The Training Shoe Phenomenon

[Gunk]

I wear a lot of trainers, but I’m a bit old school, still an Adidas man. Hamburgs are my favourites

 

[Salad Dodger]

I buy my trainers from Primarni. Or sometimes Tesco's own brand. Since I mainly wear them to sit about in, or "loaf" as the current Mrs Salad likes to call it, I find they last for ages.

 

[Reynard]

Assorted Merrells for me - though more the walking shoe / boot than out and out trainers. When they get knackered, they end up doing a stint as gardening shoes before they finally go to that great shoe cupboard in the sky. I find Merrells really comfy - important, as I spend a lot of time on my feet.

Karrimor used to be really good VFM, but for some reason I no longer find them comfortable. No idea what they've done to them, but they now pinch in all the wrong places and aren't supportive. I have had some expensive walking shoes from Mountain Warehouse - really hard-wearing and the soles were very grippy when it was wet / muddy / icy, but they never truly "broke in" and weren't as comfy as they should have been. Plus the insides (heel and tongue) fell apart after a year's wear.

For futzing about at home, I'll wear crocs or croc clones.

My weakness are driving shoes / boots. I currently have two pairs of Adidas, a pair of Fila, a pair of Puma and a pair of Sparco... Mind, they *do* get used, as some of my walking shoes are far too clunky for driving in.

 

[roadrash]

The only trainers I have bought for the last thirty odd years are adidas samba , I have always found them to be comfy so no need to change, I have long since past caring about fashion etc

 

[CanucksTraveller]

The only trainers I have bought for the last thirty odd years are adidas samba.....
I have long since past caring about fashion etc

And ironically, Samba are extremely fashionable again!

 

[screenman]

Trainers must be a massive money spinner for the owners of the brands. Injection-moulded and glued together in China or South Korea by kids.

In a similar vein a business friend of mine makes moulds for the die-cast metal bits for sporrans, belt buckles, skian-dubhs and all the other bits and pieces for traditional Scottish dress. He sends the moulds to China, the bits come back costing about 10p each and he sells them on for several times that to a firm in Leeds who make all the paraphernalia, which they sell to homesick Scots expats all over the world for hundreds or even thousands of pounds. Crazy how much profit can be made by manufacturing consumer goods.

So simple, no wonder we are all millionaires.

 

[screenman]

I buy my trainers from Primarni. Or sometimes Tesco's own brand. Since I mainly wear them to sit about in, or "loaf" as the current Mrs Salad likes to call it, I find they last for ages.

I have also bought a few good knock offs from a shop with that name in Hisaronu.

 

[screenman]

I tend to bulk at about £150 for footwear.

 

[Gunk]

I tend to bulk at about £150 for footwear.

That’s my upper limit.

 

[Mart44]

That’s my upper limit.

That would be my sole limit too.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I wear lightweight mesh type trainers in the gym and what i'd call fashion trainers for general use,but as i get older,only in the warmer months. I buy Adidas, as most of my 'sporty stuff' is Adidas,so i have to not only colour co-ordinate,but brand co-ordinate as well. The most expensive pair i've bought cost me £113,last summer. They're white,yellow and gold in colour,so i won't be wearing them till probably April at the earliest. They have three little ventilation holes in the toe part of the sole,so they must let water in,though i haven't tried to find out. Obviously when designed in the late 1970's they were actually made for sport,not fashion.The pic' below is a stock photo,not mine,but these are the ones i bought.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Accy Cyclist found -

 

[slowmotion]

I last bought a pair in about 1990, but I have bought trainer-like SPD shoes for cycling. The North Wave ones (about £80) were so comfortable that I wore them all the time. Unfortunately, after three consecutive pairs, they were discontinued.
BTW, do trainers (not the North Wave shoes) still smell so appalling that people have to stick them on the window cill overnight?

 

[Mo1959]

I last bought a pair in about 1990, but I have bought trainer-like SPD shoes for cycling. The North Wave ones (about £80) were so comfortable that I wore them all the time. Unfortunately, after three consecutive pairs, they were discontinued.
BTW, do trainers (not the North Wave shoes) still smell so appalling that people have to stick them on the window cill overnight?

Yep...........the thread someone started about smelly cycling boots also seems to apply to many brands of trainers too. I think it is some combination of materials used and bacteria from feet. Makes them smell like cat pee!

 

[Globalti]

I bought a pair of Dunlop Green Flash trainers fir a tenner about 30 years ago and have worn them about 4 times. Haven't seen them for a while but I think they're in a suitcase under the spare bed. I hate wearing trainers because they make my feet sweat and smell.