Boycott Nike: Alternatives to the Popular Monarch Air IV

I love my Nike Air Monarch IV shoes. They are just so comfortable. However, there are so many reasons to hate Nike as a company. So I decided to move away from Nike and my beloved Air Monarchs. The Air Monarchs are their best-selling shoe and I am the Air Monarchs' target demographic: a middle-aged dad.

So what is the best alternative to the Air Monarch IV. What other shoe has the same comfort for picky feet? I've spent the past several months in shoe stores trying to figure this out. I need the arch support the Air Monarch has, so basically I needed to look for "walking shoes" or "training shoes" or "cross trainers."

I bought some Skechers with the memory foam, which my wife really likes. They feel comfortable, but they didn't live up to what I needed for my feet. Even though they feel comfortable, they don't have the arch support that I need, and within a few steps I feel pain in the arch of my feet.

I then discovered the Crocs Swiftwater Leather Fisherman Sandal. These do not look comfortable at all. There is no memory foam...and they're kinda ugly. But, they are amazingly comfortable. I love walking around in them. How can something so basic and prehistoric looking feel so good? I believe it is because the foot needs a certain type of structure, not necessarily a lot of foam or padding. These Crocs are also a conversation starter because of their unique look.

However, the Crocs aren't practical on rainy days.

I went into an Academy Sports store and discovered the Brooks Ghost shoes. They felt amazing. However I balked at at the price tag: $138.00 (I've mentioned this to my wife as a possible anniversary gift).

I had some time to kill one weekend in Charlotte and I did something I never did before. I went into a Dick's Sporting Goods. There I discovered the ASICS GEL-Contend shoes on sale for $39. I bought a pair and I walked in them all over the parking lot and fell in love. After a week I went back and bought another pair to take advantage of the sale.

Another pair of shoes I liked at Rack Room Shoes was the Adidas Questar Flow Running Shoe, however I have not had a chance to test them out thoroughly over time.

I'm sure that there are other shoes out there that are comparable to the comfort of the Nike Air Monarch IV, but I hope that this article has given you a few options for your feet.

metatron3@gmail.com