I’ve been in a health class all semester and I’m just now getting to a point where I’m able (and willing) to walk briskly or jog for short periods of time, as exercise. But I don’t have good shoes. I’d like to spend as little as possible, though I know shoes made specifically for exercise are expensive, and I’m curious about all these different kinds of shoes online. If anybody has any recommendations I’d be appreciative. I remember somebody (though I don’t remember who) saying she jogged three times a week, so if you could point me in the right direction, that’d be great.
P.S. I’m looking to buy the shoes online because 1) There aren’t a lot of local places to get good walking shoes and 2) I wear a size that a lot of stores don’t have.
Cran-- contrary to what the shoe companies want you to believe, you DON’T have to spend a fortune for decent walking shoes. There are a couple of things to consider.
Fit is of prime importance. Forget about what size you think you are: size is really just an estimate and there is a lot of variation.
The widest part of the shoe should be at the widest part of your foot. At that point, which is where your toes bend, the shoe needs to be fairly flexible. The counter or heel cup of the shoe should be pretty rigid and if you look the shoe from behind, the cup should be straight up and down, not angled. If you’re looking for a leather shoe, get real leather, not plastic. Synthetics are fine for fabric shoes.
If you look at shoe outlet stores, you can sometimes find lesser priced shoes by good makers like New Balance at great prices.
Trust me on this stuff: I was a podiatrist for just shy of 30 years!
Cran-- contrary to what the shoe companies want you to believe, you DON’T have to spend a fortune for decent walking shoes. There are a couple of things to consider.
Fit is of prime importance. Forget about what size you think you are: size is really just an estimate and there is a lot of variation.
The widest part of the shoe should be at the widest part of your foot. At that point, which is where your toes bend, the shoe needs to be fairly flexible. The counter or heel cup of the shoe should be pretty rigid and if you look the shoe from behind, the cup should be straight up and down, not angled. If you’re looking for a leather shoe, get real leather, not plastic. Synthetics are fine for fabric shoes.
If you look at shoe outlet stores, you can sometimes find lesser priced shoes by good makers like New Balance at great prices.
Trust me on this stuff: I was a podiatrist for just shy of 30 years!
My orthopedist’s advice: New shoes are more important than good shoes.
Listen to Paul, he’s the professional. I will add that it’s important to have the right shoe for your type of foot – high, medium, or low arch. I have girl feet – narrow and extremely high arch. I’ve found a shoe that fits me well and have eight pairs of them in my closet now. (And a bunch of arch supports and metatarsal pads in the medicine cabinet.) But I run a lot and go through 3-4 pairs a year.
Go to a payless or something (or an outlet store as Paul suggested) and find some shoes that are comfortable and offer some sort of support or cushioning. DON’T go to a chain athletic or athletic-shoe store. They’ll steer you to whatever they’re pushing that week. As soon as you hear them use the word “best” you know they’re just trying to sell you something rather than trying to fit your foot and build.
I recommend trying TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, and Ross. They have good–name brands like New Balance, etc.–shoes at often ridiculously low prices. Check the sale rack, especially.
If you have an odd-sized foot, chances are they’ll have lots that will fit you.
Oh, and socks are important, too. Cheap socks are cheap because they’re . . . cheap. They often pill horribly and the little pills cause blisters.
I second Lambchop’s suggestion on those stores listed. It is important to be able to try on the shoes, because each company seems to have slightly different molds for the same stated size. They even seem to vary year to year with some company’s. These factors make buying shoes online a risky venture.
Other good sources for athletic shoes are R.E.I., Sierra Trading Post, Backcountry.com, and Cabelas. All of these can be pricey, but they all have some great deals if you catch the closeouts and sales.
Of course, as has been mentioned, you can’t try them on this way. I’ve been known to try shoes on at a store, make sure they fit well, and then buy them for a much better price online.
But I have been a walker, hiker, backpacker and climber for several years now. Even sold and fitted walking shoes for a time. I have noticed that many people focus just on shoes. It’s really a system of shoes, insoles and socks.
There’s a good chance you will find a good, relatively inexpensive pair of shoes with insoles that give you all the support you need. However, when some of my purchases fell short, I was often able to revive them by ripping out the insoles and substituting better ones. Something to keep in mind.
As for socks, I love wool for walking. Wool is more absorbent than cotton, cushions better, doesn’t mat when damp and the new wool fabrics have lost the itch. Some synthetics work almost as well. In new shoes, good socks add cushioning below, reduce friction / blisters and help with heel lift – a common problem if the fit’s not perfect. Use good socks; you feet will thank you.
The shoes I wear for running are just a basic pair of £30 pumas. Great for getting started.
You don’t need to spend a lot on running shoes when you’re starting out, if you get more serious then you can go for the expensive ones from a specialist shop.
I would point out that shoes made for walking probably aren’t very suitable for running and vice versa.
I get my shoes at Payless (yes, I still buy my shoes in America) and I find that they’re decent all-around shoes at a good price. They last for a few years with normal wear/tear and daily use, but I’m not a runner. Payless also often have sales where you buy one pair and get a second pair at half price.
Do not buy them online unless you’ve already tried on an identical pair in a shop. I regularly have to try on half a dozen different styles and sizes before finding a good fit.
I have hobbit feet. Short, flat across the toes, very wide, hairy toes, the works. I have a heck of a time finding shoes. Even if I find a good maker, they change their shoes and eventually I’m back on the prowl for shoes that fit and I rarely find them.
One thing I’ve learned is that you can cause a lot of problems putting up with pain. So if you have hard-to-fit feet you have to get creative. I do a lot of hiking and more and more I’m moving to sandals even for backpacking or off-trail adventuring. Sounds crazy but I think strong ankles and toes give me the support I need with none of the detrimental effects of pinched nerves, crushed toes and black toenails that shoes provide.
For running, however, a nice basic running shoe with good cushioning should suffice. You want cushioning for the pounding your body takes when running.
i’ll seecond the part about New Ballance shoes. i’ve had NB shoes as my workout shoes for fourteen years (not the same pair, obviously…). i’ve tried more expensive shoes but i keep coming back to NB.
Yup. My foot is wide in the front, very narrow in the heel, high instep, and low ankle bones. Comes from my mom having size 6AAA and my dad having size 8EEEE feet - I got half of each!
Many years ago I started wearing Tully heels in ALL my shoes. I don’t do it for the cushioning, although that’s a plus, I do it so my heels don’t slip out of my shoes, and so my ankle bones don’t hit on the top of the shoe.
Now that I don’t work in labs anymore, I can also wear clogs or slides. Those I don’t have to worry about how the fit on the heel!
I’m flat-footed (the arch doesn’t stand up to any weight) and have fused ankle bones, so I’m quite particular about getting a good shoe.
I’ve tried a wide range of brands (Brooks, NB, Asics, Mizuno, Adidas - very rare model!) that purport to have models that are suitable for such foot problems.
My vote - Asics Gel Evolution (II or maybe III). weight-wise it was light, the insides were nicely cushioned and soft, and yet the base/outsole of the shoe was firm with good support and control. The whole thing wrapped very snuggly around my feet - good fit.
Mizuno was too soft, and Brooks too stiff, clunky and heavy for a small-framed person like me. NB’s insides are too hard, it’s like resting the soles of your feet on stone. Adidas - didn’t really fit me.
But if you don’t have foot problems, I think most shoes should be fine for you.
