# Sneaker Purchasing=Leadership?



## JRR (Feb 11, 2006)

LOL...


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## Acct2000 (Sep 24, 2005)

Obviously, those who wear wing-tips are authoritarian and thoroughly politically incorrect.


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## radix023 (May 3, 2007)

I saw that too and found it bizarre.. two takes:

1) correlation != causation - I think there is faulty logic in their conclusion.

2) reminded me of a story years ago that said that American CEOs were more interested in golf than sex. (I put that in the file of 'what's wrong with America')


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

radix023 said:


> correlation != causation - I think there is faulty logic in their conclusion.


First of all you must understand that they are not considering things like causation nor are they reaching any conclusions per se. They are simply reporting what their surveys are showing. It's like looking at cars going down the highway and reporting that there are more red cars than blue cars. There are no conclusions being drawn nor any assumptions or speculations about why there are more cars of one color than another, just a simple reporting that there are.

Mindset Media is not in the business of trying to explain why things are this way or that way. They simply do surveys and sell the results to corporate advertisers so companies will know who is most likely to buy their products so they can tailor their advertising accordingly to get the most bang for their buck.

I also think you are also reading something into this that isn't there. This is a personality survey of sneaker buyers. They aren't saying that corporation CEOs are buying all these sneakers. They are saying that people with leadership qualities are buying them. People who have these qualities which they define as "having ideas and vision, and a style with others that is both inclusive and decisive" can be found in all walks of life and in all socio-economic groups whether it be a corporate CEO or a football quarterback or a gang leader in the hood, and everything in between.

Cruiser


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## The Gabba Goul (Feb 11, 2005)

They're jsut saying what I've been knowing all along...


well...of course I did buy 50 pairs of sneakers last year ...


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## smujd (Mar 18, 2008)

Wonder how many of those "sneaker" purchases are really running shoes? Runners tend to be driven leaders. Most of the leaders I know wouldn't be caught dead in sneakers unless they were running.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

> Previous Mindset Media surveys found that people who pay their credit card bills off each month were more likely to be "highly deliberate," thinking through their actions, but also less modest than others, likely to brag about their habits.


Now think folks. Who is going to brag that they regularly carry balances on their credit cards? As always, people are more willing to share things that place them in a positive light than a negative light, so it would only make sense that someone that carries no balances on their credit cards would be more happy to share that tidbit than someone drowning in unsecured, revolving debt.

The whole poll/survey is incredibly inane. All the hybrid drivers I know I consider to be easily brain washable. They tend to support ethanol too, and even the kool aide drinkers are starting to see the truth with that swindle.


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## SuitUP (Feb 8, 2008)

Cruiser said:


> They are saying that people with leadership qualities are buying them. People who have these qualities which they define as "having ideas and vision, and a style with others that is both inclusive and decisive" can be found in all walks of life and in all socio-economic groups whether it be a corporate CEO or a football quarterback or a gang leader in the hood, and everything in between.





smujd said:


> Wonder how many of those "sneaker" purchases are really running shoes? Runners tend to be driven leaders. Most of the leaders I know wouldn't be caught dead in sneakers unless they were running.


+1 Those were things that bothered me also. Saying people have visions and ideas is a very broad statement. They never stated the level of those visions or ideas. For instance someone could have visions of eating a 40 ounce steak or ideas for a board game, that doesn't make them a leader. And like smudj pointed out the shoes could be sports shoes and only worn when being used for sports. Unlike some who wears sneakers all the time. Personally I haven't bought sneakers in 11 years since I was on the tennis team in college.


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

Wayfarer said:


> The whole poll/survey is incredibly inane./quote]
> 
> Not to the people who make and sell sneakers it isn't. You guys are ignoring that they are only talking about "personality types", nothing more. To say that someone has leadership qualities says nothing about that persons station in society or how he/she uses those leadership qualities.
> 
> ...


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## Kav (Jun 19, 2005)

In anthropology/archaeology the term for such psuedo science is called coprolites. I'm going to adjust my bright yaller POWER tie and buy lottery tickets. I'll intimidate the gas station clerk into giving me 6 winning numbers.


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## The Gabba Goul (Feb 11, 2005)

Hmmmm...maybe we could publish a study about how non sneaker wearers tend to labor over really inconsequential things, read waaaay to much into benign news articles, get defensive when they are given info that they don't want to believe, and just let their feelings get hurt too easily in general...


