If you know me, you know one of my favorite pastimes is going for walks. If you ask Natalie, any time she calls me and asks what I’m doing, 9 times out of 10, I’m on a walk. Because of this, I’ve worn through my fair share of tennis shoes. Throughout college, I wore my Hokas like there was no tomorrow. I had to have had at least 8 or 9 pairs throughout the 4 years. So, safe to say, I know how they work.
My very first pair of beloved Hokas were knit Cliftons. Pink and Purple. They fit like a glove and were so easy to slide on. I was obsessed with them. Don’t ask if you can get them because trust me, you cannot. I’ve searched far and wide for the knit ones like my first pair, and have yet to find a pair like them since. I was not super into working out in high school, but in college, it felt like it was time to turn over a new leaf. I wore those things until they fell apart. The plastic was coming out of the back of the heel, and I still continued to wear them.
I had another pair of white Cliftons, but they just weren’t the same as they were when they were knit. I just love knit shoes because they’re breathable and they are so easy to slide in and out. And I feel like I don’t get blisters this way (Key info here). I have to find this photo from back in COVID when Addie and I used to play tennis. I had sprained my ankle right before COVID happened, so when we wanted to play tennis I had to wear this awful aircast. I’m cracking up just writing this down. It was so funny. Please see the photo below.
Then I still wanted the knit, so I moved on to the CarbonX Hokas. I loved those too. I think I had 4 pairs of those. They were cuter than the classic, clunky Hokas that we all know and love. I remember when Izzy first came home in them, I was like what are you doing wearing Shape-Ups… Little did I know, I’d fall victim to their comfort, too.
Oh, I also tried OnClouds for a minute. I had 2 pairs. Hated them both so much. Unless you’re my dad wearing them for his house shoes, 0/10 recommend for walking.
After a few years, I decided to move back to the Cliftons, and that’s when things started to go downhill. It was really after I moved to Texas. I had never had any problems with my tennis shoes before now. But I kept getting the worst blisters ever. One thing that I hated about Hokas was the way that they rubbed the back of my feet. The entire backs of the shoes would always peel off, and I’d be left to get a new pair. So, I was already familiar with this.
Maybe it’s the way I walk, maybe it’s the shoe, maybe it's a combination of both, but I had a blister that grew and grew and it was disgusting. I had to take weeks off from my regular scheduled programming because of these stupid blisters. And it's not like I was walking much more than usual, so that wasn’t the problem. I was over it. As I mentioned in my very first blog about not having any hobbies, that was when I was going through my blister crisis.
I am happy to say that I have officially switched to Brooks Glycerin instead. I am obsessed with them. I always heard people raving about how much they loved their Brooks tennis shoes, so I wanted to jump on the bandwagon. And guess what, these shoes are knit!!! Well, they make a version that is knit. They even have an extra cushion on the heel so the heel doesn’t peel off and it’s comfy. And honestly, they are SO much cuter than Hokas.
So, I am proud to say that I have retired from my Hokas era and have entered my Brooks era. Maybe if you find yourself at Express Footwear, you might take a trip on the dark side, too.
Let me know if you do….
Xx, Annie
TT is the biggest Brooks fan I know, you’ll have to ask her about them because she’s had at least 50 pairs. If they are on sale she buys at least 3 pair each time
Still love my On Cloud!! But enjoyed the read