Does this exist? A shoe that lasts for years but is not made of leather?

[dante]

I'm tired of going to Kohl's and spending $35 multiple times during the year on New Balance's made in China.  They feel great for about a month but then they die.  I've been looking at higher quality shoes like Red Wings and Thorogood's but all of the well made ones (Made in the USA) are all leather.

BTW: I'm a lazy son of a ***** and I want nice shoes but don't want to lube them up.  So do you have any suggestions?  I don't know if there are any high quality synthetic/alternative materials that are just as good as leather.

The two main things I'm looking for are casual Oxfords in all black for work and a set of sneakers.

Another big problem are shoe reviews.. Many, many reviews of "I bought this model 10 years ago and it was great, but today it is crap."  It's like these companies lowered their standards, can't source high quality materials, or a little bit of both.

[tp4tissue]

I remember shoes were made with much harder materials when I was younger..

So perhaps now that shoes use softer material for comfort and shock absorption, they are thus reduced in terms of durability ?

[xondat]

Had this problem a couple of weeks ago, all 'good' shoes are leather. Just had to wear some blacked out Roshe's to an interview

[xtrafrood]

I'm partial to canvas mostly because I can throw them in the washing machine every so often.

[SpAmRaY]

I just wear leather boots all the time, one pair for work and one for casual wear.

[need]

Wood is the perfect material for shoes.

[fohat.digs]

I have a pair of Johnson & Murphy dress shoes that I bought in about 1986-1987 and they still look great, re-soled and re-heeled at least 3 times, but relegated to "occasional dress wear" after about 3 years of regular use. But they are heavy as hell and cost about $150 even way back then. And I have taken very good care of them.

Hey, wait, I am typing on a 1984 keyboard that weighs over 8 pounds!

But for casual shoes, I love the fact that shoes today weigh nothing. I do not object to replacing plastic shoes often if they are lightweight and comfortable in the meantime.

[Waateva]

You gotta get some of those Crocs, and they look great with socks too!

[Sneaky Potato]

Sneakers made by Ecco are pretty long-lasting. Same with their dress shoes. I had a job in NYC and I walked so much in dress shoes that I wore them out quite quickly. Ecco brand were the only ones that didn't fall apart nearly as fast as others. The sole is injected and fused to the upper, so no sole peeling. They're also extremely comfortable right out of the box.

Also, buy some nice sneakers or a running shoe if you're walking enough to the point that it is ruining regular shoes. I have an office job and I'm now buying shoes like once a year just because I want something different, so for you I would suggest something better than Kohls. You should be spending about $100 on a pair of shoes that will last.




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