i have a pair of adidas samba that i bought in 2016 and wore them everywhere, especially when i travel (15-20K steps a day). they are still in great shape without any obvious breakdown. obviously they're indoor soccer shoes, not tennis.

i would also suggest look at companies that have 6 months warranties (or longer) - last time i checked salomon had such a policy - if your shoes wore out within 6 months, send them an email and photo and they send you a new pair.

Wearing the same pair everyday is a big part of the problem. Get a few pair if you can afford to, and alternate.

Edit to add: you are right though, they’re more cheaply made today, but this will help them last longer.

Shoes are made incredibly cheaply now days. You'll just have to get used to regularly replacing them.

I’ve heard those recommended before, I’m just always wary of flatter shoes, they tend to be more uncomfortable for me. The last two pair of adidas I had (Adidas Cloudfoam) wore out in 4 months so I am also suspicious of their quality, but maybe the sambas are a step up.

I've had good luck with Merrell shoes holding up really well.

On the flip side I watch for cheap Costco addidas or pumas for everyday. Like $19 on mark down.

More for running than tennis, but my Altra shoes have held up very well the last five years and have none of the usual wear areas I've encountered in the past, like blowing out the outer sides (I overpronate). Some of this is due to them being a zero-drop style, and also larger in the toe box area.

i think you may benefit from buying shoes in real shoe stores with warranty info clearly discussed prior. most shoe stores have consignment so they really don't care if they give you a store credit back if your shoes wore out within 6 months (the company will happily eat the cost). and most running shoe brands have 6 months return policy.

New Balance

I think it depends on your commute. Do you walk to a train or bus station or drive? When I commuter by train I went through shoes fast.

What do you mean by real shoe stores?

Mainly drive.

like your neighborhood running shoe store. or a tennis shop that carries tennis shoes. probably not a chain store but some good chain stores will also honor those warranties.

I honestly have never seen one of those anywhere around me. We have a lot of specialized sneaker head stores, or a lot of chain shoe stores (Rack Room Shows, Foot Locker, Famous Footwear) but I’ve never seen a specialized running shoe shop or tennis shop. I’ll have to do some digging, but with a quick google nothing seems to come up. Thanks for the advice.

Try looking into hiking or trail shoes. Merril or Obi will last you. If there’s an REI store in your area, it would be worth checking out.

My wife’s whole side of the family swear by Altra. I think they are hideous, but they rave about them. My FiL just got his 2nd pair, they are the only shoes I’ve ever seen him wear, he got the same ones in a new colorway after 5+ years of every day wear.

One of the best shoes ever made.

Asics.com has a big selection of shoes on sale, instead of splurging on 1 pair get a 2 or 3 not so expensive pairs and swap them out every couple of days. That will extend the life of the shoes and your feet will thank you, you change your socks and undies everyday, you should also rotate your shoes.

A good pair of tennis shoes that last longer than a few months should cost twice as much as the ones you listed. Well over 100 US dollars. With tennis shoes, the cheaper the shoe the faster they'll wear out.

Not sure if they do this in other countries, but in the U.S., if you go to a local running specialty store, you can walk on a treadmill and have your gait analyzed for free. Most running stores do this nowadays. You don't have to be a runner to have your gait analyzed, walking is fine.

Once they know your gait and whether you overpronate, supinate or are a neutral walker, they can recommend the exact kind of shoe you need. Be willing to spend at least 100 dollars if not more though. This is the best way to find a shoe that doesn't breakdown so quickly.

Try KEEN brand shoes. Super durable.

Brooks wear a lot better than these brands ime

Love my brooks

My nobull trainers are 5 years old and holding up great to workouts, general wearing and walking.

I can’t believe I didn’t think of them. My wife has a hair of nobull trainers, and I really like their design. Might have to try them.

I used to sell shoes back in the day. A lot of what you're describing, particularly the insoles and liners tearing, sounds like improper fit. If it's too loose around certain parts of your foot, you step down, the shoe stops moving, but your foot slides a tiny bit. This drastically increases wear. Might not hurt to go down half a size/tighten your laces a bit more.

Lems trailhead. Awesome. You can feel how well they are built immediately. Wide toe box, be sure to get the ones that are actual suede, and I would suggest getting the optional cork insoles. Been my daily wear for months now.

Buy two pairs of shoes and rotate them, if you can afford to. Should get more life out of them because they have a chance to air out and recover in between wears. Eg, you might get a year out of the 2 rotating pairs, instead of needing 3 pairs for 4 months each.

Columbia. I've had mine for 3 years now. They are trail shoes but they've taken an absolute beating

I was going to chime in with Merrell as well. I put mine through absolute hell and they hold up a fantastically. I spent over $100 for my first couple of pairs at a local store. They were well worth it. Then I found the Merrell store on Amazon. The exact same model of shoe was on closeout for $45. Obviously I bought another pair.

Asics Gel Nimbus

New Balance MADE

Campers are a little pricy but I had a pair last for over 20 years before I retired them and I didn’t actually throw them out, I gave them to my friend’s teenager who thought they were so “retro” she could not believe that I wore them frequently and they didn’t really age. I’m hard shoes too, the inside rear sole of every other shoe wears down pretty quick. My camper’s didn’t wear down like other shoes. So yeah, they are pricy but they are an investment that will last way beyond what you paid.

Altra lone peak. Best shoes I've ever put on

I bought a pair of merril trail shoes about 6 years ago that have been my daily driver for that whole time and have had little to no wear and tear

I was going to suggest this. Glad I scrolled long enough to find your comment. Fit to foot and stride is critical to getting shoes that can last.

Shoes with big foam/synthetic soles break down over distance not time. Running shoes are usually 300-500 miles. Bigger hiking boots are 1000. Even if the upper is fine the sole material compresses and stops working properly. It won't matter what you spend likely. You have to be careful here as people have vastly different use patterns. I run so I go through a pair of running shoes every 6-12 months. Doesn't matter how much you spend or what you buy. It is the use that causes it to fail. Remember that there will be people that say buy X but they might only wear those shoes on the weekend so they will last far longer. The only way to get a longer lasting shoe is to go with a more traditionally made shoe with a leather foot bed. But then you lose the benefits of the modern shoe - immediate comfort, support, etc.

Youre buying cheap models of the brands listed. Spend closer to 100-120$ original msrp of those brands and youll have a much higher quality shoe

To be fair I’ve always bought the “cheap” models. Stuff usually under $75. It’s only the bast few years they have started to wear this fast. I used to get at least a year out of them.

Thats true. There was a shift wherein the big brands began to cheap out on their lower tier models and sell them to budget places (tj maxx, outlets, etc).

What the difference between buying a pair that will last a year and 3 pairs that will last 3 years except that you can chose which pair you'll wear everyday? How do you save money?

Well, you save yourself time, by buying them at once, but the real reason is that shoes last a bit longer when they're not worn everyday. They have time to air out, and this helps maintain the shape of the shoe and stay in better condition, longer.