In the [url=“http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=37772&pagenumber=1”]Get in Shape[/url} thread I posted that this morning I took my dog out for a walk but ended up coming back after 15 minutes partly due to the fact that the hand-me-down shoes that my step mom gave me were rubbing my heal wrong. I vowed to go and get new shoes so I wouldn’t have blisters and end up not walking.
Well, I searched the web so I have an idea of what I might be looking for. Since my feet are funky, I would NEVER consider buying a pair of shoes over the internet but found a couple of pairs that appealed to me both in looks and for practicality.
Since, when I do walk the dog, I like to go off trails and do real hiking. I decided I needed an “all terrain” running shoe as opposed to your basic walking shoe.
I paid $90 for these shoes that were made in China by underpaid workers. I imagine that given retail costs versus pricing they probably paid about $45 for these while the manufacturer probably only needed to pay about $19.00 per pair to get these made and shipped back to the States. I don’t know the exact costs but I imagine the markup from the manufacturer to the consumer is extremelly high.
The only thing I can figure is that these large companies are so damned money hungry they can’t lower their prices for people. Shoes are a very important part of a persons life. In my opinion, they must be comfortable yet stylish enough that you don’t look like you are wearing orthopedics.
But for $90 New Balance better have made the best damn shoe I have EVER warn. That is the most I have ever paid for a pair of shoes. Even my Avia hiking/running shoes were less than that and they are leather, not from man made fabrics. I wear those daily to work so I don’t use them for walking, also they are a high top type, perfect for jeans.
But shit, what’s the fucking deal with pricing athletic shoes so damned high?
And why do they have to have so many parts and weigh so much?
I always bought and loved Keds. Now they don’t make them for men, just women and kids.
Also, I think black and white are stupid colors for athletic shoes. (And to think I used to be bored with blue running shoes.)
I want blue demin color, dull dark green, brick, some color, any color.
but the bloody thing is, I’m paying amounts like that myself. Why ? Because I won’t trust my knees (or hips, or back) to anything made by an unknown manufacturer. Sure, they MIGHT make running shoes every bit as good as Asics, New Balance or whatever - but I have no f.cking way of finding out, except by buying them, running in them and pray I won’t hurt myself.
So I fork over unrealistic amounts of dough because the people at Asics have a trade mark to protect and presumably won’t screw me too badly. Of course, the people at Asics have me by the balls, they know it and they’re squeezing me for all I’m worth. (Metaphor unintendedly mixed, but painfully precise.) I return the favour by NEVER buying any of their running apparel, apart from the shoes.
One word of advice: Find a series you like and when the new model comes out, you can generally pick up last years model at a considerable rebate. Of course, that means giving up on choosing the colours, but we’re talking sports equipment here, right ? Function over form and all that.
You have “funky” feet and “would NEVER consider buying a pair of shoes over the internet,” yet you wear “hand-me-down shoes”?!?!? You are willing to subject your feet to shoes that somebody else picked out and fitted to herself then wore for some time with the shoes forming to her feet and you complain about BLISTERS?!?!? DUH!!!
Or it could be a way for your stepmom to get back at you.
Umm, dropzone, DUH!!! my step-mom and I have VERY similar feet. I still have a pair of Sauconys that she gave me about 10 years ago that fit perfectly. They are worse for the wear but for my jaunts to the grocery store, yard work or whatever I wear them. I had worn those shoes for a few years for my regular walks but are no longer walk worthy for exercise.
In fact, those shoes (the one’s from the OP) are worn on the heal in such a way that the back part of the heel support is now exposed.
So before you judge my shoes, try for some insight would you?
If I was so willing to pay so much for them, then how come I have avoided buying a new pair of athletic shoes since I was a teen in high school? (I am 32 now)
I will not go to a Walmart, Target or KMart shoe that I don’t know the track record on durability and safety. I get my cues on good shoes from my step mom who is a fitness fanatic but don’t tell me that I willingly paid $90 for a pair of shoes. If I was so willing I wouldn’t have posted a bitch about paying that much for them.
Sheesh, don’t you people get it? Parting with $90 for a pair of fucking shoes is a painful thing. I find it refuckingdiculous that the companies that do make good shoes for so God-damned cheap rake us consumers over the coals.
If I didn’t have any concerns about my feet and the safety of my new found health kick I would have continued about my merry way with the old pieces of shit shoes I have.
you’re 32!?!?!
also: has anyone bothered to think that this is the same thing as the high cost of CD’s. Shit, you can buy blank ones for under a buck these days but CD’s haven’t changed in price since they came out 20 years ago.
If that’s the issue, you need DANCIN’ shoes! Get up, HYUH! Wit’ da beat, ya’ll, HYUH!
Sorry. Had my thang movin’.
Why would they? I wouldn’t.
You can get serviceable athletic shoes for $30. Easy. Go to a discount shoe outlet. Hell, I can find Reeboks for $30-$50 without driving longer than five minutes. If you want to buy the BIG name brands, you have to understand that there are assholes out there who actually get tattoos with the logo of their favourite shoe company. (Really.) They drive up the price. Supply and demand, doncha know.
Road Runner Sports (http://www.roadrunnersports.com) generally has a good selecting and good prices on discontinued models of running shoes. If you know your model, it’s a good resource for picking up another pair. You can also sign up for e-mail notices; they have good deals every couple of months.
Generally, like was said techchick68, it’s probably not a good idea to buy new via internet or catalog – you really need to know that the shoe fits well. But if you already know a good make, model, and size, you can generally save some money through Road Runner, or some other online source.
I go through a couple pairs of running shoes a year and I can usually get some kind of ASIC Gel whatever for about 60 bucks. I’ve run in ASICs for about 5 years because they wear well and fit my feet. Real running shoes last longer than the cheapo brands and I have 5 pairs of old ones that have broken down in the heel but are still great for any other purpose besides running. Good shoes DO last longer.
I don’t think runners would feel good wearing 20 dollar shoes, kind of a self esteem thing.
They were nice-looking, comfortable, low-top tennis shoes. White, with some green stripes. Even when they were worn-out and dirty, they had character.
When I had to buy my last pair of sneakers, I went into my current Galyan’s Sporting Goods World And Universe And Warehouse Club and tried to find a pair of Stan’s.
The first “salesman” (child) couldn’t help.
Neither could the second.
The third said he has hearn of them, but they were sold out.
The fourth (yes, there were actually four people working there at the same time!) said, “Sure! We have them. Right over here!”
I got excited, until he showed me the ugliest, biggest, most vomitous sneaker/boot I have ever seen. It was called the “Stan Smith - Milleneum” and sold for almost $150.
Right. :rolleyes:
I bought a pair of $45 white Nikes off the Clearance Table, and now I never even try to find anything anywhere else.