After buying a $70 pair of Vans at famous footwear and having them literally fall apart after using them as daily walking shoes, I’ve realized the quality of shoes overall has gone down over the last decade or so.
I don’t mind if they cost $100 or more, are there medium-light weight walking shoes that can withstand the horrors of walking on pavement? I remember checking out some Ecco shoes at the mall years ago, didn’t pull the trigger as they were almost $300 but the way the construction was described to me it sounds like those could last 5+ years.
What shoes do you have that you wear almost daily (not during the winter), and have had for almost a year but aren’t falling apart?
I wore the crap out of my pair of New Balance skate shoes, forgot the model. But they’re still going strong. Ive biked with cages, walked, work construction, whatever, they’re just dirty but they’re still holding up.
Bought a 250 EUR pair of leather dress shoes, 5-6 years ago, they’ve undergone 2 resoles, but are still in good conditions while being my everyday shoes. You know Sam’s vine theory on boots.
My decade old Red Wings shoes are still going with some minor maintenance. Their boots last even longer I’ve heard. For skateshoes I try to limit how many days a year I wear them and buy them on sale. Skate sole gum is make for grip not durability and isn’t going to last long.
Running shoes last 300-500 miles, and can last even longer if you’re just walking in them.
Brooks’ Gost 15 are my current pair and hold up more than a year.
Brooks Ghost is the best shoe that I have ever put on my foot
I was worried about spending so much when i bought mine, but damn, these are comfortable shoes and while fairly new, have lasted well so far.
I remember checking out some Ecco shoes at the mall years ago, didn’t pull the trigger as they were almost $300 but the way the construction as described to me it sounds like those could last 5+ years.
It’s nearly always a false economy to try to reduce the upfront cost of footware (and a tremendous number of other things)
The Sam Vimes boots theory of socioeconomic inequality is a famous quote about how over time the more “affordable” option is often costs much more than the “expensive” option whilst also being a worse experience.
The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money.
Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles.
But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that’d still be keeping his feet dry in ten years’ time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.
This was the Captain Samuel Vimes ‘Boots’ theory of socioeconomic unfairness.
– Terry Pratchett, Men at Arms
The problem is not all fifty dollar boots are equal. Some are ten dollar boots with nice packaging.
And some boots used to be good, but have since been bought out by Mike Ashley and run into the ground.
You cannot afford to buy cheap things.
Wondered how far I’d have to scroll to find this.
GNU
Find some “work” shoes. They’re more comfortable, and they hold up much longer than a brand’s regular wares. They’re often sold as non-slip shoes.
https://reebokwork.com/
https://www.adidas.com/us/healthcare_collection
https://www.puma-safety.com/us/en
https://www.newbalance.com/men/shoes/work-shoes/
https://www.skechers.com/technologies/collections/work-safety/
https://www.shoesforcrews.com/
https://www.timberland.com/en-us/c/timberland-pro/mens-footwear/work-shoes-10173
https://www.dsw.com/en/us/category/mens/shoes/work-safetyI’ve personally had some daily wear Skechers “work” shoes that after 5 years of comfortable wear, I finally had to replace the insoles, but they’re otherwise still holding up as well as the day I bought them. Every pair of shoes I’ve ever owned long term have been “work” shoes. Shoes for Crews are pretty expensive, but I had a pair of them last long enough that I finally ditched them because they just looked old fashioned, they were otherwise still wonderfully intact.
Since my vans fell apart, I’ve been wearing my sketchers work shoes I bought for a job like 4 years ago. I didn’t wear them a ton but I’m wearing them to work daily now, they are still functionally new besides being dirty.
What do you do that wore out a pair of Vans in a year? Every pair I’ve had has lasted 3+ years.
Mine got destroyed within 6 months of using. I walk a lot, bike from time to time with them, but never any extreme stuff. The stitching on the left sides of my shoes are practically gone, showing the insole from the outside… I guess it depends on which shoe you get from vans, since I am certain I’ve had pairs last longer than this.
I’ve been happy with Merrells
Came in here to rep for Merrel. Granted, I’ve only had them for about a year, but the Moab Mid 3 hiking boot is one of the best investments of my life. I needed to buy a pair of insoles for arch support, but after that it’s been like walking on clouds. I ride my bike to work and they’ve held up through snow and torrential downpour. Can’t recommend them highly enough
I recommend trying out shoes at REI, if there is one near you. Their return policy is better than any that I’ve ever encountered. Plus, as a member-owner cooperative, you get 10% of what you’ve spent back annually and a load of other perks.
As a young punk I learned jumping and the general abuse of skateboarding destroys regular shoes. I don’t skate nearly enough these days, but I still mainly buy Fallen shoes as they tend to be comfortable for walking+skating and don’t just fall apart. I’ve had some pairs I actually grew out of and gave to my younger brother as they tend to be well made.
I’ve had good luck with DC and Emerica as well, Vans does make some thicker ones (as opposed to the Converse style) which I got good use out of.
Yea, skate shoes in general are pretty tough. I have a pair of vans that I have had around at least for a few years that are still completely usable to me. They have a small hole on the top of them, but I use them for skating and walking around town.
I’m wondering if their quality has gone down recently, or what. Vans skate shoes, especially the pro model ones, are pretty hard to wear down quickly from my experience. The only people I see that normally go through them quickly skate all the time.
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I love my Altra road running shoes. My mother and sister (both work on-their-feet-all-day jobs) are also fans and can get at least a year out of their pairs. They’re sturdy and last about 300+ miles, and if you get a dud they’ll make it right. My sister once had a pair disintegrate after a couple months and got them replaced for free.
Altra is a bit like blue cheese, though: either you love them or hate them, and both sides think the other is wrong. People with narrow forefeet find them too squishy and unsteady; those of us with wider forefeet are comfortable for the first time ever.
Also, if your budget allows, it helps to get two pairs of shoes so you can alternate days. Especially if you live in a humid climate. By alternating two pairs of shoes so they fully dry between days, you get more than twice as much life from them. (Obviously that’s not an option for everyone, but it’s good to do if you can)
Solomon shoes are expensive, but generally last a few years. They tend to blow out in the ankle first. Really comfortable too.
Not sure how available they are internationally, but Lowa shoes generally last quite a few years for me. They’re focused on hiking and sports, but they have a few everyday models as well.
The YouTube Channel “Rose Anvil” is a leather worker and their entire channel is about shoes. They routinely take big brands and cut then in half to do an in-depth breakdown of their materials amd construction.
They made a video recently about a brand someone else mentioned in this thread.
They also have videos where they show their favorite shoes from the past year and what they like to wear personally.
What types of shoes? High tops? Canvas? Sneakers?
