Walking and running shoes have quietly become one of those expenses that make you stop and ask, “since when?” The cost is honestly quite something. What used to feel like a straightforward purchase now requires a bit of thought, and in some cases, a bit of luck.
I bought a branded walking shoe last year. In the store, it felt great — comfortable, supportive, everything you’d expect at that price point. But once I got home and actually used it on a proper walk, it was a different story. The soles had this strange feel to them, almost like you could sense the structure inside. The only way I could make them work was by wearing thick walking socks. Not ideal, but manageable.
To be fair, the shoes have held up reasonably well overall. I took them on a long walk this past Saturday through the Parklands area in Cape Town — proper distance, not just a quick stroll — and it did the job. No real complaints there.
But it did get me thinking about just how expensive these shoes have become. You really have to choose carefully now, because getting it wrong costs you. And it’s not entirely clear what’s driving the price. Yes, they’re lighter. Yes, there’s more support and design that goes into them. But still — it’s a lot.
What’s interesting is how many people are actually out there walking and running. If you spend any time around the peninsula, you’ll see it. Groups of ten or twelve people walking together, retirees, younger people, all out in the mornings and afternoons, in all kinds of weather. Walking, in particular, has grown into something quite big. It’s social, it’s accessible, and it doesn’t require much — other than, it seems, an increasingly expensive pair of shoes.
And walking does something else. It changes how you see things.
When you’re driving, you think you’re taking everything in, but you’re not. You’re just passing through. Walking slows everything down. You start noticing the details — how someone has built a wall, what’s growing in a garden, what people choose to put in their windows. Small things, but interesting.
The other day, walking along a nearby vlei, I caught a brief glimpse of a Cape clawless otter. I’ve lived in the Cape for two years and had never seen one before. They’re shy, so you don’t just stumble across them. Without walking, I wouldn’t have seen it at all.
So yes, walking and running shoes are getting more expensive, and the category is clearly growing in South Africa. You can see it in the number of people out there, putting in the miles.
It’s just that these days, even something as simple as going for a walk comes with a slightly higher price tag than it used to.
