Shoe Life

“How long will my shoes last?" This is the question we are most commonly asked. And rightly so - it's a very important one as worn shoes can undoubtedly cause injury. If you run or walk in a shoe that is broken down, you increase the chance of breaking down yourself. Unfortunately though, shoes do not have an alarm that goes off when they need replacing. If we replace them too early we are wasting money, but if we leave it too long we may trigger an injury.

There's no exact formula to knowing when to replace your shoes, as it varies from person to person and sport to sport. But here's a general guide that I developed during my time as a practicing sports podiatrist, which will get you thinking along the right lines. The three factors that need to be considered are the distance you travel, how hard you are on your shoes, and just how much the ultimate wear experience matters to you.... 

THE DISTANCE YOUR SHOES TRAVEL

If you don't have problems with injury your shoes should last between 1000 and 1500 km. 

If you are prone to injury - which I define as getting the same injury year after year - I suggest you replace your shoes between 700 and 800 kms. 

So it's important to keep a rough note of the distance you've travelled in your shoes. Don't try to gauge it by their visual appearance, as there will actually be few visible signs of wear.

This applies equally to running shoes and walking shoes, both of which actually tend to wear out over the same distance, albeit for different reasons. Running shoes incur a loading force 3 times your body weight each time your foot hits the ground, whereas walking shoes only incur half as much loading force (i.e. 1.5 times your body weight). However, they spend twice as much time in contact with the ground, so overall it works out to about the same time.

HOW HARD ARE YOU ON YOUR SHOES

Some people are just tough on shoes! Landing heavily on the heel, twisting on the forefoot, or pushing through the side, they thrash their shoes, sometimes wearing them out in just 400km. It's not at all about bodyweight or size, and it varies hugely from person to person, but it is a very important factor.

COMFORT WHILE EXERCISING

Shoes 'flatten' with use, after about 600 km. Being a little flatter will not hurt you, but they might fall short in delivering the ultimate wear experience. 

As we get to know more about your feet, we can help build up a picture of what to expect from your shoes. Incidentally, if you are hard on your shoes then do tell us - some shoe models are much more hard-wearing than others, and we can probably save you money in the long term!