Im sick of Nike running shoes.

I've been wearing Nike's for about 25 years. The reason is because they always seem to fit me the best. The past few years, the quality seems to have deteriorated. The springiness seems to go out of the shoes a lot sooner. I've contacted Nike about this but received no response.

I could rant on and on, but what I really would like is help on finding an alternative. The main reason I bought Nike in the past was because they are wide in the toe, in proportion to the rest. Since I have sort of flat feet, that are narrow in the heel, and wide at the toes, the fit worked out pretty well.

I would welcome any thoughts on good quality shoes that offer decent support, good cushioning (which I seem to need even more of with this many miles on my body) and decent flexibility, and hopefully with a good size toe box.

Pete M.

PS I'm also sick of those laces that always seem to come undone.

Saucony. And double-knot your laces.

Peter,

Funny you should mention this. I've been running for about 25 years, too. Three 10Ks a week over asphalt and gravel, level and hilly terrain. I just like to run (and weight train) for fun and it keeps me from getting lethargic.

I generally don't require much in a running shoe, either, except that the toe area be wide enough and the shoe have some cushiness. I've never had knee or foot problems, so never had to spend a lot of time researching shoes. I usually get Nike or New Balance, at about $100, just because they feel good to me. BUT, as you state, I have noticed that my last two pairs of Nikes have lost their resiliency very quickly. I am not going to buy another pair from Nike.

I think I'll start going to a running shoe shop, as recommended in the running.rec FAQ (I just discovered this ng) and get their advice and purchase from them. I'd like to run for another 25 years, and they can help me do that.

Bruce Karnacki

Peter,

I used to religiously buy and run in Nike shoes...and eventually I had a lot of the same issues that you do...I began to feel like they spent a lot more on advertising than they did on a quality product. Plus, they roll out new shoes so often that it doesn't seem like it's in their best interest to make shoes that last for too long...

Anyway, I've since switched to Asics...I've used the DS Trainer for the past few years and it has a roomy toe box with a narrower (though not extremely narrow) heel and arch area...Asics are definitely worth looking into.

I had similar experiences a few years ago. There are some things I really liked about Nike but quality really seemed to diminish the last few years.

Many brands advertise a model with a wide toe box. I know that the Saucony Grid Swerve fits my Mom good and she needs a wide toe box. New Balance makes some good shoes as does Asics. I like the Asics 2060's and the Kayano's. Good Luck.

David Olsen

For a wide forefoot, try some Adidas models and New Balance (multiple widths). NB can be pricey depending on the model but you might get lucky. Saucony look wide (!) but I haven't run with them yet.

Seems like a lot of people have had trouble with Nike, but I've run exclusivly in Nike shoes for 10 years now and have not had a problem. I have the luxury of not having any injuries or special problems to worry about when buying shoes. I usually get the discontinued models at $40-$50/pair and they last me a good 350 miles or so roughly.

Yes, and buy the stock to it is incredible cheap right now.

Sauconys should fit your hourglass foot...

Hm, I can't second on this. I've been running since summer 1999 and started out with asics. May 2000 I got my first pair of Nike Air Structure Triax. They have a little bit too much support for me and are too heavy. That's the reason why I wouldn't buy them again. But they seem to last really long. I still use this pair 2-3 times every week an I've run now ~1480 km in them and they still look ok.

The Asics GT2050, which I got July 2000, on the other hand really are worn out after ~1260 km and I just decided to drop them.

Last month I got a pair Nike Skylon, which is my second pair of Nike shoes. I really like them, since they seem to fit perfectly to my feet, have a flat sole, low arch and are the lightest shoes I ever had. Though I've only run ~110 km in them yet, I can't tell much about quality.

Cheers,

Pete -

Forget laces....use YANKZ (www.yankz.com). My entire running group bought Yankz last year and we all completed the USMC Marathon without a single lace coming undone. My only suggestion is to not cut off the extra when you install - it's next to impossible to reuse on a second pair of shoes if you do.