I hate to bring this up again, but what is everyone wearing out there? I am through with my run n' ref's, I am tired of my legs hurting after every game. I don't trust converse enough to get the whistles. I don't think the Reebok walker or the Easy Spirit walker will hold up. I can't find the New Balance 608 (no one wants to carry the black leather), but the white and blue one I tried on did seem very comfortable. Any other suggestions?? I have hear spot-bilt has one, but I really need to try shoes on before buying them, so mail order makes me leery.

And why won't Nike make an officials shoe??????

I also don't trust Converse any longer. This summer I switched to New Balance 606. You can get them in Black Leather at Sports Authority.com. I couldn't find them at any stores and I searched them all. They are great shoes. I worked a lot of summer games this year and my legs never hurt.

I called New Balance and they don't make the 606 any more, now you have to get the 608. It is supposed to be the same shoe but has more cushion.

I was not a fan of the run n' ref either, but tried the mid Converse Whistles last year, I put the dr scholl's dyna something or other sport insoles in them, then proceeded to do approximately 140 games in them. I must say very comfortable and light enough that when I did 4 kiddie rec league games my feet and legs were only marginally tire. They also held up rather nicely. If you look at my posting under ""shoe shining" I list a place that showed us a shoe that was almost patent leather so it required no polishing. Not my choice but a phonecall to the distibutor can't hurt.

Have run - - Suppref

Nike does (or did -- I got mine last year) make a pair of cross trainers in all black.

I believe they still do. At least they have an all black shoe. I had problems with shin splints with the Nike's so I am looking at the Converse for this year. I might go to New Balance after this chat though.

You can contact me for the New Balance 608 in all black. They are great alone but with the Spenco insoles, they are unbelieveable! E-mail me and I will give you the information. You will love them I guarantee it!

I've used the black Nike x-trainers, I loved them.
I got a pair of the NB 606 last spring and I
used them at camp this summer where I developed
a really bad achilles tendonitis problem. I blamed the
shoe but I'm willing to give them another shot this
season becasue I've worn NB for many years and I'm
giving them the benefit of the doubt. I also got a
pair of Whistles this summer for doing a tourney,
I haven't even tried them on yet. I just bought a
pair of NB white 608's this weekend & they are really
comfortable.

Gonna take up, or the net, you VB lookin'Ref.;)

I can understand your distrust in Converse. But the Whistles are the best shoe Converse has ever made for officials. They are light, have the support of today's sneakers and polish nicely. After 56 varsity games last year, one of the heels cracked slightly in the sole. I sent them back to Converse and now have a new pair for this year. I plan to buy a second pair and swap them out.

Someone else mentioned the Spenco inserts. I couldn't agree more that they're great. They aren't the soft cushiony insoles that you buy at Wal*Mart. These are hard plastic with a cloth insole on top. They give your heel and arch support and are great for plantar fasciitis (heel & arch pain). I wear them everyday and during football and basketball games. They're $20 to $25 but they're worth every penny. Look for them in better drugstores, not CVS, Walgreen's, etc. I mean your local pharmacy that's been around for years. National chains carry the cheaper, softer insoles. These are the best.

As someone already mentioned, Nike DOES make an all black court show called the Airliner. I picked up a pair last year and although the shoe was comfortable to wear I really struggled with shin splints. I was willing to try them another season concluding that perhaps it was due to insufficient stretching on my part. Now I think I'll do the extra stretching AND buy a new pair of New Balance shoes. I sure don't want the leg pain again this year!!!

P.S. My wife thinks this discussion is not so much about shoes but about a bunch of guys getting old and just blaming their body pains on shoes! Ouch!



[Edited by Paul LeBoutillier on Nov 6th, 2000 at 05:44 AM]

I think my wife was starting to get a bit peeved in trying to find all black shoes. I thought I was in luck, I found out they opened a New Balance store in a local mall, but they didn't have the 608. I actually found a pair or 608's this at another store this weekend and walked a mile to break them in, and ran a mile and a half in them. They feel great and I had no pain, I'll keep you updated. I have used both Spenco and Sorbothane insoles, and the orange sorbothanes are the best money can buy. I usually get mine from The Finish Line or Galyans, and they really work.

Paul, I am only 26, and the pain started when I was 24 so I discredit her theory. If she is right, getting older is going to cost me a fortune in advil though. Plus, in summer leagues I used my non-conforming nike's and had no problem what so ever, and those games are harder than in-season games.

If the Nike's are airliners and not air, that would cause some shin splints. The airliners have no where near the same cushion. Nike sent me a list of shoes they say are popular with officials, yet I could not find them in any retail store, nor could I find them at two different outlet factory store locations. I think it is a bluff by Nike, but I think these 608's are going to work.

My wife threatened me she was going to buy another 5 or 6 pairs so that we never have to go through this again.

For those of you that do not like Converse shoes, the company will be going out of business, because Nike, Addidas, and the other shoe companies have been kicking its but. They will not be around because the companies stock has fell threw the floor and losing profit. So if you want anymore Converse, this might be your last season to get them.

J, Not according to this article.
http://www.converse.com/info/pr/pr10182000.html

Oh sure!!
 

Oh sure, rub it in!! You were four years old when I got married! :eek:

Paul

Yer old.
 

Paul,
Me too, err... 30 also.
mick

Shin splints
 

I have never had them, so I am asking out of total ignorance. Do you think not warming up properly is a bigger problem, or do you feel that the shoes are a the cause of leg pain? Have you ever tried the Dr. Shouls products, or do they help much? I have never had this problem, but I just want to make sure that I do not.

