Forums >Gears and Wears>Shoes and Mileage
I also wear Asics, not because of any great brand loyalty, but because my feet are almost a half size different and yet Asics's 11's always seem a comfortable fit. I guess their size 11 is probably right between the size of my two feet. Other brands don't seem to work as well but at this point it's probably psychological. I've tried numerous Asics shoes from racing flats to lightweight trainers and regular old running shoes and generally get well over a thousand miles our of a pair. I only replace them because I find that at some point >800 miles I'll get some pain, in a knee, hip etc. I'll wonder if it's the shoes and decide not to risk an injury for $50 and then shop around for a new pair. I usually buy two pair of the11xx series at once and get try to get the previous model. I've had shoes go as long as 1400 miles before this happens. I have no idea what they make soles from these days but they never used to last this long. I don't even own any shoe goo now but is used to be a regular feature of the athletic kit bag. If I get an odd pain when the shoes have only 500 miles on them I tend not to suspect the shoe and keep on running and it usually turns out to be nothing!
John
Feeling the growl again
I'm not sure what running store you go to, but if the sales people are on commission and/or push you to buy things you don't need, find another one. I work at a very well respected running store and our number one goal is to fit our customers in the correct shoes and help them to prevent injury. If a customer brings old shoes in, we honestly tell them whether or not it's time for a new pair. That's how you keep customers and stay well trusted and respected.
I'll draw the analogy to my mechanic. He is great, and I trust him to tell me if something needs to be fixed, but I went through a long string before him that I would not have trusted like that. You are right, the good ones know it breeds loyalty, but that doesn't stop a lot of them from taking the short view on things. I'm just saying be certain you have one of the good ones before you take their word on this.
For me, the only way to tell a shoes is worn out is to wear it. I recently had two pairs that were identical, had been bought at the same time, but one had 700 miles on it and had been retired and the other only had about 100 miles on it (both were treadmill shoes so minimal sole wear). I got them mixed up. To the eye there was no difference but 15 seconds on the treadmill and I knew which was which.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
I tend to be tough on shoes it seems, but I usually get about 300mi out of a good pair. The ones I seem to use the most, Saucony Progrid, I get anywhere from just under 300 to 400mi per pair. Just about to retire a pair of New Balance 645, and I only got about 275mi on them (complete estimation; I use metric)
Sulphur Springs 50km-- Ancaster, ON-- May 28, 2022
Tally in the Valley 12 hours-- Dundas, ON -- July 30, 2022 (Support SickKids Toronto)
Stokely Creek-- 56km-- Sault Ste. Marie, ON-- Sept. 24, 2022
I fly.
You can typically expect to get 300-500 miles out of a pair of shoes. It's a big range but you can narrow it down based on your weight. A smaller woman can get 500 miles, while a bigger guy will get more like 300. If you're wearing shoes to the point that they're falling apart, you're wearing them too long! If you've got any doubt, bring your shoes into a specialty running store and ask them if they're shot or not.
I agree with the expected mileage in theory, but as a smaller woman I find that I can only get about 300 miles out of a pair. When I run on the treadmill, I sometimes get up to 400 (okay, maybe 1 or 2 times).
Bring it on.
The shirtless wonder
What does everyone use to judge when a pair needs to be replaced?
run.therowes.net
I've got over 500 on three pairs of Nikes currently and don't see a reason to ditch any of them yet, certainly not for shorter runs. I weigh >200, but the majority of my running is on trail or treadmill.
At the weekend I did ten miles on asphalt in a pair with close to 600 miles on them and felt no ill effects.
Wear on the sole isn't bad on any of them.
The process is the goal.
Men heap together the mistakes of their lives, and create a monster they call Destiny.
I've always found it interesting that some folks toss out shoes because they no longer have that "new shoe" cushy feel, while others buy minimalist shoes because they don't have all that cushioning. To each his own, I guess.
I used to believe the 300-500 guideline and got new shoes then, thinking I was avoiding injury. But, dang, those things are expensive and I've come to learn that I can go much, much longer without problems. My current Asics are at about 800 miles and doing fine. YMMV.
Be safe. Be kind.
Through trial and error over years I determined that if I consistently pushed them much past 700 miles I would start to have lower leg or knee issues. So as standard practice I started using them for shorter (<10 mile) runs only north of 500 miles and retiring at 700. I cannot judge by look, I'm relatively efficient and the tread looks fine. It is the cushioning breakdown and support which is the issue.
