Haven't bought sneakers in a couple of years.
Was looking online for recommendations and many of the top/recommended sneakers are around $200 and some even $300.
I don't think I've ever paid more than $100 for a pair although I don't buy them often.
I'm not a runner so mainly looking for something that is comfortable and looks alright.
Do you PLs have any fave sneakers? How much do u usually spend?
I was given a pair of Nike Monarch Air and I am very satisfied with the comfort. I just checked prices and they are $75 or less.
I'm wearing a pair of Sketchers right now that were also given to me. I have fasciitis in my left foot and have a cushion implant in the left shoe. I wear them more often because they are easier than the sneakers to take off and on and they don't show the dirt as much as my white Nike's especially when it rains. I prefer the sneakers when I'm wearing shorts for fashion reasons.
I like HOKA shoes HOKA ONE ONE Mach 4 - price is about $140. I never use them for running - just for general walking around. If you have a Fleet Feet store near you you will find very knowledgeable sales personnel who are much better than the folks that you would find at a mall store. They also have a 60-day return policy where you can bring them back for exchange or refund if you don't like them. The ones at this link are black which means you can wear them with business casual. fleetfeet.com
It depends on what kind of sneakers you want.
For me comfort wise LeBron lows are very comfortable and often go on sale for around $130. They're not always the best looking shoe but for comfort and being active they're great.
If you just want a comfortable walking shoe that's trendy. You can easily get some nice New Balances for around $100.
Saucony sneakers are underrated but good quality. Especially their classic runner styles. They have a look that's coming back and the comfort and quality is better than many much more expensive brands.
The Adidas Ozweego is a really good shoe for the price. Around $100
Some recommendations in the thread are good. Air monarchs are really comfortable but you might have breathability issues in Florida.
Sketchers can be a hit or miss. They're comfortable at first but they're really cheap and don't last long.
A lot of skechers try to imitate adidas boost styles. You can get the real thing for under $100 on sale.
I used to buy Skechers after Nike inflated their prices and started using obnoxious neon colors. I also have big feet and need to buy a wide size. Unfortunately, Skechers quality has really gone downhill, I seem to have worn out my last couple of pairs pretty quickly. Reebok and adidas quality has always been shit. I tried Asics most recently, because Nike does not deserve my money, and have been pretty satisfied.
What are you buying for? If it's for sports or training, I would recommend Asics. If it's just for wearing while out and about and whatever, I have surprising suggestion: Columbia sneakers. Comfortable and long-lasting. I found them at Famous Footwear.
I don’t think you can go wrong with one of the high end New Balance walking shoes. I have wide, big feet and they are the only brand that fits well. Comfortable and extremely durable.
Not as flashy as other brands and color choices are limited. $100 to $140 depending on model
If you're willing to spend a hair over $100...
Vasque Talus Low Hiking Shoe amazon.com
Vasque Multi-Sport Shoe amazon.com
Incredibly comfortable. Vasque isn't as durable as they used to be, but still very durable compared to other similarly priced brands.
Hoka are the best
Hoka and New Balance are two brands I like.
My goal in life is to be still hitting the strip clubs when I’m old enough to be wearing white (or tan) leather sneakers with Velcro straps, complimented with a members only jacket. I’m close, but not quite there yet.
Papi - have you considered a nice pair of crocs? They would go well with your pajama pants!
Looking at some of the recs in this thread...damn I am glad I wear flip flops most of the year. I hate when shoes have a big ass logo across the whole side. It reminds me of the episode of Saved by the Bell, where Lisa dreamed about designing jeans that had her name across the ass of each pair.
If you're unfamiliar with Saved by the Bell...your grandkids probably watched it in the 1990s.
I’m what they call a sneaker head so I collect a lot of Jordan’s, Yeezys, and Nikes. Most I’ve paid is around 700. But if you want great sneakers at a discount hit stores like Marshall’s, Ross, tj maxx, and Nordstrom rack. Some days you can find great sneakers for 30-75 bucks! Those same shoes can run hundreds online.
Go to Dick's Sporting Goods. They will have all the choices with all price ranges. I might spend 70-80 dollars on some running shoes. I might spend 50-60 on casual shoes to walk around in. 300 for sneakers is just insane.
But if. you really want to impress the ladies, get some Big Ballers :
I would follow Warriors advice and try on a few pairs at Dicks Sporting Goods. Sneakers can be very specific to the feel on your feet.
I’m a runner - and I’ve tried most brands of running shoes.
Recently I’ve stopped wearing Under Armor and switched back to Nike Pegasus - and they are ok. I never found enough cushion in ASICS, so I only wore them for a little time. Adidas has decent shoes, and reasonable stability.
