Shoe fleet management

[mauricem]

I find it difficult to find good fitting shoes at a reasonable price and if a good deal comes up on suitable shoes I'll normally buy 3 or more pairs. A pair normally lasts me 6 months (sorry, my sliding days are behind me) and in the past I've just used one pair till worn out then break out the next new one.
I'm aware tennis shoes have a shelf life even if unused the rubber will break down and in my humid area mould can be a problem. It seems to me that the third pair never feels quite as nice or lasts as long as the first pair did but this may well be a false assumption.
The alternative I'm wondering about is to use all 3 pairs in rotation, (eg pair A week 1 , pair B week 2 etc) so they'll wear equally but I would have thought once you start using a shoe the sweat and oils will probably accelerate the aging process.
Any thoughts on best ways to get optimal mileage out of your shoes and how to sequence multiple pairs?

 

[Lorenn]

The second a shoe is off the assembly line the foam/glue starts to degrade. I would say there is a noticeable difference after a year, sooner if they were stored poorly. So try not to buy more than a years worth of shoes. Even in ideal conditions they degrade. You also have to consider clearance stock is already likely XX months old. and likely was stored poorly. So in your situation you have to allow some loss of shoe performance as you are buying shoes which might be approaching/over two years old by the time you use them.(your third pair) You could find a insole to use with them. That might help, but all the shoes foam is going to be basically less cushioned than a new shoe.

I suggest rotating through at least two tennis shoes at a time, more depending on hours played. Get rid of them before running them into the ground. When the cushion feels done, they are done, unless you replace the insole. It is better to use foam when newer versus worry about shoe degrading from use. This way you get to enjoy the newer foam over the older foam since you notice the difference. It took me a long time to decide I didn't have to wait for a shoe to be on clearance before testing it. I still try to save money by buying odd colors and picking up a supply of a great shoes at clearance. This way I save on lets say two out of three pairs. In your situation I would rotate between two shoes. Search for a new pair before your last pair wears out. Consider if your shoes cushion is wearing out before the sole and replace your shoes a little sooner would also help. If odor of shoes becomes problematic Ozone deodorizers help.

Typically I will have one favorite shoe. I will rotate between it and a new shoe. If I like the new shoe, I will buy as needed or pick up a half year supply at clearance. Then I start looking for a replacement. Rinse, repeat.

 

[mpournaras]

I find it difficult to find good fitting shoes at a reasonable price and if a good deal comes up on suitable shoes I'll normally buy 3 or more pairs. A pair normally lasts me 6 months (sorry, my sliding days are behind me) and in the past I've just used one pair till worn out then break out the next new one.
I'm aware tennis shoes have a shelf life even if unused the rubber will break down and in my humid area mould can be a problem. It seems to me that the third pair never feels quite as nice or lasts as long as the first pair did but this may well be a false assumption.
The alternative I'm wondering about is to use all 3 pairs in rotation, (eg pair A week 1 , pair B week 2 etc) so they'll wear equally but I would have thought once you start using a shoe the sweat and oils will probably accelerate the aging process.
Any thoughts on best ways to get optimal mileage out of your shoes and how to sequence multiple pairs?

The second a shoe is off the assembly line the foam/glue starts to degrade. I would say there is a noticeable difference after a year, sooner if they were stored poorly. So try not to buy more than a years worth of shoes. Even in ideal conditions they degrade. You also have to consider clearance stock is already likely XX months old. and likely was stored poorly. So in your situation you have to allow some loss of shoe performance as you are buying shoes which might be approaching/over two years old by the time you use them.(your third pair) You could find a insole to use with them. That might help, but all the shoes foam is going to be basically less cushioned than a new shoe.

I suggest rotating through at least two tennis shoes at a time, more depending on hours played. Get rid of them before running them into the ground. When the cushion feels done, they are done, unless you replace the insole. It is better to use foam when newer versus worry about shoe degrading from use. This way you get to enjoy the newer foam over the older foam since you notice the difference. It took me a long time to decide I didn't have to wait for a shoe to be on clearance before testing it. I still try to save money by buying odd colors and picking up a supply of a great shoes at clearance. This way I save on lets say two out of three pairs. In your situation I would rotate between two shoes. Search for a new pair before your last pair wears out. Consider if your shoes cushion is wearing out before the sole and replace your shoes a little sooner would also help. If odor of shoes becomes problematic Ozone deodorizers help.

Typically I will have one favorite shoe. I will rotate between it and a new shoe. If I like the new shoe, I will buy as needed or pick up a half year supply at clearance. Then I start looking for a replacement. Rinse, repeat.

I think yall are overthinking this. I am happily using black/red Cage 3s from November 2017. I think if you are playing at a recreational level the cushioning should remain more than playable for years. The glue is way less of an issue if you aren't playing as hard anymore.

I would say 3 pairs at a time is very manageable and in whatever order you use them would be fine. Unless you are playing 5-6 times a week then you might want to rotate 2 pairs week to week.

I find that if I have 2 (or more?) pairs of shoes I like I use one for practice and one for matches/sets. Store them indoors and you will be fine.

I would also like to note that any player still using Vapor X is using a shoe WELL over a year old and is playing hard at the professional level.

 

[Lorenn]

I find that if I have 2 (or more?) pairs of shoes I like I use one for practice and one for matches/sets. Store them indoors and you will be fine.

I would also like to note that any player still using Vapor X is using a shoe WELL over a year old and is playing hard at the professional level.

Basically Pro players get free shoes normally. Maybe even custom made at a special factory. So they rarely uses shoes for long. Pro players are also relatively young.

I am basing my statements on studies of running shoes.(some date back decades, some are recent) That combined with the original posters statement of their perception of their own shoes. They also implied they can't store them in ideal conditions. If the shoe bothers them and they notice a difference. I told them science implies they could be right and gave them a few tips to improve their rotation. Oddly enough you seem to agree with rotation. You just disagree that lets say 12-24 month old shoes might perform less then brand new shoes off the line.(or enough for an average person to care)

 

[mpournaras]

Basically Pro players get free shoes normally. Maybe even custom made at a special factory. So they rarely uses shoes for long. Pro players are also relatively young.

I am basing my statements on studies of running shoes.(some date back decades, some are recent) That combined with the original posters statement of their perception of their own shoes. They also implied they can't store them in ideal conditions. If the shoe bothers them and they notice a difference. I told them science implies they could be right and gave them a few tips to improve their rotation. Oddly enough you seem to agree with rotation. You just disagree that lets say 12-24 month old shoes might perform less then brand new shoes off the line.(or enough for an average person to care)

Indeed. I am familiar with running shoe rotation and would practice it if I ran more than 5 miles a week ahaha! I guess my point was that is a ton of repat beatdown on the same part of the hoe. Tennis shoes are beefier and movements are varied. I guess I am just trying to explain myself.

Go nuts if you cannot store your shoes inside I guess... or want a system to manage... I just find it tiring for the payout (which is minimal). I am typically one in the foyer one in the clost box kinda shoe guy. 2nd pair is out of sight out of mind and the other people in my household are generally much more pleased by it.