[pascalxus]

Shoes is one of those things I almost never need to buy, now that I'm an adult and fully grown. Even the very cheapest ones can last me 10 years or more without wearing out.

Actually, it's the Nikes that wear out much faster, it seems.

PS:(edit) I walk around a decent amount and even go running 6 to 9 miles per week. Even a super cheap pair of running shoes won't show any holes in it for 4+ years at least. The Nike ones I had started falling apart in just in less than 2 years.

And yes, I do have about 10 pairs, but tend to stick to 4-5 pair at a time time. and I don't throw them away until the wear is so low that an actual hole forms or even multiple holes/rips form. most of time just get some plimsolls, those tend to last forever.

[PenguinCoder]

I go through a pair of sneakers a year, at the least. And these aren't the wal-mart and payless brands either! I'm talking, Reebok or Sketchers that cost ~ $80-$100 USD+. I don't do anything strenuous, just normal wear and tear. But what I can't understand is why it costs so much for a piece of rubber and some canvas (or cloth), only to wear out in a few months time! Communities need places like Payless where $30 or less gets you a pair of shoes that lasts a school year, or 12 months. That's a decent trade off for most people, considering that paying 3X as much (in my experience) doesn't get you 3X the longevity or quality.

I am tired of cheaply made, crap quality, no padding, abysmal traction shoes that cost so much money. At least when I pay the $20-$30 for a pair, my expectations meet the experience.

[buttcoinslol]

"But what I can't understand is why it costs so much for a piece of rubber and some canvas (or cloth), only to wear out in a few months time! "

Because they spend a tremendous amount of money marketing shoes to consumers.

[jdavis703]

I'm guessing the OP doesn't use their shoes for much more than walking around indoors. On the other hand when I skateboarded to work I'd go through a pair of shoes about every 3 months (that's what happens when your brake is your shoe). It was still cheaper than gas and faster than public transit though.

[shpx]

You should learn to break by "stomping" the ground instead of sanding down your shoes. Dragging your foot on the ground to brake should happen quite rarely, when it would be dangerous or really tiring not to.

Although if you live in a place with tons of really steep hills like San Francisco, 3 months is probably par for the course.

[jdavis703]

Well this was skateboarding for 4 miles total per day. I was in mixed traffic and bike lanes, going down hills and due to the crazy way people drive in SF dangerous situations happened quite a lot.

[nathancahill]

I had a pair of Converse that I used for this purpose. Completely torn to shreds and full of holes. Had an Asian lady stay at our Airbnb and she saw them, said people would go crazy for that "distressed" look in Asia (forget the specific country) so I gave them to her for her to take back.

[distantaidenn]

Reminds me of a time when I was in Seoul. I had just bought a crisp pair of all white walking shoes.

I was on the train with my girlfriend (att) and she deliberately stamped on my foot. Of course, I was quite confused; however, she explained that my shoes looked too new and thus needed to be dirtied up a bit.

[irishcoffee]

Heh I have about 4 pairs of worn out Chuck's sitting in a closet. Size 13, wonder if there's a market for those

[madengr]

I still wear them, moving them to the garage for lawn mowing shoes, and grabbing a new box. Usually buy them in sets of 3 from Amazon; size 14 in red.

In the early 90’s they were $18 and made in USA. Within 1 year they went to $40 and made in China.

[irishcoffee]

Yeah the loss of quality really drives me nuts. I can wear a pair out in months instead of years now.

[distantaidenn]

Same, I bought a quite expensive pair of Chippewa brand engineering boots ($500 US) and they're going on 5 years strong. The only care I need is the occasional wax, scuff removal, and a re-sole.

The cost may seem a bit much at first, but compare it to buying a cheap pair once every couple of months.

Shoes really are one of the few things in life you shouldn't skimp on.

As an aside, price isn't the only import factor in buying quality shoes. Chippewa are handmade in the US, and it shows. I also bought a pair of relatively expensive Timberland boots for about $250. They were made in China, and the upper lining of the boot came off in less than 6 months. It seems all I paid for was the name.

[asark]

With you on that, been really happy wearing nicer leather "work"-style boots. They look good, they wear great (after the first couple foot-destroying weeks), they last for-friggin'-ever, and beating them up doesn't really hurt their aesthetic, so far as that goes. I've gone the Redwing Heritage route, getting one pair at a store and using that sizing to buy a couple pairs of seconds in other styles at ~40% off retail for firsts.

