SHOES

Schula03

Hi everyone,
It seems like I am going through my running shoes like crazy!!! How long should shoes last and any great running shoes out there?

kristi223

I'd really like to know this too. Every pair of shoes that i get rub horrible blisters on my heels.....therefore, I don't get out as much as I should!

sophieenefer

if you had more than one pair you could rotate them and they'd last longer. Thats what I did with my ballet shoes cos the sweat breaks them down and they need to dry out properly.

Chenoachem

My shoes are motion controll and last about 250 miles a pair. I typically wear double layer socks to help prevent blisters since I like to buy the shoes slightly big to have a wide toe box.

petalpusher1957

I love my Asics. Kayano. I'm not a serious runner, but I must have comfortable shoes when I walk. If you are getting blisters, your shoes do not fit your feet. Go to a shoe store that knows how correctly measure feet! I will go through a good pair of Asics in a year. After that they are yard shoes! Good Luck and take care of your Feet!

heebiejeebie

I used to get about 350-400 miles out of a decent pair. I've got a pair of inov8 now that are approaching 500 miles and still going strong.
Kristi - if they rub then the fit is wrong. Have you been to a running shop and had advice on shoes that fit your feet?
I can't wear saucony or asics because they're just the wrong shape for me but nike and mizuno fit ok.

squoozyq

Saucony or New Balance are what I love....they are super comfortable and worth the money. I switch them up every few months in the warm weather, less in the cold.

SimonLondon

I was lucky with mine because I didn't even try them on (bought online). I went for the most padded Nike running shoes I could find (Had the cartilage removed my from right knee so have to be very careful) and I've never had any problem.

There are WAAAAAAAAAAAAY too many running trainers out there and I felt so overwhelmed trying to choose a pair. Seriously giving someone the option of 200+ trainers is not a good thing :laugh:

beutiful5678

When I started running long distances regularly in high school I found that the optimal combination for me to prevent blisters was:

1) good shoes - try going to a running store where they have you run on a treadmill with a video camera on your feet to check your form in the shoes. Having good shoes is imperative both for comfort and the health of your feet.
2) good socks - get socks specifically made for running. Wearing cotton socks while running gives me blisters. I ONLY wear running socks when running. You can find these at a running store or even just an athletic clothing store like ****'s Sporting Goods.
3) friction preventing gooey stuff - the stuff I use is called Body Glide. It prevents blistering and chafing on your feet. Just roll it on like deoderant or use your finger to get a lot of the stuff. For me, just wearing good socks or Body Glide alone is not enough - I HAVE to have both in order not to get blisters. Body Glide can also be used to prevent friction in other problem areas you may have (rubbing between your thighs, etc.)

Altogether I have found these to create the optimal running/walking/hiking experience. These activities are so much more fun when you have the right stuff and are comfortable!

beutiful5678

Apparently, ****'s Sporting Goods is an expletive - haha.

Also, I forgot - I've been told you should replace your running shoes every 300 miles or 3 months whichever comes first.

rcatr

for me, i've found my shoes last me 400-500 miles. I think it matters how much and what direction your foot pronates in. <-- that's what the person at the The Running Company store told me (and everyone who works there is a runner).

Good socks are always a big help and makes the run more enjoyable than socks that suck. Theyre a little more pricey but the wicking feature is really nice.

CreativeRedhead

I just bought a new pair of AVIA's and they are fantastic. I got them for about $40 which was half off...a great deal! Check them out at www.avia.com But yes there are tons out there so it's all about preference. I'd suggest finding a large shoe store and devoting an hour or so to trying on different styles and brands. It worked for me.

RedneckWmn

My cousins husband manages a comfort shoe store and is very knowledgable when it comes to shoes and proper wear and tear. He says a good pair of running shoes should last you about a year. This obviously depends on how much you wear them. He reccomends Acis and some Nike's. He says definitely not Nike Shocks, they are horrible for your knees!

Behavior_Modification

I love New Balance.. They're like $100 but well worth it!

MissingMinnesota

I love new balance and lucked out the other day and got a new pair for $25. The store I went to had about 5 pairs of shoes over half off and they actually had a pair of wide in my size. It was such a good day!

BullDozier

Also, I forgot - I've been told you should replace your running shoes every 300 miles or 3 months whichever comes first.

Not trying to be argumentative, but that sounds like a "change your oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first" self serving recomendation from the oil industry. Why would you need to replace your shoes every three months if you are an occasional runner? Do they wear out sitting on the floor?

Chenoachem

Also, I forgot - I've been told you should replace your running shoes every 300 miles or 3 months whichever comes first.

