When to replace your shoes

A Shoe’s Life Span

As a general rule, most running and walking shoes last up to 500 miles.  How and where you use your shoes could alter that number.  For example, pavement wears down shoes faster than a track, a trail or gravel.  Also keep in mind that shoes with an EVA midsole tend to wear down faster than shoes with a polyurethane midsole

 

How to Tell

Here are three guides for determining when you need new shoes.

 

Do the Press Test

To determine if the midsoles of your shoes are compressed and are no longer providing cushioning, do the press test.  Using your thumb, push on the outsole upward into the midsole.  With new shoes, it should be easy to see the midsole compress into lines or wrinkles.  As the shoe wears down, the midsole compresses less with the same amount of pressure.  When the midsole shows heavy compression lines and the press test reveals a minimal amount of compression, there is little or no cushioning left.

 

Examine How Your Shoes Look

Don’t worry about how dirty they are.  That’s a good thing. It means you’ve been using them.  What you should be concerned with is general wear and tear.  Take a look at your shoes. Are the heels stretched out?  Are places on the outsoles worn down?  Can you see how the shoes have molded to your foot?  These are all signs of excessive wear.

 

Pay Attention To How They Feel

Your body will know when there is little or no cushioning left in your shoes.  If you notice any aches or pains in your feet, legs, knees, hips or back after you’ve worn your shoes, it’s a good sign that you need a new pair.  Other signs include friction or blisters in unexpected places, which means your shoes have stretched and your feet are moving around too much.

REI experts