OK, this is dumb, but what kind of athletic shoes are the best?
I always used to wear Reeboks, but either they changed their style or my feet changed, because for the past 2 years my Reeboks end up hurting me.
I’m not a runner, although I do walk.
I’ve heard Sauconeys are good.
Nikes don’t generally fit me too well.
You can give me opinions, or set fire to this thread, lol.
Have you tried New Balance? They make very good walking/cross-training type sneakers . . .
That’s what I was going to say. I wear new balance and they fit and feel good on my feets. They are a light shoe also, don’t seem to weigh that much.
Ace, I have a pair of Lady Nike Air and on the sole it says Nike Rolling Rail.
They are so comfortable. I also have a pair of New Balance, and they are comfortable.
I have New Balance. Very light & comfortable.
I’m a fan of Ryka. they’re supposed to be made just for women, narrower in the heel, which works for me.
I have New Balance that I like. A lot of your major cities have New Balance stores where employees will actually fit you. I was amazed. Haven’t seen that in years. Columbus might have one.
I’ll add another vote for New Balance. Had a pair that lasted for over 5 years of very heavy use, including exposure to salt water (Pacific and Atlantic!) and near daily wear. I’d still be wearing them if the soles hadn’t completely worn out. The uppers were still in great shape (all things considered…). Canvas uppers. Hard to find well made canvas sneakers/deck shoes for a reasonable price these days.
I’m pretty sure both orthopedic doctors told son New Balance.
I also heard someplace that running shoes were best for everyone, but I don’t remember where I heard that.
I like the Women’s Avia walking shoes. Very good support and long lasting. I don’t know what your foot issues are, but I have high arches and I have worn this brand for several years. I have a hard time finding comfortable shoes and would only wear sneakers if I could.
I forgot about that. Son has totally flat feet. I don’t know if it makes a difference.
I used to wear New Balance for years until I tried on a pair of Sauconys. They’re easily the most comfortable shoes I’ve worn. I doubt I’ll be going back to New Balance anytime in the near future.
To all you NBers, I really recommend trying Saucony next time.
Where do you get them? I must have bought 20 pairs of sneakers trying to replace one pair of Nike that wore out a few years ago.
There’s a store around here called Runner’s Forum that carries them. But I actually bought mine online. I think their sizes are the same as New Balance, so I didn’t have to worry if they’d fit or not.
Different people have different feet. Any given brand… even a given model sold by that brand… may fit one person but not another. Larger shoe companies make shoes for flat arches, different shoes for high arches. YMMV.
A couple of online stores (if you feel confident about buying shoes without first trying them on!)
Lots of athletic shoes: Eastbay. They also have a section on Amazon.
Lots of running shoes: Road Runner Sports. This site also has a page to help find the right model for you, if you know your foot and running style. They also have a section on Amazon.
I have become a big fan of saucony. Light, good support, feet feel good after standing in them all day on a concrete floor.
I buy two kinds of shoes - top end stuff like Rockport and FootJoy, and cheap on-sale stuff (usually $20 or less) from places like Big5 sporting goods. I don’t see much point in mid-grade stuff. The cheap ones wear out and I don’t care, and with their sacrifice, the good ones last a very long time.
For me at least, the secret to long life shoes is to never wear the same pair two days in a row. In fact I have several pairs of dessicant bags to help them thoroughly dry overnight (called “stinky pinkies” but google does not seem to turn up any suppliers) By buying two identical pairs of cheap ones, I can wear the “same” shoes to work all the time, not wear them out too soon, and still not care much if something does them damage.
As for brands, over the years I’ve seen quality come and go in most of the popular ones. New Balance, Nike, Adidas, Saucony - they all seem to wax and wane, while the two brands I named at the top are the only ones to never disappoint me. SO far.
Dr Martens
I have to admit that their shoes are very comfortable on me. I had a pair for a long time…the sole never wore out.
I have a pair of their boots, which aren’t as comfortable on me.
I have a high instep…
I bought 2 pairs of sneakers on sale Monday. One for me (Avia) and one for #3 son. (L.A. Gear) Mine were originally $50 and on clearance for $30. His were $40 on sale for $20, reduced to $10 due to a buy one get one 1/2 price sale. $90 worth of shoes for $40. Whoo-hoo!