I dunno...just a thought...


eh either way...no matter what anybody says about the subject, at least you dont have to let those sneaker wearers into your secret club...ha ha...they'll never know the secret handshake or password right???


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

Kav said:


> In anthropology/archaeology the term for such psuedo science is called coprolites.


That isn't what this is at all.

If you are making and selling widgets you probably want to know what type of person is buying your product.  This is not a study of successful executives and corporate leaders, it's a survey of people who bought sneakers. For all we know there wasn't a single corporate executive in the entire survey group. It may have been composed entirely of teenagers, hip-hoppers, and gang members.

The researchers simply asked questions of and gave personality tests to a random group of people who bought sneakers and then looked at the results to see if there were any trends. It would have been no different if the results had revealed that persons who bought three or more pairs of sneakers a year tended to be over 6' tall. In this case it just happened to show that persons who did this tended to answer the questions on the personality inventory in a similar manner to persons with known leadership qualities. Nothing more.

The real science would be trying to determine WHY people over 6' tall purchased three pairs of sneakers a year when shorter people did not, rather than merely producing a snapshot of who was doing it. And that's all this survey was, a snapshot of the type people making the most sneaker purchases.

Cruiser


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## Laxplayer (Apr 26, 2006)

radix023 said:


> I saw that too and found it bizarre.. two takes:
> 
> 1) correlation != causation - I think there is faulty logic in their conclusion.
> 
> 2) *reminded me of a story years ago that said that American CEOs were more interested in golf than sex. (I put that in the file of 'what's wrong with America')*


How about combining the two? :aportnoy:


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## brokencycle (Jan 11, 2008)

Cruiser said:


> That isn't what this is at all.
> 
> If you are making and selling widgets you probably want to know what type of person is buying your product. This is not a study of successful executives and corporate leaders, it's a survey of people who bought sneakers. For all we know there wasn't a single corporate executive in the entire survey group. It may have been composed entirely of teenagers, hip-hoppers, and gang members.
> 
> ...


I agree with you Cruiser. This survey doesn't show cause and effect nor does it say people who buy lots of sneakers are executives.


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## Xhine23 (Jan 17, 2008)

The survey might have been funded by the sneaker manufacturers/sellers.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

For those naysayers responding, it's true, it's true. I buy three to four pair of sneakers (all are usually the same make and model) each year and wear them out with a fairly robust jogging program and by gawd, I'm a leader...I'll lead you straight to a shower, shortly after each run! :icon_smile_wink:


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

Xhine23 said:


> The survey might have been funded by the sneaker manufacturers/sellers.


Of course it was. Mindset Media does not do scientific research per se, they do surveys for companies designed to help the companies with their advertising. Many of you are confusing this with scientific research or control group studies and that isn't what this is.

A particular sneaker company or a group representing the industry as a whole hired Mindset Media to gather information about the people buying their products. They aren't trying to prove a thesis or arrive at any specific conclusion. They just want to know a little bit about their customers.

In this particular case instead of simply having sneaker buyers fill out a questionnaire, like we all are aksed to do on a regular basis when we buy things, Mindset Media took it a step further and had them complete a Personality Inventory. With that exception this is no different than the questionnaire that was included with your new CD player asking about your education, earnings, lifestyle, etc. All they are doing is getting a snapshot of who their customers are. Please don't confuse a marketing survey like this with scientific research.

Cruiser


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

Cruiser said:


> There are "leaders" everywhere, in gangs, prisons, schools, neighborhoods, you name it. The study simply shows that persons who have qualities similar to persons who attain some degree of leadership, whether it is in a gang or a corporation, tend to purchase these shoes more often than persons who have the personality traits of followers. With information like this shoe companies can direct their advertising at such people in the hopes that their followers will take the lead. In other words if the leader of the street gang buys this or that brand perhaps the other members of the gang will follow suit by buying not only that brand, but several pairs a year.
> 
> I fear that you guys are misreading this survey and what it shows in a big time way.
> 
> Cruiser


I fear your thinking is internally inconsistent in a big time way!

First...exactly how many shoes do you figure prisoners are buying, leaders or otherwise? 