Tramps,
Minimalist shoes/flats are designed to provide a certain level of support with minimal cushioning. I don't even track miles on my flats because I will wear them until they literally fall apart...and if I like them I will glue the sole back on to keep them running longer! Trainers, on the other hand, experience compression and breakdown of the cushioning material and can cease to support the foot correctly, leading to improper support of the foot and hence leg. This is why I believe that when I run shoes too long I start experiencing lower leg and knee issues. It's not the reduced cushioning per se but the improper support and alignment issues that the shoe induces on the legs.
Some may say the solution is to run in minimal shoes only. Been there, tried that, not going back. Works for some but not all.
Prince of Fatness
My experience is similar to Spaniel's. I used to wear cushioned shoes such as the Nimbus and when I started getting aches and pains from the knee down I switched. The wear is so subtle that I don't see just feel being the guide. Put the new ones on immediately after taking the worn ones off then you'll notice the difference in feel.
I've since switched to lightweight trainers, and gather that they will last longer just because there was less cushion to begin with. i have over 600 miles on a couple of pairs and run in them with no problem.
Not at it at all.
Running stores sell shoes. Unless it was someone I really had a reason to trust, I would not be asking a person selling new shoes if my old ones were worn out.
Right on here --- I went to a running store last year and brought a pair of my shoes with 220 miles on them (just so we could look at the barely visible wear pattern because I wanted to consider other models/brands of running shoes) and the lady told me I really needed to consider replacing these shoes as soon as possible because they're really breaking down..... I ended up wearing them for another 400 miles.....
Champions are made when no one is watching
Still figuring it out.
Over the last year or so, I've been trying to run in less bulky shoes. I just looked at my shoes list. I noticed that I gotten about 100 more miles out of the Nirvana than I did out of the Kinvara. Probably, with time, I'll get more miles out of the less bulky shoes.
"If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus
Unknown for me. I'll wear them until they either fall apart or the tread is gone.
Petco Run/Walk/Wag 5k
In heavier stability shoes I wore thru multiple layers of the outer rear corners and replace them when most of the corner was into final layer of material. Being brand agnostic I had same results with a number of brands and got less than 300 mi on all of them.
I accidently came upon a light weight stability shoe that I bought as knock around because DW liked the way they looked. I realized I liked the feel when I removed the inner sole and started running in them, END OTG's. They are no longer mfg and the company got bought out but using them helped me start changing my form from heavy heel corner strike to a more even mid/rear foot strike. Noticeable change in wear patterns. I have 250 mi on them and they are far from being worn out. Using them started me down minimal shoe use path and I do most of my running these days in VFF's or a pair of Crocs I cut a slit in to increase toe room. I have a 167 mi on the Crocs which were 2 years old when I converted them to running and they shoe even less wear than the END OTGs!
bob e v 2014 goals: keep on running! Is there anything more than that?
Complete the last 3 races in the Austin Distance Challenge, Rogue 30k, 3M Half, Austin Full
Break the 1000 mi barrier!
History: blessed heart attack 3/15/2008; c25k july 2008 first 5k 10/26/2008 on 62nd birthday.
not bad for mile 25
YMMV is the most appropriate thing to say here.
I used to wear Brooks Beasts because I was told I needed maximum support and motion control. They were heavy, but felt good for about 80 miles; then I would start back down the old knee and shin pain path. I have since gone to the opposite extreme of having no support or motion control and letting my feet and ankles do the work. I took a year to relearn how to run. Now the Vibram KSOs that I'm using could be fine indefinitely, except I've noticed a tiny hole developing in one toe after some 300 miles.
I used to wear Brooks Beasts because I was told I needed maximum support and motion control.
This seems to be a default recommendation in a lot (not all!) shoe stores. I stopped sending new runners into stores blind with instructions to have the store fit them after like 8 in a row came back with Beasts....which also look to be on the pricier end...hmmm...
Now I give them concrete recommendations of where to start.
One problem with motion control shoes is that they are trying to force you to do something you do not want to do. So you will not land flat in them and there will typically be a corner that wears unusually fast. When I was young, poor and ignorant I once bought a pair of NB motion control shoes because they were on clearance. They were heavy, felt bad, and I was through the sole in one corner in 150 miles.