Re: Shin splints
 

Rut,
I've never had 'em either, but a lot of officials that erroneously run backward down the court, instead of turning and looking over their shoulder, get 'em.
One guy told me that as long as he's athletic enough he'll run backwards. I thought, "Stay in Jr.High, Rook!"
mick

Shin splints
 

I had shin splints for years. I can't really tell you why or how they occur. But I can tell you that I started wearing support socks about three years ago and haven't had the problem since then. I wear two pairs at a time during every game. The support that they give me lower legs leaves my legs less fatigued and pain free. I buy two new pairs every year at CVS and swap them out with last year's. They'll last you a couple of seasons.

I still stretch and warm up like I always have, including a bit more ( I try to concentrate on my calfs, achilles, and shins since I had this problem). I also started wearing the "band" style knee brace that wraps around your leg under the kneecap. These helped quite a bit, but once I took them off, I could bearly walk.

All I know, is that I never had the problem before I wore the run n ref's, and I don't have any problems when I wear other shoes. I have a pair of black nubuck nike cross trainers that I wear in summer league, but I don't during the year because you can't shine them. I would work 4 games a night for 3 straight nights, which is about 4 or 5 times the work I would put in during a week in the school year. None, zero, nada problems with my legs (OK, Ok, I do have to ice one of my knees, but that is unrelated). I may be too logical, but I have to point at the shoes. In fact I seem to cramp up during long volleyball tourneys when I wear them, that never used to happen, and doesn't if I wear other shoes.

I am just glad that others have experienced the same things I did. My dissappointment probaby runs deeper, because I had many pairs of the run n slam low basketball shoes (the old Kevin Johnson's for you shoe buffs). I used to work at footlocker and our converse rep told me it was the same shoe. He lied I think, because the run n slam's were the best basketball shoe I ever owned, the run n refs were the worst shoes I have ever owned.

Shoes
 

I would concur that it seems to be the shoes. I never experienced shin problems before wearing the black NIKE Airliners. This year I'm gonna do all I can to avoid this painful problem: 1. Excercise, 2) Different shoes, 3) insoles, 4) maybe even support socks.

What's next, a cane? :rolleyes:

I got a pair of the NB 606 this summer just before camp -- they were great! I plan on ordering a pair of NB 608 soon to alternate throughout the season. I simply had a local store special order them for me. (Internet is ~$5 cheaper.)

I also added a very firm gel insole -- don't remember the brand, but I got them at a shoe repair store for ~$15.

I recommend the NB shoe, but will pass to those with more experience on various brands of inserts.

I just bought a new pair of addidas SS2G. This is the shoe that replaced the superstar. I have been wearing thses an love them. It is a BB shoe and is very durable. Also one of the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn. They get a high recommendation from me.

New Balance 608
 

Those of you interested in the New Balance 608 all leather black cross-trainer, go to http://www.nbcloseouts.com/search.htm and in the search box type in mx608ab and click SUBMIT.

The shoe is sold for $59.99 with $5 s/h.

Paul

Can you shine 'em?
 

Stripes,
Can you get a high gloss?
Adidias has always been a good shoe for me.
mick

Paul, sorry to trump you.

But I found the the 608's on MVP.com for $44.99 (After I just paid $49.99 of course). I do believe I will be ording a second pair, though.

Mick--

I haven't gotten the SS2G's yet. The store where I buy them did not have the all black ones in. I hope that they arrive in the next week or so. The superstars that I currently wear shine up beautifully. I use Griffin's on them and I think they look great.

Hey fellows! The best replacement insole I've found is made for basketball players. I don't know if you guys have the Athletes Foot store near you, but they carry an insole called Soft-Sol. They have several different kinds, but the one for basketball is blue. It cost around $20. I tell you thats the best 20 bucks I've ever spent.

Oh Great!!
 

Oh Terrific!! Where were YOU when I was ordering MY pair??? :confused:

I went to MVP.COM and for the life of me couldn't find that same shoe. I found it in white by doing a search for the MX608AB turned up nothing. Do you have a specific URL?

You have to type in 'New Balance' in the search bar. Then page through the shoes. I think it was page 3 or 5, the all black model is the only one on sale. If I remember it is model mx608 od

New Balance
 

It must no longer be on sale because I couldn't find the 608.

Found 608s at MVP
 

Found the NB MX608OB!

At the http://mvp.com site, choose New Balance (brand pull-down meno on left), then under "Fitness" select "Cross Training". I found the shoes on page 2, but in the detailed view they look brown. I'll try to include the URL below.

http://mvp.com/itmModelDetail.asp?s=...ge=2&prt=1%2C2


[Edited by Richard Ogg on Nov 12th, 2000 at 06:18 PM]

new ballance shoes
 

I tried on a pair of these shoes($50. at academy sports) and they looked bulky and looked like theu would not hold a good shine.

I saw that shoe. It sure looks brown and blue to me. I believe the "OD" part of the name stands for "Out Door". All of the shoes that I found had a logical name for the coloring/style.

MVP.com
 

I received information back on the NB shoes:
<blockquote>
Dear Richard:

Please be informed that the shoe that you're inquiring about is a brown
shoe. We do not have it in black. If we can be of any further
assistance let us know.

MVP.com
Customer Service
</blockquote>

So we can mark that place off our supply list.

I think the shoe you want is the MX606AB. Found at http://www.newbalance.com

Ok 608 is here
http://stores.roadrunnersports.com/n...=Crosstraining

Some of the guys I've been calling with has been wearing New Balance, but they've been wearing 538's. I recently was at an Athlete's Foot and they had them on sale for $40 and they were regular $70. Everyone tells me that they are twice as comfortable as the Cons.