Second, if a leader of a gang (one person) buys some sneakers and all his followers buy the same shoes, now the survey should actually show that followers are more likely to buy them than leaders, as there is one leader but many followers. Your argument is internally inconsistent.

What the survey could maybe show is *those people that think they are leaders or have leadership skills*. Remember, it is a self-reporting survey.

Carry on


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

Wayfarer said:


> What the survey could maybe show is *those people that think they are leaders or have leadership skills*. Remember, it is a self-reporting survey.


I'm beginning to wonder if you know what a Personality Inventory is. It isn't just a short questionnaire that you fill out like the one I mentioned that came with your new CD player. For example, have you ever taken the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)? If you have you should understand the complexity of these testing tools.

The nature of these tests is that you can't determine in advance how to answer a question in order to present yourself in a certain light. To that extent the questions are often meaningless, but trends in how they are answered provide information about the person.

For example, with the MMPI a question might be "What is your favorite color?" There is no way you could answer this to try to present yourself in a certain light because you have no idea how the answer will be interpreted. Perhaps over years of giving this test to people who are already proven leaders it has been determined that an unusually high percentage of these leaders chose red as their favorite color. Who knows why, it just is.

Another question might be "What is your favorite animal?". If previous test results over many years have shown that known proven leaders chose dogs while no such trend was shown in people with no apparent leadership qualities, this becomes another "indicator". Again, there may be no apparent reason why this is so, it just is. When you put enough of these indicators together and then combine them with other more straightforward questions, patterns start to develop.

While in college I took two courses in psychological testing during which we were required to take just about every Personality Inventory being used at the time and I can assure you that you cannot manipulate these tests to project any particular type of personality. You have no idea how your answers are going to shake out.

Cruiser


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## Scoundrel (Oct 30, 2007)

Sneakers are a necessity in today's society. Who doesn't exercise?


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## Laxplayer (Apr 26, 2006)

Cruiser said:


> I'm beginning to wonder if you know what a Personality Inventory is. It isn't just a short questionnaire that you fill out like the one I mentioned that came with your new CD player. For example, have you ever taken the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)? If you have you should understand the complexity of these testing tools.
> 
> The nature of these tests is that you can't determine in advance how to answer a question in order to present yourself in a certain light. To that extent the questions are often meaningless, but trends in how they are answered provide information about the person.
> 
> ...


I have taken the Myers-Briggs and the Five Factor Model tests, so I know what you are trying to say, however, I still think the number of athletic shoe purchases would be a weak correlation to leadership by itself. Those tests are meant to make conclusions based upon responses to a variety of questions, not to draw conclusions from one type of response.


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## Laxplayer (Apr 26, 2006)

Scoundrel said:


> Sneakers are a necessity in today's society. Who doesn't exercise?


Have you looked around? I'd say the large majority of people do not exercise.


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

Laxplayer said:


> I have taken the Myers-Briggs and the Five Factor Model tests, so I know what you are trying to say, however, I still think the number of athletic shoe purchases would be a weak correlation to leadership by itself.


They didn't say that it correlated to "leadership". They merely said that the results show that persons who purchase three or more pairs of sneakers a year tend to have certain leadership personality traits. Whether they are actually leaders of anybody wasn't determined.

Like I said, it was nothing more than a marketing survey to help sneaker companies with their advertising. It may be that this particular tidbit of information is not helpful at all to them, who knows? But then again it might be.

Cruiser


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

Cruiser said:


> I'm beginning to wonder if you know what a Personality Inventory is.


Maybe I do and maybe I do not, but either way, your above argument is still internally inconsistent, is it not?

And while I cannot boast taking two full undergrad classes in design, I have taken most of the standard tests at least once. Which is the one with letter designations? PGNT, etc? It always comes up that I am type A, the "perfect executive". I am so far from Type A that it is not funny. I am however, ethe perfect executive  My favorite was the one that told me my "type" does not wear watches and is known for being late. In point of fact, I am a freak about keeping track of time and am known for arriving everywhere five minutes early.


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

Wayfarer said:


> Maybe I do and maybe I do not, but either way, your above argument is still internally inconsistent, is it not?


I'm not sure what "argument" I'm making. I'm just saying that this is nothing more than a marketing survey using a Personality Inventory to gather data rather than asking folks to simply fill out a questionnaire. It isn't a scientific study to prove or disprove a thesis. It is obvious that some don't understand that. There is no right or wrong as there are no theories involved.



