Shopping for shoes: How can we make it easier?

[db10s]

Originally Posted by ohplease

Why not port the feature you guys already have at running warehouse that does color coded 3d heat map fit comparisons between the current shoe and other shoes customers might have some experience with? That's a great feature.

I remember this from a little while back when I was looking at shoes on there out of curiosity. Pretty cool feature IMO.

[ricki]

Most critical parameter is missing: Width of the toe box (toe knuckles)

[swfh]

+1 for the shoe mapping thing. That would really help when comparing different brands. I also think that a price option would be nice

[JRstriker12]

Originally Posted by athiker

Pronation, Neutral and Supination. ...

Originally Posted by ohplease

Why not port the feature you guys already have at running warehouse that does color coded 3d heat map fit comparisons between the current shoe and other shoes customers might have some experience with? That's a great feature.

These two additional features would be great. I especially like the heat map idea so I can find if my next pair fit anything like the last pair I had. This is very important as it seems they come out with a new version of a shoe with an almost completely different fit every year.

Not knowing what the next "updated" version fits like drives me to buy from a local shop instead of TW since I have a flat, narrow foot that can be hard to get the right fit. Once I know what fits, I buy online.

[imajica77]

Personally I think the way you have it set up now is the way to go. I think most people prefer to play with a certain brand.

[TahoeTennis]

let's get some shoes
let's party


In order of importance filters:

Size
Width
Arch Support
Durability Guarantee
Color

[corners]

I think heel height differential, or what is now called "heel drop", would be a very nice spec to have. Some players can use a higher heel while others prefer a more or less flat shoe.

Overall midsole thickness would also be helpful. Combined with a heel drop measurement this would tell us everything we need to know about the midsole:

Heel drop: 12mm
Forefoot midsole thickness: 6mm

From this we would know that the thickness of the midsole at the heel is 18mm and the thickness of the forefoot is 6mm. The same thing could be achieved with:

Heel midsole thickness: 18mm
Forefoot midsole thickness: 6mm


An especially useful measurement, which would be easier than the above for you to do, would be to take out the shoe insole and measure it's length (at it's longest points) and it's width (at the ball, at it's widest). With these two measurements we would be able to compare the fit of shoes without having to try them on. So if I knew that GR5s fit me great in a 9 1/2, which measured, say, 270 mm x 95 mm, I could search for another model by the dimensions of the insole rather than by shoe size, which of course varies by brand and by model.

So, shoes descriptions could include: Insole length x width: 270mm x 95mm

If non-quantitative specs were added to the above measurements the picture would be complete. These could be:

Toe shape: pointed, average, oblique (more squared-off or "foot shaped" rather than pinched and pointed)

Heel width: wide, average, narrow

Forefoot flexibility: This is a very important characteristic of shoes that varies widely by brand and model. Many court shoes are very stiff at the ball of the foot. This can provide a player a feeling of stability, as the shoe doesn't bend very much, but shoes that don't bend freely at the ball of the foot can contribute to both plantar fasciitis and achilles tendon problems. The reason why: If you've got a foot that's 10 inches long, you've got a foot that's a 10" lever. If the shoe allows the foot to bend freely at the ball of the foot (the toes are allowed to bend "up") the foot lever is effectively shortened by about 2 inches. When running, if the toes are not allowed to bend like this the longer lever of the entire foot in a stiff shoe will 1) put stress on the plantar fascia by forcing the foot to bend in the arch rather than at the ball of the foot as it's supposed to, and 2) force the calf/achilles tendon to lengthen a greater distance, with the longer shoe/foot lever applying greater force to it.

So a simple classification of Forefoot Flexibility: flexible (like running shoe), average, stiff

would be very helpful for picking shoes that don't hurt one's feet.

[newyorkstadium]

+1 to corners suggestions. You can use the following methods to measure heel drop and heel height - http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=434439

You can also use running warehouse's method. I avoided it as, while it is very reliable and accurate, it was a bit more expensive.

[bigserving]

Good information to know about the fit of the shoe is the flex point of the shoe. That point where the shoe is designed for the wearer's toes are supposed to bend during use. Someone else kinda described it as forefoot flexibility.

Also, very important would be some sort of factor that describes the amount of cushioning in the heel and the ball, or the overall cushioning of the shoe.

Another might be the height of the shoe bed off of the ground. This could be good for comparing one shoe to another.

[Cindysphinx]

Two things would be helpful for me.

1. I want to know how wide the toebox is.

2. I want to know how flexible/stiff the shoe is, as in how much force it takes to bend the shoe front to back. It surprises me that there is so much variability among brands in this area.

Thanks for asking!!

[Chief77]

Unitongue / does the tongue move to the side or not?

[MrFlynntastic]

I take a 9 in Nike and 10 in Adidas. I will never buy any other brand online b/c I would have no idea what size to order.
Perhaps normalizing the sizing btw the brands?
It is easy for a buyer to get their exact foot measurements, is it just as easy to post a shoe size exact measurements, by brand?
I would be open to buying other brands if I knew which size to order.
Thanks

[volleygirl]

I would really like to see a true grading of the Cushioning offered in each shoe.

[JGads]

(Even) more specific width descriptions would be great. Usually 'width is medium' doesn't tell the story. Would be nice if midfoot and toe box could both be described, as sometimes a shoe will have a generous toe box/forefoot but a very narrow midfoot, etc. Props to T-Dub for exploring ideas.

[morten]

the same shoe size comparison feature as running warehouse.

[banter]

Originally Posted by corners

I think heel height differential, or what is now called "heel drop", would be a very nice spec to have. Some players can use a higher heel while others prefer a more or less flat shoe.

Originally Posted by morten

the same shoe size comparison feature as running warehouse.

Thank you, newyorkstadium for bringing this thread to my attention.

Heel drop

I find that knowing the heel drop will be the most helpful since it influences a lot of play; thus can be very telling of the playability of the shoe. The heel drop and by extension angle, determines the body position of the player because he or she will have to balance over the the angle that the foot rests. Furthermore, the higher the shoe, the higher the center of gravity, which can or at least factor greatly in the stability of a shoe.

[r5d3]

It would be nice to be able to sort based on the TW reviews. For example, if I'm interested in a shoe that rated better than 85 in comfort and better than 80 in durability, perhaps also in a certain price range, it would be cool to search for that all at once.

[CFreeborn]

Not sure if it's already been said, but cushioning. I know that's hard to quantify, but it's what I need for my 55 yr old feet...
-C

[ForLoveOfTheGame]

As several of the previous posters have already mentioned, it would be wonderful if you could add a comparison chart or even the program running warehouse has for a detailed description of the differences in two shoes. Many of is here purchase multiple brands and more often than not we never even get to try the shoes on before we buy. If I had a good idea of how my pro pulse 3s compared to say Adidas feather or vapor 9 I'd be more compelled to purchase additional shoes for my collection. I already spend way too much time on tennis warehouse and tt reviewing opinions on the latest and greatest. A comparison chart would really solidify how all the shoes would feel on my feet.

[Dags]

When I switch brand, I accept there's something of an unknown quantity. Once I've found a brand and line I like, I get mildly frustrated at how frequently they are superseded by a new model.

Direct comparison with the previous model (or two) in a line would be immensely helpful.