Running Shoes cost

I am relatively new to fitness as in "Gear".  When I was younger my mother took me to places like Foot Locker and Sears to buy name brand shoes.  5 years of living in poverty, and pinching every dime my family could to make ends meet and I am thinking of getting some real running shoes..not just the cheapest shoe in the store, which I am notorious for doing.

My question is how much should I expect to pay at a running store.  I haven't gone to a running store in my area because I will need to save money ahead of time. 

What should I expect when I go. 

Denise

Well I just bought a pair of creme de la creme running shoes - they come cheaper and also more expensive, but these were the right match for my feet. I paid 1600 Danish Crowns, so it depends on the currency - dollars? That'll be around 291 American dollars... In Denmark that's an average price for good running shoes.

Just don't buy too cheap - get proper advice, it may not be the really expensive ones either, that you'll need. In the store they fotographed my feet and watched me walk and adviced me afterwards, and these shoes are SO much better than my old ones.

Depends on what your feet need, but most Ascics (the brand I prefer) are in the $80-120 range (although some are even pricier). I'd guess the other brands are similar.

I love my Brooks, which I was fitted for at a local running store.   They usually run about $90-$110.  Most good running shoes I've seen there are in that range. 

Yeah $80 to 150 is about right for any brand of running shoe.

I am a budget shopper too and I have to say the thought of spending so much on shoes really bugs me,  BUT good shoes are a must.

I have not yet made my own purchase.  I am still running in Target specials (ouch).

Find yourself a really good running store - dont go to foot locker or anything like it.  Go to a store for runners.  At least for your first purchase.  They will analyze your feet and gait and fit you in the right shoe for you.  Every shoe brand makes shoes especially for certain gaits and foot shapes. 

If you have not yet done so do a web search for "pronation". 

The point is you need the right shoes for YOUR feet.  If you are lucky though your local running shop will have a few pairs of last years shoes around.  These will cost less and still be a great shoe. 

Some of the better brands (imho) are Saucony, Asic, and New Balance. You can normally find at least one of those brands at Ross, Marshalls, etc, for around $30. I personally go to DSW where I just bought some Saucony Grids for about $50.

Make sure you get some inserts; they'll make cheaper shoes a little nicer to run on and can help you get a few more months out of a pair if you replace them often.

don't make the mistake of thinking that higher cost = better shoes.  there are a lot of gimmicks out there, and stores are constantly marking down last season's model to make room for the shiny new ones, which often have little to offer other than a new colour scheme.

the important thing is to get the right shoes for you and for your purposes.  think about how often, how long, and what kind of terrain, etc. and take your old shoes to a good running store, where they can analyze your stride and wear patterns.  tell them about any injuries and/or pains that you have while running and after.

eventually, if you find that running is your thing, you may want to have different shoes for different purposes (and if you're running on back-to-back days, your shoes will last longer if you can alternate; gives the cushioning time to bounce back).  i have road shoes, waterproof trail shoes, and trail shoes that will do on the road if necessary. 

also, if you find a shoe that you really like, you may want to buy multiple pairs on sale/on the net so that you don't have to go through the process again (when, inevitably, you go back to the store and find that your favourite shoe has been discontinued).

good luck!!

I paid about $50 for mine. They're soo comfortable and I love them. I think it's much more important to get shoes that fit you well and will work for what you want than the brand or how much you pay.

Also, I always spray my new shoes with scotch guard. Helps repel stains and water :)

Ok here's what you do:

Go to the running store and get fitted for the right shoes. Do not buy them there. They will be able to at least guide you to what brand/line of shoes that are best for you

You then get online and look for previous years models of that shoe. Yes, running shoes are like spring fashion: every year they come out with the new edition. I do this all the time.

I wear Asics. I never buy them retail because they are like $125. I find the ones from companies like East Bay or I kid you not, Amazon that are brand new, but not the newest line. They end up costing 1/2 the price or less

Thanks for the tips guys.  The last running shoes I bought were in highschool (8 years ago). I found them at Marshalls for under $50 (I waited for them to go on sale when spring came around) , every thing else i have used for running was considerably cheaper, however in that time I have been a lot less active.  I had a baby, plus school, working, (everything that happens to you when you become an adult).  I wasn't really running, more less lumbering around through life.

Again, thanks!

Denise

I would say try some shoes on in a store see what you like and then look on Amazon, or another website for a deal.

That's what i do usually with most things.

 I got a good pair of New Balance to work out in for $35 on Amazon including shipping. In the store I tried them on, they were a lot more. I did go up a width size online though, because that’s what was on sale. I didn't really feel a difference though to tell you the truth.

I swear you can buy ANYTHING on Amazon. My house is stocked from top to bottom from Amazon.

I'm a long distance runner...so I invest the most in my shoes.....

I buy a new pair of Ascics once a year...they are amazing and they get great support....I usually buy a new pair when they're bringing in the next seasons models....so i get them on sale (ie boxing day....end of spring etc).  i think mine were regualarly 140$ but i got them for 90$...i don't really care if they're the "last seasons model" who cares? they're runners....

i've had a million pairs of runners to me you can't fail with a pair of ascics....you should be able to find a good deal out there!

Buying last years shoes can really save you. Been doing it for a couple of years and it has really paid off

Hello,

I go to www.nationalrunningcenter.com to get last years model for half the price.  I am a penny pincher myself and find it hard to justify $100+ dollars for shoes so I found this route.  My shoes are marked at $119 but I only pay about $65-$70.

Good Luck!

Stacey

Trail running is my first choice of exercise, and then I also street-run when I can't get to the trails, so I need a good motion-control shoe (I also overpronate, so I have to be careful about getting quality shoes). I've been wearing New Balance trail running shoes for the past 5 years and love them. They've cost me around $85 in the past, but I recently did some research (it's time for new shoes) and found that New Balance WT874's are supposed to be a good shoe and they run about $50-$65. You can find some great deals online, and I'll give some links below, but if it's the first time you'll be buying quality running shoes you'll want to go to a running shoe shop to get a fitting consultation so you know you're getting the right shoe - no need to waste money on the wrong ones! Here are those links ... good luck!

http://www.shoebuy.com/ ... free shipping

http://www.altrec.com/

http://www.nbwebexpress.com/