoes, the toe box area is shallow, which can create a snug feeling for those who have wide feet. Vans.com has a sizing resource that I linked in the next paragraph which will help you verify your size.
***Verify Your Size: Vans.com now has its own sizing tutorial which matches your foot size to a Vans shoe size. Click here to view this Vans sizing guide available at Vans.com (paid affiliate link takes you to Vans.com).
If you have wide feet, Vans does offer several types of their shoes in wide sizing. To order wide Vans shoes, you actually need to go to the Vans “Wides” page. Click here to view the Vans wides available at Vans.com (paid affiliate link takes you to Vans.com).
As I mentioned above, the sizing length is true-to-size, but the toe-box depth is shallow. For example, here is the toe box depth of my Vans Authentic compared to Nike Air Force 1:
However, the toe box depth is similar to other skate shoes (which have snug, secure designs). For example, here is my Vans Authentic (on the left) compared to Adidas Gazelle:
To measure Vans Authentic sizing length, I took side-by-side sizing comparison photos of Vans Authentic compared to other popular shoes so you can judge for yourself. Click here to jump ahead to the men’s photos and click here to jump ahead to the women’s photos.
For example, here I am comparing my Vans Authentic to Nike Air Max sizing:
And here I am comparing Vans Authentic sizing to Nike Dunk:
And here I am comparing Vans Authentic sizing to Crocs:
Vans Authentic fits true to size regarding length, which did surprise me a bit because many other types of Vans classic shoes fit a little bit smaller than normal shoe sizing regarding length. Why is the Vans Authentic different?
The Vans Authentic does *not* have padding around the collar like the Vans Old Skool, Vans Era, and Vans Sk8. Because of this, there is more room inside the shoe, which creates a more true-to-size fit regarding length than other types of Vans. Here is a look at the collar area on my shoe:
That said, as I mentioned earlier, you will still want to be mindful of the toe box area, which is shallow compared to many types of shoes (show me more photos of the toe box). Remember, Vans Authentic is designed to be a performance skate shoe, and the snug toe box helps provide a secure fit.
***Verify Your Size: Vans.com now has its own sizing tutorial which matches your foot size to a Vans shoe size. Click here to view this Vans sizing guide available at Vans.com (affiliate link takes you to Vans.com).
In this article I will show you all the sizing photos I took for the Vans Authentic so that I can provide you with Vans Authentic size advice that you can’t find anywhere else on the internet. All sizing photos use a size 12 for men’s and a size 7 for women’s.
Men’s Vans Authentic Sizing Photos
Vans Authentic vs Air Jordan 1 Sizing
Vans Authentic vs Nike Dunk Sizing
Vans Authentic vs Nike Air Force 1 Sizing
Vans Authentic vs Nike Air Max 90 Sizing
Vans Authentic vs Nike SB Force 58 Sizing
Vans Authentic vs Etnies Marana Michelin Sizing
Vans Authentic vs Nike SB Chron 2 Sizing
***Verify Your Sizing: I think these Vans Authentic shoes fit true to size, but every foot is unique. Vans.com now has its own sizing tutorial which matches your foot size to a Vans shoe size. Click here to view this Vans sizing guide available at Vans.com to verify your correct size (affiliate link takes you to Vans.com).
Vans Authentic vs Reebok Club C Sizing
Vans Authentic vs Nike Cortez Sizing
Vans Authentic vs DC Court Graffik Sizing
Vans Authentic vs New Balance Numeric 272 Sizing
Vans Authentic vs Adidas Superstar Sizing
Vans Authentic vs K-Swiss Classic Sizing
Vans Authentic vs Crocs Sizing
Vans Authentic vs Converse Chucks Sizing
Vans Authentic Sizing vs Nike Court Vision
Vans Authentic vs Reebok Classic Sizing
Vans Authentic vs New Balance 550 Sizing
Vans Authentic vs Nike Blazer Sizing
Vans Authentic vs Converse Pro Leather Sizing
Vans Authentic vs Hey Dude Sizing
Vans Authentic Sizing vs Vans Sk8-Hi
Vans Authentic vs Vans Old Skool Shoe Sizing
Vans Authentic vs Vans Slip On Shoe Sizing
Vans Authentic vs Vans Ultrarange EXO Shoe Sizing
Vans Authentic vs Vans Era Sizing
Women’s Vans Authentic Sizing Photos
Women’s Vans Authentic vs Air Jordan 1 Sizing
Women’s Vans Authentic vs Nike Dunk Sizing
Women’s Vans Authentic vs Nike Air Max 1 Sizing
Women’s Vans Authentic vs Nike SB Force 58 Sizing
Women’s Vans Authentic vs Court Graffik DC Shoes Sizing
Women’s Vans Authentic vs Converse Chuck Taylor Sizing
Women’s Vans Authentic vs Reebok Club C Sizing
Women’s Vans Authentic vs New Balance 574 Sizing
Women’s Vans Authentic vs Nike Blazer Sizing
Women’s Vans Authentic vs Adidas Superstar Sizing
Women’s Vans Authentic vs Birkenstock Sizing
Women’s Vans Authentic vs Nike Cortez Sizing
Women’s Vans Authentic Sizing vs Hey Dude
Women’s Vans Authentic vs K-Swiss Classic Sizing
Women’s Vans Authentic vs Vans Sk8-Hi Sizing
Women’s Vans Authentic vs Vans UltraRange EXO Shoe Sizing
Women’s Vans Authentic vs Vans Old Skool Sizing
Women’s Vans Authentic vs Crocs Sizing
Are Vans Authentic Wide Fit or Narrow?
