Torker x Vans BMX Old Skool — Limited Edition 50th Anniversary Shoe | Torker Racing
Torker Racing × Vans · Est. 1976 · 50th Anniversary Collection
The Limited Edition
Torker × Vans
BMX Old Skool
Built for our 50th year. 300 pairs. Signed by the riders who made the name.
Fifty years of Torker called for something more than a frame reissue. We reached out to Vans — a brand with its own deep roots in Southern California and action sports — and together we built a shoe worthy of the anniversary. Every detail connects back to Torker's history: the colors, the sole, the gusset tribute, and the signatures inside.
What's Inside the Box
This is the Vans BMX Old Skool — not the standard version. Torker and Vans spec'd this build from the ground up with BMX in mind. The result is a shoe that performs on a bike and looks right in the pits.
Sole
VDFPR Waffle Cup
The Van Doren Factory Pedal Recipe — Vans' Cup Specific BMX sole. Built for grip on a platform pedal. The waffle pattern that started it all, optimized for BMX.
Insole
Pop Cush Sock Liner
The Pop Cush sock liner is signed by some of the iconic Torker riders of the 70's and 80's. Each sent their actual signature to be reproduced directly on the insole.
Eyelet
Chrome Eyelet
A single chrome eyelet — a direct nod to Torker's iconic Fish Eye Gusset and the chrome frame finishes the brand was known for. Small detail. Deliberate choice.
Upper
BMX Old Skool
Black canvas and suede upper with Torker yellow accent stripe. The Torker MX badge sits on the tongue. Black on yellow — our colors since 1976 — on the shoe that helped define skate and action sports.
Packaging
Custom Torker / Vans Box
Yellow box. Black panels. TORKER and VANS co-branded on every face. The Torker MX badge on each end. This is a collector's piece as much as a shoe.
Heritage
Van Doren Label
The Van Doren label on the heel is the original Vans founding family mark — a nod to where both brands came from. Southern California. Built by people who rode.
Why This Shoe, Why Now
Torker was born in Fullerton, California in 1976. The Johnson family — Steve, John, Doug, and Doris — built one of the most important BMX brands of the original era out of a small precision metal shop. Eight years of production. In those eight years, their riders won the first IBMXF World Pro Championship, the 1979 national team title, and their manufacturing line produced the world's first purpose-built freestyle BMX frame.
That's the history we're carrying into the 50th year.
The Connection
Vans has had roots in BMX going back to the same era. When we approached them about a 50th anniversary collab, the fit was immediate. Black and yellow are Torker's colors — and they're the colors of this shoe. That's not a coincidence. That's the right partner for the right moment.
Bill Ryan — who had a Torker co-sponsorship in the early 1980s before founding Supercross BMX in 1989 — re-acquired the Torker trademark and relaunched the brand in 2022. The 2026 50th anniversary is the first major milestone since the relaunch, and this shoe is part of marking it properly.
The Signatures Inside
Signed by some of the iconic Torker riders of the 70's and 80's — the riders who put Torker on the map: on the gate, on the track, and in the pages of BMX Action.
About the Signatures
Each rider submitted their actual signature to be reproduced directly on the Pop Cush sock liner.
Where to Get Them
The shoe debuts at Dirty Fest, June 5–7, 2026. A limited number of pairs will be at the Rad1986designs.com merch booth at the event. Online orders ship from Apple Valley, California via TorkerRacing.com starting at launch.
In Person
Dirty Fest 2026
Find the Rad1986designs.com merch booth at the event. Pairs are first-come, first-served. No holds.
June 5 · 6 · 7, 2026Online
TorkerRacing.com
Available for shipping starting at launch. Ships same day from Apple Valley, California. Worldwide available.
Ships from Apple Valley, CAQuestions
How many pairs are available?
300 pairs total. This is a one-time production run with no restock planned.
What sizes are available?
Men's sizing. Full size run — check the product listing on TorkerRacing.com for current availability.
When do they go on sale?
They debut at Dirty Fest, June 5–7, 2026, and go live online at TorkerRacing.com at launch.
Are the signatures on the insole printed or hand-signed?
Printed — but from the real thing. Each Torker factory rider submitted their actual signature, which was then reproduced directly on the Pop Cush sock liner. The signatures are real. The printing is how they got on the shoe.
What is the VDFPR sole?
VDFPR stands for Van Doren Factory Pedal Recipe. It's Vans' Cup Specific BMX sole — a waffle-pattern outsole designed specifically for grip on a platform pedal. Built for riding, not just wearing.
What does the chrome eyelet represent?
Torker frames were known for the Fish Eye Gusset and for chrome finish options that were a signature of the era. The chrome eyelet on this shoe is a direct nod to that heritage — one detail that connects the shoe to the bike.
Will these be available at dealers?
These are available exclusively through TorkerRacing.com and at the Dirty Fest event. No dealer distribution for this drop.
300 Pairs.
Get Yours Before They're Gone.
The Torker × Vans BMX Old Skool. Limited edition for the 50th anniversary. Ships from Apple Valley, California.
Shop the Shoe