Some would say a few months, others much longer - so how long do running shoes reasonably last? Feel free to include your considerations when suggesting an answer.
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A lot will depend on your usage and how your feet actually work.
Ok that sounded strange but for example if you shuffle your feet at all this will increase wear, if you have “pigeon toed” or “duck feeted” feet, if you rotate from your heel more sharply than others this will increase wear patterns in areas of your shoe more rapidly than other parts.
If you run/walk across highly abrasive surfaces your shoes will likely wear faster than if you use less abrasive surfaces for your activity. How often you use your shoes will also impact their longevity, as does weathering eg getting wet a lot or used in very dry conditions, and where and how they are stored.
For me typically a pair lasts about 6 to 9 months but my wife has a pair now 2 years old and still in good condition. I have friends who kill a pair every 3 months or so, and yet others who like my wife have pairs that last 2 or 3 years.
So what period should they last? As long as they continue to do the job.
Shoe lasts last, but running shoes don’t.
I do not run, I don’t even walk fast. I wear light running shoes because of their light-weight construction & shock absorbency among other things. Consequently the shoes last a couple of years before their soles wear thin, or they become terminally unglued.
Interestingly, I have found no correlation between price, longevity, or comfort, and the cost of the running shoe.
Thanks for the answers @meltam / @grahroll. This is a tricky one to pin down, but CHOICE testing indicates a running shoe life span of anywhere from 450km to 800km, assuming conditions are not too extreme of course and depending on usage.
If other readers have experience with running shoes, please feel free to let us know how long your shoes typically last before needing replacing.
I had an experience with a pair of Brooks Transcend 4 shoes where my big toes poked through the uppers after maybe six months/120km but the shoes remained otherwise serviceable. I was disappointed and returned the shoes to the retailer with a request that they be returned to the manufacturer. Brooks replaced them with a pair of the new model Transcend 5 which is still going strong with no faults and little wear after 15 months/400km.
Apart from running style, your weight will influence wear rate more than most other things.
Great to hear of your positive “Return” experience on your shoes.