> And while I cannot boast taking two full undergrad classes in design, I have taken most of the standard tests at least once.


I'm not boasting of anything. The only reason I said that I took the tests as part of college courses was so people wouldn't think that someone thought I needed psychological testing. Given the time needed and the cost one rarely takes something like the MMPI unless someone else thinks you need to be evaluated. :icon_smile_big:

Cruiser


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## The Gabba Goul (Feb 11, 2005)

Cruiser...I wouldnt worry about trying to get the point across...it seems that many of the people here are of the thinking that if somebody presents information contrary to their own belief system (ie. "sneakers are for bums") then they need to freak out and argue tooth and nail that said information is 110% wrong (I honestly do wonder how some of these people get by when they log off AAAC and have to step out into the real world)...I get such a kick out of a bunch of guys who say that there is no way a person who wears sneakers can be a corporate executive, but half of them wont even wear a pair of bumbaclaat socks if they dont fit within the rules of their ridiculous dressup game...yeah dressing like a dork from the 30's is the real mark of a leader ...

furthermore...*if* sneakers make you a leader...I think I should be ready for a presidential bid by 2012...










that oughtta make some cats here cringe...and that isnt even the whole collection...just the ones that I wear...some for working out, and some for hanging out...:icon_smile_big:


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

Cruiser said:


> I'm not sure what "argument" I'm making.


I guess I need to remind you then.



Cruiser said:


> There are "leaders" everywhere, in gangs, prisons, schools, neighborhoods, you name it. The study simply shows that persons who have qualities similar to persons who attain some degree of leadership, whether it is in a gang or a corporation, tend to purchase these shoes more often than persons who have the personality traits of followers. With information like this shoe companies can direct their advertising at such people in the hopes that their followers will take the lead. In other words if the leader of the street gang buys this or that brand perhaps the other members of the gang will follow suit by buying not only that brand, but several pairs a year.


Follow the logic now:

You say leaders buy more tennis shoes. Marketing firms want to know this hoping the followers of the leaders will buy dozens of shoes. Ergo, the people most likely to buy these shoes are followers, not leaders.

So the trend cannot be leaders buy more tennis shoes, as your proposition states followers will buy more tennis shoes.


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

Wayfarer said:


> Follow the logic now:
> 
> You say leaders buy more tennis shoes.


No I didn't. Neither did the marketing survey. That's what you and others seem to not be getting. No one said that leaders, or corporate execs, are buying up all the sneakers. All they said was that persons who buy three or more pairs of sneakers a year tend to have traits common to leadership. There was nothing about folks buying tennis shoes actually being leaders or being in leadership positions. This is something that you and others are reading into the survey.



> Marketing firms want to know this hoping the followers of the leaders will buy dozens of shoes. Ergo, the people most likely to buy these shoes are followers, not leaders.


That was just an example of how info might be used, but I just made it up for illustrative purposes. I don't know if it is accurate or not. At the same time it is a strategy that would make sense to a company making widgets. If you thought one particular type of person was buying your widgets most likely you would be looking for ways to expand your customer base into the other groups who aren't. So if that was an accurate example, yes the company would want to bring the followers on board because that would be a much larger base like you say. I will admit that was a bad example and again, it's just something I made up to try and illustrate a point.

But the bottom line is that the survey did not say that actual leaders, corporate, gang or otherwise, were buying a lot of sneakers; only people with leadership "traits". And that is an important distinction that many are missing. That's why I asked if you really understood how a Personality Inventory works.

Cruiser


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## SuitUP (Feb 8, 2008)

Scoundrel said:


> Sneakers are a necessity in today's society. Who doesn't exercise?


Me! Well if we are talking in the strict sense of jogging or biking or other gym or roadway type exercise. However, I get my exercise from 6 to 8 hours of ballroom dance a week. And if you don't think that's tough try dancing 2 hours straight of swing, cha-cha, salsa, quickstep or viennese waltz.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

I buy new sneakers only when I see them damaged but I wouldn't call myself a leader.


