My last pair were NB 445's. They were very comfortable and worked well for me. I've never had a bad NB shoe so I felt pretty comfortable buying the pair of 888's online. We'll see how they work out. For baseball I really don't have any option other than ordering plate shoes online, nowhere to buy them around here. I ordered NB plate shoes online and they have been fantastic.

[QUOTE=Camron Rust;631206]I tried NB once after many recommendations from this board....they felt like I was running with a pair of bricks with slots chipped out for my feet. Stiff, no size fit well, and generally felt like the worst pair of shoe's I'd owned for a long time.

What number NB shoes felt tlike that? Surely you must have had one of the lower number pairs rather than a quality pair. That sure doesn't sound like any NB shoe I ever wore except for some real cheap ones I bought at Shoe Carnival once.

[QUOTE=refnrev;632978]Mine were 608's and I didn't like them much at all either. I have NB plate and base shoes for baseball and they're pretty comfortable and some NB running shoes (I don't run, they're just my regular tennis shoes) that are very comfortable.

to texas aggie

what Saucony's?

For the last 3 years I have worn the Reebok "the ref's" patent leather shoes. Late last season I started to have shin and heel pain after games so I have switched to a NIKE running shoe for this season. We will see how it goes. I went with the NIKE AIR MAX DREAM.
http://www.finishline.com/store/prod...tId=prod634606 These are by far the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn. I like to say they are like "sex for your feet"

Any shoe you run in is going to have a life expectancy. A common sign that the shoe has "expired" is the appearance of shin splints and other pains.

Not necessarily true. These companies have many shoes they retire because they do not sell very well or they are not a big market for them. And when it comes to shoes that we like as officials, not many shoes are going to be all black and all leather. It is not uncommon for those shoes to be taken off the market for reasons that have nothing to do with problems with that shoe.

Peace

Lets face it ... we are a strange breed. A lot of people just don't want to buy an all black shoe... so if the aren't selling them, they won't be on the market long.

I was thinking about picking up the Nike Air Max Solas '09... anybody have a pair? Your feedback on the shoe would be appreciated.

That's not what he's talking about, Jeff. He's talking about the life expectancy of a specific pair of shoes being worn -- not the product life span of a particular model. THe midsole gives out well before (usually) the upper or outersole, and the shoes won't be as comfortable and can lead to the problems identified.

Bob is right. If you wear bad or worn out shoes you're gonna feel it in the knees, hips, feet, and shins... especially when you have knees like mine!

That can be true. But you can have a shoe that "fits" well and does not give you the support you need. I know, I had to buy some orthotics to take care of my issues with an arch. And I was having problems with shoes that seem to fit well, but did not give me what I needed and they were new. That is why shoes are such a personal thing and even the NCAA suggested that shoes should be replaced often and in many cases we should have shoes professionally fit to see how we run. Because apparently how you run and how your foot comes down has a lot to do with lower leg problems.

Peace

Too true. A trip to a good running shoe store can pay dividends here. They can determine if you're an under-pronator, over-pronator, or neutral. That information can help you identify characteristics of a shoe that will give you the required support, not just a comfortable fit.

But, as I alluded to earlier, over time the materials the shoe is constructed from begin to break down. Those support characteristics can change, and that can lead to discomfort, pain, even injury.

The onset of shin splints, when you're not normally prone to them, is one somewhat common sign that the shoe has broken down enough that it should be replaced.

But, there are other factors that can induce shin splints: tight calf muscles, a sudden increase in activity level, rapid increase in body weight, a change in running surface, etc. The sudden realization that the season is only x weeks away, and the resulting panicked attempt to get into shape, can subject a body to many of those conditions...all at once. So don't take shin splints as an absolute indicator that the shoes need to be replaced.

I replaced my shoes because they were worn out. Could the fact that they were worn out have been the cause of shin splints and heel problems. Yeah probably. But I am also 29 years old and like to have something that I feel looks good and also performs well as well as conforms to my association's rules regarding the uniform. The shoe I went with has some silver on the outsole and the Nike Swoosh is outlined in silver. If your association doesn't permit that then it can be taken care of with a simple black marker or nail polish. I haven't yet decided if I am going to black out any or all of the non black markings on my shoes or not. so far I have called 4 girls middle school games in them and I haven't yet decided if the non black stuff will annoy me or not.

I have never had shin splints ever (knock, knock, knock). I have had some minor leg pain not associated with the knee, but never shin splint. A lot of this I attribute to not working every day, staying in relatively good shape (I even lost 20 pounds over the summer) and rotating my shoes all the time. I have several pairs of shoes and I almost never wear the same pair over and over again. Some of them I have had for some years, but have only worn maybe 20 games if that. So they stay in good shape. And if a shoe starts to break down, I do not wear them on the court anymore.

Peace