Photo Credit: Ray Piedra via www.pexels.com
Walk into a footwear store, and chances are that the array of shoes on the shelves will takes your breath away! While this makes more a powerful display, it becomes a little harder to find the right pair of shoes when the selection is so large. The job of a shoe store – or any store – is to make sales, so the stock is going to be arranged in such a way that makes it most appealing to the beholder. Always remember though, that the nice-looking shoe is not necessarily the right shoe, and that the shoe’s purpose far outweighs its appearance. Here’s a quick guide to help you make the right decisions.
What job does your shoe ACTUALLY do?
Although you may not believe it, every single pair of shoes has a job, and buying your shoes in line with the activities you enjoy is the shortest cut to finding that elusive “perfect” pair. You could wear the shoes for reasons other than what they were designed for but doing so puts your shoes at risk of premature wear and tear due to incorrect use and puts you at risk of injuries.
Our personal interests dictate what we spend our time on. For some, this manifests as a huge love of running. Others like to hike, while others simply enjoy the motion of walking. Regardless of your preference, it is crucial that you find a shoe for that. In short – take a look at your lifestyle and see how you spend your time – THAT is the type of shoe you need.
Is there such a thing as the perfect pair?
We’ve all walked past that gorgeous pair of Nike shoes for sale and decided to buy them for multipurpose use. While you can get away with this for partaking in non-specific activities, it gets tricky when you need to use them for something specific, like running a race. If you’ve ever completed a sporting activity and felt slightly uncomfortable afterwards – aching feet, perhaps. Or maybe your lower back wasn’t happy when the race was over. These kinds of injuries often indicate that the shoes that were used for the occasion, were not right for the activity.
What’s it made of?
If your activity of choice involves the need for sturdiness and greater support, you will benefit from shoes made of leather. Waterproof, breathable and exceptionally long-lasting, leather shoes offer support, comfort, and protection, as well as an extraordinary resistance to wear and tear.
The drawback of leather is that the material can be very expensive. Adding suede can bring the cost down somewhat, so keep a lookout for suede blend shoes if your budget is a constraint. Not into leather at all? No problem. Modern technology has brought us into a time where leather substitutes are nearly as good as the real thing, and often available at a far lower price. And then we haven’t touched on canvas, rubber, and plastic as manufacturing materials. The sky really is the limit when it comes to what material to use.