Opinions needed: Decent inexpensive running shoes... (1 Viewer)

[Dave Mack]

Hey Y'all! I am curious as to which brands are considered good and a good value. There is a sale at a sporting goods store out here with asics, New Balance etc....

I was a personal trainer for years but have been out of the loop with this stuff for awhile...

Thanks! d

 

[Philip Hamm]

I don't run any more because years of jogging has trashed my knees. It's really tough on the knees.

But I used to jog a lot..... So I remember stuff.

Different brands of running shoes are designed for different types of feet, across the whole line. Kind of like motorcycle helmets, different brands fit different shaped heads. I have Adidas feet (and a SHOEI head), and Nike shoes are horrible for me. If you have weak arches, the "TORSION" plastic retainer that follows the arch on Adidas shoes is like a Godsend.

The only way to really find out what brand of shoe fits your feet well is to try them. If you have a running specialty shop (not Foot Locker) near you, it is usually worth the extra money you may spend and extra time to go there. They usually have really obsessive running experts who can help you decide.

http://www.sierratradingpost.com has really exceptional deals on closeout running shoes (and lots of other stuff as well). Highly recommended.

 

[Andrew Pratt]

Agreed 100 percent. I can't ware most shoes as my heels blister so I'm pretty much an Asics and Merrel man given the narrow heels on those brands. It also comes down to how you run...ie if you look under your current shoes where are they worn out? If its inside or outside that'll mean you need extra support in those area's which any competent sales drone can help with if you're at a speciality store. Check and see if there's a Running Room store near by.

 

[Chad Isaacs]

finishline.com has a great clerance bin, a lot of great buys there. I perfer adidas but mostly because I have, what my wife calls Hobbit feet. I am on my second pair of A3 transfers now and they are great!

 

[mattCR]

I really do like Starter. Light, easy to wear and super cheap at places like walmart. Decent shoes for $13.

 

[Joe D]

First, do the wet test to figure out if you have a low, medium or high arch.

Get your bare feet wet and step on a piece of cardboard to see what kind of imprint it leaves.

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/article.asp?UAN=481

Then you need to figure out if you have narrow, normal or wide feet and what shoes go with each type.

From my experience:

Nike = Narrow

Asics = Normal

New Balance = Wide

I buy New Balance Extra Wide!

 

[NickSo]

Asics and New Balance are pretty much the top two I'd recommend.

Other good technical running brands:
Mizuno
Saucony
Brooks

Reebok's Premier line is pretty good, very lightweight.

 

[Dave Mack]

Thanks guys! This was great! Alot of help! I have long narrow feet, size 13.
My arch is pretty decently high. I guess I will go tomorrow and try some out.
They have the New Balance 307 and 470 on sale for $39.99 and the asics gel impulse for the same. The saucony 3d grid tornado is $49.99

 

[Shane Martin]

Saucony is the best shoe I've put on my foot as far as running shoes go. I have a local running shop that analyzes your stride and can tell you which shoe you should get. A local running shop should do the same.

 

[NickSo]

Yeah, there are different shoes for different types of arch/stride.

Pure cushioning shoes for those who underpronate (foot rolls outwards on stride), and shoes with varying amounts of support (usually a darker grey material stiffer than the rest of the sole located on the inside edge of the sole, beginning at the arch and ending near the heel) for those who midly overpronate or heavily overpronate.

If you overpronate and you buy cushioning shoes designed for underpronators, your arch will not get enough support.

Like others have said, best to go to a specialized running shop and have them take a look at your foot/stride so you have an idea of what kind of pronator you are.

 

[McPaul]

Others have done a good job so far, I'd like to add that you should stay away from Nike and Rebok, I've heard a podiatrist say they are the worst things for your feet, no arch support at all, and way too expensive, where all you're paying for is glitz.

He mentioned the same for Adidas, unless you have a narrow foot. If you can fit into adidas, they are great shoes.

New Balance, Asics are pretty much the best two out there. If your foot is a special size, NB particularly caters to you with different widths, etc.

I've heard that Saucony is very good as well but don't know much about them. I'm wearing NB right now and they have been a great shoe for me.

As has been mentioned, please TRY THEM ON!

any of those you mentioned will do you well I'm sure. Lots of times you can find cheap deals on last years model shoes that are still in stock.

Good luck, Dave.

 

[Michael Harris]

My biggest recommendation is to go to a good running store and get properly fitted. I've been running for a long time but never did that until recently. What a difference. The guy at the store looked at how I walked and ran. Looked at the tread wear on my old shoes (Asics) then pulled three pairs, all different brands, and had me try all three and run in the parking lot while he was observing. I ended up buying the Brooks "Addiction 6" for $85.00. Now that I know what to buy, I can look on-line and other sources for a better price. It was worth the price for the service.

 

[mylan]

I'll second the recommendation for Saucony. I bought a pair then a second one just like it the next day for a spare. I do not run but these were the best shoes i've ever worn. I've since bought a third pair that I wear now.

 

[Julian Reville]

Third or fourth the Saucony recommendation. I quit running a few years ago, but when I play golf and walk, I wear my Saucony running shoes instead of my Adidas golf shoes. Much more comfortable and the triangular treads are almost as good as Softspikes.

 

[Dave Mack]

Well we went to the store and ll the models that I wanted to try that were on sale, NONE in my size! I am a 14 running shoe. Not that easy to find!!!

ARGH!!!!

 

[Julian Reville]

On the bright side, you probably don't have any trouble getting a date.

 

[Joe Szott]

I second what Michael just wrote. I've been running off and on for 15 years and never had a proper fitting. Mostly I would buy shoes that felt OK in the store and were on sale. Some shoes were great, some sucked, it was hit or miss.

Just this last weekend I went to a proper running store and was fitted for my style of foot. They had a treadmill with a camera that filmed my gait and played it back in slo-mo to see how my feet struck and rolled through each step. From this we were able to zone in on about 3 pairs of shoes and a possible insert to correct for my flat footed / improper foot position. Ended up getting a pair of Sacony shoes and no insert (wasn't needed for these shoes) for $95.

Worth every penny so far. Even though my muscles have been hurting so far (I wasn't using the proper ones before) I can feel improvement and any foot/joint aches have disappeared.

Considering that about the only important piece of equipment to running is the shoe (and that bad shoes can REALLY screw up your ankles, knees, hips, back, and neck over time), I would try to get properly fitted shoes if possible. $100 isn't that bad if you use them all the time.