Hello everyone, sorry for the long time between posts. I was shocked to see it was getting close to two weeks since the last one. The dog days of summer I guess. Hard to be annoyed when the sun is shining and there's plenty to do. Unless you want to buy a pair of running shoes. Then there can be a problem.
A lot of the running shoes out there today are definitely not middle-age guy running shoes. In my case I like to wear cross trainers, since I am such a multi-sport athlete. In fact in one recent 24 hour period I used my cross trainers to play ping-pong, golf, and tennis. Beat that! But I digress. The point of this blog is to do with the buying of shoes and not my athletic prowess. There are hundreds of different cross-trainer models out there, but as I said, only some of them will do for the middle-aged guy. As in not too flashy, hip or space-age looking.
Over the years when I have found a model that I like and my current pair starts to wear out I'll go back and buy the same shoes again. I have found two annoying things about this process. First of all is that the shoe companies, apparently in an effort to keep the retail prices up by limiting competition, have pulled the following little sneaky trick. They only give certain models to certain retailers. So I can't shop the sales for my model, I just have to buy it at the regular price from the one store that carries it or wait for that retailer to put it on sale. Secondly, and most importantly, shoe companies in an apparent effort to stay current or something, discontinue models of shoes all the time. Unless your favourite is the Stan Smith, you can be out of luck the next time you go to buy a pair of runners. And that my friends is annoying.
Who the heck was this Stan Smith guy anyway? I'm going to have to look that up.
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Two lessons. One, don't get too attached to material goods of any sort. Two, why buy new, retail shoes at all? They are revoltingly overpriced. I just go to Value Village every day until an appropriate pair of sneakers pops up for a fraction of the cost of retail.
ReplyDeleteHot tip Dan: apparently Chez Village has an underwear-socks-shoes 3-for-1 sale on right now. Fill yer boots. Er, shoes.
ReplyDeleteBut for those of us who like the smell of new nubuck and not someone else's foot odour, I am completely with Jack on this one. I, myself, just went through the rigamarole of buying new shoes. For me, I like walking (aka light hiking) shoes. It's the same problem in my category — models and companies come and go, they get bought out, their quality goes on the descendent or ascendent between models. You gotta keep on your toes. I've gone through three pairs of Garmonts and one of Keens in recent memory. After checking out four different stores, and going back to my final purchase store twice, I settled on a pair of Garmonts. The guy tells me that they have addressed their quailty issues of the last generation and this one is improved. Time will tell. At least I've learned the hard way to keep my receipt for a year...
Finally, my understanding has always been that Stan Smith was a tennis player. For me, I still pine for the Adidas Rom. Now why can't I get those any more?
If you are going to be a slave to your desire to smell new shoes, I can be of no help here. Capitalists everywhere adore you.
ReplyDeleteHowever, those of us who are less enslaved can buy two virtually brand new pairs of New Balance runners for 30 bucks and still be wearing them two years later.
And thanks for the tip. I'll be hitting VV on the weekend. Woohoo!
Dan, maybe next time I should just give you my old shoes and save you $30... ;)
ReplyDeleteWith my hectic sports schedule no pair of shoes lasts me one year, let alone two. My feet are also very picky and if the shoes aren't right then they let me know with varying degrees of pain. That's why I stick with a shoe model once I've found one that works. Or at least I would if the shoe companies would cooperate.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother always said (to my mom, as my mom would head out to go dancing in her gorgeous, impractical stilettos), "if your feet hurt, you can see it in your face".
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, Jack. I am a creature of habit, and now that I have found a tennis shoe that fits me perfectly, I will continue to buy the same model until it is discontinued (see how I automatically make that assumption). I'm now on my third pair and am almost ready to buy my fourth.
Dean ran into the exact problem you mention (limited distribution to certain retailers) when he tried to buy the same model of New Balance runners (that he'd purchased at Coast Mountain Sports) at the New Balance store. The salesman looked at the model, snorted derisively, and sniffed, "Oh. THAT model isn't sold here."
Little Jackie: I ride my bike to work each day, and give my shoes plenty of wear and tear, thank you very much, but the shoes have lasted two years because I bought two pair, thereby buying me a little extra time.
ReplyDeleteDerby: I only buy nearly-new sneakers at VV, and never spend more than $20/pair. If yours fit the bill, as the kids say these days: Bring It On.
I wore Stan Smiths for 10-15 years, I loved them! I also played a lot of tennis then. Once they started making cross-trainer shoes, and then similar ones that were gortex and sturdy enough for hiking I changed. As you know Jack, yes it was me who convinced Jack that you get what you pay for. After walking 28km with me one day and having very sore feet he realized that purchasing good footwear is essential. Walking the 28km back the next day certainly re-inforced this message! You certainly do learn something everyday, I didn't know you could buy second hand footwear? I like Jack wear out a good pair a year, then they become my garden shoes, after that, no one would want them!Thanks for bringing back my Stan memories, Jack. Cheers, xelA.
ReplyDelete500 miles on a pair of running shoes, max. Then they're my gardening shoes (as someone else said). No sense spraining an ankle, or worse, due to broken down support. New Balance is my shoe of choice. What I find amusing is walking into the sporting goods store and asking the supposedly specially trained clerk what they have in stock for an over pronator; you get that deer in the headlight look. So much for the special training.
ReplyDeleteDerbyroad, you gave me the best laugh of the day -- love that hot tip!
Wearing out shoes by riding a bike? That's rich. And second-hand shoes? Ew!
ReplyDeleteNot sure how rich it is, but there is a definite friction effect that wears on the shoe's sole.
ReplyDeleteAnd who are you, Ian Armstrong?
Not judging from my scores after the first day of mini-golf!
ReplyDeleteWell best of luck on day two. Btw, no sale at Value Village, but I did manage to pick up a nearly brand new pair of Reebok Premier running shoes for 20 dollars, retail value well over 100 bucks.
ReplyDelete(oh, and I buy my socks, underwear and the occasional zany t-shirt new, cuz they're like the last line of defense against your body. But shoes and pants? VV all the way. You can pay off any twinges or squeamishness rather easily when you can get stuff 80-90% cheaper than retail.)
ReplyDeleteAs Lisa was saying we wear the same New Balance tennis shoes, the 654 (654w for her) and are on our 5th pair now, NB seem to leave the same models around for some time.
ReplyDeleteSo you way, but it is New Balance that is my current shoe and I have reason to believe they are discontinuing it. They are no Nike, but they too are guilty of this crime against humanity.
ReplyDelete