For the longest time, I owned only a pair of beach shoes that provided zero support, and a pair of heavy leather desert boots. Whenever I did need sneakers, I’d just borrow my brother’s. Perhaps this reflects poorly on myself, but I never engaged in physical activities often enough to justify actually getting a pair of sneakers. I guess the lockdowns were half to blame as well.
In Cape Town, I realised that I would have to get a pair of sneakers eventually if I ever wanted to do a hike. Problem is, I’m extremely picky with shoes and the way they look. They need to be squishy enough to be packed into my luggage, and also need to fit my aesthetic. I also specifically wanted a shoe from Adidas, as my dad used to use them a lot and there was a sentiment to that.
After a long search, I found the perfect pair of shoes at Mr Price, a South African budget department store. They were perfect as they fit all my requirements, and although they weren’t Adidas, they were extremely cheap. This solved the hesitancy I had with buying an expensive pair of shoes that would get beaten up on the hiking trail.
Sometimes, it is better to buy a budget option if you really need something but aren’t completely ready to make the investment.
Until I find a pair of Adidas sneakers that I’m 100% happy with, I’ll be sticking with my $20 Mr. Price sneakers.
