Shoe recommendations?

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take36
take36 Posts: 12
in Fitness and Exercise
I am having the hardest time finding shoes and would appreciate some recommendations. I need 2 different pair.

The first is for long, brisk walks I take with my dog everyday (about 5-6 miles). Often we jog a portion of it. We cover both asphalt and uneven grassy terrain so I wouldn't mind a trail shoe. I've been wearing an old pair of Adidas Marathon trail shoes and although I like them because they're lightweight, my knees are KILLING me by the end of the walk. I think there's just not enough cushion in them.

The second shoe is for Tracy Anderson dance cardio. I'd ideally also like the shoe to work for HIIT cardio, jumproping and Insanity. My main problem is that I don't like "a lot of shoe" - meaning, I'd go barefoot if I could. But I can't. I tried doing dance cardio barefoot and in shoes that had minimal forefoot cushion and the balls of my feet got seriously bruised. Recently I've tried Nike Zoom Vomeros and Saucony Cortanas. Great forefoot cushion, but neither had the necessary lateral support (because they're running shoes - not trainers) so my foot kept sliding off the outside of the shoe. I almost roll my ankle in the zoom vomeros, so those are just collecting dust now. So the most important criteria for these are: lightweight, forefoot cushion, lateral support, no gargantuan heels that are going to make me roll my foot and twist my ankle.

If anything, I underpronate so I'm looking for neutral shoes. My feet are not technically narrow, but they are far from wide so big toe boxes drive me nuts because my forefoot moves around too much. Adidas fit my feet best because they seem narrower, but I find they have less support. Also, I have a very low arch, so shoes with high arch supports are a no-go for me.

Any suggestions would be great. Thanks!

Replies

  • Sycoholic
    Sycoholic Posts: 282 Member
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    Had a pair of Adidas trail running shoes. They had a nice wide base and good stability. I found them excellent for anything I wanted to throw at them. My Drill Sergeant even let me use them the last week of basic and I used them all through AIT. Ran on all terrain with them and did pt indoors and out. Maybe look into something like this. I recently tried some Reebok Realflex's because I thought the extra flex would be good but unless I'm running I can roll an ankle. I've had Brooks and New Balance but I miss those Adidas. I'm actually hitting the running store next week and will be looking at them.
  • take36
    take36 Posts: 12
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    Had a pair of Adidas trail running shoes. They had a nice wide base and good stability. I found them excellent for anything I wanted to throw at them. My Drill Sergeant even let me use them the last week of basic and I used them all through AIT. Ran on all terrain with them and did pt indoors and out. Maybe look into something like this. I recently tried some Reebok Realflex's because I thought the extra flex would be good but unless I'm running I can roll an ankle. I've had Brooks and New Balance but I miss those Adidas. I'm actually hitting the running store next week and will be looking at them.

    Yep, I love my adidas marathon trail running shoes. Fit like a glove, but I think they're discontinued because I can't find them anymore. The trail grip is awesome on grass/dirt as well as road. Only thing is my knees kill after long walks, especially on pavement. So I'm thinking they're not well-suited for that. But I agree overall the adidas trail shoes are awesome.
  • Sycoholic
    Sycoholic Posts: 282 Member
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    Could just be worn out. They lose the shock absorption and you start feeling it in your joints. Since it's gradual you may not realize it's your shoes and start thinking it's you. When I decided to retire mine I realized when I stood up one heel was lower than the other. Yeah, they were shot. They still looked good, but the sole was worn a bit and the shock absorption was "no more". Same with my Brooks. They'll kill my knees if I go running in them for as little as 4 miles.
  • 2hobbit1
    2hobbit1 Posts: 820 Member
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    Check out roadrunnersport they have a shoe finder as well as an awesome online chat feature. They can take your issues and give you ideas of shoe brands/models that fit your needs. They have a great return policy as well - they want you to use them under real conditions so you can tell if they really fit right.

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