Shoes buying guides

A court shoe needs a non marking, low and stable sole with cushioning for landings, and fit matters before brand. Victor A170IN, Li Ning Saga Lite II, Nivia HY Court 3.0 and Puma Ad Court are the four pairs checked here.

For short daily trips, the adidas Cloudfoam, Puma Softride Seave Xpress, Campus GC-4034 and Paragon K3313G are the four pairs covered here. Each brand sizes differently, so the fit rule of the pair matters more than the usual shoe number.

For days that mix sitting and standing, CCOHS advises lace up shoes tightened across the instep, a firm heel grip and a cushioned insole on hard floors. Of four pairs from Hush Puppies, Clarks and Woodland, three lace up, and three state a cushioned footbed or insole.

Training shoes differ from running shoes mainly in heel drop and heel firmness. Nike puts running shoes at 10 mm or more, while the Puma Fuse 2.0 is listed lower and the Adidas Dropset 4 sits in between. Stability features are stated for some pairs, and cushioning leads for others.

Brooks and Skechers label their pages as support or stability, while adidas, Nike and PUMA describe cushioning or a neutral ride. Several India pages leave out weight and width, so the size and fit step matters as much as the label.

NHS Wales advises fastening school shoes securely, preferably with laces or Velcro, leaving a pinkie's width at the toes, and rechecking fit every 2 to 4 months. Of four pairs from Puma, Skechers and Campus, two use Velcro, one laces, and one has no closure listed.

Brands use three different words for rain protection: a seam sealed waterproof bootie from Columbia, a plain waterproof label from Quechua, and weatherproof nubuck from Puma. Grip is easiest to read on the Columbia and Quechua pages, and the Puma page states none.

Indiahikes says trekking shoes suit snow, rain and loads of 7 kg or more, while light hiking shoes suit warm, dry day walks. It also advises one size larger and about two weeks of wear before the trek, which needs to fit inside the 30 day Decathlon return window.

Only Skechers publishes a weight for the five men's walking shoes here, 215 g in size 9 for the GO WALK Max. Closures differ, from slip on to laces, so the heel check from Mayo Clinic Care Network matters. Puma, Adidas and Bata state cushioning or materials but no weight.

Trace the longer foot in running socks, then add room at the front using one rule only: ASICS adds 1 to 1.5 cm, Running Warehouse allows a thumb's width. If length feels right but the fit still bothers, the problem is probably width.