My knock on Nike was their toe box was very tight - so I’d end up getting a size 14 to compensate for the narrow toe.
I don’t like the Nike idea of being in bed with China - to pad their profits. But, their shoes are very prevalent and they offer a large variety.
I wear Nike Air Max. They fit me well and are comfortable to walk in. I think I spend a little under $200 a pair.
if you're looking for cool sneakers that are comfortable and reasonably affordable you really can't go wrong with fila. each pair can last you for 2 years if you're wearing them everyday.
I only wear sneakers at the gym, but my Reebok cross trainers were less than $100 and they have held up well. I don't see buying $300+ sneakers unless you're looking to make a fashion statement.
I almost never wear sneakers so I don't have a recommendation for a good pair, but I will say that buying name brand sneakers from discount stores is a mistake for your stated goals. They're often made explicitly for those discount stores and cut quality dramatically to achieve lower prices. I don't understand why companies continue to do that, as it erodes their brand considerably. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the quality issues even mentioned here are as a result of that. It's fine to buy them if you want the fashion statement type shoes at lower prices, but expecting them to be comfortable and durable is a mistake.
But, it's Florida. It's summer. Get some flip flops and be done with it.
and fuck Big Ballers and Lavar Ball's dumb ass.
With sneakers. The store you get them at doesn't matter. Quality is determined by the brand and the model. For example a $50 Nike shoe isn't the same as a $180 one but that $180 shoe discounted to $100 is still the same shoe. Likewise Adidas quality materials at $100 are like Nike quality at $150 for example.
And the thing with running shoes is they aren't necessarily the most comfortable for walking.
If I were in Florida. Given the weather and liking support stability and a slight reactive bounce in sneakers.
I'd go with these
Nike LeBron 18 low.
Adidas Ozweego
Good shoes don't have to cost too much. And go for something that looks good rather than something for older people.
The current trend is retro styles but those don't have the most comfort and tend to be overpriced for what they are.
If you’re not brand picky and there are no specific needs, why not just hit up few of the large stores (like DSW or similar), and go straight to the clearance aisle and ignore the rest of the store. If you find something you like then cool or if nothing there then move on?
Yeah I’m always in sneakers. I’ve never gone over $120 but more and more I’ve warmed up to the idea of splurging for a good solid sneaker. I really wear the shit out of them.
Someone mentioned Merril hiking shoes , for years I worked in Timberland work boots, a few years back I bought a pair of Merrill work shoes, much lighter and more comfortable than any construction shoes I ever owned, I don’t remember the cost but I don’t think it was particularly expensive.
My current regular sneakers are ASICs – I got them from Amazon a couple of years ago b/c they looked pretty-good and were only about 70-bucks – they were running shoes although I’m not a runner so when I got them they were not as comfortable as other sneakers I’ve had in the past and why I’m likely not buying sneakers online in the future (I think that was my first and only time buying sneakers online – I generally avoid buying things like shoes and clothes online b/c I like to try them on to see how they feel and look on me).
My other sneakers are some black Skechers – I bought them mainly b/c they are pretty-much solid-black and can sorta pass for regular-shoes and are the ones I usually wear to the SC since I usually wear black-shorts or black-lounge/pajama pants – I also wear the black-Skechers when I’m slightly dressing-up a bit more – they are pretty-comfortable but also pretty plain-looking.
Unlike many, I tend to be small-boned and kinda have narrow vs wide feet – I’ve found in the past that Nikes (the ones I’ve tried in years past) tend to run a little-bigger/wider than other brands so I’ve kinda stayed away from Nikes and can’t remember the last time I owned a pair.
I used to be a New Balance guy but can’t remember why I stopped buying them – perhaps I thought they were looking a bit too-plain; IDK; can’t remember.
Being middle-aged, like others on-here I was usually turned-off by the crazy-new-colors and designs of sneakers these days – I grew up in the 80s on mostly white-sneakers and that is what I was used to – although I gotta say that the new-colors are starting to grow-on-me and I kinda like them when I see other people using them and white/mostly-white sneakers are starting to look/feel kinda bland and out-of-style so I may go w/ something with a little-more color this time around (my current ASICs are actually gray w/ a bit of yellow and red and I think they look a bit a better than wearing Tylenols on my feet).
I think this time around I may try the individual-brand sneaker stores as I “assume” I may find more models of that particular brand – downhere in Miami (Doral area) the Dolphin Mall has a couple of brand-specific sneaker-stores like Addidas, New Balance, Puma, Reebok, etc) – since sneakers are not something I buy often then it doesn’t make sense to not buy the best ones possible vs trying to find the best deal.
