Fleet Feet experience?

kristilovescake

Hey everyone - it's finally that time where I need to buy new exercise shoes. I hate shoe shopping, but I plan on starting to run again so I need some good shoes. I've never been to a Fleet Feet or running shoe store (I've always just gone to a typical shoe store), but I think I'm going to check it out his weekend.

I'm curious what to expect.

I heard they'll have you walk/run on a treadmill and analyze what type of shoe you need, so should I be prepared to do some running/jogging (i.e. wear a sportsbra)?

Are there any specific questions I should ask?

I don't want to pay too much due to being a newbie, but I also don't want to be a total cheapskate (which I usually am).

I'd love to hear your personal experiences or advice!

softwind

They are great. They will have you walk, jog, run on the treadmill, only for a couple minutes so I wouldn't go too crazy. Let them know what you plan on doing - are you a walker, runner, etc and how much you plan to do. They will analyze your stride etc, and then pull out multiple styles for you to try on and see what works best.
I highly recommend it to anyone planning on getting new shoes. I'm a walker, but they didn't treat me any different and made sure I knew what syles worked best for me. The first time I did buy my shoes there, but now that I know what kind I need, I don't have to anymore.

TankGirl71

They put me on a treadmill with a camera attached. I bought the recommended sneakers for like $120 and got shin splints so bad they were literally crippling me. They issued me a refund after I had worn the sneakers for almost a month! I've now settled into a brand I know works for me, so each season I just walk in and grab a new pair, no fuss no muss. They were great.

jlnk

Fleet Feet is great! You will be asked to jog, but only for a minute or so. I would definitely recommend them. Quality shoes are so important! Also, make sure you buy some good socks! Those make all the difference in the world!

kristilovescake

Thanks for your input!

It's tough to convince myself to spend $100 on shoes since I'm a total cheapskate, but you guys have helped convince me that it really is worth spending the extra dough to make sure I get a correctly fitting shoe.

I'll give them a shot and try to close my eyes when it comes to the price tag :P

Michaela722

I've been very, very happy with my Fleet Feet! They did a gait analysis on me using their treadmill and I've been very, very happy with the shoes they recommended - I'm on my 4th pair of the same shoes.

Something to consider - they won't always have the best prices, so you can always write down the shoe name and then order the correct shoe online. To me, it's worth a bit extra to always do business with them.

I wear a $100 pair of shoes with $40 inserts - it's not cheap, but I know it's what I need to do to take care of my body.