I had been hearing good things about a new running gear store in my neighborhood. I no longer run, but I was due for a new pair of walking/hiking shoes. AND I've spent more than a year trying to get achilles tendonitis under control, so I decided it couldn't hurt to get some semi-expert advice on shoes.
After a little initial chat about what I was looking for, the sales guy had me take off my shoes and socks and stand on this device that would measure my feet.
Now, this wasn't just going to tell me my shoe size. It produced a 3D map of my feet:
We saw all of this on a big screen where the sales guy was able to highlight a few things and move the image around. I was emailed a link to a web site where I could access the info for myself once I got home. Not that that really has any practical application, I mean I can look at my own feet if I want to see what they look like. But it was cool.
It also produced a pressure map of the soles of my feet:
AND gave me detailed measurements of each foot and where I stand in relation to the rest of the population:
I am near the 100th percentile for the length of my feet (yeah - I'm a size 12. Sad trombone). But I'm way way down at the other end for the width and girth of my feet. In a nutshell I have super long and skinny feet. I seriously am going to use this as an excuse for my awful balance in yoga class. I don't have a proper foundation to balance on!
Now....in terms of whether all of this data got me the right pair of shoes, I don't know. The fact that I want to be able to hike was a limiter, because he said their store doesn't have a big niche in trail shoes. My shoe size also reduced selection, unless I wanted to get men's shoes (which I certainly have resorted to from time to time). But that's not ideal because again...skinny feet and men's shoes are usually constructed wider than women's shoes.
I ended up with a pair of Hoka Speedgoats, size 12. And since I was also feeling splurgy I opted for orthotics to give me a little more support.
So, we'll see if this allows me to up my walking distance. It was nice to give business to a neighborhood store. I don't think their prices were any higher than if I had ordered online. Outrageous either way, haha. Inflation definitely hasn't spared the arena of running shoes.
18
22 comments
Interesting had never seen that type of measurement device.
I hadn't either. I halfway suspect that it's pseudo science just being used to sell shoes, but it was still interesting!
I have heard great things about Hoka shoes. Daughter got a pair for nursing school. If she loves them, I may try to fond some for myself.
The foot mapping is cool. I hope it does help you find a great shoe. I switched to some Skechers years ago to get over some tendonitis. I hope your feet get back to normal asap so you can hike
Hugs!!
I’ve heard good things too…in my FB group for women travelers, whenever someone asks for shoe recommendations for walking around all day, Hokas come up. I’m optimistic. 😊
Great looking shoes. I hope your feet love you!
They're definitely flashier than my normal footwear. At least until the first muddy or dusty trail expedition.
With the amount of walking/hiking I do as well as the hours of standing required while working, my first priority is comfortable shoes.I also hate shopping for them but do now have a selection to choose from, including a pair of steel-toed ones (essential for event move-in & move-out days). Hope your new shoes meet your expectations!
Steel toed shoes… what a badass you are! 😊
@smartasswoman Lol. Thank goodness they aren't combat boots’. No one would know as they look like hikers.
Isn't it cool to get personal metrics like that! I'll have to look up the Aetrex!
Shoe prices ARE outrageous and I hate having to pay that much but I've never gone wrong following the adage "don't skimp on things between you and the ground... your shoes, your bed and your tires."
That’s good advice (and timely since I’m thinking about replacing my mattress).
I think my last pair of hokas were nearly 200 bucks a little over a year ago. I'm still wearing them though probably shouldn't be... they are pretty worn out.
These weren’t quite that expensive but then when I added the orthotics it was similar. So hopefully they work for me! The store did say I could return any time in 60 days if I was unhappy with them.
In my 34 years as a letter carrier, I had to have the best shoes for me to do my job. The rest of your body will suffer without a good pair of shoes I can work and walk in. I burn through them rather quickly but it was important if I wanted to survive all those years. Eventually I ended up with a route that had less walking than others. Seniority rules!!!
Nonetheless, it was a tool for my trade, like anyone else who is working. You need certain things that can help in your line of work. Shoes were mine.
Definitely you need good shoes if you’re going to be on your feet all day! Any idea how many miles you walked on a typical day? (Before you got the cushy seniority route haha!)
@smartasswoman I walked many miles in those 34 years. Most of the oldtimers never wanted to know. We do have a Million Mile club and management would give out a small plaque for that achievement. Starting out in my career in Miami, I did brutal walks with rarely any shaded areas.
In 2000's I transferred to the Cape Coral area where most of the routes I covered were mounted. It was easier on the feet and didn't ware my show treads out, but it was hotter than hell in that tin truck with no A/C.
In 2010, I transfer to Illinois. Dealing with snow terrain for a few months in the year was cooler yes compared to FL but had another set of challenges. Slipping and falling is no joke. Although early on there, I did a lot of walking, eventually I ended up with a few routes which were better on my body.
A lot of the newer workers don't last because the can't handle all the walking that they get since they don't always get a say in the route that they do in a particular office.
The walking was great exercise in the beginning but as your body gets older and worn down, it gets harder to do. Fortunately with seniority you can bid on a less cumbersome route for if anything, to survive till you can retire.
@CallMeMrWrong69 I can see where it would start to take a toll on the body, especially since you're carrying extra weight around with you. I'm glad you survived to retirement!
@smartasswoman Thanks SA....I was fortunate to be in a union that allowed me to retire at 56 with 32 years of service (union provides a supplement for not being in my sixties) ended up retiring at 58 with 34 years of service.
The new shoes are cute. I hope they help you keep up your walking distance
My feet are wide, and being a size 6, it's not easy finding wide pumps. But then, I don't wear heels all that much anymore.
I bet you’d be great at yoga though!
Short and wide shoes are not easy to find either but I have good balance!
Nice for you! I've pretty much given up on ever being able to do the more "balancey" yoga moves.
@smartasswoman But I can't do the flexy thingies cuz of all my extra padding
Big feet are sexy, Smarty. And your 3D modeled feet are definitely up to snuff!
I just need to find a niche foot fetishist who is turned on by very long, narrow feet. 😁
@smartasswoman Hell, that oughta be easy enough. They're like a Viking longship!
Those are really cute, I love the color! I hope they work out for you.
Interesting they did all of that. I’ll be curious to hear how you feel about these shoes a few months down the line. And how they compare to other shoes you’ve had.
I just went out for a short walk and they felt comfy...but I felt like the heel area was not as secure as some of my other shoes (like my heel was slipping the teensiest bit). It's possible that less structure at the. back of the shoe might actually be a good thing - maybe my tendon will be less irritated? I'm willing to give it a try anyway.
@Melike2lickyou good idea. 😊
Ya...i like shopping local too. Those are snazzy....i hope they make a difference~
I would be fine with something a little more subdued, given that my feet are so large! 😂 But the main thing is, they're comfy and seem to fit well.
About every other year I get new gym sneakers. The existing gym sneakers become my everyday/around town/knocking about out shoes, the ones they replace become my yard working shoes. The yard shoes get tossed, and it's usually their condition that drives the process more so than anything else.
Except for some problems with Achilles tendon pain a few years back (now mostly resolved with careful stretching) I don't have specific challenges getting shoes except for the fact that my feet are quite narrow. IN FACT we probably could wear the same shoes! (Mine are men's 10 - narrow, but good luck finding that in a sneaker.)
I have a similar process where the dedicated walking/gym shoes become everyday shoes when they're replaced. You're right, we're fairly close. I think men's equivalent to size 12 is 10.5. I did try on a pair of men's 11's and they felt pretty similar to the women's 12, so I went with the women's since it's probably a better match with my foot shape.