Expensive Sneakers No Better Than Cheaper Models: Study
Posted October 11, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Remember when a pair of PF Flyers cost you about $10? Those days, like the shoes themselves, have run off and now stores are filled with ever more expensive sneakers, cross trainers, running shoes and even one that holds an iPod, all designed to get you to literally foot the bill. And that bill can be expensive. Even the lower models of the pricey footwear can run you more than $80. And the latest additions can pull almost $200 out of your wallet.
But are you buying comfort or simply status for all those big bucks? The answer appears to be the latter, according to a new study out of the Institute of Motion Analysis and Research in Scotland. Researchers put nine different pairs of sneakers from three different manufacturers on 43 men. None of them knew how much the shoes sold for.
The least expensive went for $80-90. Some were $120-130. And the final group cost $140-155. The result? The cheaper brands were every bit as good as their more expensive counterparts. “Low- and medium-cost running shoes in each of the three brands tested provided the same (if not better) cushioning of plantar pressure as high-cost running shoes,” the study concludes. Plantar pressure is the force exerted when your foot hits the ground.
None of which surprises or makes any difference to local Toronto buyers. “Price has no connection with quality in many markets,” agrees Asics-wearer Ken Grant, who bought his $100 pair based solely on comfort and price
“I’d go for my own experience, not for what someone says,” adds Maria Sagaria, a Nike fan.
But for some, especially the teen market, shoes have become more than just something to cover your feet. They’re a status symbol, and only the best – meaning the most expensive – will do. Even if it’s only to toe the line for appearance sake.
