Vans AV Native American Low fits true to size for most people — the same number as Vans Authentic, Air Jordan 1, Air Max 90, or SB Dunk Low. The suede-and-canvas upper hugs the foot, and the vulcanized sole sits flat. Based on 454 owner-reported pairs in the Feetlot database, the typical wearer takes the same number in AV Native American Low as in most common sneakers. If unsure: order true to size. Wide feet should size up half — the AV NAL's narrower forefoot construction doesn't leave much room to spare.
AV Native American Low Sizing — What 454 Pairs in the Feetlot Database Tell Us
The Vans AV Native American Low is the most-tracked Anthony Van Engelen signature shoe in the Feetlot database. Across 454 owner-reported pairs, the residual variance is tight (standard deviation ≈ 0.24 size units), meaning sizing is consistent across the various AV NAL colorways (black, navy, red) and across leather and suede builds. Feetlot data shows AV NAL fits in the same size bucket as Vans Authentic, Air Jordan 1, Air Max 90, and the Nike SB Dunk Low — true to size relative to most common sneakers.
The reason AV Native American Low fits true to size is its minimal vulcanized construction. The suede or canvas upper sits close to the foot — closer than AF1's padded leather — and the flat vulcanized sole doesn't add lift or length slack. The structured heel cup anchors the back of the foot at length. Going below true size pinches the toe against the stiff toe cap.
Should You Size Up or Down in AV Native American Low?
Standard fit (most people)
Order true to size — your usual sneaker number. The suede or canvas upper softens around the foot over the first 5–10 wears without changing the overall length. True-to-size is what most Feetlot owners report as the correct fit for AV NAL.
Wide feet
Size up half. The AV Native American Low is designed for skateboarding — a narrower forefoot profile than AF1 or even Vans Authentic. Width isn't offered separately on most AV NAL colorways. Half a size up is the standard wide-foot adjustment in the Feetlot database; the heel still sits in the cup.
Narrow feet
True to size works for most narrow feet. The snug skate construction holds the foot in place, and going half down rarely improves the fit — it just pinches the metatarsals against the rubber toe cap.
AV Native American Low vs AV Native American High
The low and high versions of the AV Native American use the same last and the same length advice — true to size. The high-top adds ankle padding that can feel snug on day one; this softens with wear and doesn't require sizing up.
How AV Native American Low Compares to Other Sneakers
The Vans AV Native American Low fits at the same numerical size as Vans Authentic, Vans Old Skool, Air Jordan 1, Air Jordan 3, Air Jordan 4, Air Jordan 5, Nike Air Max 1, Air Max 90, Nike Dunk Low, Nike Dunk High, Nike SB Dunk Low, Nike Blazer Mid '77, Nike Air Force 1, adidas Superstar, adidas Stan Smith, adidas Gazelle, adidas NMD R1, New Balance 574, and Sperry Authentic Original. According to Feetlot data, all of these round to the same size in 0.5 increments — same number you wear in AV Native American Low.
The shoes that run larger in number than AV NAL: Converse Chuck Taylor Ox, Converse Chuck Taylor Hi, and Clarks Desert Boot all run about half a size larger than AV NAL — so if you wear AV NAL in 10, you'd take 9.5 in those. adidas YEEZY Boost 350 V2, Nike Air Max 97, Air Max 95, and Air Max 270 run about half a size smaller in number than AV NAL — if you wear AV NAL in 10, take 10.5 in those.
Boot-style models: Red Wing Iron Ranger runs about a full size smaller in number than AV NAL — if you wear AV NAL in 10, take Iron Ranger in 9.
Sign in to Feetlot and add a few of your other sneakers to get a personal AV Native American Low size recommendation calibrated to your actual foot.
Vans AV Native American Low Size Chart (US / EU / UK)
| US Men's | US Women's | UK | EU |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 7.5 | 5.5 | 38.5 |
| 6.5 | 8 | 6 | 39 |
| 7 | 8.5 | 6.5 | 40 |
| 7.5 | 9 | 7 | 40.5 |
| 8 | 9.5 | 7.5 | 41 |
| 8.5 | 10 | 8 | 42 |
| 9 | 10.5 | 8.5 | 42.5 |
| 9.5 | 11 | 9 | 43 |
| 10 | 11.5 | 9.5 | 44 |
| 10.5 | 12 | 10 | 44.5 |
| 11 | 12.5 | 10.5 | 45 |
| 11.5 | 13 | 11 | 45.5 |
| 12 | 13.5 | 11.5 | 46 |
Common Sizing Mistakes
- Sizing down "for the skate fit." The AV Native American Low's narrower last already feels snug at true size — sizing down half pinches the metatarsals and doesn't improve board feel. True-to-size is correct.
- Buying in your Chuck Taylor size. Converse Chuck runs about half a size larger than AV NAL. If you wear Chuck in 10, take AV NAL in 10.5, not 10.
- Expecting the suede to break in at the toe. The suede or canvas softens around the throat and instep, but the rubber toe cap holds its shape. Don't size small expecting length to open up — go up half for wide feet instead.
- Treating AV NAL as "wide like Vans Authentic." Both are Vans, but the AV NAL's skate construction is narrower at the forefoot than the classic Authentic. Wide-footed wearers who fit Vans Authentic true-to-size may need half up in AV NAL.
- Confusing AV NAL with the Vans Half Cab. The AV NAL draws from the Half Cab profile but is a distinct model with different last dimensions. The sizing advice is the same (true to size), but don't assume one is a direct substitute for the other.
How Feetlot Computes These Numbers
Every AV Native American Low sizing recommendation on Feetlot is the output of a global offset model fit to over 100,000 owner-reported shoe records. Each shoe gets a single number — its "size offset" — that captures how its sizing drifts relative to a reference shoe (the Nike Air Force 1). When a Feetlot user provides their size in any tracked shoe, the model recovers their true foot baseline and recommends the matching AV NAL size.
This works better than the pairwise approach you'll see on most sneaker blogs because Feetlot uses the entire wardrobe graph. A YEEZY 350 owner contributes data about how YEEZY fits relative to AF1 owners (who often own both), which links back to AV NAL owners through any shared model. Even when two users share zero shoes directly, the chain of users in between transmits a consistent recommendation. The result: sizing advice that holds up no matter how unusual a wardrobe is.