# How often do you need to replace your sneakers? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 29, 2015, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807 "2015-04-29T13:52:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sara20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@sara20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sara20)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/1 "2015-04-29T13:52:52Z")
I have read that they should be replaced twice a year. I wear new balance sneakers and shoes and when I take out the insole it is very thin and has no arch support, the arch support appears to be built into the shoe itself. So how often do I need to replace my sneakers and shoes? I am prone to joint problems so I don’t want to wait to long, but don’t want to replace them unnecessarily. I am still wearing the shoes and sneakers I got a year ago. I have a pair of shoes I wear outside and a pair of sneakers I wear inside. I am not a runner. My main concern is losing arch support as I have someone flat feet. Should I replace them? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Joker_and_the_Thief)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/2 "2015-04-29T13:58:11Z")
Runners replace their sneakers every 200-2000 miles, most commonly around 500-1000 miles. Personally, I find that I have to replace sneakers faster when I don’t use them for running, because wear and tear on the mesh uppers outweighs tear on the soles for me. When to replace your sneakers depends on how much they cost, how much wear the sneakers have, how much you walk, and how much you earn. There’s really no hard and fast rule. Personally, I’d go to a shoe store and try on a pair as similar as possible to the pair you own now. Do a side by side (or foot by foot) comparison. If the difference is worth the price, buy it. But that’s a decision you alone can make. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/3 "2015-04-29T14:22:41Z")
I am no runner or athlete by any stretch of the word but I usually trade off twice a year. The bottom tread is getting down there at that point and usually the inside is worse and starting to be uncomfortable. ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/4 "2015-04-29T14:23:16Z")
I walk at about a 4 mph pace for 45 min. or more on the treadmill at least 3 days a week, schedule permitting, most weeks, I do 5 days. When I buy new shoes ( I also prefer New Balance) for walking, the first thing I do is take out that thin bit of junk they call an insole and replace it with good insoles, like the kind you can get at a sporting goods store. I usually pay about $45 for them. The insoles are replaced after 6 or 8 mos., and the shoes themselves at about 18 mos. ---
**Author:** ![sara20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@sara20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sara20)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/5 "2015-04-29T14:27:10Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > I am no runner or athlete by any stretch of the word but I usually trade off twice a year. The bottom tread is getting down there at that point and usually the inside is worse and starting to be uncomfortable. The bottom tread on my shoes appears to be fine. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/6 "2015-04-29T17:52:14Z")
I guess my answer is wandering from the mean. My answer is that you get new ones when the old one look bad/torn up enough that you are embarrassed to wear them in public. For me this means a new pair every 2-5 years depending on how often I wear them. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/7 "2015-04-29T18:08:31Z")
I change my running shoes out about every 500 miles. I have a half marathon this Sunday so I bought a new pair of shoes last week so that I have some time to break them in. I use these shoes only for training and not day-to-day shoes. My old shoes become my day-to-day shoes. My previous day-to-day shoes now become the cutting the grass shoes. I have put pairs of shoes in the collection barrels where they send the shoes to poor countries. Maybe one of those Kenyans or Ethiopians who finish a full marathon before I’d done with a half marathon started out in one of my old pairs of running shoes! ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/8 "2015-04-29T21:15:05Z")
I do a fair amount of walking, and yet I seem to be able to stretch a pair of $25.00 walking shoes for a year and a half. The sole is worn flat, and there are holes showing, and there are grievous cracks in the uppers, and one or more of the lacing eyelets is torn out…but they keep my foot from hitting the pavement, so they’re still good! ETA: Shoe Goo is your friend! ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/9 "2015-04-29T21:32:53Z")
I walk about 3-5 miles a day (except weekends) and I replace mine about every six months. I always order the exact same model (black New Balance MW840) and they seem to perform the same way each time. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/10 "2015-04-29T23:04:36Z")
I seem to buy a pair every 3-4 years, also New Balance mostly because I have wide feet. New Balance always has wides available. ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/11 "2015-04-30T01:33:29Z")
My normal gym sneakers tend to last somewhere between 1 and 2 years; I’m using them 4-6 times a week, but only for an hour or so at a time, and there’s low-impact exercise worked in. I still see a noticeable difference in the amount of cushion and support whenever I switch to a new pair, even though the old ones felt “perfectly fine”. I separately keep a pair of “nice” running shoes (most recently New Balance) that I switch out every thousand miles or so. How long that is in real time depends entirely on how healthy I’ve been recently - as I’ve gotten into my 30s, I’ve started to pick up minor injuries from basketball and soccer annoyingly more often, the type that don’t knock me out from exercise entirely but make five mile runs not-the-best-idea. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/12 "2015-04-30T01:35:31Z")
New Balance for me too. I wear them almost all day, everyday. I get about six months before they’re not fit for office wear. ---
**Author:** ![sara20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@sara20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sara20)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/13 "2015-04-30T05:01:45Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > I walk about 3-5 miles a day (except weekends) and I replace mine about every six months. I always order the exact same model (black New Balance MW840) and they seem to perform the same way each time. Does the arch support feel like it’s gone after 6 months or do you replace them for another reason? ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/14 "2015-04-30T06:11:18Z")
I replace mine about every 6 months. I over pronate badly. I notice my knees and back start hurting more, and my feet. There’s usually some wear on the soles too. Mostly though, I go by the body pain. If your shoes are still comfortable and supportive, you may be able to go longer. ---
**Author:** ![May\_20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@May\_20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/May_20)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/15 "2015-04-30T10:18:31Z")
I’m another New Balance wearer. I usually replace my shoes about every nine months. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/16 "2015-04-30T12:16:17Z")
> [@sara20](#): > > I have read that they should be replaced twice a year. A fiver says that someone with an interest in people buying more shoes came up with that. Replace them when they need replacing. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/17 "2015-04-30T12:37:00Z")
> [@sara20](#): > > Does the arch support feel like it’s gone after 6 months or do you replace them for another reason? The arch support does wear out, also general falling-apartness. ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/18 "2015-04-30T13:54:06Z")
> [@sara20](#): > > Does the arch support feel like it’s gone after 6 months or do you replace them for another reason? I don’t want to wait until it’s gone–I suppose the 6 mo. mark is a preventative for me. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/19 "2015-04-30T16:20:58Z")
> [@sara20](#): > > The bottom tread on my shoes appears to be fine. Then I would check around the toes and heel inside for any clear signs of wear/wearing out like either area being worn thin or developing a hole. If everything inside looks as good or better than the outside, they should still be fine. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807/20 "2015-04-30T16:55:11Z")
Depends how frequently you wear them, I suppose. I have a pair of Nike Shox that I wear 2 or 3 days a week and still very comfortable after almost a year. I’m also not a runner, so I typically just wear them walking around. And at the gym I just use the elliptical for cardio so I don’t think I’m putting much wear on them. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-need-to-replace-your-sneakers/718807.md?page=2)