13 replies to this topic

[spark driver]

Hi all. I have recently become the proud owner of my first pair of "proper" running shoes. A pair of Asics Kayano XII's.
At the store I knocked back the offer of buying waterproofing products until I did further research and consulted with all you fine folk on CoolRunning.
Does spray on waterproofing work? Will it lead to discolouring of my predominately white runners? Is there a product that people are prepared to recommend?
Any other tips on looking after my new shoes would be appreciated.

[essaytee]

Have you considered 'Flippers'?

In all seriousness though the times I've run in the wet and at times not being able to jump puddles I just air dry my runners over night outside under the car port. I don't think any damage is done.

I've never considered waterproofing. If they're going to get wet, they'll get well and truly wet and there's nothing you can do about it (unless you decide not to run in the rain).

[red rover]

I'm afraid waterproofing shoes isn't much help if your doing a x/c run and the creek is 15cm.deep what you then need is gumboots.If your runners get wet just hang them up under shelter and let them dry naturally do not dry in front of heaters or such as that will stuff them up.

[Yabbie]

Hey Spark Driver,
I don't really see the point of waterproofing running shoes... Why were you considering this?
You have to expect that your feet will get wet, waterproofing products or not (but that's only if you run in wet conditions).
Back home, I run on (or in!) the snow and I come back home with very wet socks and runnings shoes. As red rover has already said, don't put your shoes in front of the heater. The best trick is to fill them with old newspapers (make little balls with them). Replace the newspapers when they have absorbed too much humidity and your shoes will be dry for the next day. :) That trick is also good for winter boots, bushwalking boots, etc.

[spark driver]

I was only considering the waterproofing stuff because the salesperson who sold me the shoes suggested it. As I have never bought $200 runners before I thought it was worth inquiring about. I have done nearly 40km in the shoes now and they are not looking so predomently white anymore.
I wasn't planning on getting them very wet but the pic of Mister G on the Six Foot Track has me a little inspired :D

[blkbox]

There is a well known sports shoe store chain that teaches its sales people to "up sell" each and every sale they make - insoles, socks, water proofing spray - I am guessing that the suggestions they made about waterproofing were all part of this "up selling" strategy

[Screaming Knees]

Hi Spark Driver,
I understand,when I purchased my first "real" running shoes I bought the spray and treated my shoes. It seems to make no real difference I now don't bother it treat my shoes and they all clean up like new with a bit of Preen spray etc and a good scrub. My shoes are soaking wet at the end of a long run from sweat and I would think that the waterproofing would also stop sweat getting away. I guess it is the shoe store version of "would you like fries with that".

[Barefoot]

Rather than spent $200 on one pair of shoes, when not try buying two pairs of good but cheaper shoes, say at Rebel.

When they have sales you can buy good shoes such as Asics under $120 X 2 = $240. Then alternate your shoes when one is wet, run in the dry ones. Less chance of damaging your shoes by running in them still damp and less chance of injury by alternating shoes.

You will find you will favour one pair more and as that one wears out buy another pair and alternate again.

Safe running and have fun running in the puddles.

[Nathan Brown]

Gday, Gday = ) just saw this thread and thought i might add my take on the whole 'to waterproof or not to waterproof' discussion. Im actually employed full time by 'The Athletes Foot' in Campbelltown so i do feel that being on the 'inside' can help me explain things perhaps a little bit more fully. Everyones point have been great. Just a few extra things;

-The spray on waterproof we offer does indeed work, despite others not agreeing to this. BUT,despite our stores looking to cater for the elite sportsperson our majority of sales do end up going to our more sedentary brethren. The waterproofer leaves a thin, protective layer that shields the shoe from moisture. But anyone who thinks that spraying it on will give them complete protection is misguided. It is all dependant on the situation in which it is being used. For those whose shoes get a considerably less workout than ours(i'm talking people who buy walkers and cross trainers in comparison to us moderate to serious runners) the spray on waterproofer is a very worthy 'add on sale' that WILL add longevity to our customers shoes. It is not just part of some 'up selling strategy' blkbox. We are indeed taught to 'suggestive sell' but i personally dont suggest something that i know our customers dont want or need. With a suggestive sell, the customer is more than welcome to knock it back. I have not sold one can of the spray yet without clearly informing the customer that it will help if you do some light walking through wet grass in the mornings etc. There will never ever be a shoe that will last forever. Shoes do deteriorate. The waterproofer is just one way to add a touch of life to the shoes. There is no gimmick involved. Its just tough when your shoes are getting smashed around on all types of surfaces and through all types of moisture. I run 100+km a week so i know i would never personally buy it because it would have little comparative positive effect to the beating that my shoes take. So yes, it does work for most, and by that i mean those whose shoes dont get run blatantly through puddles, creeks etc.

