20 Years at the Top: the Vans x Danny Wainwright Chukka Pro Celebrates a Remarkable Skate Career

The VANS X DANNY WAINWRIGHT CHUKKA PRO commemorates the career of one of the most remarkable skaters to ever pick up the board. At a time when people jump from one brand to another, Danny Wainwright’s twenty-year relationship with Vans stands out as a true mutually-respectful relationship between a skater and his sponsor.

Where do you begin when you try to summarise an epic skate background and journey such as Danny Wainwright’s? Starting off at 11 years old, Danny’s first moment of recognition came with a shot in R.a.D. skate magazine, taken at an Oxford street contest in 1991. Several years of coverage followed, and he quickly became known as the man with the superhuman pop, setting world records in the process. A trip to Santa Barbara, California resulted in him becoming Powell’s first-ever UK pro skater, as he continued his all-terrain destruction campaign across the globe. As well as a remarkable pro career, he somehow found the time and energy to co-found Bristol’s legendary 5050 store – one of the most important skate shops to ever open in the UK.

A legendary skater deserves a classic shoe to put his name on: following a signature edition of the Half Cab in 2008, the Vans Chukka is the perfect choice to mark this occasion. The simple and easy-to-wear black and white design ensures that these are perfect either on or off the board. Subtle details and enhancements, such as the embroidered heel panel and custom insole, elevate things almost to the height of the man’s record-breaking ollies.

The VANS X DANNY WAINWRIGHT CHUKKA PRO will be available on FRIDAY 26 JUNE: check back shortly for the release page containing full stockist details. In the meantime, click the banner below to see the latest releases at VANS – and then check out the special retrospective video edit below, courtesy of Vans and the good guys at Free Magazine.