How long do shoes last?

T

terrysgirl33

Registered User
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More exactly, how long do you expect shoes to last? I'm talking about a pair of walking shoes that are my normal everyday wear.
 
I generally get about 3 years from shoes, but I suspect that people are very conscious of style, and that some styles require construction techniques that are not as strong. e.g. buckels/clips/decorative bits and pieces.
 
terrysgirl33 said:
More exactly, how long do you expect shoes to last? I'm talking about a pair of walking shoes that are my normal everyday wear.
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Need more info.

Depends on many variables, the material the shoes are made of, the quality of the workmanship of the shoes, the fit for purpose usage (wearing high heels to climb mountains wont last too long etc...), and how hard the individual is on shoes generally.

Also what do you mean by 'last'. A worn heel or sole could be replaced, are they letting in water when previously waterproof, has a zipper broken or a hole appeared or has the covering worn off etc...

I wore a pair of new rock boots practically daily for around 5 or 6 years. When they 'wore out' it was simply the velcro closing mechanism that failed, the body, sole and heels of the boots still had years left in them.
 
Lots of variables to consider....quality of shoe, amount of use, terrain they are used on, care/maintenance, weight & biomechanics of wearer...
 
truthseeker said:
Need more info.

Depends on many variables, the material the shoes are made of, the quality of the workmanship of the shoes, the fit for purpose usage (wearing high heels to climb mountains wont last too long etc...), and how hard the individual is on shoes generally.

Also what do you mean by 'last'. A worn heel or sole could be replaced, are they letting in water when previously waterproof, has a zipper broken or a hole appeared or has the covering worn off etc...
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I'm sorry, when I'm talking about a walking shes, I mean a shoe with leather upper, rubber sole, probably lace up, designed to be comfortable. Something like this: http://www.dbshoes.co.uk/products.p...=78007N_l.jpg&di=78007N_l.jpg&shoecolour=Navy

I'm talking about some defect that can't be repaired happening, like the upper coming away from the sole.

By everyday wear, I mean walking around the house, walking the kids to school, walking to a bus stop or car, and walking around work.
 
fraggle said:
I generally get about 3 years from shoes, but I suspect that people are very conscious of style, and that some styles require construction techniques that are not as strong. e.g. buckels/clips/decorative bits and pieces.
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I'm talking about fairly plain lace up black leather shoes.
 
Do like my missus and daughters do, buy shoes with six inch heels that they can't walk in - no wear and tear.....last forever !! They look well mind. :eek:
 
I bought a pair of own brand shoe's from a high street shoe store. And they lasted me all of two months!!!
 
terrysgirl33 said:
Yep, good point.

I am asking because I have a pair of shoes that have 'gone' at the side, and I don't know if I'm reasonable in expecting them to last longer. The are 9 months old, cost €169 and aren't repairable (I think). Usually, shoes like this last me 2 years, and I usually only pay about €80 to €90 for them. I have wide feet and when I buy shoes I want them to last so I don't have to go shopping so soon for them...
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Thats not very good tbh - for 169 euro and that type of shoe Id expect longer than 9 months.

Although I would be taking them to a cobbler/shoe repair to see if theyre repairable.

I dont know how much come back you will have with the shop after 9 months though.
 
High price and didn't last very long.

In some cases very good comfortable leather can be too soft and wears out quickly. This is why one of the high street stores used to put an opt out sticker on some of the lady's shoes to say that they were 'fashion shoes' and should not be worn in the rain :confused: Don't think they do this any longer but often wondered were you meant to take the shoes off if you were out and it started to rain.

If the leather has split from the sole AFAIK its not possible to repair. Have you tried returning to the store to ask for their view or contacting the manufacturer to complain?

Many years ago I bought expensive shoes for my daughter and they destroyed every pair of socks that she wore because the dye ran through. The store told me that the shoe was not faulty and refused to replace them. I wrote to the manufacturer and they asked me to post them back for testing. They found in our favour and did a full refund.
 
I would expect shoes to last two years at least for that price, fairly heavy usage.
 
as far as i can see my problem is that the heels "go" and cannot be replaced. Long ago when leather was in fashion it was easy to get "new" heels. Now it seems there is a hollow inside the heel and after a few months you can feel the empty space. Maybe i am a poor wallker!
 
I always wear Clarks shoes and/or boots. The last time I had to replace any was three years ago, but i don't wear the same pair all the time, probaly a week at most for each pair.
 
BillK said:
I always wear Clarks shoes and/or boots. The last time I had to replace any was three years ago, but i don't wear the same pair all the time, probaly a week at most for each pair.
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I think Clarks have gone downhill a lot in quality, I bought boots there last winter and the zipper busted on one within 2 days. And I bought work shoes there that the sole separated on within a matter of months. They used to be a lot better imo.
 
Truthseeker, I will see what the shop where I bought them says. I would expect them to last longer, and they do fix shoes there.

Sue-Ellen, I had heard that about expensive fashion shoes (Italian leather type jobbie), but these are everyday walking shoes, I would not expect them to be fragile, and the whole point is to keep my feet dry!!

Dewdrop, I buy rubber soles because they absorb the shock of walking better and are more comfortable. Good point about the leather soles, I might keep an eye out for something like that. I want to buy shoes that last, I don't like shopping...

BillK, clarks shoes have been too tight for me for about 10 years now, though I have heard the quality isn't great these days. We get the kids shoes there, and have been generaly happy with the quality.

These shoes were bought in a shop where I was measured and fitted for the shoes, to add insult to injury.
 
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