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## Laxplayer (Apr 26, 2006)

SuitUP said:


> Me! Well if we are talking in the strict sense of jogging or biking or other gym or roadway type exercise. However, I get my exercise from 6 to 8 hours of ballroom dance a week. And if you don't think that's tough try dancing 2 hours straight of swing, cha-cha, salsa, quickstep or viennese waltz.


I'm no fitness expert, but ballroom dancing sounds like a good form of exercise to me, especially since you are dancing for 6-8 hours per week.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

Cruiser said:


> So if that was an accurate example, yes the company would want to bring the followers on board because that would be a much larger base like you say. I will admit that was a bad example...


Could have saved us bandwidth if you had just admitted that several posts ago 

FWIW, I did not say anything about the people the survey identified as having leadership qualities, you read much more into my statements than were there. I only pointed out these surveys are self-reports and I questioned the tool itself, given most peoples' desire to portray themselves in a positive light. The example I used was the reference to people paying their credit card balances monthly and pointing out that of course they would be happier to talk about that practice than the guy who is drowing in credit card debt. No one would want to talk about that much. You, of course, claimed expert knowledge in tool design and why these surveys cannot be "beat". I pointed out two mistakes these instruments have come up with on me. You predictably started to ad hom, implying that anyone that has taken several of these tests has a mental problem. I guess most RVP and above people have mental problems then, as it is pretty much standard practice to administer a personality test in the hiring process for upper level people.


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## Laxplayer (Apr 26, 2006)

Wayfarer said:


> Could have saved us bandwidth if you had just admitted that several posts ago
> 
> FWIW, I did not say anything about the people the survey identified as having leadership qualities, you read much more into my statements than were there. I only pointed out these surveys are self-reports and I questioned the tool itself, given most peoples' desire to portray themselves in a positive light. The example I used was the reference to people paying their credit card balances monthly and pointing out that of course they would be happier to talk about that practice than the guy who is drowing in credit card debt. No one would want to talk about that much. You, of course, claimed expert knowledge in tool design and why these surveys cannot be "beat". I pointed out two mistakes these instruments have come up with on me. You predictably started to ad hom, implying that anyone that has taken several of these tests has a mental problem. I guess most RVP and above people have mental problems then, as it is pretty much standard practice to administer a personality test in the hiring process for upper level people.


Right, and all I was saying is that just because someone administered a test does not mean that the results are correct, or that they have any significant meaning. They are many ways of interpreting the data. A survey can be constructed to show any results that you want it to.


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

Laxplayer said:


> Right, and all I was saying is that just because someone administered a test does not mean that the results are correct, or that they have any significant meaning.


And that was part and parcel my point. It was just a marketing survey, nothing more. It was everyone else who was reading things into it that weren't there by thinking that this meant that the survey was trying to convince us that executives and "corner office" types were out buying all the sneakers. And I think I also said that we don't really know if there was any significance to that anyway, at least as far as the sneaker companies are concerned. Their marketing folks might completely disregard that for all we know.

But I will stand by what I said about a Personality Inventory being more accurate, at least as it identifies "traits", than a simple questionnaire asking someone to describe himself/herself. It's hard for someone to present themself in a "good light" on one of these since you don't really know what the questions and answers really mean.

Cruiser


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

Scoundrel said:


> Sneakers are a necessity in today's society. Who doesn't exercise?


I exercise and I work outside plus I get plenty of walking in the parking lot of Pathmark just about every day.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

The Gabba Goul said:


> Hmmmm...maybe we could publish a study about how non sneaker wearers tend to labor over really inconsequential things, read waaaay to much into benign news articles, get defensive when they are given info that they don't want to believe, and just let their feelings get hurt too easily in general...


Word. Now, if you'll excuse me, i'm off to the sneaker store


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## The Gabba Goul (Feb 11, 2005)

StevenRocks said:


> Word. Now, if you'll excuse me, i'm off to the sneaker store


off to cop the stealth/white XX3???

I actually missed out on those (my idiot friend @ Niketown forgot to have a pair set aside for me)...but I'm sure I'll be able to find some for not too much over retail from one of my favorite resellers...


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

The Gabba Goul said:


> off to cop the stealth/white XX3???


If I can find them :icon_smile_big:


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

My favorite brand of sneaker is New Balance cause they're comfortable plus they don't irritate the foot.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> My favorite brand of sneaker is New Balance cause they're comfortable plus they don't irritate the foot.


