Ever since I was a young buck-ette and old enough to have a job and pay for my own shoes (about sixteen years now), the only sneaker I would put on my foot was a Nike. They were comfy and they looked nice. I never had a problem with them. Even when I was living in Mexico, I searched until I found a store that had my brand.
Recently, my knees have been killing me and I noticed that my feet were just kinda squishing out of my shoes. It was time to retire the current pair and get some new kicks. Lady Foot Locker was having a 2 for $89.99 sale and I thought it would be perfect. So on Sunday, Lovey and I went to the mall to indulge my feet.
Neither of us like crowds so we went early. It was about 11:15 am when we arrived. We hate the mall. We don't go often and as such, didn't know where the LFL was. An overly helpful security guard told us where it was and then dropped the bomb: they didn't open until noon. Aargh! There was no way we were going to walk the mall for 45 minutes nor would we leave and come back. Fortunately, Lovey mentioned the Sports Authority kinda next door to the mall had shoes and we could check it out.
As per my norm, I went straight to the Nikes. I was not happy at all about the prices. Lovey insisted that I look at some other shoes and I'm so glad that I did. Oddly enough, depending on the shoe, I wear a different size. Or, I should say that it's odd to me because I've always worn the same brand. I tried on a bunch but settled on a pair of Avia and a pair of New Balance. Not only did I still get two pairs, but I paid less than I would have at LFL!
This morning, it was me, the Avia, and Shaun T. I can't believe the difference! I could've gone another hour. Not even once did I feel that nasty twinge in my knee. Hooray for new shoes and I may never buy Nikes again.
steve ONLY gets nikes…i LOVE my new balance. 🙂 those are pretty much the only sneakers i'll get.
The Nikes had been so good to me for so long, but I'm a convert for sure! 🙂
I used to be the same way when I was younger. Now, I buy what looks nice, brand be damned.
This one wasn't even about looks because one is trimmed in red (which I don't wear) and the other in pink (which I'd rather eat my arm than wear). But damn if they aren't comfortable.
Nikes used to be THE NAME in quality. Then about 2000 or so, they had a severe downturn in the quality of the materials used, how well they held up, etc. I think they have come back up a ways, but they're still not the front-runner in good quality shoes anymore.As a serious runner at the time, I alternately tried Adidas, Reeboks, New Balance, and a couple other less-well-known brands (Etonic, Mizuno, etc). Here's a 10-second recap from what I recall:Adidas – Have the most cushion, and have lots of wide-foot styles. However, the cushioning breaks down quickly and they grow much less comfortable before they're worn out.Reebok – In general, a sub-par shoe. They just don't seem to hold up well and aren't all that comfortable. About the equivalent to Nikes, but cost less.New Balance – The lower-end NB are comparable to Nike/Reebok in terms of comfort and durability. The higher-end NB are comfortable, stable, well-cushioned without being overly cushioned, and durable. You get what you pay for, though, so expect to spend $90+ on a pair – (your legs'll thank you).
I guess that my feet and knees have felt the gradual decline in quality. I've never worn a pair of Adidas shoes although I do have some of their rockin' workout gear. Reebok, just a no thanks all around since about 7th grade. The NB I got were on sale and original price was around $80 so I think I did well with them. I got two pair so I can switch them out occasionally and not break them down so quickly. I'm not a hardcore runner or anything. They only see about an hour of action a day.