I’m on the search for some good/durable shoes to train in. I have been running a lot more lately and have in the last year or two worn holes in a pair of newtons, vivobarefoot, five fingers, and beginning to wear on my racing flats (since I’ve ran out of training shoes). I have noticed that the first thing to wear through is the very tip of my toe on my left foot. I don’t know if this might be because I have bad running form and maybe that is what I need to change, (as apposed to my shoes).
Assuming my form is ok I am wandering what shoes tend to be a bit more durable. I have been running in somewhat neutral shoes with 0 or 1-3mm toe-heel drop. I was thinking about trying merrel shoes out but wanted to see if anyone here has an opinion/experience on the matter.
I will say that so far the best have been my newtons. They lasted nearly a whole year before I had to begin wearing my other shoes in rotation to minimize wear. The problem with those is they were a bit heavy.
How many miles a week do you run?
I wore through the Merrell Trail Glove quickly. I have a pair of Inov-8 with minimal drop I can’t seem to kill so far.
I suspect it’s your choice of no-drop/thin soled shoes. Most of those shoes sacrifice a lot of the weight of a durable outer rubber sole for a thinner, less durable one. (Especially fivefingers.)
All the ‘normal’ running shoes I’ve had never wear holes in them, even after 1000+ miles. Sure, parts of the bottom flatten out and lose the lugs and texture, but I have yet to wear one through and through, even with 1000 miles. Usually I have to throw the shoe out because the upper fails first.
I know that Kyle Kranz (who works for Skora and posts on here) has said he’s gotten over 1000 miles from his Skoras. Of course, people have gotten hundreds of miles from all of the shoes you’ve mentioned, so I would say that form plays a large part too.
How long do you run? As you build distance your feet typically swell up and this makes it a good idea to go up half a size from what might be the ideal fit for a half-hour run. If you’re consistently blowing out a toe, this may also indicate you simply need larger shoes or shoes that specifically have more room for the toes. Or make sure your toenails are trimmed and smoothed so they don’t cut the shoes to pieces…
For what it’s worth: I like the Adidas Adios boost shoes… light but cushioned “enough”.
I’ve got 325 miles on a pair of Altra Torins and the uppers are still in great shape. Similar mileage on Hoka’s as well.
Are your shoes too small if you are busting through at the end of your big toe?
Adidas with the “boost” midsoles. Made of TPU. Absolutely insane life. I’ve probably run 1000 miles in mine with virtually no breakdown.
What size shoe do you wear?
Adidas with the “boost” midsoles. Made of TPU. Absolutely insane life. I’ve probably run 1000 miles in mine with virtually no breakdown.
Problem for him is that Adidas really needs to make a low-drop version. They’re pretty much all ~10mm
Are your shoes too small if you are busting through at the end of your big toe?
It may not be a question of the actual shoe size, but the volume in the toe box that could be causing the issue.
Keep in mind it’s not just the quality of the upper that matters with miles, it’s how the cushioning is holding up as well.
Here are my Fits at over 1000 miles. They share an outsole with our Form model but Fit has a few more mm of stack and a mesh upper instead of leather.
This outsole is made of a higher density material, which means the rubber compresses and wears away slowly. This can also mean the sole feels like it has a bit more stack than it really does. In most cases, the uppers start to fail far before the outsole.
I have noticed that the first thing to wear through is the very tip of my toe on my left foot. I don’t know if this might be because I have bad running form and maybe that is what I need to change, (as apposed to my shoes).
Gordon Pirie would say that sounds just right:
"I therefore advise all of my trainees to wear the lightest shoes they can find for training. These shoes should have teh same amount of padding in the front under the toes as at the rear, with no wedged or flared heels. It is essential that the material under the toes of the foot be at least as thick as anywhere else in the sole, because 90% of the wear takes place under the toes when correct technique is employed. "
Are your shoes too small if you are busting through at the end of your big toe?
I took that as the shoes are wearing through under the big toe, but now that I read your post I see that he could mean the uppers.
When you say “very tip of my toe” are you talking about the sole or the upper?
I think Gordon Pirie was guilty of the fallacy of induction
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I think Gordon Pirie was guilty of the fallacy of induction
He was rather outspoken and often controversial, depending on who you ask. I do agree with a great many of his thoughts, though.
There is of course no “best” running form, however there are certainly technique characteristics that for many people will be optimal. Would you say that’s fair to say?
…wow fast replies!
Haha, but seriously thanks to everyone for the comments. I wear a 10.5-11 depending on the shoe. I will agree my choice of 0…minimal drop shoes do sacrifice a lot of thickness in the sole which equals faster wear. That being said I have always had really terrible pain in my arches when running, I tried newtons (very little arch support) and instantly pain free. So going back to shoes with medium to a lot of arch support is not ideal. (I found that typically more heel to toe drop shoes have much more arch support). So this leaves me with a bit of a conundrum. My solution, find shoes with little arch support but thicker/more durrable soles. Newtons would work but price is an issue.
I run 30-40 miles a week.
It’s also not the upper part that has worn (except of my five fingers…that was the fabric but they too are worn on the bottom at the toe). The wear almost makes it look like I am scraping the bottom of my toe at the end of my step. A motion like I am scraping mud off my shoes. I have tried to deliberately pick up my foot at the end of my “stroke” but this takes an unreasonable amount of concentration. I have even tried to make my step more mid foot than forefoot to compensate but again it is not easy to do nor as comfortable.
Sorry for the confusion.
Oh, I also want to stress that I am not hating on “normal” running shoes or those who wear them. I have just found that neutral/minimal shoes work for me, if anything I’m trying to find a middle ground so I don’t have to look like I’m begging for attention every time I go out for a run. 
There is of course no “best” running form, however there are certainly technique characteristics that for many people will be optimal. Would you say that’s fair to say?
Well sure, but the statement is vague enough and has enough of a qualifier that it doesn’t really say much. But regardless of its validity, to then try to extend that into some sort of optimal shoe wear pattern is reaching.
You didn’t answer as to where the wear was occurring (sole or upper) but if it is the sole, just use some Shoe Goo on it when the shoe is new. Reapply every few weeks. That will cut down the outsole wear completely. I think you’ll find that most people underestimate how much outsole wear there is and attribute lost cushioning to midsole breakdown.
If, on the other hand, the wear is happening in the upper, I’ve got nothing.
My Merrell Bare Access won’t last over 500km.
I used Altra 3-sums (400km max), The One (~500km), Kinvara (~600km) and Xodus GTX for winter running (800-1000km on these on average, often more).
YMMV, but you can compare my usage on other models to what you might expect for you.