#1
Mon, 28/07/2014 - 18:25
Running Shoes - Branded vs.Non Branded
I usually do not spend too much money on running shoes and tend to get non branded ones that are more pocket friendly. Lately I have come to the conclusion that I am spending more this way. Well the cheap non branded ones don't last too long and I do end up buying a new pair more often. So now I am debating if I should invest in more expansive branded ones or not.
Any views on this?
nick123
MOD
- offline
- 3460 comments
- 69771 posts
It's ASICS or nothing for me. Depending upon how serious runner you are, shoes are pretty much the most important piece of the puzzle in the running game.
I have never seen 'non branded' shoes, they all have some brand but if you mean those $20 cheap pairs from Target or Kmart, I will run from them as fast as I can. You have a choice between investing into a nice pair of shoes or then spending a lot more money at the Chiro treating a multitude of issues with your body.
Another new perspective in running these days is the bare foot running and it's actually a lot better to run barefoot than using a cheap and inefficient pair of shoes.
kb
MOD
Asics for me as well - they spend their money on research rather than advertising. My wife loves NewBalance which also seem good, although I suspect I'll never leave the Asics camp. Just buying a 'brand' shoe doesn't always mean you will get a good one - some (Nike is a good example, but they are not alone) have entry level shoes that are really pretty poor and may be made in different factories than their good shoes. Much better off getting a pair of Dunlop Volleys or KT26 runners - at least you know what you're getting. Nike do actually make some top quality shoes that are used by athletes, but they are *really* expensive. But yes, rather than save money on a cheap shoe, find good shoes and try to find those on sale. Keep in mind that a cheap/bad shoe may not only last a fraction of a good one, they can cause or exacerbate back or foot problems through poor control of foot pronation etc.... I rarely pay more than $100 for my Asics, although RRP is usually close to double that. $100 for a pair of shoes may not be seen to be a bargain, but it can be for something that is going to do the job properly. We should not confuse bargain hunting as finding the cheapest thing versus the best value thing. A cheap shoe (or other item) that does not do what it's supposed to do (support your feet, last more than a couple of weeks, etc) is not a bargain as you're not getting what you actually want.....
ninhursag
Regular Member