Which $40-$50 shoes would you buy to play bball?



  • I’m tight on my budget, I always go to Ross to pick a pair of bball shoes. I still believe brands like Nike, Adidas, Reebok - even older model - which what normally Ross carries; are good enough to play for indoor/outdoor. I’m in my late 40s now but I can still cross 20 something dudes. My Jordan Flight gives me sore ankles the day after playing. I wonder if any of you have a preference what shoes to wear for comfortness and performance within $40-50 budget. Is it online? Thanks.



  • @pa_grape

    If your Jordans are giving you problems, you should switch brands. Nike and Jordan shoes are cut the same, so I would recommend some basic Adidas to take the pressure off your ankles



  • @justanotherfan great advice and so nice of you!



  • @justanotherfan - thanks for the advice. I was looking at a web at teamexpress.com, they carried Adidas (Wiggins?) Crazy Light Boost for $60 down from $140. That’s a great deal, I think. But I don’t know how comfortable they are. I have wide feet.



  • @pa_grape can u send them back? Free returns?



  • @Crimsonorblue22 - I have never shopped there. I would email/call them first. But they have lots of great deals on bball shoes… it’s just I don’t know which ones would do good on my ankle… and it’s very challenging to find reviews that i need on those basketball shoes… BTW, spalding has $5 rebate on $29.99 & above basketballs… I just got mine. if anybody needs a coupon I can scan it here.



  • @pa_grape maybe u should tape them, ice them down before and after. Maybe some ankle exercises. Do you wear hi tops?



  • @pa_grape

    Two thoughts:

    1.) Go to a sports shoe store and test all the brands and find a size of what you like; then

    2.) go to thrift stores in affluent areas and buy a pair you like for $5.

    Most adults don’t really need the latest model brand new.

    This also works especially well for dress shoes.

    You have to pop by a few stores five times, but if you can afford the time, why buy new?

    I am a thrift store shopper and proudly so, even though I don’t have to. It recycles stuff which is good for the environment. It also helps poor folks with employment in the stores. And a percentage price gets to poor folks in need.

    I even buy choice old bikes at garage sales for a few bucks, tune them up and drop them off at thrift stores, or just give them away. It’s a fun kind of philanthropy.

    Of course I buy used cars too, and I know this is not for everyone. I can afford new cars, but I got tired of paying new prices for prestigious cars expensive to fix and unnecessarily unreliable. I went through my Benz phase and now drive used Camrys and Avalons and 370z’s for what it used to cost to repair my Benz. And every time I get the itch for a Benz, or Audi again, I take a trip to Europe instead.

    The older you get the more eccentric you get to be without any one caring.

    You’re 40. It’s old enough to live a little. Quit buying new. Five trips to the thrift stores and you’ll have scored a decent pair of tennies AND a really top notch pair of walking shoes–all for $10. Spend the other $30 on some barbecue!

    Rock Chalk!



  • @pa_grape Im not a bball player but I do run quite a bit. There are Shoals inserts for sports, I recommend those personally.



  • At my age, I can play in Birkenstocks. Not a lot of cutting, jumping (or running) going on here. But I play a mean game of horse…



  • @jaybate-1.0 Que MackLemore Thrift Shop



  • @nuleafjhawk you don’t wear them, do you?



  • @Crimsonorblue22 lol - no. I just liked the sound of it



  • @nuleafjhawk that was ruining my vision of you, not beige but wears those Birkenstocks



  • @pa_grape I usually buy basic Adidas models online - sometimes on eBay - for $50 or less. I have wide feet and kicks like these are good enough to keep me winning pickup games.



  • @Crimsonorblue22 I would never do that. They don’t go with my tube top and daisy dukes.



  • @pa_grape

    I’m out of touch on sports shoes… haven’t dribbled a ball since my knee surgery back in the mid-90s.

    But I will give you one piece of advice. Stay off of concrete. Asphalt, too. Save your joints. The cumulative impact over time just isn’t worth it later.

    Guess what I’m saying is to avoid playground ball… the game I really loved and lived on during my youth. You are creeping up on 50 so it is time to put your health at the top of the list!



