Athletic Shoes For Boys

Gore-Tex shoes yearn to tramp fashion's runways

Not that clunky three-color boots are bad business. At a time when the US athletic footwear industry is hurting from the recession, the hiking boot category is particularly strong. (Also holding up: the category for dressy women's shoes. A recent New York Times story noted that one way that women cope with the recession is to go shoe-shopping.)

According to the NPD Group Inc ., a market research firm headquartered in Port Washington, N.Y., US sales in the overall athletic footwear category for the 12-month period that ended in August were just under $18.6 billion, down 2.4 percent from the same period a year earlier. One subcategory bucking the trend: hiking boots. Sales in that niche were up nearly 10 percent. Why? Hiking boots are popular with young adults and during a recession, folks are more likely to go on a camping trip or a day-trip hike in the White Mountains than spend big bucks on a fancy vacation, said Marshal Cohen, NPD's chief industry analyst.

But here's the rub for W.L. Gore: The hiking boot niche is comparatively small, accounting for about $857 million in sales for the 12-month period that ended in September. Casual athletic shoes, in contrast, made up a $5.2 billion category for that time frame, NPD said.

Source: Boston Globe

How to Care for Athletic Shoes

Athletic shoes are a big investment, and unfortunately for your wallet, they are an investment you will continually need to make. Of course this kind of maintenance is worth it! After all, the health of your body is at stake. Anybody who leads an active lifestyle wants to be able to maintain that lifestyle for as long as possible. Athletic shoes that properly support and protect your feet, knees, ankles, legs, hips and back are a crucial step in this direction.

The good news is that there are several steps you can take to extend the life of your athletic shoes.

Rotate your shoes regularly. Your feet contain thousands of sweat glands, and after each run or workout, your shoes have soaked up an enormous amount of sweat. Rotating your shoes allows the shoes to dry thoroughly between runs, which ultimately results in your athletic shoes lasting longer. To increase the rate of drying, remove the shoes’ insoles.

While it may seem like an inconvenience to purchase several pairs of running shoes at one time, it will actually save you time and money in the long run. Specific versions of running shoes are discontinued every 12 to 15 months. This can be particularly irksome if you have finally found a shoe you really like. By stocking up on a shoe that works for you, you will save time shopping in addition to extending the life of each pair by rotating your shoes regularly.

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