I have a pair of Converse that look like Vans but have held up forever, and I had a pair of Vans that fell apart in a month, so I guess I prefer Converse as far as quality goes. I really liked high tops when I was younger, too, but I no longer have any.
I don't really care much about brands, though. Unless I know for a fact one is higher quality/will last longer than another, I just buy what's cheapest and looks acceptable with things I already have. I can't afford to be picky!