  • @jaybate-1.0 said:

    Quit buying new. Five trips to the thrift stores and you’ll have scored a decent pair of tennies AND a really top notch pair of walking shoes–all for $10. Spend the other $30 on some barbecue!

    JB, in a place where I live, there’s no way I can find $5-$10 good bball shoes… Ross sells $20-$30, which are already considerably cheaper than most new models. I use them for 2-3 years. I think I’m already on my way to saving $$$. 🙂

    @Lulufulu - good idea.



  • @drgnslayr - I play indoor mostly, but you’re spot on. Asphalt will finally break my back/joint. @ajvan - I don’t normally buy at ebay; but it’s a good idea. Thanks all.



  • @drgnslayr Outta touch ain’t the word for it here…For extended walking its’ more often Nike Monarchs, extra wide. Decades ago it was always New Balance Made in USA…So much for that now. In today’s age when I go for new it’s either Born, Tony Llamas, or Nike’s. Just picked up a pair of Roper slip on’s at Boot Daddy in Springfield for about $95 bucks. Ostrich were only 15 bucks higher but always more maintenance wise to keep looking nicer. Only shoes I can wear without orthotic inserts are western boots-In mid 40’s I had severe plantar fasciitis in both feet. Extremely painful-many cortisone shots but continually refused surgeries. Was walking anywhere from 10 to 20 miles on concrete every day back then so was to be expected. Recall the first shot from the podiatrist & nonchalantly asked “is this gonna hurt?” (Here’s Your Sign) His reply was “Oh, not quite as bad as having a baby…” In all honesty I had to apologize to everyone in the office for the screaming of foul language that ensued. I still stretch my Achilles daily in both legs as that was the explanation for the cause/effect/inflammation of the heel pain. Entire situation is precipitated by either flat feet, poor footwear. or in my case both. Live & learn the hard way I always say.



  • @globaljaybird

    Fifteen years ago, I used to wear Luccheses, when I traveled in the mountain west on business. I bought one pair custom fitted, when I happened to have more money than sense one time. Usually the problem is reversed. Its nice to have custom fitted boots, but I decided its not really a necessity. If you wear boots daily, its more important to have several pair, so that you never wear the same pair two days in a row. Good leather boots (doesn’t have to be Lukes, Nakonas and others will do just fine, too) will really reward you with effectively life time wear if you rest each pair four days between wearing them, and know a cobbler that knows how to resole and reheel cowboy boots.

    Three major nevers in cowboy boots.

    Never buy riding heels for walking in. Spanish goat walking heel in Lukes were my favorites. I had four pair.

    Never buy really good boots to ride horses in. Get a pair of Ariats, unless you’re riding in a parade.

    Never say Lucheeeesey to someone devoted to them. They never forget.

    I don’t wear boots anymore. I don’t like the put on and take off time anymore. But when you have the right boots and they are on, there is NOTHING better.

    Big secret. If you become a thrift store schlepper regularly, like I am, and you’re willing to put up with riding heels, you can find decent used Luccheses from time to time. Lamas and Dan Posts are a dime a dozen. Hold out for the Lukes.

    Alas, Hyer’s out in Olathe used to be decent in my childhood. But I don’t know whatever became of them. Someone said they became Olathe Boot for awhile and made great boots for a time and not so great boots later, then maybe went out of biz.



  • @jaybate-1.0 From what I find online. Olathe Boots was the original name the Hyer Bros chose for their company in the 1800’s. Sometime after the turn of the century they changed to the Hyer name. When they retired & sold their business in the late 70’s the new owners revived the name Olathe Boots. Near as I can tell they are now made in Mercedes Texas, but their website is under reconstruction so the info is quite limited. The Hyer Bros & H.J. Justin were said to be the first western boot makers in the country. Never owned any Hyers but had many pairs of Justins including one I occasionally still wear. I recall paying about $150 bucks for my 1st pair in Coffeyville KS almost 50years ago, which was a boxcar load of money back then. Was still a bachelor & worked for the old MoPac RR so made a decent wage.

    http://olatheboots.com/



  • @globaljaybird

    Wow! thanks for the info on Hyer. Appreciate it.



  • Everything we need to know about boots, right here!


Log in to reply