157 replies to this topic

[RawSensation]

You're awesome Swaggers.

I just bought myself a new pair of New Balance shoes. Normally I would not have as my other ones still look fine and are quite comfortable. But I rewarded myself after reaching a goal. When I went for my first run in them I was astonished at how comfy they are. I'm definitely going to reward myself with new runners more often!

I still wear my old pair but for bike riding or when I walk. Awesome thread!

xxoo

[Morley]

Max 800 Km for me. Then they are retired to the walking shoe. The walking shoe is retirned to the gardening shoe. The gardening shoe ends up in the bin. Cheers.

[Bellthorpe]

Rather than the bin, you might consider a better use for your old shoes.

I now have 5 or 6 pairs I'm about to wash and send to the cited recipient.

[littleblackpug]

I have done up to 1000km in Loco's and Trail shoes, and only started to notice they were on the way out at about the 800-900km mark, but in the last 12 months I have found that the New Balance shoes I wear on the road are only lasting about 500kms.

I am slowish, with most of my running on the road at between 5km/min-6km/min, but lately I really seem to notice the shoes wearing out faster than before I really like NB as I love the N-Lock system for my narrow feet. I just wish I lived near a Paul's Shoe so I could buy 2 for 1!

Luckily I do most of my long runs on the trail, so I think I get away with wearing my shoes to death without risking too much, and my trail shoes (Salamon and Merrell) last very well (retired at 1000km) and take a beating.

[Coogee1979M]

LBP,

I think Pauls' Warehouse deliver, if that is an option.

Disclaimer:  No financial interest in Pauls' Warehouse, but I did buy some shoes there during the recent/current 2 for 1 sale

littleblackpug, on Apr 11 2009, 08:27 AM, said:

I have done up to 1000km in Loco's and Trail shoes, and only started to notice they were on the way out at about the 800-900km mark, but in the last 12 months I have found that the New Balance shoes I wear on the road are only lasting about 500kms.

I am slowish, with most of my running on the road at between 5km/min-6km/min, but lately I really seem to notice the shoes wearing out faster than before I really like NB as I love the N-Lock system for my narrow feet. I just wish I lived near a Paul's Shoe so I could buy 2 for 1!

Luckily I do most of my long runs on the trail, so I think I get away with wearing my shoes to death without risking too much, and my trail shoes (Salamon and Merrell) last very well (retired at 1000km) and take a beating.

[batavia]

I am 74km and have got about 970km out of my last pair of Newton Gravity.   Thougt it was low until I saw some of the KM's here.

[Shayneo]

superjacent, on Jan 19 2008, 09:16 AM, said:

I retired a pair of Kayano's after 1130 km last week.    Usually it's around the 800 km mark.

how on earth did you get that far my last $270 pair lasted just on 400 km.

[Huff]

I've been buying Saucony Progrid Triumph and also Paramount at DFO in Melbourne.  Can get them from between $90-120 a pair depending on Sales.

Great shoes and been averaging about 900-1000 k's a pair.

[Digger]

I think Swaggers summed it all up.

But there are a lot of runners out there who only own one pair of shoes, so they have no idea when they are stuffed and causing problems.

When I throw out a pair of shoes, if I washed them up, they would look like knew, because 400 to 600km is not many km's.

When I was racing regularly, I had "Training Shoes" and "Racing Flats"

With new Racing Flats, I'd do 2 speed sessions in them before racing in them, and my existing racing shoes became my Speedwork shoes, until they felt stuffed, then I'd buy a new pair of Racing Shoes and rotate them as above.

With my 'Road Shoes', it was a one way street.

-I used my new road shoes as 'Casual' walking shoes for about 4 weeks, before putting them to work on the roads.

-My road shoes, became my 'trail running shoes', which I used once a week.

-My trail shoes then became my 'gardening shoes'.

So in any given week, I'd do 5 sessions, in at least 4 different pairs of shoes of various ages so I knew what felt good, and what felt stuffed.

