I’ve worn the Vans Era shoes and compared their sizing to other popular shoes and my conclusion is this: Vans Era sizing is very consistent with other types of Vans shoes, which means they have a snug design that runs a little bit smaller than normal shoe sizing. Vans.com has a sizing resource that I linked just below this 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).
Because Vans Era has a snug design with a shallow toe box, if you have wide feet, you will definitely want to size up, or purchase wide Vans shoes. 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).
To measure Vans Era sizing, I compared Vans Era to over 20 other shoes to get a better idea how sizing compared. I took side-by-side sizing comparison photos of the Vans Era compared to these other popular shoes so that 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 Era to Nike Dunk sizing:
If you look closely above, you can see the Nike Dunk has a tiny bit more length. That also was the case when I compared my Vans Era shoes to Air Jordan 1:
Many people describe the Vans Era as being within the realm of true-to-size, but I would advise you to expect a snug design that runs a little bit smaller than your normal shoe sizing. Remember, Vans Era was originally designed as a performance skate shoe, and the snug design provides a secure fit.
However, there were other types of popular shoes that had a more similar sizing length when compared to the Vans Era. For example, here I am comparing my Vans Era sizing to Crocs sizing:
And when I compared the sizing of Vans Era to the sizing of other popular skate shoes, I found many options that were similar. For example, here is a photo of my Vans Era shoes compared to Nike SB Force 58 sizing:
Ultimately, my conclusion regarding the sizing of Vans Era is to expect a snug design that runs a little bit smaller than normal shoe sizing.
***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).
In this article I will show you all the sizing photos I took for the Vans Era so that I can provide you with Vans Era size advice that you can’t find anywhere else on the internet. I will also discuss the width and depth of the toe box and forefoot area of the Vans Era. All sizing photos use a size 12 for men’s and a size 7 for women’s.
Men’s Vans Era Sizing Photos
Vans Era vs New Balance 574 Sizing
Vans Era vs Crocs Sizing
Vans Era vs Hey Dude Sizing
Vans Era vs New Balance Numeric Sizing
Vans Era vs Reebok Classic Sizing
Vans Era vs Converse Pro Leather Sizing
Vans Era vs Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars Sizing
Vans Era vs Adidas Gazelle Sizing
Vans Era vs Adidas Superstars Sizing
Vans Era Sizing vs Nike Cortez
Vans Era vs Nike Blazer Sizing
***Verify Your Sizing: I think these Vans Era shoes fit true to size with a snug design, 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 Era vs Nike Air Max 90 Sizing
Vans Era vs Nike Air Force 1 Sizing
Vans Era vs Saucony Shadow 6000 Sizing
Vans Era vs Authentic Sizing
Vans Era vs Slip On Sizing
Vans Era vs UltraRange Sizing
Vans Era vs Old Skool Sizing
Vans Era vs Sk8-Hi Sizing
Women’s Vans Era Sizing Photos
Women’s Vans Era vs Air Jordan 1 Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs Nike Dunk Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs Nike Air Max 1 Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs Crocs Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs Nike SB Force 58 Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs DC Court Graffik Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs Adidas Cloudfoam Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs Converse Chucks Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs Reebok Club C Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs New Balance 574 Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs Nike Blazer Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs Adidas Superstar Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs Nike Court Vision Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs Birkenstock Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs Nike Cortez Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs Hey Dude Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs K-Swiss Classic Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs Vans Authentic Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs Vans UltraRange EXO Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs Vans Sk8-Hi Sizing
Women’s Vans Era vs Vans Slip On Sizing
Are Vans Era Wide Fit or Narrow?
Vans Era has a snug design, but there are several things to unpack when discussing the width of Vans Era.
The Vans Era has a snug toe box due to 1) the sizing length that runs smaller than normal shoe sizing and 2) a shallow toe box that isn’t as deep as most types of shoes. It is important to remember that the Vans Era was designed to be a performance skate shoe, and the snug design provides a secure fit for skaters.
If you need a roomy toe box, it would probably be best to size up or order wide sizing.
Vans Era Toe Box Depth
Here is the toe box depth of the Vans Era compared to Nike Dunk (Vans Era 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 Vans Era compared to Crocs:
The main takeaway is expect the Vans Era to have a shallow toe box compared to normal shoe sizing. The snug toe box is very common in skate shoes to help create a secure, dependable fit. If you need more space in the toe box, it would be best to size up or order wide sizing.
Vans Era Forefoot Width
A second thing that needs to be unpacked when discussing the width of Vans Era shoes is the width of the forefoot area near the ball of your feet. This area in the Vans Era 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 Era than the Nike SB Blazer:
Although the design of Vans Era is snug compared to normal shoe sizing, this snug design is very typical in skate shoes (because as we discussed above, these types of performance shoes need a secure fit).
When you compare Vans Era to other popular skate shoes, the sizing is often very similar. For example, here is Vans Era sizing and width compared to Nike SB Force 58:
The main takeaway is expect the Vans Era to have a snug fit, with a shallow toe box (but the forefoot area near the ball of your feet has a more regular width). If you have wide feet, it would be best to size up (or order a wide Vans shoe).
Vans Era Fit Around Ankle
The Vans Era is very similar to Vans Authentic. Here is a look at my Vans Era compared to Vans Authentic (Era on the left):
Perhaps the biggest difference between these two styles is the fit around the collar of the shoe (near the ankle). The Vans Era has a padded collar and the Vans Authentic does not. Here is a close up at the padded collar on my Vans Era:
Because of this, the Vans Era provides a padded, but snug fit around the collar when compared to the Vans Authentic.
What Types of Vans Fit Looser Than Vans Era?
As we have discussed, Vans Era shoes have a snug design. What about other types of Vans?
All classic types of Vans (Old Skool, Authentic, Sk8, Era, Slip On) have the same snug design that runs a little bit smaller than normal shoe sizing. You can judge for yourself by checking out the side-by-side comparison photos I took comparing Vans Era to other Vans shoes. Click here to see the men’s photos and click here to see the women’s photos.
However, some of the more modern types of Vans I found to have a more regular fit (and therefore fit a little bit looser than the Vans Era). I want to specifically point out the Vans UltraRange EXO, which in some ways is a modern take on classic Vans shoes. Here I am wearing mine:
When I compared the Vans UltraRange EXO to Vans Era sizing, I found the Vans UltraRange EXO to fit a little bit longer than the Vans Era. Here is my comparison photo:
The Vans UltraRange EXO may be a good alternative to the Vans Era if you prefer a more regular fit with modern comfort and modern detailing. To see more Vans sizing photos, visit my Vans sizing guide.
Vans Era Sizing Conclusion
Do Vans Era Run Big or Small?
My Advice: In my experience, Vans Era shoes run a little small compared to normal shoe sizing. Still, many people order normal sizing, but don’t expect a loose fit. If you prefer more of a loose fit, or are between sizes, it would be best to size up.
The toe box of the Vans Era can feel snug. This is due 1) to the length of the shoe being a bit smaller than normal shoe sizing and 2) a toe box depth that is shallow compared to normal shoe sizing. This snug design is essential for performance skate shoes to help deliver a secure fit.
The width of the forefoot area in the Vans Era (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).
Still, because of the snug design, if you have wide feet, you will likely need to size up or choose a wide-sized Vans shoe. This is where you can order wide sizing for Vans shoes at Vans.com (paid affiliate link takes you to Vans.com).
The main takeaway for Vans Era sizing is to expect a snug design that runs a little bit smaller than normal shoe sizing. If you prefer a loose fit, or are between sizes, it is probably best to size up. I would also recommend you use the Vans.com sizing resource linked below:
***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).