I'm currently wearing one pair of New Balance and another of Brooks. Best idea is to go to a store and try a few on. Once you find something you like, make a point to note the make/model. Then you can buy it online safely, either that first time or rebuys later. Even when a model gets discontinued you can often find out what replaced it, which will often have the same fit.
Another option is to buy online from a place like Zappos where you get free returns. Still a hassle though.
Depends on what kind of sneaking you're doing in your sneakers.
If you're looking for a walking shoe, I second 25's second of skibum's recommendation of Merrells. But don't limit your Merrell choices to just hiking shoes - Merrell has excellent walking shoes. In any brand, if you're getting a walking shoe, either get what's in the walking shoe line or the trail runner line and not the running shoe line. Why? Because for running shoes, trail runners have better heel support than running shoe at zero to little extra weight (because trail runners designed for running uneven surfaces).
My input: -I generally get trail runners instead of walking shoes - not a ton of difference, walking shoe can be slightly heavier. -Merrells are the best trail runners I've ever had by a substantial margin (on my 5th pair now) - very light and very comfortable. Before that, I used to buy Asics, Keane, and Nike. -Current model Merrell mens trail runners are at this link: merrell.com. -Current model Merrell mens walking shoes at this link: merrell.com. -With these being kinda expensive, if you shop around (Amazon, Zappos, and Merrell website), you'll find lowest price.
It's a solid investment in your joint health. These sneakers I got on right now I actually got at the Sportive down at the Bayside Marketplace last year I was in Miami. They had some good deals Papi. This thread has made me think about maybe shopping for some new ones.
I usually get no brand sneakers for under $30. My fav spends over $100, and has many pairs (to accessorize by color). Hers have lots of little holes on top, so I admitted to her that hers were probably better for venting the foot stank.
I used to really be into sneakers and have a great collection but keep it in storage for now.
I'm trying to lead a minimalist less materialistic lifestyle.
My everyday shoes . Nike ultra comfort slides
To the strip club and when I go out. Vans. But I put nike basketball shoe zoom insoles into them.
New balance 327
To work out the beach etc . Nike element 87
When I go out. White air force 1s or white air jordan 1 lows
Basketball shoes lebron 13 lows
Papi did you try to cash in by taking a side trip while protesting in portland?
^ I would've been set for life sneakers-wise
I've paid like $70 for newbalance.com shoes in 2017 which are still working.
There’s a local shoe store run by a former competitive runner named Swag Hartel. He runs a sale every year in August, and that’s where I get my new shoes, which are almost always last year’s models at significant savings. I’m not a runner, but I do walk a fair distance, and Brooks and New Balance are my goto shoes.
Desertscrub is correct Merrell Moab to hiking boot (Cabela's/ Bass pro shop) is without a doubt the best shoe I've ever owned. Been through all kinds of hell just toss in the washer and they still look great.
I am a sneaker head and a runner. I have a narrow foot like you so here is some info.
Nike is actually made for a narrow foot. Adidas is made for a wider foot. New balance has widths. ASICS do too but are for an average foot and they have all kinds of cushioning levels, I hate them. Hoka to me are very average shoes that are over rated and over priced, I ordered one pair and they were way too wide and I ran in them one week and returned them.
My most comfortable shoes that also wash and wear amazing are New Balance 1080 v10. In their regular width it was reviewed as a narrow shoe and it was perfect for me. I still love these shoes after running in them for a whole year. I tried to get the same shoe the following year and it was WAY too wide. Do not get v11. V10 is now two years old and you can find these on Amazon or eBay for very decent prices.
My other favorite shoe is Nike Air Max 90, but you would have to catch a sale on these. I put a high arch insole in them and they are perfect.
Feet and bodies are really different so best thing is go try on 👍🏼
Nike changes their shoes a lot. Air Max 90s used to be my favorites. But a few years back Nike changed the insoles and the type of foam used in the midsole. The they made them more pointy and sleek. They did something similar to the air huarache which used to be the most comfortable shoe ever. It's too pointy now and the materials less breathable.
I also think you guys should think about women when buying sneakers. It's something they notice. You don't need those ugly diors or Balenciagas. A clean classic shoe goes a long way
Yeah, I buy athletic wear based on what women like lol. Fit is the most important thing and name the least important. For my feet a 91/2W Asics running shoe is the only one that fits and lets me keep running at 64. Asics Gel is better than the rest.
Ah the sneaker thread. Might as well add my 2 cents. I got my first pair of Air Jordan’s in 1989, I was in grade school. The Air Jordan IV which was the first Jordan to be released internationally. Since then Nike has released over 30 color ways of that shoe (different colors). I have at one time owned at least 1 pair of almost all of them.
