What is the life of a fitness shoe?

UnicornRides

I swear up and down by LA Gear, (sadly a diminishing brand..) my current running shoes I've had for almost 3 years now.. worked in them, worked out in them, and went to college in them.. but I notice that the extra bone in my foot is now beginning to hurt when using these shoes. I think it's time for a new pair.

Generally, what is the life-span of a shoe? How many miles do you put on it, or what does it start to feel like, before you retire it? And is there any use to them when they are retired?

RumpusP

That's really hard to say... depends on the shoe, how well it fits your feet and way of walking, how heavy you are, what kind of beating it's taking...

My main pair of sneakers I've been using at the gym 1-3 hours a day almost everyday the past year and they are still in good condition... still good support and cushioning, look nice.

When I was heavier and doing 15-20 miles speed walking 4-6 days a week on trails I had to buy new sneakers every month for comfort.... support and cushioning destroyed and not looking too healthy.

Go by how they feel and how happy your feet are in them.

pobalita

If your shoes are three years old, I'd replace them - especially since you say your foot hurts when you use them.

Many sources say you should replace running shoes after 500 miles, but I've never found them to last that long. I generally get a new shoe as soon as I notice the cushioning to be a little less or if I start to get shin splints.

I use the old pairs to wear casually on the weekends. The oldest pairs are worn for yard work

sss1966

As soon as my feet start to get uncomfortable, I replace them. My running shoes are just that, used for running and nothing else. When they are retired, I use them for general wear, until they are no more lol