How often should shoes be replaced?

Dave928Dave928 ✭✭✭
My latest copy of RW says that shoes should be replaced every 500 miles or every 6 months, whichever comes first.

I can understand the 500 miles, but why 6 months? I'm an occasional, low-mileage runner, averaging 10 miles a week. My shoes are a year old and have 500 on the clock. But should I really have chucked them out 6 months ago? Really?

Comments

  • RicFRicF ✭✭✭
    Its a load of rubbish. Just a device to get you buying more shoes. I run my shoes to bits, they have thousands on them, train in racing shoes quite a lot of the time also. The only reason we wear shoes is to keep our feet warm and dry and to stop wearing bits of our feet off on hard surfaces.

    🙂

  • Absolute +1. I have Achilles problems and went to see an experienced Podiatrist. I asked about my current running shoes and he bashed them about a bit and said they had a lot left in them - have had them almost 12 months and done well over 500 miles.

    As a general rule he said try bending your shoes. If they flex just at the toes then thats fine, if they start to bend in the middle then they probably need changing.
  • touie2touie2 ✭✭✭
    My shoes bend in the middle from new!!!
  • Yes, just run in them until they don't work anymore. Your own body's response is a far better indicator than a rule that was invented by shoe companies to increase sales and has been repeated in a poorly researched article.

  • Dave928Dave928 ✭✭✭
    Blimey, wasn't expecting any of that for an answer! I was dubious about the 6 month thing but thought the 500 miles was set in stone.

    Fortunately I've around 5 years' worth of old running shoes in the closet, should last me a lifetime!
  • I replace my trainers when they start to feel a bit worn out, but I keep the old ones for short runs and gym work. I do like to have reasonably good condition shoes for my long (15+ miles) runs, but I figure that for shorter runs, worn out cushioning and burst toes doesn't matter too much. I'm a neutral runner so don't need my shoes to provide support, just to be a foot-pavement interface!
  • Shaggy.Shaggy. ✭✭✭
    Agree with run-with-dogs, I keep new trainers for the long runs but usually get 1000+ miles from my Asics 1000 range, currently using trainers with 1042, 880 and 652 miles on the clock, while my long run pair have only done 358 so far.
  • i see a guy yesterday doing a 40 miler & his trainers were hanging of his feet , and he was flying roundimage
  • GraemeKGraemeK ✭✭✭
    I change if I start to get the odd niggle in an old pair, or more likely, if I see a new pair at a bargain price and have some spare cash on the hip
  • If my fell shoes' grips get worn down before the upper fall to bits then I'll buy a new pair and use the old ones for more trailly stuff until they're well and truly knackered. With road shoes I tend to buy fairly cheap Asics and use them until they're well and truly knackered, too. No idea how many miles that is but it'll be way more than 500 - no injuries so far which leads me to believe that the 500 mile thing is a load of old bollocks.  

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    It all depends on your weight, where you're running (concrete/grass) etc. There's so many factors.

    andy_w wrote (see)
    As a general rule he said try bending your shoes. If they flex just at the toes then thats fine, if they start to bend in the middle then they probably need changing.


    I completely agree with this and this is how I work out the condition of my shoes... although I normally "feel" it in my knees.

  • RatzerRatzer ✭✭✭

    I just chucked a pair I've gone through the side on.  Problem is I've decided I want them for London because they're just so comfortable, so I've fished them back out and I'm going to sew up the side and hope it lasts the distance.

    image

  • i started to get a few niggles and after reading the same article (6months or 500 miles) decided that a new pair was in order .... besides which I'd had my old ones since 2009 and must have done well over 1000 miles in them ... the old ones were sooooo comfortable, but as well as the niggles I was feeling more stones under foot than normal.

    Oh and as well as niggles there was the growth of the feet after having been running for a while and upping the mileage ... it might be worth having your feet measured - you might be surprised ! mine have gone up a size since i started dabling in this thing called running since 2009!

    Mate of mine past on some wise words ... if you find a nice pair of shoes - buy 2 pairs of them !
  • PhilPubPhilPub ✭✭✭
    Merlie wrote (see)

    Mate of mine past on some wise words ... if you find a nice pair of shoes - buy 2 pairs of them !
    Good shout, especially as shoe manufacturers seem to think it vitally important to change their shoe designs more often than football teams change sponsors.  I managed to track down a shop in the Midlands that had a couple of pairs of Nike Zoom Elite 4 in my size, some time after they were discontinued, so I snapped them up.  They currently have 600 miles and 23 miles between and while I can feel a difference in them, with the 600 mile pair having lost a fair bit of ''bounce'', I won't be retiring them any time soon.
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