The Running Shoe Racket & How To Pimp The Game

The Running Shoe racket. It parallels a "clothing & fashion" business model, shoemakers concoct reasons to change a shoe's design (usually unnecessary) and elude to a progression in design (often in fact not) - but needed to make that argument to compel you to buy the latest model...presto! reoccuring sales! The shoe the shoe company swore was perfect for you 6 months earlier - suddenly..... no longer is. Now there is no crime in this tactic - however note there is also no integrity in it either - rule #1 never believe a shoe company. As a matter of standard practice when they change a shoe they accept a certain % of pissed off former devotees of the shoe in hopes to attact a % of new devotees that exceeds the % of defectors. They seek a fractional positive sum game in sum. Case in point the Brooks Adrenaline GTS model - that shoe in the video - a very successful shoe - Brooks #1 shoe -nonetheless....they change it with the seasons. Watch the video - it's current as of March '08, they're talking about the latest model, the GTS 8 - and note the Runner's World experts site only 1 change to the GTS 8 - Brooks changed the curve of the heel.....that's essentially it...and get this...they changed it to be closer to that of the same shoe, the GTS 6 - the model 2 generations previous to this current model (a regression of all things!). If Brooks could talk they would say "You caught us....we really did not have a reason to change the GTS 6 at all - but had to because of the nature of the business, thus we changed the heel of the GTS 7 from the GTS 6 .... marketed it as an advancement & an improvement, however in the real world ?....not really...it was the gimmick we needed at the time - truth is the GTS 6 was fine, hence for the latest model this GTS 8..... we're going back to how we had the heel for the GTS 6". These companies just go back and forth with crap - claiming an improvement for a season of selling - then often reverting back (and characterizing that return to a previous design as forward improvement). This nonsense is typical and common in the shoe business and that's why as a matter of policy - believe no one (other than other people like you - runners). Now having said this, despite this heel thing - the GTS 7 might be a fine shoe....psst...over at Road Runner Sports the GTS 7 got 3.8 starts out of 5 from other people like you, runners, how many? 67! - yup, 67 reviews of this shoe - 3.8 starts is actually very good - and a huge number of 67 different reviews - again a very good sign.....but best of all....note the GTS 7 can be bought for $60 on closeout are Holabird Sports! (every size, men and women). You can learn more about the GTS 7 from those 67 reviews than from any shoe salesperson anywhere. I am a value shoe buyer and this shoe at this price is excellent. Right now - the very best value available. If you're a daily an and active runner - you have to pimp this shoe game - stock up when you can. You should be rotating your shoes anyway - you should have multiple pairs - and $60 is exactly what I like to pay for a premium shoe - generally I translate this out to $0.18 - $0.22 / per mile, my shoe cost - I dump shoes after they've crested or peaked - 250 or 300 tops, - sure I can get another 100+ miles out of them but I never run in a shoe on it's downside of the bell curve - the lifespan of a shoe. It's your job as a runner to take personal charge of a serviceable shoe for you - and then when the window presents itself - stock up - pimp the game - buy 3 great pairs of shoes for less than $200 instead of 1 pair for $100+ - that's how you pimp the game! Do not be a slave to fashion or the Running Shoe Business nonsense! Have a great evening!