i ride around every day with vans authentics (and no socks) with zero problems. no calluses, no pain, nothing. the gates on my gr9s definitely cause my vans to tear after a few months though, i've had 3 pairs in the last year. no biggie when the shoes only cost $40 anyway.

i think a big problem a lot of new fixed riders have when skid stopping is that they put too much emphasis on the back foot pushing back. the trick is using the front foot to pull up at the same time. it's definitely a combination of the back foot pressing back and the front foot pulling the gate up simultaneously that will give you the best results. then, you'll start to discover how to climb hills faster, etc, with the same technique (except accelerating instead of stopping).

in the long run though, you shouldn't be skidding unless it's an emergency. riding fixed is all about grace. deceleration is just as much of an art form as perfecting your cadence while accelerating.

stick with the vans authentics, it's not the shoes.