Nowadays, I don't have racing flats, I just have Road Shoes and Trail shoes, so the same holds, and I buy about 4 pairs a year, and do about 2000km to 2400km/year and rarely 3000km.

And I don't worry about cost, as I always rational the expense by telling myself, it could be worse, I could play golf! and over 42 years, I have had no feet related injury's.

[Bellthorpe]

You sure must have done a lot of gardening!

[Digger]

Bellthorpe, on Jul 18 2009, 04:39 AM, said:

You sure must have done a lot of gardening!

Well,

I ut them in the garage along side where my gardening shoes should be. But when its a good day for gardening, its a better day for:

-Running
-Beer Drinking
-watching sport

well almost about everything!

[David C]

Reading all of the distances that the rest of you are doing in your shoes is getting me worried.     I usually have about 4 pairs of shoes (Asics 21xx) which I rotate over a week so that I only run in a pair of shoes once per week.  The shoes last about 2 years and I run a little over 3,000 kms pa.  Thus I guess that each pair of shoes lasts ~1,500 kms.

Cheers, David

[Phoenix]

Bellthorpe, on Apr 10 2009, 08:10 PM, said:

Rather than the bin, you might consider a better use for your old shoes.

I now have 5 or 6 pairs I'm about to wash and send to the cited recipient.

Agree with this, have another load of 5 pairs that I'm about to drop in.

My runnuers generally last between 550and 600 ks

[MikeW]

Hello to all:

I wear Brooks Beast - I find they are OK for about 1000k and then they get a bit dodgy!
(Not very springy after that, a subjective judgement.) I run that in a bit less than 5
months. That seems quite consistent with other judgements here, which is reassuring to
my prejudices. It's always good to have your prejudices confirmed.

M

[MissWee]

800KM sounds like a good due date.

[Michael1]

Bellthorpe, on Apr 10 2009, 08:10 PM, said:

Rather than the bin, you might consider a better use for your old shoes.

*bump*

Is recycled runners still operational?

[Bellthorpe]

I believe so.

[Waverider12]

Bellthorpe, on Apr 10 2009, 08:10 PM, said:

Rather than the bin, you might consider a better use for your old shoes.

I now have 5 or 6 pairs I'm about to wash and send to the cited recipient.

thanks for the link, Bellthorpe.  Before moving here, I had a place to donate my old shoes, and lately my puppy has been the lucky recipient.  Given that I need to replace mine about every month, they pile up quickly.  Once the shoes are cleaned up, they look perfectly fine (with the exception of all the worn down bits in the midfoot of course!).

[Jogger]

Quote

Is recycled runners still operational?

yes - I should update the website.
we are still getting AND DONATING a lot of shoes.

[Andolate]

Shayneo, on Jul 18 2009, 04:30 PM, said:

how on earth did you get that far my last $270 pair lasted just on 400 km.

I also just retired my Kayano 14's. Purchased in Feb 2009 and 1900klms completed. My feet were starting to feel like they were slapping the ground as soon as I left home!

[BIGKEV]

All,

Shoes....well currently I have about 5 pairs under my bench outside the front door; 4 pairs in the Garage and 4 pairs in the bedroom.. I'm a big believer in buying often and rotating them accordingly. Just finished my 3rd Comrades campaign and in that time no injuries..and we're talking big k's in training.
I usually wear my Asics Kayano's for 400-600K's and then retire them under the bench for a month or two. I then find they recapture some of their 'bounce' and you can get a 100 or more K's out of them.
I normally stalk the internet for good deals and when I find one I'll buy 4-5 pairs at a time..I'm like Digger..I don't consider the price of the show an issue as trying to save a few bucks by using a shoe too long will end up in nasty injuries..apparantly....

but according to 'born to run' (Christopher McDougall )all this shoe buying is a big con by the suppliers and we can all run in sandals a lot easier and with less injuries. This year at Comrades a runner went past me in sandals and he'd just finished the Two Oceans earlier in the year. I assume he finished as he was looking damn good. He said he had to use sandals as he picked up too many injuries wearing your run of the mill trainers..very interesting.! I haven't found the courage to try sandals myself as I haven't needed too (yet?)...

keep running (in nice new shoes) bk

Edited by BIGKEV, 26 June 2010 - 10:26 PM.

