How Long Do Your Shoes Last? How Much Did They Cost?

Sleeqb7 on 25/05/2022 - 09:11

I'm getting fed up with buying shoes.
I've gotten New Balance shoes between $80 and $250, Brooks at $200+, Hush Puppies (At any price), and they all seem to last under a year.
Last year I splashed out and bought some more expensive work boots, a little over $300, and although not falling apart, they're tremendously uncomfortable.

There is a possibility it's just a me problem, but maybe I'm just missing the mark on my purchases.

How much do you spend on a pair of shoes/boots/joggers? How long does that pair last?
What do you think is a good value footwear that will actually last? Or should I go back to buying $20 shoes every few months?

Bonus points; If you have really wide feet (Width 4E), where do you buy shoes?

Fashion & Apparel Footwear

Comments

  • donkeydoc on 28/05/2022 - 16:29

    My leather work boots, which can be had for $100 on sale, can last 6 months but I typically walk 15km+ a day and kick timbers and reo bar on occasion. Leather is probably the way to go, though they'd be on the heavy side.

  • outlander on 28/05/2022 - 16:30
    +1

    I wear a 4e. I remember having problems with shoes, and going through the roundabout of paying more and more but getting the same or less.

    Now I focus on socks. If I expect to be walking lots, I wear thick explorer socks (Actually I wear them over regular socks, so there's two layers of padding)

    For the moment I stick with Target brand volley style shoes for everyday wear, which cost me $20, and replace them every 6m-1y, mostly when they start to look shabby.
    I will buy them a size bigger to accommodate the socks, and then put a foam insert inside which I change out every other month.

  • thirtysixd on 28/05/2022 - 17:32

    Im lucky if shoes last 2-3 months now :(

    Joys of working outdoors vs an office

    I have tried boots but generally not as comfy as shoes

    • superValue on 11/06/2022 - 00:20

      What kind of work do you do to destroy shoes so quickly?

  • SuperDeluxe007 on 28/05/2022 - 17:49

    Went to woodwork course and built one of these 10 years back, they are still good as new. Just sand and varnish them once a year.

    https://www.amazon.com.au/Wooden-Chappal-Sandals-Handcrafted…

  • BarneyKB on 28/05/2022 - 18:11

    I normally buy shoes from puma on clearance. Usually sub $100 and last a year or so.

    Edit: DFO is a good place to look if you want to try them on.

  • mlburnian on 28/05/2022 - 20:13

    Alternate between leather hush puppies and Julius marlows, going well after 4 years. Both cost about 80 in total on sale. Key is to alternate and let your shoes air out.

  • ankor on 28/05/2022 - 20:29
    +1

    RMs going on 4 years and only now looking at replacing heel blocks.

    Have a look at some other good year welt shoes if you want, some mentioned here.

    https://www.reddit.com/r/goodyearwelt/comments/g2teep/the_au…

  • superValue on 28/05/2022 - 21:33
    +2

    Skimming through your replies, I would say you don't have the right fit.

    You should go to a shoe store where there are orthopedic services to help with your fit. You probably need custom orthotics. You may want this under health insurance because it's not cheap.

    In regards to does cost = quality not nowadays. Most of the runners I see now are cheaply made. I've been to the NB outlet stores and I would pay outlet price but not retail. Adidas has hardly any side support nowadays.

  • amazonaddict on 28/05/2022 - 22:14

    I was gifted a pair of adidas shoes in 2012. I think it was $100 that time. It got me through several years of gym and running. It is still with me and I use it occasionally. I has heavily worn off. I have patched the bottom part up with super glue and stuff. Yet, It is still very comfortable to wear. I don’t have the heart to throw away.

  • buckster on 29/05/2022 - 07:53

    Dress shoes -$550 (Loakes) In very good shape four years later, just needed a heel replaced in that time.

    Most runners/etc lucky to get more than 18months out of them

  • drezy on 29/05/2022 - 08:39

    I rotate between about 15 pairs of shoes as im constantly buying new ones i like, mostly ultraboost this way they last for years. Yes understandably this is not feasible financially for most people

  • mauricem on 29/05/2022 - 10:57

    If your sports shoes have lost their bounce a new footbed/insole can make a real difference. Tennis shoes for me are OK for about 6 months playing 3-4 times per week then I can tell by my knees that they are no longer providing enough cushioning.
    A pair of $20 gel sport insoles brings them back to almost new feel and I can get another 6 months or so. Needless to say I'm not a young guy sliding all over hard courts, those guys are lucky to get a few matches out of one pair.

