5 Questions To Ask Yourself When Buying Durable Shoes

Choosing the best shoe goes beyond great aesthetics. Merging fashion, comfort, and quality is definitely a possibility, but you have to be ready to set specific criteria and be persistent in the search. Durable shoes will save you time and money, while treating your feet with quality materials and preserving their health.

Buying the right shoes can be a time-consuming task since you have to make sure that your choice is long-lasting, chic, and comfortable. If you’re having doubts about how to choose a pair that will last you for years, you can go over the questions below and gather the answers before making a decision.

1. Is The Construction Well-Made?

Are your new potential shoes glued or stitched? If the construction is well-made, it’s a partial guarantee that your footwear will serve you for a long time. In general, glued shoes are more likely to show signs of wear and tear. So, your best bet is a stitched shoe, where the manufacturer uses threads to stitch and attach the outsole and the upper part.

If you see loose threads or the stitching doesn’t look right, you can bring the shoes to a professional and get them re-stitched. No one will even notice that you got them fixed, and you can wear them again and again for years. Unfortunately, glued constructions can fall apart because the bond between the outsole and upper part is weaker, and the shoe will have to end up in the garbage.

2. Is The Shoe Flexible?

Flexible footwear will provide you with elevated comfort and will withstand the test of time much better than rigid shoes. If the pair you’re trying feels soft, it’s easy for you to bend the foot in it, and feels comfortable, then you’re probably making the right choice. Rigid shoes are more prone to cracks and damage.

Although buying footwear online is more convenient, you can check its quality much better when shopping in-store. Remember to test your potential pair by bending the shoe to see if it’s flexible enough for your feet to spend miles in it. If it passes the test, you can check the other requirements on the list and head to the cash register.

3. What Materials Is The Shoe Made Of?

High-quality materials promise a durable shoe. In other words, if you opt for leather, you can expect to get much more from your footwear – compared to synthetic materials. If leather is not an option for you, try to look for high-quality, sustainable materials from renowned brands.

Leather is a natural material that is very comfortable to wear, lets your feet breathe and has the ability to absorb moisture. It’s also quite flexible, which means that leather shoes will feel soft and comfy on your feet. Remember to also look at the inner lining material. If you want the most durable shoes, you should go for ones that are fully lined with real leather.

4. Do I Trust The Manufacturer?

Excellent workmanship is one of the essential factors for a high-quality shoe, but is this a manufacturer you trust? More and more people pay attention to the brand’s reputation, their practices, the materials they use, the way they treat their employees, the origin of the fabrics, etc. As long as it’s a trusted manufacturer you’ve had previous experience with, you’ll know that the new shoes, trainers or heels will be durable.

Avoid fast-fashion brands that release footwear for mass production. If you’re willing to pay a little more, you can find amazing companies that sell handcrafted shoes. These brands generally use high-quality materials for their products and spend a lot of attention on every detail in the production.

5. Is The Shoe Repairable?

Durable shoes will not only last you for years, but they’ll also be repairable. In other words, if you see that the material, stitching, construction, soles are high-quality and can be repaired when needed without spending a fortune, then this will be a shoe worth investing in.

Shoe repair is the best way to prolong the life of your footwear, save money on expensive purchases and promote a more sustainable way to be fashionable. For example, getting new soles, repairing loose stitches and threads, zipper replacement, colour correction and even heel replacement can all easily be done on stitched shoes, and it will feel like you have a brand new pair after the correction. Avoid glued shoes – athletic, casual, or dressy – because they can hardly ever be repaired. Yes, this type of footwear is more affordable, but you don’t want a pair that will fall apart after a few months.

Conclusion

Are you ready to go out and find a pair of durable shoes to elevate your outfits and become a staple in your wardrobe? When shopping, it’s essential to look at the shoe construction and go for a pair that is stitched and not glued. Your new footwear should be flexible, comfortable, made of natural materials, and a trusted brand. When investing in shoes, you also have to consider whether they’re repairable. If the shoes check all these criteria on the list, you’ve got yourself a new pair to strut around for years. 

Author’s bio:

Tony Kantzavelos is the owner of Canada’s largest clothing Restoration company. Tony’s passion is making shoes look like new for as long as possible by offering shoe repair, cleaning, and restoration services in Toronto Canada. Tony takes pride in his work since it is helping to reduce the throw-away society that is plaguing the world’s natural resources, by extending the life of the footwear.