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Overture1928
Joined: 12 Jan 2014
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 Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 4:13 am Post subject: Quality of shoes at places like ABC Mart and Les More |
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| I want to know if it is just me or other foreigners feel the same way about the shoes you see at legit places like ABC Mart or Les More. I feel that a lot of the shoes, even the familiar Nike or Adidas brand shoes, are low quality. A lot of them seem to have little padding/support and feel thin/cheap. They just don't feel the same as the shoes I am used to buying at FootLocker back in Canada. Is it just me, or are the shoes here actually quite different? |
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BackRow
Joined: 28 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 7:09 am Post subject: |
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| They are the exact same shoes except for jacked up prices, the difference in quality is all in your head. |
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Stain
Joined: 08 Jan 2014
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 7:24 am Post subject: |
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| BackRow wrote: |
| They are the exact same shoes except for jacked up prices, the difference in quality is all in your head. |
Or feet, maybe. |
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optik404
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 4:59 pm Post subject: |
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| I think ABC mart is a large Japanese company. I don't think they'd sell fakes. If you're worried you could go to foot locker in korea. |
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wanderkind
Joined: 01 Jan 2012
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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I've bought both a great pair and an awful pair at ABC mart. I think it really depends on the shoe.
In terms of 'quality', I would maybe suggest that the trend lately has been towards lighter, flimsier styles (I'm talking sneakers / running shoes right now), and that might not be so much 'shoes in Korea' as shoe companies in general.
I feel like it's harder to find a solid shoe that will last a long time, but when you think about it, the more often you have to buy new shoes, the better it is for those companies right? It's more profitable for them if what is in style is flimsy. |
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atwood
Joined: 26 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 5:14 pm Post subject: |
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| ABC has different levels of quality corresponding to price, but they're not fakes. |
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Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 5:50 pm Post subject: |
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| wanderkind wrote: |
I've bought both a great pair and an awful pair at ABC mart. I think it really depends on the shoe.
In terms of 'quality', I would maybe suggest that the trend lately has been towards lighter, flimsier styles (I'm talking sneakers / running shoes right now), and that might not be so much 'shoes in Korea' as shoe companies in general.
I feel like it's harder to find a solid shoe that will last a long time, but when you think about it, the more often you have to buy new shoes, the better it is for those companies right? It's more profitable for them if what is in style is flimsy. |
First, a lot of them are just as sturdy, they're just more efficient. And even if some are not, a lot of people are willing to trade lightweight performance for long-term durability. After all, they're just sneakers. Its not like a car that costs 10s of thousands of dollars.
I for one enjoy a lighter sneaker that doesn't leave me feeling like I'm wearing weights on my feet 3 hours into a game of basketball or tennis.
Also, sneakers are not for wearing all day, everyday. That's what shoes are for. Sneakers are worn just for exercise, walking, outdoor activities and such. Shoes are worn for work, business, socializing, being out and about shopping and the like. |
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BackRow
Joined: 28 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="Steelrails"]
| wanderkind wrote: |
| Also, sneakers are not for wearing all day, everyday. That's what shoes are for. Sneakers are worn just for exercise, walking, outdoor activities and such. Shoes are worn for work, business, socializing, being out and about shopping and the like. |
Sneakers are just as commonly worn for everything you mentioned aside from business and work, here more than many other countries it seems. |
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maitaidads
Joined: 08 Oct 2012
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 8:18 pm Post subject: |
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| If Doritos, Red Bull, and Budweiser all have their formulas changed to Korean tastes, then why couldn't a shoe? Maybe Koreans like a lighter shoe, so it's tailored to them, or maybe some companies know what they can away with here and sell an "inferior" product. So not fakes but a different formula under the same name. |
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wanderkind
Joined: 01 Jan 2012
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 8:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Steelrails wrote: |
First, a lot of them are just as sturdy, they're just more efficient. And even if some are not, a lot of people are willing to trade lightweight performance for long-term durability. After all, they're just sneakers. Its not like a car that costs 10s of thousands of dollars.
I for one enjoy a lighter sneaker that doesn't leave me feeling like I'm wearing weights on my feet 3 hours into a game of basketball or tennis.
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I suppose those are good points. I know sneakers are generally light, I guess I'm drawing a distinction between light and what I saw a lot of the last time I was at ABC (which could fall under 'ultralight'?), which I was told was the new style. Mostly mesh and felt, easily dirtied, easily torn. I wasn't really a fan, but their selection of more substantial fare was a lot less comprehensive than my previous visit. And those in my size even less so.
| Steelrails wrote: |
Also, sneakers are not for wearing all day, everyday. That's what shoes are for. Sneakers are worn just for exercise, walking, outdoor activities and such. Shoes are worn for work, business, socializing, being out and about shopping and the like. |
Maybe this will paint me as some grubby, sneaker-wearing, heathen man-child, but in my case, I do wear sneakers most of the time. Not for work / business (I keep a pair of shoes / slippers there to change into), but for most things in life. I walk, run, or bicycle everywhere that doesn't require a train or plane, and I generally find sneakers the most versatile option for living life. |
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nicwr2002
Joined: 17 Aug 2011
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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| I think the style just changed and not it being because it is Korea's fault. Even in America I had to buy a $180 pair of shoes just to get the same comfort. |
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grnmle
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 10:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks for the heads up on what sneakers are for SR! I always wanted to ask but thought it was something that I should know. I've sort of just been waiting for someone to come out with it... What a relief. You don't know how good this feels. Like seeing a complete double rainbow outside my front door... |
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atwood
Joined: 26 Dec 2009
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