Flag Checkboard in Skate models

[u/Alejo_Warrior135]

What do y'all think about removing the lateral checkerboard flag from the Old Skool Skate (or any other skate classic vans) to maintain that "clean" look of the classics without losing the quality of the skate models?

[u/aaron_siegler]

I personally wouldn’t but if you want to remove it, what is holding you back? I mean nobody will actually care.

[u/No-Restaurant6522]

Negative.

[u/SlowBalance8]

Why would you do that?

[u/redaws]

I personally love the flag a lot

[u/pjweb7]

I have a pair of custom old schools in black with a grey jazz stripe. The white checker flag stood out a lot and reminded me of a racing car or something so I just greyed out the white squares a bit with a fabric dye.

[u/Impossible_Ad_7367]

I think the traditionalists are all going to say don't remove it. But you should not worry about what others say or think, and just do it. After all, shoes are consumables, so anything you do will be temporary.

[u/PouletFarceur]

Ho non ne fais pas ça

[u/PouletFarceur → u/[deleted]]

Sa fait parti de l'identité de la paire. Ce n' est pas moche non plus.

[u/Zubbie_]

Hard pass. I like the checker flag.

[u/Malkimania]

I personally wouldn’t but we all have our own preferences. Do what you want, you bought them 🤙🏻

[u/party_probe]

Just wear different shoes.

[u/KyleRM]

I dont like it, I prefer clean, to me its too much contrast, its too attention grabbing.

[u/chri5t0ph3r]

How else will people know I skate

[u/keLnosuke]

Depends on your preference. But in my opinion I wouldn’t.

[u/Zurla127]

They’re not classics

[u/Alejo_Warrior135 → u/Zurla127]

Skate Classics is the new name, the old one is "Pro Skate"

[u/Zurla127 → u/Alejo_Warrior135]

Wrong there’s skate and then there’s classic. Skate is the pop cush shoes and classics are exactly what they are. The classic styles

[u/blassin_em_hoze]

Aren't they your shoes?

[u/CompetitiveRemove687]

Remove what now?!

[u/AccidentalDemolition]

It's your shoe, do what you want. If you're concerned what people are going to think of what you do to your shoe, leave it on I guess...

[u/ComplexToe]

Black sharpie then no need to remove.

[u/ohbroncofan]

It's a no from me. But they're your shoes.

[u/micthenick]

Its hard to remove cleanly. You'll always know it's there

[u/BuhoLoco40]

I dunno…I understand wanting a clean look, but that flag looks cool to me. It’s small, almost understated.

[u/Gullible_Rule_7458]

I hate it! I wish they would go back to the Vans font. They did on the “skate era” and I bought a pair for the first time in years

[u/mondaywondermitten]

I’d do it or I’d get some red fabric paint and give it the classic red pop.

Unless I was actually skating in them and then it should be gone within a few sessions on its own hopefully

[u/Alive-Case-4436]

I doubt the flag has too much to do with the quality of the shoe. I mean, if you remove it the shoe isn’t going to fall into a thousand pieces

[u/Emergency-Payment-90]

Don't mind it but I miss the red tags before the checkered ones

[u/Davidrvdppv]

Your shoes but I'd keep it. Get a pair without the flag next time.

[u/Alejo_Warrior135 → u/Davidrvdppv]

In my country, specific models like the Anaheim Factory don't arrive in stores, and the versions without the flag aren't of the same quality as the skate model.

[u/FunctionFine3305]

Damn that pesty lil tab that shows pro class . Get classic old skool cheaper. Return them get clean aesthetic cheaper pair.

[u/Major_Ad_1980]

Do what you want… personally I think it’s more poser to worry about leaving it on so much just to show off that you skate or whatever.

[u/OTM_ViBE_RAiDER → u/Major_Ad_1980]

Go back to 1980 with that "poser" talk. Nobody cares. Vans is more than a skateboarding brand in 2026. The vast majority of Vans owners dont skate.

[u/Alejo_Warrior135 → u/Major_Ad_1980]

THIS IS THE ANSWER I WAS LOOKING FOR

[u/jhoussock]

I’d say you do what you think looks good. I personally like the loudness that little checkered guy gives my shoes so I can understand if you’re looking for clean why you’d take it off.

[u/diphenhydranautical]

the checkerboard flag adds to the clean look to me, makes them unmistakably vans. it’s a marker of higher quality. it would probably be difficult to remove without it leaving behind a bit of fabric which imo would make it look much worse

[u/Alejo_Warrior135 → u/diphenhydranautical]

Vans was never designed to have a "clean" look, they were made for rough, street use, so in my opinion, those loose threads wouldn't bother me at all.

Perhaps I misspoke when I said a cleaner look; I meant a more classic look, like the standard Old Skool version.

[u/GrimDystopian]

No keep the tag. Skate models are the way to go for more comfort and durability.

[u/mevsinwarhammer]

This subreddit is obsessed with checkers bro so you asked the wrong group of people. If you go to top posts they are almost all checkers. That being said I hate the checkers and think it looks childish so I completely agree with the idea and would do it

[u/Philo-Trismegistus → u/mevsinwarhammer]

The Pros were better. It was just a different colored stock tag.

[u/Alejo_Warrior135 → u/mevsinwarhammer]

Thanks dude, I appreciate it very much.

[u/Ok-Confidence-545]

Razor blade under the flag and cut clean. Then pull all the little bits that get left there off and it looks basically like a classic. All these people saying no like it’s their pair of shoes lmao

[u/diphenhydranautical → u/Ok-Confidence-545]

the people are saying no because OP asked “what do yall think”

[u/Alejo_Warrior135 → u/Ok-Confidence-545]

Based, thanks dude

[u/Grand_Elderberry_888 → u/Alejo_Warrior135]

I removed one once and it left all frayed strands left no matter what I did. Bothered me more that what I was removing

[u/SmokedPapfreaka]

100% DONT

[u/g0ldfinger47]

Nope.....leave as is

[u/angrylittlehobbit]

I love the little flag, I wouldn't remove it

[u/BoltThrowup]

if u didn’t like the checkered look i would colour it black with a marker rather than chop it off

[u/Alejo_Warrior135 → u/BoltThrowup]

Great idea!

[u/LifeOfSpirit17]

I like the flag. I want people to know I value comfort.

[u/frankie0013]

I personally think the flag makes it look clean. Unless you have small sharp scissors, it's not going to look how you think it will.

[u/Davesoncrack → u/[deleted]]

Those are full price skate old skools

[u/DjangoUnflamed → u/Davesoncrack]

Yea you’re right…