A Guide For Buying Good Quality Shoes
May 03 , 2021
Tags - Guide For Buying Good Quality Shoes
When buying your next pair of shoes, it’s a good idea to consider the quality of them before your purchasing decision.
Doing so will allow you to choose the right pair that will last, rather than buying multiple and throwing them out every few months; so it’s better to focus on quality over quantity..
And, with such a wide range of types, brands and styles out there, it can be overwhelming to decide what you want.
Unfortunately, we no longer live in a time full of small-town shoemakers and cobblers who produce customer tailor shoes to precision.
And this makes finding quality footwear in a world full of big brands and mass production a little more difficult.
In this guide, we discuss 4 considerations to keep in mind when buying good quality shoes., to equip you with the knowledge and save you from doing hours of research when shopping.
1. Good Quality Upper Materials
The upper material refers to everything above the outer sole.
And, the quality of this can determine how long your shoes will last as well as how good they still look over time.
For this reason, you should look out for shoes that are made using cheaper materials, such as plastic or thin suede, as these are usually poorer quality.
As such, you should opt for leather when buying quality shoes, due to it being durable, breathable and mouldable to your feet over time.
However, keep in mind that not all leather is equal; some manufacturers will describe their uppers as “genuine leather”, when actually they’re not.
So look out for leather that is bonded or corrected as these will crease, crack and change colour over time.
Typically, formal dress shoes will use fine leathers like calfskin or patent leather, which will require more care, but they’ll definitely be worth it.
That said, it’s best to avoid brands that do not disclose what kind of upper material is used.
2. Shoe Construction
The construction of a shoe is how the uppers and soles hold together, with the two main ways being stitched or glued.
Essentially, shoes that have been stitched, whether through blake stitching or storm welts, tend to be higher quality.
What's more, shoes that are stitched together can be repaired over time, which means outer soles can be replaced if they suffer from general wear and tear.
On the other hand, shoes that are glued together are cheaper and easier to manufacture - but this increases the likelihood of them falling apart later down the line.
Generally, athletic shoes are glued together because of mass production, however good quality dress shoes, or casual shoes, should never be glued - if they do break, they will have to be binned rather than fixed.
3. Shoe Production
To determine the quality of shoes, it means you need to take a closer look at how they were made.
Typically, shoes that are hand-crafted or made in smaller batches, are usually of higher quality.
One reason being, hand-crafted shoes receive a higher attention to detail and are often made with better quality materials, whilst cheap manufacturers will mass produce their footwear in factories overseas.
As such, if a brand claims their shoes are “hand-crafted”, there would normally be a limited supply of that specific design because of the extra production time involved.
In other words, shoes that are mass-produced will often use cheaper materials and are quicker to make, which can result in poor construction and defects; they tend to cut corners to save on costs.
4. Price
It’s not a surprise - that we associate higher prices with better quality.
But, price should never be the sole determining factor when deciding if a pair of shoes are high quality.
Instead, you should compare the prices of others on a scale - those on the lower end will probably lack in quality; high quality materials and craftsmanship is expensive.
With that said however, even shoes that are expensive are not necessarily better quality; for example a pair of loafers by Gucci cost around the £700 mark and Rancourt and Co’s are in the £300’s - but the materials are very similar in terms of quality.
Hence, marketing also plays a key role in perceived quality, so don’t fall into the “luxury” trap.
That said, avoid shoes that are a little too cheap; there’s a difference between good quality shoes that go on sale for £100 compared to shoes that are £100 all year round.
Closing Remarks
Overall, you need to pay attention to the materials used, how the shoes have been constructed and produced as opposed to using price as a standalone factor.
So, when you’re buying your next pair of shoes, keep the above considerations in mind before splurging out without any thought.
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