[pct-l] how do running shoes tend to die, and when?

[Austin Williams]

Hi,

>From what I've experienced and what I heard from others, the cost/quality of
the shoe doesn't add much at all to the amount of time/number of miles
required for the shoes to break down.  In my experience, it's been the soles
that break down (not the padded inserts, but the actual structure of the
bottom of the shoe itself).  For me, this happened long before I wore any
holes in the fabric.  In fact, when looking at the shoe from the outside, my
broken down shoes looked wearable.  But when the cushion of the sole starts
to break down, it doesn't support your foot evenly, and I started to feel
more pain in my feet and in my knees.

The pain went away about a half a day after switching to new shoes.  So I
conclude that the pain was caused by the old shoes not supporting my weight
properly.

When you change to new shoes after 500 miles, you can feel the difference in
support immediately.  It's really quite a treat.

I've also noticed that using the same model of shoe for the duration of the
hike is probably a good idea (presuming you like the model to begin with).
I think this is because different models of shoes support your feet
differently.  When you switch between models there is an 'adjustment period'
for your feet and body to get used to the different support.

These are just guidelines, and your mileage may vary.  Happy trail and happy
feet!


-- 
Austin Williams

www.PlanYourHike.com
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