I like New Balance, too. The NB Zip models are really cool.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> I like New Balance, too. The NB Zip models are really cool.


I bought mine at a sneaker place for $79.99.


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## Preu Pummel (Feb 5, 2008)

Research paid for by Converse.


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

Preu Pummel said:


> Research paid for by Converse.


Who else but a company who makes the product would be interested in marketing research about their customers? It's not like Kroger would pay for research on the types of people who are purchasing sneakers anymore than Converse would pay for research on the types of people buying canned peas. These companies want to know about the people who are buying THEIR products, not someone else's.

Cruiser


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> I bought mine at a sneaker place for $79.99.


Sounds like you got some nice ones.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> Sounds like you got some nice ones.


I should've got the black color but now I have white and working in the Pathmark parking lot wearing white sneakers gets them filthy.

At least wearing black,you don't see much dirt.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> I should've got the black color but now I have white and working in the Pathmark parking lot wearing white sneakers gets them filthy.
> 
> At least wearing black,you don't see much dirt.


On white, the stains are more obvious, but black tends to look dusty and dull with wear. It's a crap-shoot.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> On white, the stains are more obvious, but black tends to look dusty and dull with wear. It's a crap-shoot.


Well,I'll only wear the white sneakers for work and leave my black loafers for my days off.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> Well,I'll only wear the white sneakers for work and leave my black loafers for my days off.


Sounds like a plan, man.


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## Preu Pummel (Feb 5, 2008)

Cruiser said:


> Who else but a company who makes the product would be interested in marketing research about their customers?


Yes. Congratulations.

BTW- you fail.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> Sounds like a plan, man.


Do you think I should've gotten the black ones instead?


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> Do you think I should've gotten the black ones instead?


Depends on the model. Which ones did you get? There should be a 3 or 4 digit number on the shoe somewhere.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> Depends on the model. Which ones did you get? There should be a 3 or 4 digit number on the shoe somewhere.


New Balance 574.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> New Balance 574.


I'm not big on those, but they're okay for what you're using them for. I don't think the black would have looked any better than the white.

If you're using them at work, the 600 cross-trainer series is good. They're a little more supportive than the 574, and you can get them in all black or close to all white.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> I'm not big on those, but they're okay for what you're using them for. I don't think the black would have looked any better than the white.
> 
> If you're using them at work, the 600 cross-trainer series is good. They're a little more supportive than the 574, and you can get them in all black or close to all white.


What does the 600 Cross Trainer have that the 574 doesn't have?


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> What does the 600 Cross Trainer have that the 574 doesn't have?


A more durable, supportive upper and thicker sole:


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> A more durable, supportive upper and thicker sole:


I like that sneaker,What's the number of that sneaker,maybe I'd like to get it just in case my other sneakers wear and tear again.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> I like that sneaker,What's the number of that sneaker,maybe I'd like to get it just in case my other sneakers wear and tear again.


That's the MX621. A lot of stores carry it, and it comes in multiple widths.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> That's the MX621. A lot of stores carry it, and it comes in multiple widths.


MX621,How much do they cost?


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> MX621,How much do they cost?


Depending on where you shop, they can run between $40-$60.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> Depending on where you shop, they can run between $40-$60.


not bad, would you happen to know if they come in black too?


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> not bad, would you happen to know if they come in black too?


But of course!


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> But of course!


Ok Great,next time I go to a sneaker shop,I'll look for that.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> Ok Great,next time I go to a sneaker shop,I'll look for that.


Glad to be of assistance.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> Glad to be of assistance.


So far my white sneakers have gotten really filthy,How do you clean such filthy shoes that you know you're going to wear every single day?


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## Laxplayer (Apr 26, 2006)

Howard said:


> So far my white sneakers have gotten really filthy,How do you clean such filthy shoes that you know you're going to wear every single day?


Do you wear them anywhere besides work? If not, don't worry about it.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> So far my white sneakers have gotten really filthy,How do you clean such filthy shoes that you know you're going to wear every single day?


You can use sneaker cleaner every other day or so to make them more presentable. It's cheap and effective.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

Laxplayer said:


> Do you wear them anywhere besides work? If not, don't worry about it.


