7 Tips to Make Your Shoes Last Longer

Happy Fall Everyone! I’ve received a few questions from people on ways in which they can make their shoes last longer, so today I wanted to share a few tips and ideas on what has worked for me in my ExoSym journey.

1. Think PURPOSE. The key here is to think of your shoes in terms of what you will use them for. For example: exercise, work, special occasions / a night out. I highly recommend designating a pair of shoes for your workouts and one for work. If you work in a business casual environment, you may be able to get away with using your work shoes for nice events as well, but if you wear industrial shoes for work, consider having a separate pair for special occasions. Labeling shoes for different purposes will increase the lifespan of your shoes. #youcanthankmelater 🙂
2. Think ROTATION. For my workout shoes, I find it’s helpful to have two pairs to rotate between. I am very active so rotating my shoes helps to keep them from breaking down so quickly. If you have a couple pairs of shoes that are the exact same color and model, take a Sharpie pen and place a small dot on the back of one of the pairs of shoes – this will help you to remember which pair was older when it comes time to cycle those out. And then when one pair looks like they’ve seen their last day, cycle those out and bring in a new pair to rotate. (Trust me, they start looking the same after a while so it helps to remember which ones were older!) Sometimes what I’ll do is rotate my “dress tennis shoes” to become my workout shoes and then my new shoes will become my dress shoes. This works for me since I mainly wear the Brooks Glycerin model for all occasions — so just something to think about!
3. Think MATERIAL & FIT. Look for shoes that have reinforcement materials on the sides (aka not just mesh. The ExoSym likes to eat mesh 🙂). When trying on shoes, if you slip your device in and it looks like the ExoSym is going to poke out the sides of the shoe with you just standing there, this is not a good start. Ideally, your device should fit comfortably in the shoe without it looking like it’s going to burst through the sides any second. You also want to make sure that the heel depth is deep enough so that your device doesn’t pop out of the back of the heel with you walking. Pick a good shoe from the beginning and it will save you from having to buy shoes so often.
4. Think REINFORCEMENT. When I first got the ExoSym, I used to duct tape the insides of my shoes for extra strength against the device, but that was before I considered the above tips. Now, with purpose, rotation and an eye on the material and fit, I don’t have to spend as much time reinforcing my shoes. Now, for my workout shoes, I definitely still reinforce those. I think anytime where you are going to be putting a high load /stress on the shoe (i.e. running a lot, jumping, etc), reinforcement will help your shoes live longer. I’ve found that gluing a very thin piece of leather on the insides of the shoe and the sole (where the sweet spot is when you land on foot strike) really helps – as does the duct tape if that’s easier for you.
5. Think CARE. Take care of your shoes. ♥ Clean them up after a muddy run, dry them out after walking through the rain, let them breathe after a hard workout. Take care of your shoes and they will last longer. #showsomelove
6. Think OPTIONS. If you plan to do some hiking or just enjoy the outdoors, I recommend purchasing a pair of hiking boots. Think about it this way, if you wear your workout shoes hiking Saturday-Sunday and then wear them during the week for your workouts, overtime, they are going to break down much faster than if you had given them a rest and used your hiking boots over the weekend. Same goes for weather. If you live in a cold climate, think about getting some shoes that will work with the snow so that you’re not wearing the same shoes for everything.
7. Think COLOR. Remember, darker colored shoes will show less dirt & wear. In addition to the material and fit, don’t forget to think about the colors when you’re purchasing shoes.

On the surface these tips may seem simple, but I know for me when I first got the device, I wore the same shoes everywhere until they broke down and it wasn’t until I gave it some more thought that I realized what a difference the above tips make. So next time you’re in the market for new shoes, just remember, purpose, rotation, material & fit, reinforcement, care, options, and color. But be easy with yourself, it may take a little trial and error! These ideas didn’t come to me overnight. ♥

Have a great weekend!

#beYOU #beAMAZING #ExoSymplyAmazing