I started wearing K-Swiss in 2011 and loved them since. My favorite were the Konejo II stability trainers. They were perfect for me. However, as most of you had seen, K-Swiss wasn’t updating their Running Shoe section on their site. So I took matters into my hands and e-mailed them basically saying how much I enjoyed there shoes, is it time to move on, and can you recommend a company for me.
Hello Trevor,
Thank you for contacting K-Swiss Customer Service. At this time we are moving away from Running styles and concentrating on our original styles.
We do apologize for the inconvenience and would not be able to recommend a company for you.
Thank you
Kellie
Bummer. I need to find some new shoes now and so will some of you I assume. Although, I wonder what the deal with the shoes shown at August’s Atlanta Shoe Market.
Can’t say I’m shocked… will be interesting to see where the “top” pros that are sponsored by KSwiss go. Since they can have the pick of the litter (outside of picking highest payout).
Some of the pros got screwed with KSwiss deciding not to produce run shoes anymore. If you noticed KSwiss dropped down to only a few key triathletes over the past 2 years because they WAY overspent several years back and frankly I think it bit them in the arse. Plus they were acquired earlier this year. Most of the pros were notified about being dropped around Kona or a bit after which is a tough time to seek high paying sponsors because most brands have already spent their budgets or don’t have enough to support that level of athlete. I know at least one big name that will be working with a retailer instead of one run brand because that’s all they could find. Many others are flat out screwed. If athletes had years on their contracts left then KSwiss promised to stand by the agreement (pay them) but the athletes are screwed because they won’t have shoes to run in. KSwiss did what they had to but frankly the shoe market is tough for the athletes right now.
I’ve switched over the years from Asics to Brooks to Saucony to Brooks and back to Saucony. I don’t see why its’ so hard to try on a bunch of different shoes and pick one to try out. A good running store has a treadmill for testing. Put it on, hope on the treadmill, try it at some differnt speed. I knew pretty fast which one felt right, and which ones didn’t.
Yeah my reply had nothing to do with the actual shoes. IMO KSwiss made crap shoes anyhow so all the pros will be able to find a suitable replacement as far a shoe goes. I was referring to sponsor money.
That is a bummer. I’ve been wearing the Kwicky Blade-Light for a while and really like it. It is fairly lightweight but still offers a good amount of stability/support.
That is a bummer. I’ve been wearing the Kwicky Blade-Light for a while and really like it. It is fairly lightweight but still offers a good amount of stability/support.
x2. It’s an excellent shoe. Now I have to find something with drainage that works as well.
Yeah, I had a pair of Saucony as my first pair of shoes, but I didn’t know what I should have been looking for. They felt great in the store, but as I wore them more, I realized my foot started to slip in them. I think a half size smaller would have been good. I’ll be on the look out for something. I have about three months left on my current shoes before I retire them. I put on a bunch of weight after an injury that I was too bummed about to rehabilitate, so now I need to lose it again… it’s making my current shoes burn through a lot quicker… :\
Yeah my reply had nothing to do with the actual shoes. IMO KSwiss made crap shoes anyhow so all the pros will be able to find a suitable replacement as far a shoe goes. I was referring to sponsor money.
No.
The Kona and the K-Ruuz are the best shoes I have ever worn for triathlons. And for distance running the Keahou II is the best shoe I have ever worn. I have a pair with over 500 miles on them that are still feeling good.
Great shoes, terrible business strategy. I think they made a mistake expanding their line too much. What was the deal with the Tubes?
Yeah you are right that they made a mistake expanding too rapidly. Obviously shoes are personal, and as I said, in my opinion they are crap. I think they are poorly constructed but that is just my opinion.
I think the tubes was their cross training shoe. They probably sold more of those than their run specific shoes. I know the new company that acquired them wants them to “go back to their roots” of tennis.
I did the same. Bought a bunch. I love the qwicky blade lights so much that I ran cedar point full and 2 50ks this fall in them. I bet I run half of my next ultra in Jan in them too.
Try out some Zoot shoes. With all their different models, certainly there is an option that would work for you. Hit up Rappstar, maybe he can get you a discount or something.
marcag - we haven’t heard if K-Swiss is moving forward with the K-ona S - so, no tech data on that shoe. An alternative would be the KBL Stable version - ao