Shoes

[Fluttershutter 2,529]

This rant is hidden for excessive and completely necessary profanity.

Spoiler

Why the fuck can't they just make shoes that aren't total fucking garbage???

I've had a couple of pairs of shoes that cost $20. They weren't worth five. They were held together by glue and a couple of stitches at the toe. The glue comes loose within weeks then the stitches break and the bottom of the shoe is flopping.

So I bought some for $50. They stayed together better but after about a month this stiff plastic is poking through the padding inside the shoe at the heel! Why the fuck would you put rigid plastic that can scrape skin in a shoe?????

So now I'm going to have to take another shot in the dark at finding shoes that aren't shit. It's hard to even find size 13 shoes. I know people might say I'm cheap but I don't want to spend $100 on more shoes that will probably be garbage too.

 

Edited November 14, 2020 by Fluttershutter

[Thuja 3,659]

I HATE IT, when shoes fall apart so quickly.  The ones I have now have worn out the inside part that goes along the back of the heel and it always tears a hole in my sock if I walk too much in them so I'm practically pissing through a sock a day when I actually do leave my place which is so frustrating because I hate letting things go to waste like that and I don't just want to throw the holed socks out.  I guess I could patch them up but I know it'll just get a new hole in them when I wear the sock again on that foot...  I'm trying to save up for some nice boots and it's always really hard to find my size in a shoe that I know won't fall apart in a year(I have US 9.5 W Men's)...  There's this one custom leather shoe company that has some GORGEOUS shoes called Girotti, I was thinking of trying this one company that was slightly cheaper but the comments on their facebook page weren't promising, so I figured I'd try saving up for the more expensive shoe that looks like they're more reliable.  I just want shoes that don't fall apart in less than a year...  Not to mention the glue that was holding the sole to the part where you put your feet in always comes undone so I just end up with wet feet if it rains too heavily lol...

[Fluttershutter 2,529]

15 minutes ago, Thuja said:

I HATE IT, when shoes fall apart so quickly.  The ones I have now have worn out the inside part that goes along the back of the heel and it always tears a hole in my sock if I walk too much in them so I'm practically pissing through a sock a day when I actually do leave my place which is so frustrating because I hate letting things go to waste like that and I don't just want to throw the holed socks out.  I guess I could patch them up but I know it'll just get a new hole in them when I wear the sock again on that foot...  I'm trying to save up for some nice boots and it's always really hard to find my size in a shoe that I know won't fall apart in a year(I have US 9.5 W Men's)...  There's this one custom leather shoe company that has some GORGEOUS shoes called Girotti, I was thinking of trying this one company that was slightly cheaper but the comments on their facebook page weren't promising, so I figured I'd try saving up for the more expensive shoe that looks like they're more reliable.  I just want shoes that don't fall apart in less than a year...  Not to mention the glue that was holding the sole to the part where you put your feet in always comes undone so I just end up with wet feet if it rains too heavily lol...

I hear you. I'd be thrilled to get six months out of shoes.

[SharpWit 2,709]

Sounds like you're getting what you pay for, and that you might not be considering what kind of shoe you really need. You can't expect to find anything decent for less than $60, and the worst case scenario of spending the money on a pair that will actually last is it'll cost as much as getting a crappy set each month for the year.

I'm a size 13 myself, and struggled for years to find a pair that could handle the miles I'd walk daily or the wet weather my state provides. I've even dealt with rigid plastic that wore it's way way through the fabric and then through the skin of my heal, but I've found two brands that work for me. Clark's and Bass.

 Both offer very similar options. The left is Clark's and the right Bass. They're both leather slip on boots that are water resistant. They provide immediate comfort and my last pairs of each lasted about a year and a half. I dropped a decent chunk of change but great deals were occurring at the time for secondary purchases with the fkrmer having a second lair of equal or lesser value being only $10 and the former having up to 75% or something other since they were closing all in person stores, so theoretically I should be set for the next five years. They work for everyday use, heavy work, and formal occassions.

[Jesse Terrence 2,969]

19 minutes ago, SharpWit said:

Sounds like you're getting what you pay for, and that you might not be considering what kind of shoe you really need. You can't expect to find anything decent for less than $60, and the worst case scenario of spending the money on a pair that will actually last is it'll cost as much as getting a crappy set each month for the year.

I'm a size 13 myself, and struggled for years to find a pair that could handle the miles I'd walk daily or the wet weather my state provides. I've even dealt with rigid plastic that wore it's way way through the fabric and then through the skin of my heal, but I've found two brands that work for me. Clark's and Bass.