On my days off,I wear my black loafers and keep my white sneakers at home for work.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> You can use sneaker cleaner every other day or so to make them more presentable. It's cheap and effective.


What about white sneaker polish?


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> What about white sneaker polish?


You can use it, but it still needs a clean surface to adhere to, otherwise it won't work.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> You can use it, but it still needs a clean surface to adhere to, otherwise it won't work.


I wear my sneakers every day outside so who's going to know,this isn't a job interview.
No one is evaluating the way you dress outside,supervisors are inside and very busy.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> I wear my sneakers every day outside so who's going to know,this isn't a job interview.
> No one is evaluating the way you dress outside,supervisors are inside and very busy.


You may be overthinking this a little bit, Howard. I'm just saying that if the sneakers are dirty, putting white polish on them isn't going to make them look any better.

It might be simpler to get a new pair when the old ones get dingy looking.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> You may be overthinking this a little bit, Howard. I'm just saying that if the sneakers are dirty, putting white polish on them isn't going to make them look any better.
> 
> It might be simpler to get a new pair when the old ones get dingy looking.


You have a point there,could I get a cheap pair?


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> You have a point there,could I get a cheap pair?


I wouldn't go for cheap. Since you're on your feet all day, the cheap sneakers will do more harm than good because they tend to be constructed of crap materials.

If you're not picky about what you wear to work, a lot of stores (like DSW) will have good quality sneakers on clearance. I'd get something supportive and well built every six months or so and rotate in the new pair as you're wearing down the old pair.


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

Howard said:


> So far my white sneakers have gotten really filthy,How do you clean such filthy shoes that you know you're going to wear every single day?


I use saddle soap on mine. Obviously this won't remove really deep scuff marks, but it does clean the shoes up quite nicely.

Cruiser


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

Cruiser said:


> I use saddle soap on mine. Obviously this won't remove really deep scuff marks, but it does clean the shoes up quite nicely.
> 
> Cruiser


Could I use a bar of deodarant soap?


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> I wouldn't go for cheap. Since you're on your feet all day, the cheap sneakers will do more harm than good because they tend to be constructed of crap materials.
> 
> If you're not picky about what you wear to work, a lot of stores (like DSW) will have good quality sneakers on clearance. I'd get something supportive and well built every six months or so and rotate in the new pair as you're wearing down the old pair.


So,sneakers that would last a long time and not fall apart too quickly like my old sneakers have in the past?


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> So,sneakers that would last a long time and not fall apart too quickly like my old sneakers have in the past?


Exactly. You have to go for quality.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> Exactly. You have to go for quality.


not quantity!


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> not quantity!


Actually, I go for quality _and_ quantity, but I have issues 

But you get what I'm saying.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

See,the price is not what I'm concerned about,It's how well the company made the shoe.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> See,the price is not what I'm concerned about,It's how well the company made the shoe.


As fas as build quality goes, I'd say New Balance and Asics are the most consistently good. Nike and Adidas make good shoes, K-Swiss too, but they vary a lot depending on the model.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

So what I did yesterday,I bought white sneaker polish with Scuff Cover and it seems to cover the sneaker ok but there's some scuffs that need to be scrubbed hard in order for it to be wiped away.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> So what I did yesterday,I bought white sneaker polish with Scuff Cover and it seems to cover the sneaker ok but there's some scuffs that need to be scrubbed hard in order for it to be wiped away.


Sounds like it did pretty well.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> Sounds like it did pretty well.


But then you have some stayed-on scuffs that won't come off at all but the other dirt did.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> But then you have some stayed-on scuffs that won't come off at all but the other dirt did.


You're probably going to have to live with the scuffs. Some will come off with effort, but it's not going to look like a new shoe.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> You're probably going to have to live with the scuffs. Some will come off with effort, but it's not going to look like a new shoe.


Could you put sneakers in the washer,I tried one time and sneakers came out pretty good.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> Could you put sneakers in the washer,I tried one time and sneakers came out pretty good.


If they're cloth or synthetic leather, you can do it, but leather shoes don't do well in the washer.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> If they're cloth or synthetic leather, you can do it, but leather shoes don't do well in the washer.


What about my New Balances,Could I try to put them in the washer to get out the scuffs?


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> What about my New Balances,Could I try to put them in the washer to get out the scuffs?