  • Vash1984 on 29/05/2022 - 11:48

    I have wide feet 4e and I started to buy ASICS venture. They are not as comfortable and stylish as Kayano but definitely last longer and cheaper.

  • trev likes bargains on 29/05/2022 - 17:31

    Try rotating between a few pairs. I used to have two hush puppies and one pair of sneakers for work.

    Monday and Wednesday Hushpuppies 1
    Tuesday and Thursday Hushpuppies 2
    Fridays and weekends sneakers.

    I used to do a bit of walking to and back from work and they lasted a long time. I have read that letting the shoes rest, dry and recover helps with longevity.

    Undoing your shoelaces mean that the shoe will not wear out too soon as compared to forcing them on

  • TimeWaster on 29/05/2022 - 18:05
    +2

    Shoes I’ve had:

    Loake ~$450 x 2 pairs: going strong for about 5 years now. I alternate between these two as daily’s for work and events. I walk about 5km average per day at work (~1,100km/year). I polish once a fortnight ish and they look pristine. Some creasing as expected but the leather is unchanged in appearance since the first creases. Haven’t had to resole any of my shoes yet, mainly because I walk indoors mostly in these.

    RM Williams signature craftsman $1000: going onto three years now. No resole and I wear these to work and outside. The leather is very soft and much more delicate than my other shoes, so it needs a bit more care. Took about 8 months to really break these in (was an uncomfortable process) but now they’re definitely my most comfortable boots. these were a gift for when I graduated and probably not worth the price, however.

    Adidas ultra boost ~$80: super comfortable. Use these for gym and exercise. Need to replace every 3 years due to the sole thinning out and becoming uncomfortable.

    I’ve had hush puppies in the past (<$100 each time) and they’ve always lasted about a year before they flake away. It’s only now, after 5 years that some of my other shoes have reached break even cost on that, but they honestly look like they could go for another 5 years.

  • Cave Fire on 29/05/2022 - 19:16
    +1

    it's planned obsolescence… shoes these days are made of weak materials. The trend is for lightweight fabric uppers and foam cushioning/soles. You have to look for something with a plastic/solid upper and tough sole. examples of what that looks like is Nike air monarch or Puma axis xt. I used the Puma axis for year and a half running three times a week. Also had good results with New Balance. last pair lasted three years, latest pair is four years and $26 from the outlet. They also specialise in large sizes, with most models having 2e available.

  • chingy213 on 29/05/2022 - 20:06

    i have been wearing my doc martins for almost 9 years and still going strong.

  • Eeples on 29/05/2022 - 20:38
    -1

    I wear new balance 624 black to work and sometimes out. I get about 1.5 years from 1 pair. Do not pay $130 pay $90 or less. They do come in wide sizes.

    I wear Adidas barricade Novak pro for sport. It is all blue. Not sure you can buy them anymore. They seem indestructible. They are a bit narrow (for me).

    I am starting to wear Adidas ultraboost (for everyday wearing) but they are very hard to put on. But getting easier. I am not sure I like the 'slipper style'

    I recommend you try shoes on in real life, note the brand and model number, and buy them cheaper online. Ordering online without trying on the shoe IMO is gambling as shoe sizes vary between brands and between styles within brands.

    Good luck.

    • Eeples on 12/06/2022 - 10:17

      Tough room.

      Note to self: stop being helpful.

  • AustriaBargain on 29/05/2022 - 23:18

    I usually pay about $130 for leather shoes or boots. They last years but they start to look old by the end, but not in a bad way.

    • simplystu on 04/06/2022 - 10:35

      Ever treated them to a good polish / leather care products?

      Leather needs to be looked after, otherwise cracking appears.

      But even a simple polish can bring new life to old leather shoes.

  • dono2 on 30/05/2022 - 08:45

    If you buy shoes from nike.com they have a 2 year warranty from the date on the shoes.