 Both offer very similar options. The left is Clark's and the right Bass. They're both leather slip on boots that are water resistant. They provide immediate comfort and my last pairs of each lasted about a year and a half. I dropped a decent chunk of change but great deals were occurring at the time for secondary purchases with the fkrmer having a second lair of equal or lesser value being only $10 and the former having up to 75% or something other since they were closing all in person stores, so theoretically I should be set for the next five years. They work for everyday use, heavy work, and formal occassions.

Dunno how USA's prices work like, but in Mexico I usually buy rather cheap work boots (worth the equivalent of 7.50 US$) and they last me 10 months (would last me longer if I didn't run miles with them or expose them to ankle-deep puddles). Of course, I don't have huge feet, so I guess that helps too with the prices xD

Last expensive boots I bought (not that expensive, honestly) were these Fish workboots. They lasted me 3 years, and the rubber ankle protector ripped off while the rest of the boot was completely fine (wore them pretty much all day long and everyday). Hadn't been for that protector, I would not have thrown them away.

Edited November 14, 2020 by Jesse Terrence

[Fluttershutter 2,529]

50 minutes ago, SharpWit said:

Sounds like you're getting what you pay for, and that you might not be considering what kind of shoe you really need. You can't expect to find anything decent for less than $60, and the worst case scenario of spending the money on a pair that will actually last is it'll cost as much as getting a crappy set each month for the year.

You're right, it's just a big investment to risk on something you see online. I'll check out the brands you mentioned, thanks.

 

I also don't really want big heavy boots, Just something simple like this.

[CypherHoof 26,483]

I find the problem with large sizes like 13 is that shoe manufacturers don't take into account the fact that larger feet put much more strain on the structure of the shoe; you can't just scale everything up at the same thickness, or they will end up cracking around 1/3 of the way from the toe, as the way a foot flexes puts significantly more stress there than elsewhere.

Also, amusing joke I heard the other day:

Shopper: Excuse me, but do you have these shoes in a "mens" ?
Shop Assistant: Sorry, what do you mean?
Shopper: Well, more durable, half the price, and actually comfortable rather than hurting?
Shop Assistant: Hahahaha of course not!

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,732]

This is precisely why I never invest in expensive shoes. They always look super nice and high quality before you get them but then they don't hold up. One would think that shoes, things you wear on your feet and therefore use a lot when walking, would be designed better with durability in mind but that hardly ever seems to be the case. So I stick with simple pairs. Usually $20 at maximum. 

[SharpWit 2,709]

8 hours ago, Fluttershutter said:

I also don't really want big heavy boots, Just something simple like this.

They're not ideal if you want to wear shorts or play sports but they're pretty light.

[Early Sunsets 2,107]

I've gotten Brooks and Saucony before and they held up well over time. They are on the expensive side ($80 to $120 for their "budget" shoes), but the pairs I tried lasted many years of school gym class and marching band. On the topic of marching band and shoes, the Drillmaster shoes we had to get for marching band (think I paid around $35) lasted five years of marching band, plus I always wore them if I needed to dress nice since they do look pretty good. Also wore them to church every week, back when my parents forced me to go. The soles actually wore down so that there's almost no tread left, but the shoe itself is still completely solid.

Nowadays I don't wear shoes much. Since I ride a moped everywhere and I'm gonna get a motorcycle as soon as the safety classes open back up, I pretty much exclusively wear boots now (though I do keep one of my old pairs of Brooks in the closet, just in case). Motorcycle boots are not cheap. I think the pair I'm wanting to get is just under $300? It goes like halfway up your calf and has a bunch of armor and adjustable buckles to make sure they fit snugly. It's a lot to spend for boots, but it's much cheaper than going to the hospital and having to have your foot reattached (kind of gruesome, but I kid you not, it's fairly common for a motorcyclist's foot to be torn off in a serious accident if they're not wearing the correct gear).

Here they are. $280, but that's nothing compared to a hospital bill. They're also supposed to be waterproof.

Edited November 15, 2020 by 000-00-00-00

[Dreambiscuit 10,094]

When it comes to shoes, my experience is that you get what you pay for. In my case I have little choice when I’m buying shoes because my feet have an odd shape; they’re very small but very wide, so it’s hard to find any shoe that doesn’t make them ache within two hours of wear. Sometimes I have to wear children’s shoes and, as silly as that sounds, I can at least find something that fits if I’m not too finicky about the style. If I buy adult shoes on a budget ($15-$20) I can usually expect them to be okay for about two months before they disintegrate. If I want something to last a year I have to go up to the $30+ level. Most shoes these days are very low quality even in the higher price ranges whereas the shoes I have from ten years ago are still going strong. Shoe companies sell garbage and don’t seem to care what they stamp their name on as long as they get that money in their hot little hands. They never think about the future and all the customers who won’t be returning to buy their stuff.

[ZiggWheelsManning 10,961]

The vital part about shoes is you need them to mow the grass, and admire the green stains you get on them