[amylee192010]

How Long Do Running Shoes Last? it's depend on the shoes and what kind of run are you engage with...

[homgrunner]

I only have one pair of shoes.

I wear them all around the place (school, running and just casual) because i only have 3 pairs of shoes, School shoes, Runners and Rabens

I am thinking of getting a new pair of runners and using them purely for running and my old shoes for school and casual.

I've had my shoes for a good 6 months and have run 164kms since June 20th (not much i know).

I have a basic fit and normal stride, what's the best shoe for me (used mainly for training, not much racing and some cross-country)

Chris

[Bellthorpe]

No one here can tell you what is the best shoe for you.

All the major brands make decent shoes. Find a pair that's not too heavily padded, is neutral, and feels right. Over time, you'll probably come up with a preferred brand/model.

[littleblackpug]

Does anyone have any experience with the Nike Vomero's in terms of durability?

Edited becuase I should have done my maths first, I just realised I had actually done about 800kms in them, so I guess that's not too bad!  

Edited by littleblackpug, 25 August 2010 - 07:06 AM.

[DontStop]

littleblackpug, on Aug 25 2010, 06:55 AM, said:

Does anyone have any experience with the Nike Vomero's in terms of durability?

Edited becuase I should have done my maths first, I just realised I had actually done about 800kms in them, so I guess that's not too bad!  

Gone through 3 pairs. Because they're very cushioned to start with, while they degrade at about the same rate as other shoes, you've probably got a greater margin for error with these ones (at least in the cushioning sense).

I've found by about 350k you start to notice a loss in cushioning, but for me, they provide enough right through to 650-700k. But I rotate two pairs of Vomeros (and 2 pairs of Lunarglides and a pair of lighter shoes - at the moment Brooks Launch) so I'm never doing anything too fast on hard surfaces in the Vomero's once they hit 400. Will probably use them for easy slow runs right up to 800k.

So I probably eek out an extra 100-150k from the Voms than I do other shoes.  

They tend to lose stiffness and support quicker than cushioning, which doesn't really worry me too much.

[littleblackpug]

DontStop, on Aug 25 2010, 10:40 AM, said:

Gone through 3 pairs. Because they're very cushioned to start with, while they degrade at about the same rate as other shoes, you've probably got a greater margin for error with these ones (at least in the cushioning sense).

Thanks Don't Stop, that makes good sense that due to their cushioning it's more noticeable when they degrade.  I'm planning to do anything over 12kms in my new ones now and do anything under 12 km in the old ones for a few more weeks, but next time will start having 2 pairs on rotation sooner. Thanks for the response.

[Flash11]

Hey guys been a while since I have posted in these forums but is it ok the wear your joggers for say 18 months providing you wear quality orthotics and change these every 6 - 8 months?
The shoes still look as if they are in good condition by the way but I have had my fair share on running injuries and was just wondering if it was the shoes causing the problem?

Cheers guys  

Edited by Flash11, 18 December 2010 - 01:49 PM.

[Bellthorpe]

It's of greater significance how many miles you've done than how long you've worn them.

18 months might be a few hundred miles, or it might be several thousand. Can you estimate the mileage?

[Flash11]

Bellthorpe, on Dec 18 2010, 01:18 AM, said:

It's of greater significance how many miles you've done than how long you've worn them.

18 months might be a few hundred miles, or it might be several thousand. Can you estimate the mileage?

Is there some form or accuracy people use to estimate their km? Or is it a matter of well I did this, this and this in each month?

[David C]

Flash11, on Dec 17 2010, 09:48 PM, said:

Hey guys been a while since I have posted in these forums but is it ok the wear your joggers for say 18 months providing you wear quality orthotics and change these every 6 - 8 months?
The shoes still look as if they are in good condition by the way but I have had my fair share on running injuries and was just wondering if it was the shoes causing the problem?

