buying sneakers: design or comfort?
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| Thu, 02-23-2006 - 8:10pm |
When you go out to buy new sneakers, do you buy them based on their design or on their comfort? Or both?
I recently went to buy new sneakers at a Lady Foot Locker. They had tons of running sneakers, but the designs were too extreme for me. I saw a pair of Nikes that wasn't too extreme looking, but it did still looked strange. I tried them on and they felt great. I purchased them, but I did ask the person what was their return policy because even though they fit great, I was unsure about the design. As I write this post, I'm STILL unsure if I should return them because I'm iffy on the design.
Now, am I being silly about the purchase? If they fit great, that's what should really matter more, right? I mean, the sneakers will be used and before you know it, it'll be time to purchase another pair. Purchasing sneakers isn't like purchasing a pair of shoes, right?
Then again, when we see someone wearing an interesting pair of sneakers, the first thing we usually say is, "Hey, cool sneaks - where'd you get them?", not "Hey, cool sneaks - are they comfortable?"
So what should matter more?

That's an interesting way to look at this question:
The first thing we usually say is, "Hey, cool sneaks - where'd you get them?"
Not "Hey, cool sneaks - are they comfortable?"
My first reaction to the question is comfort! For sure....but then again I was thinking of the design element being something you were eyeing up, not something that didn't appeal to you.
I guess I would be a little like yourself, where if the design didn't appeal to me that much neither would the shoe. Overall I'm a little 'Monkish' (LOL) and things for me have to match. I prefer the simpler white designs of sneakers.
But the comfort thing is a MUST!!
~IslandGirl
Every achievement starts with a little legwork!
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Great question!!
I've taken some walking/running courses at the Running Room, and they talk about the importance of finding the right shoe for your foot - some people need more support, less support, and there are all sorts of different shoes on the market!
Here's an article I found on Runnersworld:
How To Choose The Right Shoe
There’s no single 'best shoe' – everyone has different needs. All sorts of things - your biomechanics, your weight, the surfaces you run on, and obviously, the shape of your feet - mean that one person's ideal shoe can be terrible for another person.
We divide our shoes into three main categories (cushioned, stability and motion control); and three minor ones (performance training, racing and off-road). The first three are everyday options and are categorised essentially by your biomechanical needs; the second three are more specialised and you’d often only consider them as second shoes.
The first step in finding your basic shoe needs is to try our 'Wet Test', below or, preferably, to visit a biomechanics expert or experienced shoe retailer.
The Wet Test works works on the basis that the shape of your wet footprint on a dry floor or piece of paper roughly correlates with the amount of stability you might need in your shoe. Take note: 'roughly'! It's a handy starting point.
The Normal Foot
Normal feet have a normal-sized arch and will leave a wet footprint that has a flare, but shows the forefoot and heel connected by a broad band. A normal foot lands on the outside of the heel and rolls inwards slightly to absorb shock. It’s the foot of a runner who is biomechanically efficient and therefore doesn��t need a motion control shoe.
Best shoes: Stability shoes with moderate control features.
Next step: More about stability shoes | Just show me the reviews
The Flat Foot
This has a low arch and leaves a print which looks like the whole sole of the foot. It usually indicates an overpronated foot – one that strikes on the outside of the heel and rolls inwards (pronates) excessively. Over time, this can cause many different types of overuse injuries.
Best shoes: Motion control shoes, or high stability shoes with firm midsoles and control features that reduce the degree of pronation. Stay away from highly cushioned, highly curved shoes, which lack stability features.
Next step: More about motion control shoes | Just show me the reviews
The High-Arched Foot
This leaves a print showing a very narrow band or no band at all between the forefoot and the heel. A curved, highly arched foot is generally supinated or underpronated. Because it doesn’t pronate enough, it’s not usually an effective shock absorber.
Best shoes: Cushioned (or 'neutral') shoes with plenty of flexibility to encourage foot motion. Stay away from motion control or stability shoes, which reduce foot mobility.
Next step: More about cushioned shoes | Just show me the reviews
The Other Shoe Types
Our other shoe categories are for faster runners, and off-road runners:
We were in a shoe store a while back when I was home for the holidays, my whole fam almost, and I was wandering with my dad. He asked me about a pair of very red sneakers, very red like shiney sports car looking red. I told him I didn't like the look of that pair. I wouldn't have even tried them on, I didn't because I wasn't the one shopping on that day, but they were just too much for me.
I look for both when I'm shopping. I usually watch the Lady Foot Locker website for sales on the good running shoes, and I tend toward the more basic Nike (which I have right now, white with the