I started becoming a serious collector in 2004 amassing over 400 pairs of mostly Jordans with a few Yeezys, LeBrons and other Nike special releases here and there. I had them all, Just Don 2s, Kaws 4s, Nike Air Pressure, multiple Jordan Doernbecher releases, the entire Jordan Fear collection. One day I had 2 closets that were stuffed full with shoes so I started to list some of the ones I figured would not hold much resell value on the GOAT app as well some some of my more valuable sneakers that I had duplicate and triplicates of. This was around 2018. Some sold quick some sat for years for sale on the app. Then something happened. All my shoes I had listed sold in the month of March 2020. I figured out everyone was stuck at home with nothing to spend their money on. The resale value skyrocketed so I thought “now is probably going to be the best time ever to sell,” so I sold almost everything during the early days of the pandemic. 90% of what I sold was DS (dead stock) meaning never worn or even tried on. Today I still have around 40-50 pairs of Jordans and a few Yeezys which most have been worn but I still rarely wear them.
Everyday use I wear Nike Vapormax (right now current model is Vapormax 2021). They look good with jeans but aren’t the most comfortable. Throwing in a dr scholls insole helps. They only last 6 months to a year for me since I walk so much daily which quickly wears out the soles.
If I’m dressing to go out casual I’ll throw on a pair of Jordan 1s. They are a pain in the ass to lace up and take off but look good with jeans. Icee mentioned Jordan 1 lows, which I’ve never owned since I always go with the high tops.
If I’m being fancy I have a few Louboutin loafers, another shoe that looks great with jeans.
As for sneakers, that part of me is over and now I focus on bourbon collecting. Let me tell you, surprisingly collecting bourbon is much cheaper than collecting sneakers.
Another thing I didn’t realize until a few years ago, all those sneakers I had sitting in a closet since 2004, become risky to wear over time. Even if stored properly the rubber and synthetic materials will deteriorate over time meaning if I were to put them on the soles could literally crumble into pieces. There are several youtube videos out there showing how this happens. Still people are willing to pay hundreds and even thousands for these shoes which most will likely never wear anyway.
^ you keep your sneaker collection I’ll stick to collecting Franklins, Grants & Jackson’s.
Did you ever wear yhe Doernbechers?
The Kaws 4 is my favorite 4. But my favorite Jordan's are the ovo collabs. I like jordan 1 highs better than the lows but living in warmer areas I dress for the climate. There are things I'd love to wear but don't make sense when it's hot.
Keeping shoes dead stock too long ruins them. The glue and midsole stiffen and crack. It's like a car. You need to start it and drive once jn a while. But shoes from maybe the past 10 years ago are good for 20 to 30 years Coz of different materials.
But I've had old shoes fall apart without ever wearing them. It's one of the things that motivated me to minimalism.
So I didn’t have all the DBs. I had most. One I wanted but was never able to get was the DB 4, I also never was able to get the 5. I had the DB 3 (2nd release), DB 6 (1st and 2nd release), DB 12, 13, 14, 15, 10, 8 and 9. I think that was all of them.
I still have a DB6, 3 and 13. I have worn the 6 a few times. Kaws are a beautiful shoe. I never wore mine and I sold them both, too much money was out there for them. The black pair were horrible quality. Glue stains everywhere and I know they weren’t reps since I got them directly from the Kaws website on the release day.
You are right about being able to wear certain shoes. I mean I’m a white guy in my 40s, there are a lot of shoes I think are beautiful but I’d look like an idiot wearing, I feel weird even wearing Yeezy 350s even though I’m the same age as Kanye.
I think the doernbecher 4s nd 5s are the best ones. I have the Grey kaws but haven't worn them. I wanted the black ones but never got them. Jordan is lazy with quality. They know they'll sell out regardless. The price goes up while the quality and creativity goes down.
Most of the people I've seen wearing real yeezys are middle aged white men. I want yeezys but I don't buy shoes from resellers. There are too many great looking fakes out there and I don't want to finessed. I like the all white or off white ones.
I don't think age matters much anymore. It's how you take care of yourself.
Luckily I dress like a hobo so I can wear whatever is comfy.
It seems sneakers have become more than sneakers in the last 15+ years and have become some kinda cultural-phenomenon – this along with the millions paid to pro-athletes by shoe-companies is likely a big reason there are many sneakers that are probably pricier than they should be – i.e. a lot of it seems to be hype over substance.
Hmm, old white guys and white new balance sneakers...
stereotypes exist for a reason
I like Skechers not anywhere near that price most are between $40 & $75 Beals has a pretty good selection and most major brands none that I’ve seen were over $100