Do you know that your shoe weight has a significant impact on controlling your balance and moves? Well, this is quite obvious, as you can quickly feel it when you step into a pair. But have you ever given it a thought, how your shoe weight can heavily impact your body?
Well, shoe weight is something that we unknowingly embrace without knowing that it can affect our moves, muscles, and steps. Most people who have stepped into heavier shoes complain about strains, foot-fatigue, ligament stress, etc.
So, what can one do to prevent such a situation? Knowing the weight of the shoes can be your ultimate saviour while you make any decision. So, keep reading the article to learn more about how bulky shoes can affect your body.
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Factors That Alter Shoe Weight
There are various things that work as the most crucial deciding factor for shoe weight. Here are the factors that can alter shoe weight.
Size of the Shoe
The size of the shoe plays as a big game-changer here. In case the shoe size ranges between 7 to 13, the bigger one is going to be more substantial. However, the feet that require large shoes do not get much impacted due to the size factor. It is so because the shoe weight gets distributed across larger feet surface areas.
The Material Used in the Shoe
The material is also a significant contributor to shoe weight. Both the type and amount of material used in the shoe add up to the weight. For instance, if you look closely, you can see that rubber is used in various shoes in various ways, rendering varied weights to the footwear. Whether it is a thin rubber sole or a thick shock-absorbing one, the shoes’ weight will differ.
Besides, soft and breathable materials like cotton and synthetics are used in athletic shoes to make them lighter and give a bouncy lift to the sportsperson while playing. In contrast, stiff materials like leather are used in work boots to add weight and durability to fulfil heavy-duty works.
Does Weight Matter?
No matter whatever footwear you are going to wear, it will add up to the weight. But you have to decide the ideal weight you should add on, depending on the purpose you will wear the shoe for. Heavy shoes come up with their own drawbacks like foot fatigue, ligament stress, strains, etc., whereas lighter footwear will not put much pressure on your body and ensure smooth footwork. But, at the same time, lightweight shoes mean less cushioning. So, this is where preferences come into play.
As per studies, along with every additional 100 grams of show weight, you burn 1% more energy. Also, the running speed and energy cost comes as a proportional factor here. So, your shoe weight affects your speed; 1% of added mass to the footwear will make you 1% slower.
Sizing for Everyday shoes
Everyday shoes like low-top sneakers come with a weight of around 1½ pounds or near about 0.6 kilograms. However, the weight totally depends on the size and type of footwear you are wearing.
Weight of Average Men’s Shoes
The average weight of men’s shoes is something between 2.5-3 pounds or 1340-1360 grams. However, the weight varies with size.
Weight of Average Women’s Shoes
On average, women’s shoes weigh about 2-2.5 pounds or 908-1134 grams.
Weight of Average Children’s Shoes
Children’s shoes are apparently lighter than adult shoes. The average weight of kids’ shoes ranges between 1-1.5 pounds or 450-680 grams.
Besides, the type of footwear, cushioning, styling and features, and other essential factors add to the shoe’s weight. For example, a slipper weighs around 0.3 kilograms, whereas a boot’s weight may range up to 1.7 kilograms or more.
Trainers and Sneakers
Trainers and sneakers are exclusively used to make your training and running performance better. So, what makes the trainer and sneaker shoes more appealing to active people? Well, they have a lightweight design to reduce your feet load while you move. The approximate weight of standard trainers and sneakers is about 0.625 pounds or 0.3 kilograms.
However, the lighter ones that come with 100 grams of extra weight enhances the aerobic demand for running. Thus, it can affect your performance immensely.
Athletes will notice drastic performance while running. Hence, by decreasing the weight, trainers and sneakers add an extra boost to your feet, which is essential for an athlete.
On the other hand, some trainers or sneakers are specifically designed to weigh heavy. These kinds of trainers are suitable for serving proper endurance to your legs and feet. However, for the best running performance, you must pay attention to the weight to deal with every circumstance that appears.
Fashionable Footwear
Based on the type of shoes you are opting for, the fashionable footwears differ in weight. Here is how a variety of stylish shoes weigh.
Women’s Fashionable Shoes
- Slippers and flip-flops: The regular slippers and flip-flops for a woman weigh up to 0.3 kilograms.
- Flats, lace-ups, moccasins: These kinds of shoes are usually lightweight, weighing around 0.5 kilograms.
- Heels: Heels, on the other hand, weighs a bit heavy. These fashionable shoes come with a weight of around 0.7 kilograms.
- Casual sneakers: The casual sneakers of women weigh nearly 0.6 kilograms.
- Boots: The boots of a woman come in a wide variety. So, these boots’ weights range between 1.2-1.5 kilograms as per the type you choose.
- Ballet pumps: Ballet pumps are lighter than many other variants of women’s shoes. It weighs nearly 0.4 kilograms.
Men’s Fashionable Shoes
- Slippers: Slippers of a man weigh near 0.4 kilograms.
- Sandals: The regular sandals are relatively lightweight as they weigh about 0.45 kilograms.
- Casual sneakers: Unlike trainers, casual sneakers for men are a bit heavier. It weighs near 0.8 kilograms.
- Boots: Depending on the type and variety of boots, the weight ranges between 1.5-1.8 kilograms.
Children’s Fashionable Shoes
- Slippers: The slippers for children weigh around 0.3 kilograms.
- Sandals: The regular sandals of a child come with 0.35 kilograms weight.
- Casual sneakers: The casual sneakers of a child weights about 0.5 kilograms.
- Boots: Based on the type of boots your child is wearing, a regular child’s boot weighs between 0.55-0.7 kilograms.
Does Shoe Weight Make Hiking Harder?
Yes, weight plays one of the critical roles when it comes to hiking. It is much prevalent in hiking, as the surfaces and environmental conditions come into play when you go hiking.
While running in casual wear, your feet mostly stay on the ground. But you will face many obstacles during hiking that will significantly impact your feet, ranging from climbing on various structures and surfaces to jumping on diverse terrains. In such cases, heavier boots or shoes for hiking create extra challenges for hikers, which can ruin the entire experience.
Thus, hiking shoes must have good traction facilities, along with firm cushioning, to absorb impact from your footsteps. Also, your footwear needs to be lightweight to avoid foot fatigue and strains on leg muscles and ankle areas, and stay worry-free during hiking on any terrain.
The bottom line
A great pair of shoes decide the efficiency of your performance. Whether it is an intense workout, running session, everyday work purpose, or mountain hiking, shoe weight is one of the great factors to decide your walking experience. So, whenever you go shopping for shoes, don’t forget to check on their weight.
Brandon R. Katz is a registered professional nurse who has been instrumental in providing us with an informed opinion on the medical aspects of footwear. He graduated from NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and currently provides his services at a non-federal long-term care hospital in Brooklyn, NY.
Brandon proves to be the champion in the group of expert writers with his in-depth knowledge in foot health, how to take care of it adequately, and what shoes, socks, or insoles will be supreme for you. He has previously worked with hospitals where he has foreseen both inpatient and outpatient departments and has been a practicing nurse since 2009.
Brandon hails from Jersey City, NY, and has a loving family of four with a small popper called Rozo. His decision to become a nurse arises from the desire to be in the position of helping and rehabilitating people.
