Buying sneakers – 2 lessons

Here are 2 lessons I’ve learnt about buying sneakers –

(1) We often think of foot size as the key variable when we buy sneakers. In reality, there are 4 variables that are important to consider when we buy sneakers –

• Foot size (this is the obvious one everyone checks)
• Foot width – understanding if your feet are wide or narrow
• Foot arch – understanding if you have low, medium, or high arches
• Pronation – understanding if we have mild or high pronation

Once we understand these, it becomes much easier to understand which sneakers will work best for us.

(2) If you wear sneakers all day, it is critical to rotate them. A sneaker’s foam needs time to recover. So, if you wear sneakers three days a week for example, you’ll need two pairs so you can alternate. Else you’ll find foam comfort and support deteriorating within ~6-9 months.

PS: I’m grateful for two patient and knowledgeable ladies at our local REI and Sports Basement for sharing all this sneaker wisdom.