Shoe-buying Mistakes

Runners make the same mistakes again and again when they come in to buy shoes. Make sure you buy the right shoes… here are the common mistakes that runners make:

Mistake #1: Buying for looks

Some runners are too concerned with fashion. Often, when they get a shoe that looks cool, they end up coming back in a few months and saying, “This shoe hurts me. I had a problem with it.” When you buy, think feel and fit, not fashion.

Mistake #2: Buying shoes that are too small

Tight-fitting shoes lead to blisters and black toenails and that kind of thing. Women in particular are used to wearing their shoes close-fitting, as they’re often more self-conscious about the size of their feet. The fit should be roomy enough in the forefoot – about a thumb-width in front of the longest toe – but not sloppy and loose.

Mistake #3: Shopping at the wrong time of day

A lot of times people shop for shoes in the morning and say, “This is the shoe I want.” Then they’ll come back the next day and say, “I wore them at 5pm and they were too small.” Your feet start swelling in the morning and they don’t stop until about 4pm. That’s as big as they’re going to get, so always buy your shoes in the late afternoon, or better yet, the evening.

Mistake #4: Assuming their size

People assume that a size is a size – that an 8 in a Nike will be the same as an 8 in a New Balance. But sizes differ because of different lasts (foot forms), the different shape of the upper, and the way the shoe is stitched together. Have your feet measured every time you buy, and always try both the shoes on for fit, as many of us have ever-so-slightly different-sized feet.