Cheers guys  

Hi Flash11 - I tend to rotate through 4 pairs of shoes, wearing one pair a week and changing a new shoe about every four months.  So, while I tend to get 12 - 16 months out of a shoe (on rotation) - this sometimes goes longer eg, 18 months.  (I even had a pair that I ran the 6FT in over 3 successive years.)

I hope that this helps you.

David

[mandaj]

Flash11, on Dec 18 2010, 07:30 PM, said:

Is there some form or accuracy people use to estimate their km? Or is it a matter of well I did this, this and this in each month?

I use running ahead (which I can't actually get to load at the moment www.runningahead.com) - but it gives you the option of tracking shoe kilometres

[toddstar77]

I have found I can get about 800k-1,000K out of a pair of runners, I used to just have one pair I'd burn into the ground then replace but went from Adidas to Mizuno on one swap over and had all sorts of adjustment pains.

These days I run through a week with 2 pairs of different shoes (Mizuno and Nikes), means a bigger up front cost but you can run them out over double the time (same km but because alternated you get double the time to do that km). Thinking of incorporating a 3rd pair into the equation offset so I don't need 3 at once ; )

[Huff]

How do you know that your shoes MUST be replaced?

[Pazza]

Huff, on Dec 19 2010, 11:37 AM, said:

How do you know that your shoes MUST be replaced?

Started running late in life. Seem to get 600km to 800km. Normally look at the sole and when no tread on heal time to get rid off. But the onset of shinsplints and then they definitely have no road miles left, keep them for the treadmill to get a bit extra out of them.

Alex

[mandaj]

I have done over 900km in my current shoes. They need replacing really soon not because of the soles being worn but because my big toe is starting to poke a hole through the top of the mesh!

[plodder42]

Have been running now for about 18months and bought a pair of Nike vomeros off the clearance rack in conjunction with  a nike plus wristband.I've since logged 1200km and they are still very usable.I weigh 82kg ,have a neutral foot and run almost exclusively on a rough dirt road near my house.(approx 35km/week)  .
      Tread is starting to wear but are as comfortable as the first day I put them on.I've bought two pairs of nikes since (latest model vomeros and lunarglide) and neither are as comfortable as the first pair -  I wear either of these if I do a half marathon,but probably would be more comfy in my old beat up pair.
     Take home message - if you find a comfortable pair with good cushioning that are hard-wearing and don't promote injuries, go back and get three more pairs the same size!!!

   Cheers the Plodder.

[THE LONE RUNNER]

i have found most shoes these days are long lasting. i have 6 pairs on the go. 4 pairs have done 1500 km's, 1 pair 1250km's,1 pair 80km's. 3 nike and 3 adidas. nike $120 and adidas $60. all good quality shoes going out cheap. 2 have just warn through rubber. my weight is 57kg's which helps i think. they still feel good. it is probably better to change them every 800 or 1000 km's. thats what the experts tell us any way. i like to get my moneys worth. i certainly get that.
when i have finished running with them, they will be used as walking shoes, used as shoes around the house and gardening shoes.

[wildcoyte]

I go through a pair of trainers every two months! Because I'm doing any were between 80-115kms a week and that depends on what I'm building up for! My flats only last my the winter season and the spikes I use in the winter also only last me the winter but that's because I use the Nike Zoom Matumbo and because the weigh 92 grams in my size they don't last that long! And my Nike zoom victory spikes only last me the track season. But when I do 115kms in a week I'm usually in the mid training for an up coming race I usually do that for 2 weeks and then start to slowly back it off like dropping the k's back by 5-10 a week. But now I'm looking at getting the Vibram Five Fingers to do half of my training in!! So therefore I won't go though so manny shoes in a year and stop getting my mum to dish out $150-200 evey two months and save her some money as she is a single patent! But I know that when or if I get the Vibram Five Fingers that it will greatly reduce the strain on her finnacially but it is a lot of money to fork out to get the pair that we have been told that I would need to have as being a distance runner. Plus my feet will get stronger!!

Cheers Brandon Nairn(WC)

[Caterpillar]

My ASICS 21xx only last around 400km. Frankly this is an unacceptable life span.