    Ive used this multiple times when stitching, sole or whatever has come apart, you send back the shoes and they refund you without fail.

    Warrantry is only valid through nike.com though

  • Buckshot on 30/05/2022 - 14:10

    I wear a lot of Tiger Onitsuka sneakers. They're a sub-brand of Asics for their casual stuff. You're looking at about $80-$140 depending on the type of sneaker- more if it's the limited edition stuff that I don't usually bother with.

    Love them. I got five or six years out of my last pair, they're super comfy and travelled all over the world with me.
    I bought them back in 2017 and just replaced them last year. Still use them to work around the house but got another pair for going out.

  • Richardc on 30/05/2022 - 15:55

    If your shoes worn out unevenly, you might need to check your feet for over-pronation, and get some insole to correct it.

  • aimbotjesus on 30/05/2022 - 16:08

    Sport shoe shop told me that shoes are getting lighter but also dont last as long these days. I would prefer a longer life though and accept the extra grams.

  • simplystu on 04/06/2022 - 10:26

    1.) work boots that i wear 6 days/week, 10+ hour days … Generally get 2.5 years out of them.

    Dont go with company supplied ones, instead i opt for $180 voucher … And buy $260~ boots privately.

    2.) for general (non work) i have a pair of sneakers (prob cost $40) … Still surviving after 6+ years.

    3.) for going out i have a pair of windsor smith … Which is 15+ years old (i still occasionally polish them … Something used to do all the time way back when).

  • zanlation on 04/06/2022 - 10:49

    I have a pair of Baxter brown dress boots I paid about $350 for in 2007. I have had them resoled twice, but the upper leather is still in very good condition. The resoling costs me about $90 at my local boot repair shop and lasts 3-5 years. Pre-pandemic I wore them at 3 times a week. I also have a black pair of RMs for the past 5 years, without any need of resoling yet.
    I used to spend $150-200 on a pair of dress shoes every year for work. With the Baxters and RM, the initial price was high, but probably saved money over the years.

  • Gunnar on 04/06/2022 - 11:42

    OP I'm a bit late to the party but your weight and gait will play a lot in how quickly your shoes will wear so a lot of replies that you'll get may not be relevant for you unless the source has a similar weight and gait that you have.

    I've owned quite a few pairs of shoes and have a thing for sneakers and dress shoes (currently I have about 80-100 pairs all up) and here are a couple of points from my experience:

    • I note from the comments that you walk a lot and do light hiking. From my experiences runner and trail runners those with a vibram (or similar material construction) sole get the longest wear on the outsole (the bit that makes contact with the floor). My pick of the bunch for longevity are Solomon with a 3D fit (I run in Asics Nimbus but the sneakers I've used that have the best longevity are my Salomons - XA Pro for light hiking, Quest for heavy duty multi day hikes). Basketball shoes also seem to wear well (a sh.t kicker pair of Jordan VI's I own have gotten very good mileage)

    • Dress shoes English made shoes with a Dainite (or similar) sole. I really love leather soled dress shoes but having a hard wearing rubber outsole wears much, much better than my leather shoes. Goodyear welted rubber out-sole shoes last forever and you can wear them in the rain (well you can wear leather outsole shoes in the rain I just don't because, well I'm just a bit precious with my shoes). Best bang for buck stuff in Herring branded shoes when they are on sale. My favourite shoes I own are my Crocketts but they're not cheap.

    With dress shoes from my experiences you get more than $100 difference in quality going from a $100 to a $200 dress shoe.

    As for how long shoes last me - well forever but i also rotate through mine and I'm generally careful with how/where I wear my shoes. My Nimbus (which I run in) I get about 1000-1200km on them (about 10 months running somewhere 20-30km a week). The outsoles are not too badly worn however the rubber in the midsole would have collapsed which is when I change them (you can't see this but you can feel it). I've never resoled my dress shoes but that's also because I rotate through them (the oldest pair is probably 9 years old)

    I can probably go on quite a bit but if you've got questions fee free to ask

    • superValue on 19/06/2022 - 04:15

      That's a van load of shoes!

  • [Deactivated] on 05/06/2022 - 14:45
    -1

    15$ from hype dc courtesy of oz bargain. It lasts forever. Mostly I wear thongs.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join