I've also become a loafers fan. In US fashion, at least, a good pair of black or dark brown loafers can be worn all the way up to business-formal, to weddings, funerals, et c., but also dressed down to business- or smart-casual, and if they get beat up they just become toss-on-and-go shoes for any occasion, even if it's just mowing the lawn. Again, they last a good long time if they're US- or European-made. I don't think either beats cheap sneakers for price over a lifetime, but then you get whatever benefit a nicer look and a little more formality-range gets you from going for well-crafted leather, and they aren't so much more expensive considering that and how long they last. Sure $200+ for a pair of shoes is a bit of a shock at first, but when they're in your rotation for 10-20 years it seems less crazy.

[onlyrealcuzzo]

I play basketball nearly every day -- still at 30. I've gone through a lot of basketball and running shoes. I've never bought any no-name random shoes, but Nikes -- for me at least -- are BY FAR the lowest quality shoes I've worn. They literally fall to pieces within months every time I buy a pair. I can't even complain, because at this point I should know better.

I've found a pair of Asics that have decent traction for basketball. I wore those for years, and then they turned into just my running shoes for years, and I'm still wearing them 6 years later for hiking.

[joegahona]

Trail-running shoes are, imo, the best shoes for hiking. I do a ton of hiking and see people all the time in those thick, clunky hiking boots they sell for $200 at REI. Totally unnecessary.

[jstarfish]

Depends on what you're hiking.

Boots protect against minor injuries and frostbite to shins, calves, toes, soles and ankles and reinforce the same if you do tear something and end up having to limp for miles (splint or not).

[onlyrealcuzzo]

Also, if it's really wet / swampy, you're gonna have a bad time without boots.

[acranox]

10 years?! Do you ever walk anywhere?

[m463]

My cheap shoes never wear out because I wear out the ones I actually like wearing. So the cheap ones never go away because "who would throw away a perfectly good pair of shoes that still fits?" (the sunk costs problem)

[bch]

And/or sweat...?

[joegahona]

> PS:(edit) I walk around a decent amount and even go running 6 to 9 miles per week. Even a super cheap pair of running shoes won't show any holes in it for 4+ years at least. The Nike ones I had started falling apart in just in less than 2 years.

Running shoes are garbage long before they fall apart or get holes in them. Perhaps you're lucky, but I can't imagine running in my shoes for more than about 350 miles. Nothing feels better than the first run in new running shoes.

[Marsymars]

I run in Vivobarefoot shoes - they feel pretty much the same when new and after years of running.

Also play various cutting/running sports (soccer, ultimate) and don't notice much of a difference between old and new shoes. My current turf shoes are about eight years old, with multiple games per week over most of that period.

[jimktrains2]

10 years? Do you not use them? I feel like I replace mine (which aren't bottom of the barrel) every 6 to 8 months because the soles wear out.

[learc83]

Maybe if you have 10 pairs of shoes and you are sure to wear each pair the same amount, and you don't walk that much. That or you basically never walk on non-carpeted surfaces at all.

I suppose you could also have be having them repaired, but cheap shoes don't tend to be very repairable.

[Operyl]

Damn! I’m pretty much wearing my shoes 4-5 times a week for 2-4 hours a day, and I still go through a pair in about a year... what are you wearing?

[kasey_junk]

Are you having them repaired? The shoe repair shops in my neighborhood are aging out & im worried it will stop being an option.

[pascalxus]

no, i don't repair them because at 10$ it's cheaper to buy a new pair than have it repaired.

[kasey_junk]

What sort of shoes do you get for $10 and last ten years?

[kristopolous]

What brand are you wearing?

[cosmie]

I've had good luck with ecco brand shoes. I've gotten a few different pairs from Nordstrom Rack for cheap, the oldest one being 8 years old and still going strong.

I picked up this[1] pair in particular for about $35 3-4 years ago, and they've been my daily drivers ever since due to blending in well with pretty much anything short of formal business attire. And despite being pretty brutal with my shoes in general, these essentially look the same as they did a month or so after getting them.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/ECCO-Mens-Soft-Fashion-Sneaker/dp/B00...

[pard68]

Not OP but I got a pair of Clark's in 2010 that I still wear. Granted they are sandals, but of anything that is even more impressive, I used to go through sandals once a season.

And don't get me started on the poor state of common flipflop

[kristopolous]

oh excuse my french but fuck-an-a clarks are amazing. The pair I bought mine at (which actually still somehow work) was from a mall which is now demolished and has since turned into a condominium with a park.

Yes, the store left, the mall was abandoned, it got leveled, a new building was placed there and that was a few years ago. I still have the damn sandals. I wore them yesterday.

I tried moving on from them around 2012 using a pair of sandals from DSW and those went to tatters so I went into my closet and brought the old clarks back out and now years later they still work.

I should go and hunt out another pair.

There should be a review website with an incredibly high barrier to entry that is designed to make sure there's completely unsolicited reviews for products. Avoiding abuse and spam is definitely hand-waving here but that site would be great.

[pascalxus]

mostly plimsolls, citisneaks or something like that.