CLOWN shoes

“I just gotta scythes.”

What does that even mean?

I re-posted. Spel-check took over a typo.

I’ve declined to buy clown shoes a few times even when I thought they would work out well. And I’ve noticed that if a model I like is available in multiple colors, the least bozo-like styles are the ones that go on sale a year later. Works out well for me!

My street clothes come back into style every 15 years or so.  Now I need to remember to stock up when that happens.

— Rex

I’d say there’s a UL argument to be made for less-than-neon shoe colors.  You can wear any colors while jogging or at the gym, but day-glo chartreuse and orange?  I can’t wear that to a casual business meeting like I can a brown/black pair of Merrill low-cut hikers so I’d bring two pairs of shoes instead of one, putting me that much closer to checking a bag.

And for cops and mail carriers and those of us on the casual-fringe of office wear?  How about a completely functional walking/hiking shoe entirely in black (and also in uniform brown, and in white for the nurses)?  No stripes, no swoosh, no lightning bolts, please.

My aversion to how something looks is directly proportional to how much they are discounted….get ’em dirty!

“.get ’em dirty!”

or one of those extra wide sharpies !

Larry S

Both Hoka and Altra make at least a few all black and/or brown shoes. The Hoka Bondi and Altra Paradigm are both highly cushioned road running shoes, also suitable as walking shoes or being on your feet all day at work. The Bondi also comes in an all black leather version. Altra is now making an all black hiking boot called the Tushar. Hoka has the Gaviota in brown leather, and a few other hiking and running shoes in all black or brown. You can even search by color on their websites:

https://www.hokaoneone.com/men-hiking/black/?start=0&sz=36

https://www.altrarunning.com/shop/men#facet=ads_f76256_ntk_cs%253A%2522Black%2522&beginIndex=0

I struggled with this recently as my favorite off trail/rocky shoes the La Sportiva TX3’s used to come in bright royal blue and day-glo orange.  The blue was hard enough but got dirty quickly and with gaiters not too bad.  They discontinued the blue now it is only day-glo orange.  I contacted the company to make sure, yes, they said and then sighed and said “You know the Italian fashion”.

I bit my tongue and purchased but absolutely do not wear them in the front country.

“.get ’em dirty!”

or one of those extra wide sharpies !

Larry S

You mean a bluntie? :)

I sort of like the bright colors, though I generally buy whatever I can find on sale the cheapest.  My current favorites, the La Sportiva Ultra Raptor is now only available in black, which I’m not crazy about, but I really don’t care as long as they don’t discontinue or “update” the shoe.

I generally don’t wear my backpacking shoes in the front country (as the soles wear out pretty quickly as is) until after they are too worn out for backcountry use.   The exception is some BRIGHT yellow Bushido’s that happen to match the color of my daughters travel softball team uniforms so they are my softball shoes.

I guess now I understand why I CAN’T find brightly colored shoes as much as I’d like.  Seems a lot of people do prefer variations of beige, black, and grey.

No wonder all my rants fall on deaf ears at Altra who design men’s trail runners with a fashion sense akin to Kim Jung Un’s wardrobe.

Bright colors just make me happier.

Same as @gatome83, above. Trail runners are expensive and I go through a couple pairs a year, so I choose whatever is on sale which is usually the the gaudiest thing in the store.

As someone who wears a size 13+ “Clown Shoes” are probably appropriate.

{:>)

Larry S

Being thrifty (a tightarse) clown coloured stuff is usually cheaper so I often will buy if it suits my needs. Eric release your inner Bozo.

Most non-runners aren’t as aware of this, but the bulk of the science on the matter points to the fact that brightly colored shoes make you faster.  Case in point:

And now that discussing the merits of freesoloing has become a national pastime, I thought it had become common knowledge that bright clothing makes you climb harder:

But all is not lost for lovers of drab and dull!  There is some reverse spillover from the backpacking world into the realm of haute couture.  Fashion moguls the likes of Tommy Hilfiger have started embracing “Boring Tarptent Gray” in recent offerings.

I bet this guy is glad his tent isn’t HMG White:

I am amused that there is a discussion on the aesthetics of brightly coloured shoes on a forum where shiny windshirts,  ponchos and waterproof skirts are routinely discussed without batting an eyelid.

Bright colors are more photogenic.  When I hike in the Sierra’s or Rockies I generally wear light colored clothing due to the sun.  My pants are light tan (almost white now due to the sun) and one of the shirts I wear often is a very light gray.  My hat, once tan, is now almost white – not a very photographic attire.  Of course I am not going to wear something with less performance such as dark or bright colors to get better pictures, but it could be something small to consider.

BTW – I’m a longtime Patagonia clearance shopper (where Patagonia prices are 50% off MSRP or right about where they should be IMO) and that often leads to bright or odd colors.  My florescent lime green Patagonia Houdini purchased in 2011 is one of my most used items – not bad for $40!   When I bought it I hated the color, but I admit it’s grown on me.

I recall a fad back in the lat 1970s or early 1980s of wearing outrageously patterned and colored tights for rock climbing.  They tore easily and were a major source of visual eye pollution, at least to me.  I think the fad is over, not sure.   I think the idea was to proclaim as loudly (visually) as possible “Look at me, I am rock climbing!”

SO… when some of you do buy bright trail shoes you do it through gritted teeth for the savings then go out, get them dirty and slap on gaiters to hide them. I can get behind that.

And others are like me and want “natural colors when in nature” and buy “brown shoes”

Finally, out on the fringes of the bell curve, there is Matt (Zen) who actually WANTS these garish shoes. Matt may well be of Italian persuasion so he gets a pass. (“There is no accounting for taste”;o)

(Lordy, I’m dying for an emogi selection here!)

I’m with you on the shoes, but I love the blue clown jacket in your avatar.

Different stokes for different folks. But yea, bright colored shoes would be a deal breaker for me. Some people can rock it. Me? Not so much. You won’t hear me complain until Altra and Keen start changing their colors.

Ben, that “blue down jacket in (my) avatar” was from an Eddie Bauer 50% sale but for skiing it ain’t too bright. Like some here who buy bright shoes only on sale I felt the same about the jacket.

This is a totally “ok boomer” thread.

I recently got a pair of these bad boys (VJ XTRM). Exceptional traction in nasty conditions, but off-the-scale ugly IMHO. The retailer said the youngsters like them, so maybe I’ve become an old fart.

Here they are:

Trump that!