By the 300km mark I notice lots of lower leg niggles which are the telltale sign that the shoe is on its way out. I eke another 100 or so km out of them by only using them on the two to three recovery days per week for another few weeks.

Have just bought a pair of Kayano's which will only be used on my Sunday long runs, and might given the 21xx a chance to rest one day per week and last a little longer.

[tomsan]

We both did about 1300km @ 7km/hr on hard surface with asics kayano 16 when we felt that gel is not working anymore..shoes bought from stringers sports in clayton.

Male/90Kgs

Female/55Kgs

I am wondering can the shoes still be used for walking? Also sensfoot on ebay sells asics shipped from Japan. I bought one and the box & shoe looks original. Has any body tried?

[Gone2thepack]

Flash11, on 18 December 2010 - 07:30 PM, said:

Is there some form or accuracy people use to estimate their km? Or is it a matter of well I did this, this and this in each month?

With my Garmin i Just add the km's to the comments box. The title holds the shoe number .
Eg.... 2 Brooks 17.

Cheers

[Ponytail]

Question: how long do running shoes last. Answer: how long is a piece of string.  I don't know how much the brands deviate but I would say weight, gait, speed may come into the picture.  I know I consulted a podiatrist (on the floor of a running shoe shop, so you make of that what you will) who said that running shoes require at least 24 hours to get their cushioning back in action so, if you're running most days, you should probably rotate at least a couple of pairs.  I've generally read that 800 - 1000ks is the limit but I've also heard that you should check the cushioning of your current shoe(s) and compare that to the cushioning on a brand new pair in shop and if there is a noticeable difference, it's probably time for a new pair.

The structure of a running shoe can remain mostly undamaged, but the inside usually tells the story!

[lactatehead]

Huff, on 19 December 2010 - 11:37 AM, said:

How do you know that your shoes MUST be replaced?

I just treat them like tyres, so when they look too worn to give any protection I bin them. I am astonished to hear that people are only wearing their shoes for 400-800kms. That would only give me a few weeks. I usually rotate 2 pairs and wear them for about a year.

[WetWeek]

My Mizuno Inspire 6s are shot at ~500km.  In fact they've been a bit questionable for probably 100kms prior to this, but I've been trying to eke more life from them based on the comments from other Mizuno users on Coolrunning who claim to get well over 1,000kms from their shoes.  Either my running style is very different to to theirs, or different Mizuno shoes have very different levels of durability.  Or both.

[UnfitnessFanatic]

Any idea how long a pair of the Addidas Adizero F50's would last? Im currently using a pair for 1 speed session a week and races.  Would be good to know what sort of lifespen to expect out of them though cause it might turn out to be a very costly excercise.

[chrizz84]

how do you guys afford these shoes! based on the kms you guys replace your shoes at i would be up for 7 pairs of shoes a year.im dirt poor so i made my last pair last 3000 kms and there was noting left in them

[Brendan90]

Chrizz84, I buy all mine online as I'm a uni student and try to save as much money as I can. On eBay i can usually get a pair of Kayano 16s/17s for $125-180 depending on who's selling them at what time. I usually buy from America as i trust them being genuine and am slightly skeptical of countries of sellers that are known for knock-offs...

Question of the thread, i usually retire my shoes after 400-500kms as by that stage the rubber on the heel has worn down to the mid sole due to my running gait, which is frustrating considering i know others who get twice the kms out of theirs before they look like mine!

Edited by Brendan90, 05 September 2011 - 12:24 AM.

[kiwishaz]

Morning,

This may be a stupid question, but there have been a lot of people in this thread mentioning having 3 or 4 pairs and rotating them each week.
Why would/do you do that for?

[aDrain]

A bunch of reasons. Rotating the older shoes let's you keep using them for shorter runs when their support has worn too much for longer runs. Different shoes are all slightly different so your feet get different workouts in different shoes. You can ease into newer shoes. Shoes need a bit of recovery time for the padding etc to get back after a run (having been squished with every step) so multiple pairs let your shoes rest.