You can try them in the washer, but I think they're leather, so it may not work that well.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> You can try them in the washer, but I think they're leather, so it may not work that well.


When washing sneakers should you put detergent in or keep it without?


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## Laxplayer (Apr 26, 2006)

Howard said:


> When washing sneakers should you put detergent in or keep it without?


If you are not going to use detergent, you might as well use a hose.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

I think you're gonna need some detergent.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> I think you're gonna need some detergent.


Will it be kept clean?


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> Will it be kept clean?


Say what?


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> Say what?


What I'm saying is will putting detergent on shoes in the washer,keep it scuff-free?


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

It's not going to keep them scuff-free, but it will cut down on the surface dirt.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> It's not going to keep them scuff-free, but it will cut down on the surface dirt.


What if there's scuff that cannot come out,then just forget about it?


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> What if there's scuff that cannot come out,then just forget about it?


White shoe polish will do the trick.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> White shoe polish will do the trick.


Could I also put sneakers in the dryer,I mean some sneakers can be put in the dryer,Have you tried that before?


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> Could I also put sneakers in the dryer,I mean some sneakers can be put in the dryer,Have you tried that before?


I've done it before. It typically works with fairly simple sneakers made of fabric or synthetic leather, but not as well with technical models or leather uppers. Usually line drying's the safest bet.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

So I put my sneakers in the washer last night with just a bit of detergent,nothing much that it did except for most of the scuffs are almost gone but the rest I have to polish.


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## BertieW (Jan 17, 2006)

Howard said:


> So I put my sneakers in the washer last night with just a bit of detergent,nothing much that it did except for most of the scuffs are almost gone but the rest I have to polish.


Congratulations, Howard. Now you're a leader!

Remember to tie those laces (or are the kids using Velcro these days?).

Incidentally, I can't believe this thread now has more than 100 entries. And they say Western Civilisation can't fall.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> So I put my sneakers in the washer last night with just a bit of detergent,nothing much that it did except for most of the scuffs are almost gone but the rest I have to polish.


Sounds like it worked pretty well.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

BertieW said:


> Congratulations, Howard. Now you're a leader!
> 
> Remember to tie those laces (or are the kids using Velcro these days?).
> 
> Incidentally, I can't believe this thread now has more than 100 entries. And they say Western Civilisation can't fall.


I wear velcro on my sneakers.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> Sounds like it worked pretty well.


Yes It did but they're old sneakers anyway.


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## Scoundrel (Oct 30, 2007)

StevenRocks said:


> I wouldn't go for cheap. Since you're on your feet all day, the cheap sneakers will do more harm than good because they tend to be constructed of crap materials.
> 
> If you're not picky about what you wear to work, a lot of stores (like DSW) will have good quality sneakers on clearance. I'd get something supportive and well built every six months or so and rotate in the new pair as you're wearing down the old pair.


Do people really replace their sneakers every six months?


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

Scoundrel said:


> Do people really replace their sneakers every six months?


I guess it depends on the looks of the sneakers,I replaced old sneakers with new ones because there was a hole on the bottom of my New Balances.Just the other day,I bought myself a pair of New Balance Abzorb 725.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^ ...and if you actually run in them, to maintain the proper cushioning and bio-mechanical support for your feet, your sneakers/running shoes might need to be replaced every three to four months!


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Scoundrel said:


> Do people really replace their sneakers every six months?


If you work out in them, or wear them every day, yes.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

eagle2250 said:


> ^ ...and if you actually run in them, to maintain the proper cushioning and bio-mechanical support for your feet, your sneakers/running shoes might need to be replaced every three to four months!


Well,I run in the parking lot if you could say that.If the Parking Lot is half empty which it might be today,I could do a little running for the carts.


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## Scoundrel (Oct 30, 2007)

What happens if you don't replace them every six months?


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^ If you are a runner, your knees, ankles and feet pay the piper!


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

Scoundrel said:


> What happens if you don't replace them every six months?


Well,let's hope I don't have to replace them every 6 months.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

Howard said:


> Well,let's hope I don't have to replace them every 6 months.


Really it depends on how worn they are. If they're still in good shape after six months, then you wait a little bit.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

StevenRocks said:


> Really it depends on how worn they are. If they're still in good shape after six months, then you wait a little bit.


I've had sneakers that last me almost 2 years.


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