This is the shoe I’m wearing right now. I bought them in August of 2014 and wear them to work 5 days a week, with an average of about 10,000 steps per day (mostly on pavement). They’re very comfortable and I like the way they look.
But I can feel the sole (feels like rubber) wearing thin in the ball of my foot. Is 2 years a good lifespan for an every day pair of work shoes like these? If so, I’ll order the same pair. If not, what’s a better option? I’m willing to spend money if they’ll last a very long time.
I’ve read that you should not wear the same pair of shoes two days in a row but that you should alternate so the ones you’re not wearing have a chance to breath. I don’t know if that’s true, but it is what I do, and I put cedar shoe trees in the ones not currently being worn.
As for what to wear, there are probably many good shoes out there. For the past five or ten years, my go-to shoes have been a series of ones from a European company called ECCO. Right now, I’m wearing a pair with what they call a “bike toe”.
Replacing a shoe every two years given that you wear it so much seems perfectly reasonable.
The best thing you can do for shoes to make them last is to rotate them with another pair. The ones you have appear to be well made and while you can look at other reputable brands like Timberland, Clarks or Rockports (for example), you really should consider buying two pair and alternating between them one day to the next.
Sure, you say, they will last longer because you’ll have reduced wear and tear by 50% for the same timer period. True. But letting a shoe dry completely between wearings, really does help make it wear better and longer, IMO.
Two years of daily use with a good deal of walking sounds like good performance to me. My work shoes are generally pretty busted after about 2 years, and I try to rotate them to spread the wear out.
The best ones I’ve had have been from L.L. Bean. I’ve had the soles re-surfaced after wearing them smooth a couple of times, but they’re still in good shape after three years. The worst were from Nunn-Bush: wore them 2-3 times a week, mostly indoors at a desk job, and the sole had worn all the way through in just 3 months.
I daily-wear Rockports that are a step less casual than that, and I end up buying a new pair every year or two, depending on how much I beat them up. Some of the higher end shoes can last much longer, especially if you’re alternating days and using shoe trees as a few people have suggested, and/or if you’re willing to resole. Your two years seems about right for most of the ~$100 range shoes, though.
I wear a similiar style shoe that has lasted for 4 years of daily work wear. They slip on too, so they are ideal for air travel.
I say once you find a shoe style that works, stick with it. I am on my second pair of this brand.
Never daily wear any pair of shoes. Get two pairs (at least) switch them off, they will last four times as long (two times only because two pairs, of course).
I have Mephistos and Aldens that have lasted 10 years.
Mephistos My husband has a pair at least ten years old - and I’d be willing to bet on 15. They have been resoled once. He does rotate his shoes. They aren’t cheap.
Only problem is when the maker changes, such that the identical model is vastly different/inferior.
Up til a decade ago, I was a BIG Doc Marten fan.
And I had a pair of Timberland boots that I wore up mountains, down the Grand Canyon, and everywhere in between for over a decade. Was THRILLED to find the exact same boots as my old ones were falling apart. Until I wore them a while. Yuck!
I’d say, if you find a pair you like, buy 2-3, maybe even 4 pair. Switching them will extend the time before you need to buy new ones.
Until this thread, I’ve never heard of not wearing the same shoes two days in a row to allow them to dry completely. I work in an office on dry land, though. I have heard of buying more than one pair of the same shoe, though, but never seriously considered spending what amounts to twice as much for the same look. $70 for two pair of Dockers, sure. $250+ for two pair of the same oxfords? No thanks.
That said, I think 2 years and 2500 miles for any kind of footwear is fantastic. Those shoes owe you nothing. If they have more to give, even better.
The reason for not wearing the same shoes two days in a row isn’t because they might have gotten wet outdoors, but because your feet sweat, and make the insides of the shoes damp.
And keep in mind that by not wearing the same shoes every day, the shoes themselves will last (approximately) twice as long, so it’s not as if you’re spending any more on them.
I went ahead and ordered the same shoes. I don’t plan to get two pair since that just seems too much for now (plus I use special laces so I’d have to get another pair of those).