Not trying to be argumentative, but that sounds like a "change your oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first" self serving recomendation from the oil industry. Why would you need to replace your shoes every three months if you are an occasional runner? Do they wear out sitting on the floor?

Actually yes. The rubber in the shoes will break down over time, whether you are wearing them or not. My running store locally said to replace them between 200 and 500 miles for those with long distance or every 3 months for those who do only short distances. Since the materials they are constructed with will break down, especially in dry climates. In humid ones you might get more out of them.

BullDozier

Also, I forgot - I've been told you should replace your running shoes every 300 miles or 3 months whichever comes first.

Not trying to be argumentative, but that sounds like a "change your oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first" self serving recomendation from the oil industry. Why would you need to replace your shoes every three months if you are an occasional runner? Do they wear out sitting on the floor?

Actually yes. The rubber in the shoes will break down over time, whether you are wearing them or not. My running store locally said to replace them between 200 and 500 miles for those with long distance or every 3 months for those who do only short distances. Since the materials they are constructed with will break down, especially in dry climates. In humid ones you might get more out of them.

Again, the fact that your running store is recomending this is a serious cause for questioning. They are obviously self interested in that recomendation. I'd love to see some kind of recomendation like this from a neutral source.

For the record, my local running store has never given my wife (I personally don't run anymore) a replacement recomendation other than miles.

thenebean9

I didn't read all the posts here, but a few recommendations on shoes:

Get to a specialty store and have your feet measured and your stride and running style analyzed for the best possible fitting shoe. It DOES make a difference!

Get yourself some running socks! Cotton socks that you buy in bulk are crap when you're feet start to sweat and that's when the blisters form. If you like fun looking socks - check out www.sockguy.com - i love their stuff, and they are really fun socks too!

Replace your sneakers every 300-500 miles! And only use your running sneakers for running - don't also wear them to the gym, or zumba, or whatever. Buy a separate pair of sneakers for that.

Good luck everyone!

Chenoachem

Also, I forgot - I've been told you should replace your running shoes every 300 miles or 3 months whichever comes first.

Not trying to be argumentative, but that sounds like a "change your oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first" self serving recomendation from the oil industry. Why would you need to replace your shoes every three months if you are an occasional runner? Do they wear out sitting on the floor?

Actually yes. The rubber in the shoes will break down over time, whether you are wearing them or not. My running store locally said to replace them between 200 and 500 miles for those with long distance or every 3 months for those who do only short distances. Since the materials they are constructed with will break down, especially in dry climates. In humid ones you might get more out of them.

Again, the fact that your running store is recomending this is a serious cause for questioning. They are obviously self interested in that recomendation. I'd love to see some kind of recomendation like this from a neutral source.

For the record, my local running store has never given my wife (I personally don't run anymore) a replacement recomendation other than miles.

Ok. I agree if that was the only source. However, I am a chemist that works a lot with rubberized materials. I completely agree chemically with what they say. I just used that as a source. I can get some technical iterature if that is what you are interested in. The real demand comes not from the sales people but the shoe makers. They have no motivation to make your shoes last longer, like the tires on your car. If they make them cheaper and hence not last as long, more people will buy them. But if you pay more, they will likely last longer as they are made with better materials.

BullDozier

Ok. I agree if that was the only source. However, I am a chemist that works a lot with rubberized materials. I completely agree chemically with what they say. I just used that as a source. I can get some technical iterature if that is what you are interested in. The real demand comes not from the sales people but the shoe makers. They have no motivation to make your shoes last longer, like the tires on your car. If they make them cheaper and hence not last as long, more people will buy them. But if you pay more, they will likely last longer as they are made with better materials.

I'd love to see something technical on that. It would be an interesting read. Thanks!

Chenoachem

Ok. I agree if that was the only source. However, I am a chemist that works a lot with rubberized materials. I completely agree chemically with what they say. I just used that as a source. I can get some technical iterature if that is what you are interested in. The real demand comes not from the sales people but the shoe makers. They have no motivation to make your shoes last longer, like the tires on your car. If they make them cheaper and hence not last as long, more people will buy them. But if you pay more, they will likely last longer as they are made with better materials.

I'd love to see something technical on that. It would be an interesting read. Thanks!

This should be open source so try this.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=MImg&amp;_imagekey=B6TWW-45JG4HK-4-V&amp;_cdi=5573&amp;_user=4306480&amp;_pii=S0014305701002804&amp;_orig=search&amp;_coverDate=06/30/2002&amp;_sk=999619993&amp;view=c&amp;wchp=dGLzVtb-zSkWb&amp;md5=ecf4be145e828bb0b52be049632d371e&amp;ie=/sdarticle.pdf