-Another little interesting fact. Although 99% of the time it is unavoidable, running through puddles and creeks are not advisable. This is because when moisture gets inside the midsole it slowly starts to deteriorate the material and the shoes lose there cushioning properties. Even when you think you've got them fully dry there is still a touch of moisture on the inside which over time will wear down the shoe a lot quicker than normal.

-On the topic of buying shoes at sales and buying two of them to alternate. I personally know a few people who do this. One thing that most of you should know is this. For those who buy two or three pairs thinking that when one wears out i will start wearing the new one yes it is a good idea to some extent. Most people dont know that even shoes sitting in the cupboard unused are very slowly wearing away. The material that the midsoles and outsoles are made of will, albeit very slowly, wear away just because of the air we breathe breaking them down. But on the balance it is still a good idea. Personally id rather two pairs of Asics 1100's for $119 each rather than just $230+ for a one pair of Kayano's. The major difference is that the Kayano XII has some gel in the forefoot as well as the heel. But for the increase in price i dont think its worth it.

-We are trained to do the job quite thoroughly. Reps from Asics, Nike, Adidas etc do come to our store quite regularly for staff training sessions so we do know what we're talking about. Just to get through our probationary period we are rigorously tested(in our store) on all things shoes. Our fitprint machines we take very seriously, there is no gimmick involved. It takes the guesswork away from just grabbing a pair of shoes and saying "try this one" like your other sports stores which i believe as a consumer making the comparison, they're a joke. Customer Service is shoddy, shoe knowledge is very limited if there at all. I know i work there but i know im unbiased in saying that we do sell shoes based on the appropriateness to the individuals foot type and need, indiscriminately of price. Its always good for a laugh ( and take no offense to this cos im having a jab at myself here, i run too!) when you get runners in to buy shoes who erroneously presume that your just a salesperson who knows shit all about any sport, any shoe etc. Ive had my fair share. But when you show them otherwise they're very suprised that they're the ones who know shit all in comparison about shoes. Theres some very red faces. (But there are also those who come in just to see if they can match the salesperson on everything shoes,these are the people who really need to get a life!)

I hope i've helped your inquiry spark driver,if you have any more questions feel free = ) good luck with you running and all the best hey! = ) Nath

[tank girl]

Yabbie - you are dead on with the newspaper trick. My coach showed me that one the first time I rode my bike in the wet and it works an absolute treat for all kinds of shoes and also for the padding in cycling helmets.

Nathan - if people should worry about every little bit of moisture in their shoes, perhaps shoe store should start selling us foot anti-perspirant :P As for staff being adequately trained... That fancy little fitprint system didn't work very well, and I taught my sales consultant a lot about different shoe models. I think it must be store specific :D

[Nathan Brown]

Mate, i dont believe i commented to the point that "people should worry about every little bit of moisture in their shoes." I commented on the waterproofing we offer, how it works and to what extent it is effective. Thats all! ( i dont believe i mentioned anything about feet perspiration = ) Secondly, the choice is up to the individual to buy it, i simply provided an insiders insight into the product and from there its up to the individual, if there are people out there worrying about every little bit of moisture in their shoes, then they seriously need to get their head around the fact that their shoes are inevitably going to get wet, no matter what kind of spray on waterproofer is used and to whatever extent, large or small, that longevity is going to be added to the shoe. Finally, that 'fancy little fitprint' might not have worked very well for you, which is unfortunate. But it certainly does work, this is backed up by the fact that every leading podiatrist in the Campbelltown area sends their clients to us since we opened here quite simply because of the fact that we offer to take the time out to see exactly whats going on with the pressure points in your feet and then get shoes that are applicable to the said feet, rather than guessing a shoe off the wall and then trying to make a sale. In comparison, whether people have a bad or good perception of us, we eat it up over any Rebel Sport, Footlocker, Insport etc. As a consumer, id rather get the service we offer rather than not even get approached like at the others. But, like i said its always up to the individual..... = )

[tank girl]

Nathan, there was no ill intent - I actually meant your store people must be better trained than our local, because at our local they knew very little :) As for a podiatrist recommending fitprint - I would never go to a podiatrist that can't make a shoe prescription based on your anatomy and your running biomechanics. It's podiatric knowledge that the fitprint system is meant to be based upon! (As for my personal problem - I can balance on the fit print as a perfect neutral, and I walk very nicely... that doesn't help my running.)