Vans Authentic sizing has a true-to-size length, but there are a couple things to unpack when discussing the width of Vans Authentic.
First of all, if you want to shop for Vans wide shoes, you need to visit the “Wides” page at Vans.com. This is where you can view all the types of wide Vans Authentic shoes offered at Vans.com (paid affiliate link takes you to Vans.com).
The Vans Authentic has a shallow toe box area.
This means that even though the length of the shoe is true-to-size, for those that have wide feet, this shallow toe box can create a snug fit. However, the forefoot area in Van Authentic (near the ball of your feet) has a very regular width that is even a bit wider than some other types of skate shoes.
Let’s take a closer look at these specific Vans Authentic width issues.
Vans Authentic Toe Box Depth
The Vans Authentic toe box is shallow compared to many other types of popular shoes. For example, here is the toe box depth of my Vans Authentic compared to Nike Air Max (Vans Authentic on the left):
As you can see, there is a noticeable difference in the depth of those toe boxes. And here is the toe box depth of my Vans Authentic compared to Nike Air Force 1:
And here is the toe box depth of my Vans Authentic compared to Air Jordan 1:
The main takeaway is expect the Vans Authentic to have a shallow toe box compared to normal shoe sizing. However, when we start comparing the Vans Authentic toe-box depth to the toe-box depth of other skate shoes, we see a more similar fit.
For example, here is the Vans Authentic toe box compared to Nike SB Blazer:
The snug toe box is very common in skate shoes to help create a secure, dependable fit. Even though the Vans Authentic is true-to-size regarding length, expect the toe box to be a little snug compared to normal shoe sizing.
***Verify Your Sizing: Vans.com now has its own sizing tutorial which matches your foot size to a Vans shoe size. Click here to view this Vans sizing guide available at Vans.com to verify your correct size (affiliate link takes you to Vans.com).
Vans Authentic Width of Forefoot
A second thing that needs to be unpacked when discussing the width of Vans Authentic shoes is the width of the forefoot area near the ball of your feet. This area in the Vans Authentic actually has a more regular width that is comparable to normal shoe sizing width (and wider than some other skate shoes).
For example, you can see below how this area is wider on the Vans Authentic than the Nike SB Blazer:
The overall shape of the Van Authentic is very comparable to other popular skate shoes. For example, here is Vans Authentic sizing and width compared to Etnies sizing:
The main takeaway is expect the Vans Authentic to have a regular width through the forefoot, but a shallow toe box area. For those with regular and narrow shaped feet, this shouldn’t cause an issue. If you have wide feet, the shallow toe box may lead to a snug fit.
Vans Authentic Sizing Compared to Other Types of Vans
As we have discussed, Vans Authentic shoes fit true-to-size regarding length. What about other types of Vans?
I found other classic types of Vans shoes (Old Skool, Sk8, Era, Slip On) to fit a little bit shorter regarding length compared to the Vans Authentic. The difference wasn’t dramatic, but it was noticeable.
One of the main reasons for this is the Vans Authentic does not have padding around the collar and these other options do. Here is the collar of my Vans Authentic shoes:
This lack of padding around the collar in the Vans Authentic creates more space inside the shoe, which allows the Vans Authentic to fit true to size when other types of classic Vans fit just a little bit smaller than normal shoe sizing. It also creates a minimalistic design, that reduces the weight of Vans.
For more sizing comparison, visit the articles linked below:
- Vans vs Converse Shoe Sizing
- Vans vs Adidas Shoe Sizing
- Vans vs Nike Blazer Shoe Sizing
- Vans EVDNT UltimateWaffle Sizing
If you want a quick overview of the sizing of all types of Vans shoes, visit my Vans Shoe Sizing Guide.
Vans Authentic Sizing Conclusion
Do Vans Authentic Run Big or Small?
Vans Authentic shoes run true-to-size regarding length. However, the toe box is shallow which can create a snug feeling for those that have wide feet.
Despite the toe box being shallow, the width of the forefoot area in the Vans Authentic (near the ball of your feet) actually has a more regular width that is comparable to normal shoe sizing width (and wider than some other skate-style shoes).
The main takeaway for Vans Authentic sizing is to expect a true-to-size length, but with a shallow toe box area. If you prefer a loose fit around the toes, it may be best to adjust sizing. Using the Vans.com sizing resource linked in the next paragraph can help you verify your proper size.
***Verify Your Sizing: Vans.com now has its own sizing tutorial which matches your foot size to a Vans shoe size. Click here to view this Vans sizing guide available at Vans.com to verify your correct size (affiliate link takes you to Vans.com).