After how many kilometers do you change your running shoes?

At the start of my career, I spent a few years working in a sports shoe and clothing store (Fradette Sports, not to name them) and a question that came up very often was the following: “after how many kilometers should I change my running shoes?”.

The easy and often-given answer is to change your shoes every 600 km to 1000 km.

It's an easy answer that works for most scenarios. Indeed, it is quite rare that a shoe is very worn after only 600 km. So you take little risk by changing your shoes so regularly.

What factors influence how quickly you wear your shoes?

Your biomechanics

Depending on how you run, you may wear out one side or the other of your shoe faster.

For example, those who dohyperpronation put more weight on the inner side of the shoe than on the outer side. Generally, this side of the shoe will therefore wear out more quickly. The outsole (which is in direct contact with the ground) will become thinner and the midsole (the foam between your foot and the outsole) will tend to sag.

This can become problematic when this sag is pronounced enough to take your foot even further into its pronation thus altering your natural biomechanics. If your shoe becomes saggy like in the 2nd photo below, it's probably time for a change.

Note that this uneven sagging / wear can occur in several places on the shoe:

  • At the heel;
  • Under the big toe;
  • On the outer side of the foot;

How to check if the wear on your shoe is uneven? Place it on a flat surface and watch the angle between the shoe and the surface. If the shoe is 'tilted', it's probably time for a change.

The height and hardness of your shoe

The thicker and softer your shoe, the faster it will tend to sag. Conversely, a very thin shoe, like in the photo below, can last a very long time because the absence of foam prevents the shoe from sagging more specifically on one side.

A shoe with very little cushioning will be less likely to sag

Your weight

If you wear your shoes unevenly, heavier weight will cause the shoe to sag more quickly.

The strength of the upper

The fabric that holds your foot to the sole is called the upper. The stronger the fabric, the longer your shoe will tend to last. When the upper is very soft or torn, it can be a sign that it's time for a change of shoes.

The strength of the outer sole

As a general rule, the harder the outer sole of a shoe, the longer it will tend to last. It's a bit like tires; if you use a soft rubber it has more grip on the ground but it wears out faster.

The surface you run on

When you run on a hard surface, your shoe slides a little on it with each step, without you necessarily knowing it. This increases the rate of wear.

On trails or on stone dust, the surface is more malleable and part of the sliding occurs between the dust grains, thus reducing the friction between the shoe and the ground. This is also why we run slightly faster on a hard surface!

What about cleats for the trails?

The reasoning is more or less the same, but we must also assess the condition of our crampons. Indeed, if these are practically non-existent, it is a safe bet that they will no longer guarantee you an optimal grip in the mud and on the roots.

If you liked this article, we invite you to consult our guide which will give you 10 tips for choosing the right running shoes.

author avatar
Daniel Riou General director
Managing Director of Challenge Group, Founder of Corporate Challenge and co-founder ofAltterre. I love anything related to physical activity and overall health. Holder of a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology from'Laval University Various trainings by The Runner's Clinic Emergence ProgramBeauce School of Entrepreneurship National Coaching Certification Program Level 2 in Badminton National Coaching Certification Program Level 1 in Weightlifting

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