hate shopping for running shoes!

[KnottedYet]

Knot, I have a pair of Z2s and ZX2s and I love them...but it was 47 degrees out today I have run in them in the summer and they're great!

Here's the magic secret: http://www.injinji.com/tetratsok/outdoor.htm

I have something like 7 or 8 pairs of these socks. Did a half marathon in March in a pair of Z1 and Injinji socks. They make wool ones, too, which are great for the cold and the damp.

I love Chaco Z1 and Z2, and for cold weather add Injinji socks. I don't think I will ever go back to running shoes.

[jessmarimba]

Knot, I have a few pairs of those too, but even in wool socks and merrels my feet were numb in my office til lunch yesterday. It should be warmer for a couple weeks though. Chaco actually made trail shoes for awhile but I can't find enough info to see if the footbed design was similar.

yellow - the "chains" I meant were boulder running co & runners roost! but I think Colorado running co is opening a new store in Lakewood next week. If I read their website correctly, anyway. I ruled out a few more pairs today so maybe that'll be the last store I have to go to!

[jessmarimba]

Alright. I settled on the new balance WT 101s. We'll see how/if they work out.

One thing this process taught me - I wear insoles/orthotics partly because my (normal height) arch and heel are too narrow for most normal width shoes. However, my toes aren't really narrow enough for narrow shoes in most brands.

Also, no one makes minimal-ish shoes in narrow widths.

And if anyone anywhere has a spare pair of Teva X-1 classic trail runners (the old leather ones) around in a size 10...they were the my favorite running shoes ever. I'll pay good money for them!!

Thanks for everything

[KnottedYet]

Chaco actually made trail shoes for awhile but I can't find enough info to see if the footbed design was similar.

Nope, it wasn't.

In the 1990's Chaco subcontracted with Merrell to make leather hiking shoes and boots. (ironic, considering Chaco was later bought by Wolverine World Wide, the holding company that also owns Merrell). Those shoes and boots weren't even made on the same *last*, let alone with the same footbed! They were horrible.

Later Chaco made some trail shoes/sneakers. Not the same footbed, but the removable insole (cheap foam) was contoured to be similar to the beloved sandal footbed.

Now Chaco has the Ped Shed and Toe Coop, which ARE on the same footbed (finally!) and can be resoled. They (actually Wolverine) borrowed an idea from Birkenstock and created a Tokyo style back-strap clog and a London style closed heel "shoe".

The original owner and designer of Chaco (aka "Gecko" for us old folks!) started creating some really bizarre Croc rip-offs after he sold Chaco. I can't even remember the name of his rip-offs. They were just sad.

[DrBadger]

I see you found something to try, but another suggestion for online shopping with little to no hassle... try Road Runner Sports. They are a CA company (check and see if there is one in Denver... they do have stores some places in the country). the best thing about them is they have a 90 day "wear 'em and love 'em guarantee)... you can run, EVEN OUTSIDE!, in the shoes for 90 days and still return them if they don't work.

If you do have a store near you, they do really good fits as well with the pressure pads you walk over, and treadmills with camera's rigged up so you and they can watch your stride when you run... so they aren't just going to look as how you stand.

Good luck! I hate having to shop for new running shoes!

[jessmarimba]

Wow, your post was perfect timing! Apparently we do have one in CO and I'm going to be right up near it tomorrow. Might be fun to stop by.

Thanks!