Nike is one of the most well known brands of shoe on the market today. They’ve always got the super cool television commercials, the flashy in-store advertisements and the most popular sports star of the month on posters. But does hype and loud ads really matter? With all the different brands on the shelves in shoe stores across the country, surely there are others that put Nike to the test.
This is what I wanted to find out. I wanted to find the most comfortable shoe for me that would be long lasting and stand up to hard wear and tear. My job requires me to be on my feet for ten hours a day or more, standing, walking and crouching.
Many brands advertise comfort and ease of wear but after being on your feet for many hours straight, you’re quick to realize how some shoes just aren’t made for walking.
I decided to try Nike first. They were a little more expensive than many of the other brands, although not the highest priced in the store. I did like the variety; walking, running, tennis, and casual shoes in colors of blues, greens, pinks and silvers. Shock absorbers, gel padding, and even shoestring-less shoes were on the shelf.
Once I picked a blue and white pair without shoestrings and marketed as walking shoes, I headed home excited about my new purchase and excited about working a full day without having painful feet by the time I got home.
The fit was perfect. The shoes were comfortable to put on and I loved the ease of being able to slip them on and off.
I wore the shoes for approximately four weeks before realizing that the comfort factor seemed to be wearing off. As each day passed, my feet became more and more painful by the end of the day. This being the usual routine with any new shoes, I was disappointed but not overly so.
But what really upset me was how quickly the quality failed. For no apparent reason, the shoes simply fell apart. The rubber on the bottom peeled completely off! I was baffled; you’d think with a company that spends as much a Nike on advertisements they’d put a little into their product.
Back to the shoe store I went. This time I chose a pair of slide on Avia’s. I’d heard these shoes were made especially for women and was hopeful that they’d be more comfortable and last longer than the Nike’s.
The first few days I experienced some foot pain but this time it was on the sides of my feet. After giving the shoes a chance to break in, they have been comfortable ever since. I’ve been wearing the shoes for several months now and they still haven’t fallen apart and they are still comfortable, even after standing in them for over ten hours per day.
What I liked about Nike was the variety and styles. Just about every color combination and every style imaginable are available today. In my particular shoe store, three isles are dedicated just to Nike in the women’s section. It was nice to wear the shoes and be comfortable for the first few days, without waiting for them to “break in.”
Once the initial few days are over with, however, Avia has stood up to the test of time and wear far better than Nike. It was well worth the short time to allow them to “break in” to be able to be comfortable each day afterwards. I chose a pair of slide on, shoestring-less Avia’s and couldn’t be happier. The leather uppers are easy to clean and although I was skeptical at first that the shoes would stay on my feet as they are slide ons, the shoes have never budged and I’ve never experienced any difficulty keeping them on.
I’ve tried a lot of shoes in my day, trying to find the most comfortable and the longest lasting. I was sorely disappointed with my experience with Nike but am more than happy with Avia. In fact, I will continue to purchase Avia shoes for work and will most likely not waste my money on Nike again.
