A lot of you must have heard of the Brand of shoes called Keds. They are an American brand of Canvas shoes that also have rubber soles.
The good thing is that Vans also have rubber soles, which are usually called Vulcanized soles.
This shoe is quite similar to that of the Vans shoes, they are similar in the sense that they are both used for skateboarding.
There are also some very visible differences between the two brands of shoes, when you place them side by side, you will be able to notice those differences.
However, in this article, I am going to be doing a deep dive into these two shoes so that you will be able to know how they are similar and how they differ.
Doing this will enable you to know how these shoes differ, also, if you want to make a decision on which one exactly you would like to get, reading through this article will enable you to know the similarities and the differences.
There are some differences you may not know of if you are not someone that knows Vans and Keds a lot.
That is why I recommend reading through this article so as to keep you enlightened on what you should know when you are presented with these two shoes.
Similarities between Vans and Keds
Table of Contents
Here are some similarities that you may like to know about the Vans and the Keds.
- They are both used for skateboarding
- They both have non-slip soles
- They are both versatile shoes
- They are both very comfortable shoes
- They are both lightweight shoes
They are both used for skateboarding
When you see the way Keds shoes are being built, you will know one thing for sure, you will know that they are also built for skateboarding.
How this is true is when you take a look at the outsole, though the outsole of the Keds shoe is not as broad and thick as that of the Vans, they are thinner.
But it does not stop it from being so slip-resistant and also able to keep you stable while you are skateboarding. The same thing is applicable to Vans shoes.
Vans shoes are shoes that you can use for skateboarding. In fact, they are popular and accepted worldwide by a lot of skateboarders because of how this shoe tends to keep you standing firm while you are skateboarding.
You can count on the Vans shoes to keep you safe and prevent you from falling off while you are Skateboarding.
They both have non-slip soles
Vans shoes are usually known to have what is called a Vulcanized sole. This sole is made of rubber and will definitely prevent you from falling while you are skateboarding.
Nothing is as good as when your shoes keep you from falling off or even slipping off. You need to always stay put and stand firm either when you are walking or when you are Skateboarding.
That is what the anti-slip sole does for you. This feature is present both in the Vans shoes and in the Keds shoes. This is what makes them similar.
You can tell this difference even just by feeling the texture, you could also try it on to see how good the non-slip feature is.
They are both versatile shoes
One thing I love about shoes that are versatile is that you can just buy one pair and make use of it for several occasions.
This is an added advantage that versatile shoes have over non-versatile shoes. When you buy your Vans shoes, you may not necessarily need to buy another pair of shoes that you can wear for other occasions.
You can wear just your Vans shoes to either your office or if you are going on an outing or an event that does not need you to appear cooperate.
The same is applicable to Keds shoes, they are also versatile shoes. You can do more than just wearing them for skateboarding. You can also take it to your casual outing or wherever you want to.
There is a slight difference when it comes to the versatility of the Keds shoes, it is not versatile to both men and women, unlike the Vans shoes. Keds is more of a feminine shoe, while Keds is Unisex.
They are both very comfortable shoes
When it comes to comfort, neither the Vans shoes nor the Keds shoes will disappoint you, they are shoes that offer good comfort.
However, the Vans shoes are usually known to be more comfortable than those of the Keds.
This is because of how the Vans are built. The Vans are built in such a way that the sole is big cushioned to keep you comfortable as you are skateboarding.
For the Vans shoes to have enough cushioning, the soles need to be big enough. That is why you tend to experience more comfort when you put on the Vans shoes than when you put on the Keds shoes.
When you take a look at the Keds shoes, the first thing you will notice is that the sole is smaller than that of the Vans shoes.
Smaller soles do not usually have very good comfort and cushioning. This is where the Vans shoes shine.
They are both lightweight shoes
One thing that I like about shoes is the lightweight feature. When you wear shoes that are lightweight, you can easily wear them all day and it would not really look like you are even putting anything on.
This lightweight feature makes it easy for you to wear the shoes all day long without any pain of wearing heavy shoes.
Both the Vans shoes and the Keds shoes are absolutely lightweight that will serve you well and help you make the best out of your day.
This lightweight feature is why you can make use of these shoes for skateboarding, it would be so difficult for you to make use of heavy shoes for skateboarding.
