Discussion: buying shoes?

I'm once again looking into buying a new pair of running shoes and was wondering if any of you have favorite websites for reviews of shoes or shoe comparisons?

If you already know what you want, there are many discount dealers out there. My personal favorite is road runner sports. That said, a good local shop with salespeople who know how to pick shoes that match your stride is well worth the premium price.

Its a waste of time to read other people's comments, their feet aren't the same as yours. The most important thing, by FAR, in getting the right shoe is getting the one that fits YOUR foot well and suits your running technique.

Step 1. Find out if you Majorly Overpronate, Moderately Overpronate or Pronate normally/Supinate. Once you know that you know which category of shoe to go for.

Step 2. Try on a range of shoes which belong in that category of shoe which is suited for your running technique, don't just try on one brand!!! Try on at least one from each available providing it has the right support.

Step 3. Choose the shoe that fits YOUR foot the best.

I have to agree with candyman. If you don't already have a specific brand and model that you've used and loved, then you should go to your local store and try on what they recommend based on your particular characteristics.

In Austria we have quite a nice bonus at our local running shoe shop. After you have purchased a pair of shoes and you have run in them only once (max twice), if they really don't suit your foot you can take them back and get them changed.

Obviously if you do the one run as a cross country run, then I expect they will not take the shoe back :)

Other than that I tend to agree with candyman, every foot, every shoe is different - go for the one that you feel most comfortable in!

One thing to do before you are sure about the shoes is go run on a tread mill 2-3 times for around 30 min. Normally you can return them if you find any discomfort and have only used them inside. (I work at the Running Room now, and that is what we recomend)

My favorite shoes that I have had so far are the Salomon XA Pro 3D. That is what I ran this summers sprints in and my cross country season in and I loved them.

Road Runner Sports website
has a good menu for selecting
the proper type of shoe, then shows you which models af various brands are of that type.

holabird .com is a good site too, esp. if you're in the US. Even in Canada I only paid an additional 20 bucks or so but still saved 75 or 80 on my favourite shoe. HB was 80 USD for a shoe that RR had at 150 CAD.

Superwes:

I think you mean:

www.holabirdsports.com/

yes, you're right, I do. Thanks.

thanks!

Candyman's comments should be taken seriously.

I just recovered from Iliotibial Band (IT Band) injury to left knee. Was probably caused in part by bad shoes. Put me out of running for 55 days!

My Vasque Velocity shoes are motion-controlling and seem to be helping me pull out of the injury and prevent re-injury.

Bottom line- know your body first, then decide what shoe to buy based on that. Don't let them sell you a shoe without knowing how your body will take it.

Also- I love how the REI store I went to had a small rock mound to test boots on. I strapped on several pairs of shoes and ran across the rocks up, down, left, right, etc, etc. I looked like a goofball but it helped. I had things narrowed down between some North Face and Vasque trail runners. The Vasques gripped way better than the North Faces shoes- the North Face pair was slipping! So by all means don't just run around the store. Run on the rock mound too (if the store has one, or perhaps something similar outside).

I discovered my asics by running back and forth across the running room in yorkville. It's 30 feet, max, so it felt pretty dumb but I'm getting ready to buy my third pair.

Yeah those are some really good suggestions, most shoe shops will let you swap shoes as long as they are still in shop condition so take them home and run around your loungeroom before you head for the trails, you might save yourself a lot of grief later on.

Salomon all the way.
There shoes are strong and versitile, uses can range from road, trail,fell and rock with shoes specialised for each of the above. They wear well and are not baddly effected by rivers and marshes.

Agree, I use Salomon trail running shoes for the last 3 years and am very satisfied. Use them for the training such as trails/grass running, track and field, some roads/pavements. The best usage - rogaine competitions. I can wear them right away from the store and go for 24 hour w/out having blisters. The only downside - they are good for max 2 rogaines.

The average mileage I put with them is about 1000mi (1600km) or in other words one season.

But for regular orienteering I still prefer O-shoes.