How Long Do You Keep Your Sneakers?

I don't switch that often!!! I have Hoka's at $160+ a pair ( specialty running store). They are SO worth it for my feet and ankles.

I would buy a back up pair if I caught them on clearance from year end model like mine, but no, other than that.., I wear them out.

This concept is completely different if you are an avid runner and compete. If you are in that category, then yes, you probably need to upgrade due to wear and tear.

Every three months? What, are they a toothbrush?

I keep them til they fray and wear out but aren't so worn that they have holes or the soles are flapping. I keep at least one old pair for backup, yard work, etc.

My DH is a runner and replaces his running shoes probably 2x a year, depending on how much he's run. I don't do a lot of specific walk for exercise so I keep my shoes longer.

There's a test the doctor I see for orthodics does to my sneakers.

I think he calls it the twist test. He twists my sneakers to see how much support they have left. Apparently this is more important than checking the bottoms (which are made to be more durable than the cushioning).

If they hardly twist (remain firm) he's happy. If they twist too much - time for a new pair.

His other suggestion is how your shins/legs feel. They will start to hurt when it's time to change them.

I've always heard 6 months for an active runner. I haven't run in years but that was advice given to me then.

Hope that helps :)

It's not a question of time, but of usage. So every 3 months, if you just wear them now and then and just for casual walking, is wasteful. But if you are running 150 miles a week, that's another thing entirely!

My family of runners keeps track of mileage, actually. We buy our shoes at a running store (independent, not a chain) and they are terrific at checking the shoes for flexibility, cushioning and tread. They'll show you how to do this. They also watch us walk (outside on the sidewalk or inside on their treadmill, or both) to look at stride, pronation, etc., and then they recommend a shoe specifically for each of us. (If they have several recommendations, we try them all on and then choose based on fit and comfort.) We keep the new pair for running or the gym, and rotate the old pair for gardening or mowing the lawn. We rotate the old lawn mowing shoes to them - they also have a donation program where they give worn-out shoes to people in third world countries.

We found our running store through the track coach at the high school. You can call your high school athletic director and ask who they recommend (sometimes it's for more than one sport, like running/tennis/soccer). Then tell the running store that Coach X referred you - we get a 10% discount for the whole family dating from when my son was in high school on the track team.

If you just wear your shoes for no particular purpose, I'd discard/donate based on tread wear.

Depends on whether you are actually using them for running. I don't run so I keep them until I am bored with them.

My daughter runs, even so she doesn't replace them more than every six months.

I keep mine a long time. I don't normally wear sneakers daily, but I have more than one pair. When I buy a new pair the new pair becomes my indoor gym shoes. My indoor gym shoes become my outdoor running shoes. My outdoor running shoes become my "mucky" shoes for gardening and camping.

I keep mine until they fall apart. I can't afford to buy new shoes every three months.

I agree depends on use. If you are working out or doing a lot of walking they won't last as long. My good shoes last four to six months depending on use. They then get downgraded to yard shoes and everything else shoes. I usually keep three total pairs of tennis shoes.

I wear my sneakers until they are uncomfortable to wear or are worn out. Every 3 months? That seems excessive unless they are getting very heavy use like running a lot of marathons or something.
Those stupid fashion shows are made to make you go out and buy lots of stuff. Do people really need a full, new wardrobe every season when they have perfectly wearable clothes in their closet already? Absolutely not! But you're told you need "the latest fashions" to look good. Ugh.

I wear them till they fall apart.
They just want you to throw away perfectly good shoes so you buy more and that's such a waste!

It depends. When you are talking about sneakers are you talking about your every day sort of run around doing errands shoes? Or are you talking about running shoes that you use to run 10 miles per week in? Or cross trainers that you go to the gym and do aerobics classes in? Or shoes that you only throw on once a week to walk around the yard or go to Target, or wear around on vacation?

It really matters how and how much you wear them. For running shoes that you are actually running in, age matters less than mileage! 500 miles tops, maybe 300 miles depending on how long that takes you.

For "I'm just throwing these on to go to the store b/c flats/heels are not practical" types... I could wear those for a couple of years, unless they get worn doing something dirty and they start to come apart or feel less supportive, or get smelly.

If I wore canvas sneakers (keds, converse, etc).. then I'd toss them the second they started getting worn spots in the canvass. It happens pretty quickly from what I can tell from my daughter's shoes. But then, she wears them pretty much every single day, everywhere she goes. And she's rough on them (she's 13).

If you have any sort of foot problem, then I would be more particular about how long I wore them and check regularly to be sure they were providing the level of support needed for whatever condition I had. If this is the case, then check with your doctor (who is advising you about said condition) and get a recommendation about how often to change them.

running shoes every 6 months. i'm a distance runner so i'm h*** o* my good running shoes.
but just plain ol' sneakers? until they fall apart, or get too grody to be do-able any more. i've got an adorable pair of pink reebok hightops i've had for over a decade!
khairete
S.

For my own shoes, just with regular wear and walking, maybe 6 months or so. But then they become my garden shoes--don't care if they get green from cutting grass etc. For my daughter who is on track and cross country with school, 3 months tops. She wears them out.

Until they 'fall apart'. Mostly that means I've worn a hole through the sole. With dressier shoes, usually until the finish is too damaged or the leather splits.

Unless you're wearing the sneakers on a daily basis in competitive or destructive ways, I can't see why they would need replacing every 3 months. Since it was a fashion show, maybe the point was that a sneakers get dirty?

I haven't worn actual sneakers in ages. I do most walking marathons and fun runs in 3 year old Mocs from Lands End. Nice and broken in, but still stable in structure because of the quality. If I'm doing obstacles I wear Vibram shoes so I can use my toes for climbing and then toss them in the washing machine later.

I walk a lot for work and go to the gym in the same shoes as I have bad ankle. I replace every 3 months or so as my hip starts to get to tight/painful. The shoes may still look like new but I need my body to work better than saving $$ on shoes.

I find a good pair, then watch for sales online and replace with the same shoe for a while.

For me, "sneakers" means shoes I work out in, not shoes for casual wear. I use my sneakers a lot for exercising, and I replace them probably every 3-6 months, because by that point they are pretty trashed.

It really depends on how often you use them and for what activities.

I keep mine for about 2-3 years. They are not "falling apart" at this time, but the sole is usually getting rather worn. I can't imagine throwing them out after 3 months!

Until they hurt my feet because the support has broken down or they wear out. If they have some life left in them, they become my gardening sneaks and then the trash.

My sneakers last about a year as I have several pairs to use to rotate the wear.

Time for a clothing budget so that the purchase price does not push the family expenses off the rail.

the other S.

Do you mean shoes you actually work out in? My work out shoes run around $80 and I replace them around every 16-18 months. Pretty much treat them like the tires on my car, miles = wear = take care of your feet.