Comments on: Do We Really Need the Fully-Loaded Option?

By: Irene

Irene — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 21:48:57 +0000

Aren’t the men in the study younger, in the 20 age range? I hope someone does a study with, *ahem*, a little older study group, like in the 40+ range, then we’d really have a study I could get into. I would really love to use a cheapie pair of running shoes, and I’ve tried, but I have a few physical issues, and my knees will be angry at me. Better cushioning does cost more. Perhaps for some people, marketing does play into it. I buy the least expensive athletic/running clothes, but I just can’t go cheap on shoes.

Great article, Nora!

By: Mark Iocchelli

Mark Iocchelli — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 19:01:31 +0000

I think the marketing of shoes is certainly part of it.

We’ve come to think of shoes as a tool that protects us from the pounding of running when what we should really be doing is teaching ourselves how to run so that we don’t need those kinds of shoes.

If we spent 1/2 the time we should on technique rather than shoes, we’d be much better off. And we’d also have a few extra dollars in our pockets.

By: Adeel

Adeel — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:51:28 +0000

Mark, I’m sure, can chime in with why we don’t need expensive shoes. Having sold shoes to thousands of runners, my experience has been that price usually doesn’t have much to do with comfort, otherwise everyone would be wearing the Kayano. Some people can get hurt in anything, others get hurt in nothing and still others only have one shoe that works for them. I don’t think the shoe industry makes nearly as much sense as it claims to.

Prices here are different, but I’ve never bought a shoe that would cost more than $80 US.

By: Huw

Huw — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:51:25 +0000

There have been studies that point to a link between price of shoe and incidence of injury – the more a shoe costs, the likelier the runner is to have an injury. In other words, the technology may have been created in the lab and you pay extra for the privilage, but it doesn’t seem to do what it is supposed to. There are also studies that point to the amount of cushioning a shoe has making no difference to the impact forces going through the body. I very firmly believe that less is more when it comes to running shoes – but sometimes it takes time for your body to adjust if you have been used to certain types of shoes for a long time.
See http://www.runflux.com for news and links on running.

By: Blaine Moore (Run to Win)

Blaine Moore (Run to Win) — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 15:27:05 +0000

Not everybody needs expensive shoes. If you want more cushioning and more support, you’ll pay more. You aren’t necessarily getting a better shoe, just a heavier one that has more to it.

If you keep your eyes open, you can get cheap running shoes. I generally don’t pay more than $40 or $50 for shoes that retail for $80-$120. The last time I paid full price for a pair of shoes I had had to have them special ordered, and I got a free pair of shoes for my wife at the same time.

By: Craig Payne

Craig Payne — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 13:35:13 +0000

There has been some disucussion here on the media’s interpretation of this study:
http://www.podiatry-arena.com/podiatry-forum/showthread.php?t=4633