what are the LEAST DURABLE RUNNING SHOES you've worn?

Adidas Cubato. First run, 6 miles, my knees started hurting 3 miles in, so I turned around early. Never ran in them again. Went into the donation box at the same running store that I got them at a few years later.

Yeah, Kinvaras. The first issue was fine. Ever since, though, not so much. I gave up on them.

UH, gents, lets cut the whiny chatter about name brand shoes and get down to brass tacks.

AVIA; heard of em?

I had a pair of New Balance 980s or 890s that I liked, but didn't get many miles out of them.

Kinavaras for sure. Felt great first 100-200 miles then upper mesh on both shoes ripped open so much I could stick my toe through it.

I had a pair of Mizunos that became unusable after about a week. They didn't actually break down, but I wore them in the rain once and they stunk so bad thereafter that I had to throw them away.

I've done the same run in the same weather in a wide variety of shoes without ever having the same issue, so I'm 99% sure there was just something about those particular shoes that made them prone to becoming unwearably stinky.

Nike Air Triax from back in the 90's. Less than a hundred miles into them one air pocket developed a leak ... sss ...sss ...sss ... sss. Drove me nuts running in them, the feel of the shoes was still fine but couldn't handle that noise.

Tossed those things in the garbage and haven't bought Nike shoes since.

Sketcher Go Run Ultra.

No rubber at all. The entire bottom of the shoe was Eva Foam. After the first run, the outsole was noticeable worn.

Stopped running in those and switched to pegs soon after.

Kinvaras????

I got easily over 1,000 Miles on my last 2 pairs of Kinvaras and I'm not that light either. I feel like specifically in the 8s it only got more soft/flexible the more I wore it, though I may just be a weirdo.

Both big toes started coming through after 40 miles.

Brooks Asteria, but I really like them.

slowmsrunner wrote:

Kinvaras????

I got easily over 1,000 Miles on my last 2 pairs of Kinvaras and I'm not that light either. I feel like specifically in the 8s it only got more soft/flexible the more I wore it, though I may just be a weirdo.

yeah they do get more soft/flexible, but I don't like that. they don't have as much spring when they are soft. I'm not too durable, though. What's your height/weight? I'm at ~6 foot and 155

Ran in some New Balances my sophomore year of high school. Hated those things. I remember them looking messed up pretty quick and they felt so blocky.

Easy choice - Hokas... they last 200 miles in a good scenario

Nike streak 6. I love the way the shoe feels and it feels like it would be a good marathon racer, but the sides on these rip very quickly. By 150-200 miles, the side is so ripped my foot is coming out. I like to train in the shoes I'm going to race in, so these can't work for me because I can't afford new shoes every 3 weeks! Usually when they rip, the soles are still in great condition, which is a shame.

A runner up is the nike streak lt 3 and 4. They rip in the same way as the streak 6, but not quite as soon soon. I can get over 350 miles on the streak lt 3 sometimes. I wear these for all my training (almost) because they can usually be bought on sell on running warehouse whenever nike releases a new color. I'd use a different shoe if these didn't have the perfect fit, they feel so amazing on my feet. The streak lt 1 and 2, xc 3, and xc 2 used to have the sole wear out on the forefoot before the upper ripped, but the lt 3 usually has the upper rip well before the sole is trashed.

I actually like the streak 6 sole better than the lt 3. I wish I could get a streak 6 sole on an lt 3 made with better materials. Nike has to have the technology to make an upper that doesn't get trashed so quickly. Or maybe its intentional to save a tenth or two of an ounce, which if so it isn't worth it.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one with the same Kinvara durability issue. Still, love the 8s and will keep buying them as long as I find them.

Recently, the least durable shoes I have owned are the Altra Instinct 4.0. With probably 100-200 miles, they just feel dead. There seems to be a new pain in my leg every time that I wear them. If I actually could put some miles in them without hurting, the outsole looks it will wear pretty quickly.

Luckily, they have converted well to walking shoes.

Nike Streak 6 - Great shoe, bought 2 pairs. The upper ripped off the bottom before 80 miles on both pairs. It is a racing flat though, so maybe it's slightly less crappy.

For a trainer...

Kinvara - feels great to run in but I haven't gotten past 150 with any pair with the upper ripping or the sole wearing down at my contact point.

Most durable shoes for me: Pegasus by a lot

I know they are flats, but the forefoot rubber on the old Asics Hyperspeeds like the 3's and 4's wore like butter on sandpaper. If they had carbon forefoot rubber, those shoes would have been even better.

As far as trainers, I only got 250ish miles out of my Kinvara 4's before the sides ripped out by the pinky toes.