[Podsport]

Nice comments Tank-Girl. To be frank, the foot presure system and methodology used in Athlete Foot stores does not assist runners in the correct selection of shoes.
The gait exhibited by walking over a platform or even standing on a platform does not in anyway resemble the pressure and its path/distribution when running. The mechanics and forces are very different.
If a shop and its staff think that shoes can be selected correctly by this method they are so wrong!

As for water proofing shoes.....why bother. Even if if they are for general no running use? Any occulsive thin layer applied to the outer of the shoes will NOT increase the life of a shoe as it prevents the exit of heat and vapour for foot perspiration. This will accumulate in the shoe and decrease its life faster.

From my experience. Athlete foot staff do always try to up sell. Whether it is a pair of sock, waterproof stuff, shoe bag or even an upgrade to a more expensive shoes. For a start the price at these stores is always higher than RRP and that of other stores.......

[Nathan Brown]

tank girl = ) sorry mate, i certainly didnt mean to sound like i took anything personally or with ill intent. Sorry if i gave you the wrong impression. What im trying to say is that in comparison to our competitors, to whatever extent, i feel everything we offer as sellers of footwear, is a hell of lot better than what you would get at our competitors. People can disagree with some of the things ive said, and i like the discussion, but coming from the point of view of being a runner before i started working there and being skeptical of the entire shop, im now the assistant manager and i firmly believe in the service we offer. This from a seller and a runners point of view in comparison with other retailers = ) I am sorry for it sounding like i took it hard = ) sorry mate. Podsport, first off, to generalise and speak on behalf of all runners, you just cant pull it off mate. I run 100+km a week, that should qualify me as a runner and the whole fitprint technique and our whole store method works for me and has definitely proved its validity in helping me choose the correct pair of footwear. I can only speak for the numerous runners ive sold footwear to who have agreed that the whole system worked for them and at the very least is better than that offered elsewhere, at least we make the effort to be better. But im certainly not gonna make erroneous presumptions about the system and that it "...does not assist runners in the correct selection of shoes..." This is untrue and an argument you will find impossible to back up. To speak in absolutes on anything is close minded and ignorant of the facts. Sure, it doesnt work everytime, im not gonna claim otherwise. But, runners not being the bulk of our business, the fitprint shouldnt need to be centered around them. The best ive offered to runners, as some have raised the same concerns as you have (yet not one has been brave enough to speak absolutely) is that i got them to run over the machine. Whatever minimal extent to which the fitprint machine is used is a minimal investment im willing to make to ensure i get the closest to correct performance running footwear, it is a service i am not going to find elsewhere. Fitprint definitely does work, for myself and those who are currently wearing shoes that were fitted by better trained staff with better resources, and of course that isnt every customer who we've sold footwear to. You get that. At least ive offered them a better likelihood to get fitted properly = ) i ask nothing more of myself in that regard than to give the customer everything i have to the level of my training and ability, which IS more than our competitors = ) the same applies to waterproofing, (it does add longevity to the shoes, socks that wick the perspiration for your feet solve the problem of feet perspiration, and i only sell it to people who mainly walk and only do things that most sedentary people do. I wouldnt even bother myself. But, i believe i did explain that theres always going to be moisture, the waterproofer is just something to help with the symptons, not cure the disease.) Man, of course we upsell, who doesnt, im proud that i do. Hell, businesses want to make money and everybody does it, nobodys forcing anybody and the customers are always welcome to say shove it. Thats part of my job obligations and for everything else the job entails, im happy to do it. I've had it done to me and i didnt find it hard to just say no thanks. And finally, another part of your riddled with flaws post, our pricing. There is not one shoe in our store that is "...always higher..." ( another absolute) than RRP. So that one is way out. We only sell at RRP, no more. Cant speak for other stores, but at ours, everything is RRP, and our prices are competitive with every other footwear retailer in the centre = ) I'd rather go TAF anyday over any other retailer, but thats me, you dont have to agree, thats your choice. It works for me every time and it is 100% more effective than anything else, for me. Works every time, for me!!!!