Like anything used regularly, your running shoes will eventually wear down. Time, mileage, and everyday wear and tear all affect your shoes in three significant ways:
Shock absorption | Cushioning | Structure and stability
It’s always important to keep in mind how your shoes are performing. Running in old, worn-out shoes doesn’t just affect your comfort. It may increase your risk of repetitive injuries as well.
But how do you know when it's time to change your running shoes?
To help you get the best performance and avoid injuries, we’ve put together some helpful tips to figure out when to replace your running shoes.
There are several factors that affect the condition of shoes over time. From different surfaces and terrain to the distance you run, they all contribute to your shoe lifecycle and will determine when to replace your running shoes.
Factors that affect your shoe wear can include:
Different terrain: Typically, running on the road all of the time will wear out your shoes quicker than off-road as the surface is harder, having a stronger impact on your shoes.
You and your running style: How you run will affect how quickly you wear out your shoes. If you are a small person and light on your feet, your shoes will last longer than someone who is heavy on their feet and hits the ground harder. Different foot strike patterns will also contribute to different areas of the shoe wearing out.
How you are wearing your shoes: A shoe’s midsole material performs best if it has time to recover between runs. The optimum recovery time is 48 hours, so if you are wearing your shoes to the gym or casually as well as for running, they will wear down quicker. We recommend buying two pairs of running shoes and using them in rotation to prolong the life of your shoes.
What you are using your shoes for: Wearing running shoes for sports they’re not designed for (like tennis or netball) will cause them to wear out more quickly. The abrasive playing courts, as well as the quick directional changes that are necessary while playing these sports, wear down the outer sole and tread of your running shoes.
Weather elements: If you’re leaving your shoes out in the rain and wind, then they’re more likely to wear down quicker. Leaving mud and dirt on your shoes will also negatively impact the life of the shoe, particularly the upper (mesh material). Hand washing and air drying gives the upper the best chance for a long life.
“We recommend changing your running shoes after about 800 to 1,000 kms.”
While it’s important to keep in mind the mileage of your shoes, you can also learn a lot from looking at your common wear patterns on your shoes.
Signs you need new running shoes can include:
Changes to the midsole: The midsole feels hard and collapses easily under pressure. Your shoes should resist twisting when wringing them out like a rag. You may see creases running lengthwise across the midsole. Or the shoe may appear distorted when looking from behind while it's placed on a flat surface.
Uneven shoe soles: One or both shoes no longer stand up straight when placed on a flat surface. Also, if one sole is more worn down compared to the other. Your body may overcompensate for this, resulting in injury.
A worn outer sole: The outer sole has worn through the tread pattern making it smooth, or right through to the white midsole.
A torn toe-box: The shoe upper is torn, from wear and tear or from your toes wearing through the toe box.
Upper integrity: Your foot feels like it’s moving all over the place when inside the shoe or the mesh starts to tear and wear away.
A weak heel: The heel counter becomes moveable and less supportive. Your shoes should stay sturdy and hard when pressed on at the heel.
Quick tip: It can be hard to know the mileage of your running shoes. Apps like Runkeeper let you easily track this. After purchasing a new pair of running shoes, simply add them to the app and Runkeeper will track their mileage and notify you when it comes time to change!