The worst running shoe brands?

Wallyboy wrote:

Got all the way to my race only to realize that I left my shoes right were I put them to ensure that I would not forget them. Too far to drive back and too cheap to spring for another expensive pair for 1 race, I went to Walmart. Don’t judge! Picked up a pair of these and ran a 1:30 PR and was still ale to walk the ex day. I call that a win. Don’t knock it til you’ve tried it,

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Avia-Men-s-Mesh-Running-Shoes/434432530

They still sport that "cantilever technology"?

Now I'm flashing back to the Scarlet and Gold trainers I was issued in boot camp in '82.

Basic as hell with the gum-type sole that wrapped up farther than normal both front and back. I think they were meant to look like some of the Adidas models that were out at the time but they certainly didn't perform like them.

As we age, we also change are shoe preferences. I. HS and College I ran in whatever was cheap or free. mostly second tier Nike or new balance. Got into adidas at the end of college. Ran my first marathon I the Nike Pegasus 2000 A few years later got a low key sponsorship (just gear and entry fees) from a local shoe store dealing mostly in Brooks and ran in Adrenalines and ghosts, racing in the T4/T5. But somewhere Brooks went bad about 5-6 years ago ..started blowing out the sides of the shoes with less than 100 miles and switched to HOkA. The low heel drop wrecked my Achilles and now I’m back to Nike and adidas and running virtually pain free.

Long story short ...bodies change and so do preferences. Don’t think there are too many “bad” shoes out there. But there are no shoes that work for everyone.

Etonic

Spot Bilt

Pony

Pro Wings

Turntec

+++++++++++++++

WOW. Good memory

jordans

Altras sure suck!

Turntec.

I worked at Athlete's Foot back in the '80s. When Turntec came out, they had an employee promotion which they figured would boost their sales. For every pair of Turntecs sold, the store employee would receive a sticker to put in a sticker book. When you accumulated 20 stickers, you could redeem them for a free pair of Turntecs. Now, these shoes were crappy, but we pushed the hell out of them to get stickers (however, being a righteous dude, I would never sell Turntec to a fellow runner). Once we got our free pair, we would immediately exchange them for a brand we wanted. I stockpiled my favorite models and didn't pay for running shoes for several years. Our particular store probably kept Turntec in business a few months longer than they should have been!

On shoes are a scam. The ‘cloud pods’ don’t provide the cushioning or rebound that is claimed, and the ‘speed board’ is stiff and hard as a plank of wood. On top of that, they’re heavy and expensive.

They do look nice though. A cool wear around shoe, if you get a pair for free as I did.

Anyone around New England remember the LOCO running shoes from like 15 years ago?

I won a few pairs at races. They were awful. The most bland dad-shoe design. Even then, they looked like something that had sat in a closet for 20 years. The sizing was weird, they were heavy, nothing at all to recommend them.

I feel bad trashing the brand as they were run by nice people trying to do something really hard. I bet they gave away more than they sold.

I would vote Altras. I bought 2 pair of them when I was training for a 50 miler. Then I bought another pair once I pared back down to my normal mileage. I finally gave up on them because: they are expensive, and because the sides of the shoes split open long before the tread wears down. They just split down the whole inner side in mid stride!!!

I have run for many years in lots of different brands of shoes and have never had shoes do this. Altra replaced the first pair that split and then the replacements split, and then a third pair did this also. The sides of the shoes just split open while I was out on a long run. I had to walk back. I was so pissed. Never again!

Mizuno is the only shoe I've truly hated. Nike has usually been a disappointment, but I'd love to try the vaporfly at some point. I had one bad experience with Adidas and haven't tried another model since.

I'm starting to build loyalty to new balance over the past few years. They have the only lightweight shoes that I never get injured in.

Does any runner, anywhere, refer to running shoes as "sneakers"? Also, I was thinking of the woman commentator for the Houston HM referring to the "tennis shoes" that the runners were wearing.

When I was a kid (early '50s) we called them Keds, converses, sneakers and/or tennis shoes. Keds were the most popular until the light-weight converse sneaker showed up.

In the beginning of Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury he describes what it's like to put on a brand new pair of Keds and bounce down the street.

Slo-Jo wrote:

I would vote Altras. I bought 2 pair of them when I was training for a 50 miler. Then I bought another pair once I pared back down to my normal mileage. I finally gave up on them because: they are expensive, and because the sides of the shoes split open long before the tread wears down. They just split down the whole inner side in mid stride!!!

I have run for many years in lots of different brands of shoes and have never had shoes do this. Altra replaced the first pair that split and then the replacements split, and then a third pair did this also. The sides of the shoes just split open while I was out on a long run. I had to walk back. I was so pissed. Never again!

of all the brands i've ever worn Altra have by far the worst build quality.

...some of them are quite nice to run in though.

Have tried most of the major brands/models over 40+ yrs. I do know, but often ignore, the fact that I run well in fairly firm, not overly built, shoes. Super cushioned equals injury for me (knees, hips, hamstring, PF, glutes). Excessive motion control equals ITBS, PF, etc.

Bad models for me: any of the original air - contrail, air max, vortex, vengeance - instant PF. Also ASICS xcaliber gt - instant ITBS.

One excellent but forgotten Saucony - the Flite. My injury- prevention shoe. Currently in adios 4 and NB 1400.

Nike.

Anecdotally, I suppose it's Brooks.

Asics seems kinda dated, but they work for me. I don't run fast in them, but I don't get hurt and they feel fine.

Nikes, I've only run in training shoes I got for free. Got Infinity React and they're pleasant, but probably too soft for me to run in too much. I used to race in their spikes (I believe Victory/Matumbo) and thought they were very good. Haven't raced in the Next% yet but thought they were solid for a training run.

Mizunos, I dabbled with back in the day and think I'm cool with.

Adidas, I really like for lightweight trainers/racing with the Bostons which I tried on a whim and have grown to really like.

Brooks the one time I wore the Launch I immediately developed calf issues and retired them to be a walking shoe. Not writing them off completely, but I will stick with a newer pair of Asics as my easy/steady day training shoes.

This is pretty accurate for me, the Ghosts were my winter shoe last year and they were clunky. Ran in the 10s and they were great though. Mizuno was fine, outdated now. Saucony does very well for me, I live by the ride.