That is why Vans shoes and Keds shoes are built to be so light.
Now that I have taken you through the similarities between the Vans shoes and the Keds shoes, let me take you through the differences between these two shoes.
Differences between Vans and Keds
| Features | Vans | Keds |
| Sole technology | Vans shoes usually come with a Vulcanized sole technology | Keds shoes do not come with this Vulcanized sole technology |
| Outsole texture technology | Vans shoes feature signature waffle sole technology | The Keds shoes do not feature the signature waffle sole |
| Footbed technology | Vans do not have a specific footbed technology | The Keds usually come with a re-engineered Softtera footbed technology |
| Build construction | The construction of the Vans is better | Keds don’t have as good construction as Vans |
| Versatility | Vans are Unisex | Keds are more of feminine shoes |
| Overall build | Vans are bulkier | Keds are less bulky |
Sole technology
There is a sole technology that is unique to Vans shoes, and that is what is called the Vulcanized sole technology.
This vulcanized sole technology is what adds to the slip resistance that this shoe has. It is something that you can only find in Vans shoes and not the Keds.
When you take a look at the outsole technology of the Keds shoes, you are not going to notice this difference.
They do not have this vulcanized sole technology that the Vans have. This is one of the major differences between the Vans and the Keds shoes.
To notice this difference, you ought to have either read through this article or you should have known more about Vans.
Outsole texture technology
The Vans shoes feature a signature waffle sole technology. This alone sets Vans shoes apart from the Keds.
This waffle sole is simply a grid pattern that makes the outsole of the shoe more resistant to slipping or even falling. You are not going to find this feature on the Keds shoe.
This is another difference between the Keds shoes and the Vans shoes. Because of this waffle sole technology, you are able to make use of this Vans shoes safely for Skateboarding and it is going to you safe and also make you enjoy your skateboarding experience.
This Waffle sole technology is a signature to the Vans shoes, that is why you are not going to find it in Keds shoes.
Footbed Technology
The footbed is a part of the shoe that helps to keep the inside of your feet comfortable each time you wear it.
If the footbed is not there you are not going to like how hard and uncomfortable the inside of your shoes will be.
The Keds shoe has a very different type of footbed, in fact, it comes with a distinct footbed technology which is called the reengineered Softera footbed technology.
The purpose of this is to keep your feet inside the shoes comfortable and to also make it soft enough for your feet. This is where the Keds shoe shines that makes it different from the Vans.
Build construction
This difference is also easy to spot when you place both shoes side by side, you will notice that the Vans shoes have a better construction build.
Due to this construction build, it is what makes the shoe so bulky. Bulky does are known to be durable and also serve you well.
That the shoes are so bulky does not mean that they are so heavy, no, they are not. That is the good thing about this shoe.
However, the case is different for the Keds shoes. The Keds do not have as good a construction build like that of the Vans.
For you to know this difference, you don’t necessarily need to be an ardent user of Vans, all you need to to be able to take a close look at the two shoes and spot the difference.
Versatility
What I mean by versatility here is that the shoes can be worn by both men and women. This is where Vans beat the Keds shoes.
Vans are so versatile that it can be worn by both men and women, that is to say, it is unisex. As a man, you can get yourself a pair of Vans and keep them at home.
If you have a spouse who admires the shoes, she can go ahead to try it on as long as the shoes can fit her. This is an added advantage that the Vans have over the Keds shoes.
You and your spouse or you and your female friend or relative can go out in the same type of shoes.
When it comes to the Keds, you cannot experience this type of versatility. The Keds are usually more feminine than unisex, and you will find a lot of women wearing it, compared to men wearing it.
Overall build
This overall build is easy to tell, you can simply tell the difference just by mere placing the Vans and the Keds side by side, when you take a look at the two you will easily see that the Vans is bulkier in the overall build than the Keds.
Keds are not usually as bulky as the Vans are. This is another obvious difference that you can see between the Vans and the Keds.
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Conclusion
The Vans and the Keds are two good shoes that are similar in some ways and they are also different in many ways.
This article has helped to highlight the similarities and differences between the two shoes.
Also, if you are on the verge of getting any of these shoes, you should be able to tell the difference and which one will best suit the occasion you are buying it for.
You will also find it easier to make a decision on the exact type of shoes you will like to get between the Vans and the Keds.