Earlier quoted context omitted.
>until I read up about the whole "direct to consumer" fiasco it really helped me understand another trend I was a bit confused about. In Switzerland, every decent sports store now has a whole treadmill with some sort of gait analysis thing and a dedicated guy that is going to pick a shoe for you based on that + your running level. Anecdotal evidence, but 80% of the time I see someone buying running shoes in Ochsner t…
The comments in the article about 'performance' are very real. When Nike was still in retail stores, 9/10 shoes were fashion sneakers and had nothing to do with athletics/running/performance. By comparison, Hoka is positioned as a runners shoe. They have a variety of models based on the type of running you need (daily, long run, race), provide road/trail variants (their Speedgoat is amazing trail shoe), have large to…
Nike exits the S&P 100 after 18 years and a $200B market-cap wipeout
211–220 of 401 posts
Re: Nike exits the S&P 100 after 18 years and a $200B market-cap wipeout
#212I had a good 15+ year run where I only ever wore Nikes. Then I wore my first wide toe-box shoes and haven’t bought Nike since. Looking back, Nike was never very good about offering different width options on most of their shoes. And I still don’t think they offer wide toe box shoes.
Can I ask what you switched to? I also spent 15 years running in Nikes, mostly Structure, Pegasus, Invincible 3. I tried to stop buying so many american products 2 years ago and went for a pair of On's which are now reaching the end of their life. I can't say I'm super happy with the On's like I was with my Nikes. Might just go back
Re: Nike exits the S&P 100 after 18 years and a $200B market-cap wipeout
#213Earlier quoted context omitted.
> In my entire life it felt like the Nike/Adidas duopoly was unbreakable, and then it felt suddenly that Hoka was everywhere. Man, I'm in such different circles than everyone. I've never heard of Hoka and I don't know any sneakerheads. Everyone I know is into Keens, Toms, or Sketchers.
I'm a trail runner in Northern Europe. Hoka has been omnipresent there for the last few years, as has (traditionally) Salomon. Not sure I've seen much Hoka outside of trial running circles here yet. I'm thinking about sneakers used for actually doing sport though.
Re: Nike exits the S&P 100 after 18 years and a $200B market-cap wipeout
#214Earlier quoted context omitted.
Hoka blew up in the running space, like, ten+ years ago. The first Cliftons were pretty novel for being extremely plush. Light-ish weight maxi shoes weren't really a thing before Hoka popularized them. Now every running shoe brand offers something in that space. More recently I think they've been adopted by the "active retiree" crowd? They're nice to walk in. (I owned some of the original Cliftons myself. Did not lov…
Yes, for running mountain centuries and ultras. Karl "Speedgoat" Meltzer broke the Appalachian Trail record in them, and whoever was doing marketing then really blew a big bubble with that result. Trad brands didn't stand a chance against that sole and backstory. https://thewalkahead.com/2016/09/21/karl-meltzer-crushes-at-... https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/run/clown-shoe-th...
Re: Nike exits the S&P 100 after 18 years and a $200B market-cap wipeout
#215Earlier quoted context omitted.
My mom. She is at that age when tying your shoelaces becomes difficult. The human body really was never supposed to go over 50 but modern medicine finds a way.
> The human body really was never supposed to go over 50 As I get older I'm beginning to align with this. When you're younger you think everything is going to be great until you die from a short illness at the average age of 79. Wrong. In my cohort of friends, notable age-related degradation started appearing in our late-30s/early 40s, even in the fit ones who stayed active.
The projections are not looking good…
Re: Nike exits the S&P 100 after 18 years and a $200B market-cap wipeout
#216Earlier quoted context omitted.
> In my entire life it felt like the Nike/Adidas duopoly was unbreakable, and then it felt suddenly that Hoka was everywhere. Man, I'm in such different circles than everyone. I've never heard of Hoka and I don't know any sneakerheads. Everyone I know is into Keens, Toms, or Sketchers.
Hoka is great. I have several pairs. I tend to go through a couple of pairs a year. Not that long ago, they were an oddity, around here. Let's hope success doesn't spoil them. I used to use Nikes, then something happened, and the exact same type that were comfortable, last year, are now giving me blisters. Enshittification doesn't just affect tech.
Same. The original Nike Free's were amazing. When mine wore out I bought another pair and they were terrible. I kept trying different versions and none were like the originals. They were heavier, uncomfortable, and not nearly as flexible as the originals.
Re: Nike exits the S&P 100 after 18 years and a $200B market-cap wipeout
#217Earlier quoted context omitted.
>until I read up about the whole "direct to consumer" fiasco it really helped me understand another trend I was a bit confused about. In Switzerland, every decent sports store now has a whole treadmill with some sort of gait analysis thing and a dedicated guy that is going to pick a shoe for you based on that + your running level. Anecdotal evidence, but 80% of the time I see someone buying running shoes in Ochsner t…
Couple that with the fact almost everyone seems to run now, and that running shoes/trainers have become acceptable fashion in all but the haughtiest of occasions. In the 90s, running wasn't even really a thing. A few people went "jogging" for exercise. Otherwise it was a proper sport in which very few partook. Trainers were predominantly worn by children. Adults wore "real" shoes. Something changed in the past ten ye…
Re: Nike exits the S&P 100 after 18 years and a $200B market-cap wipeout
#218Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm from Spain and I mostly see Skechers, New Balance, Nike (doesn't seem to be doing that bad here?), ASICS, Adidas, Puma, Converse, Vans. Lately Salomon. I hadn't heard of Hoka before either, maybe we are behind the times.
I got a pair of Spanish Joma sneakers last year and I like them better than NB. If they had better materials, more leather, it would be great. The 35+ runners in my city mostly wear Hoka and OC, NB is mostly a mom/dad brand and Nike and Adidas is mostly worn by teens (Forum style), 25+ women (Gazelle, Samba, Superstar) and older demograhic who doesn't run but perform stand up type of work (the foam models). I don't r…
On & HOKA both have huge marketing towards "new" runners in the UK. And HOKA especially have made a point of marketing to women, in contrast to many traditional sportswear brands - with the rapid increase in numbers of women participating in sports, that's been a big part of their success.
Re: Nike exits the S&P 100 after 18 years and a $200B market-cap wipeout
#219- Nike used to be very "male coded" e.g. "Be like Mike"
- So much so that they were one of the only companies where men bought more clothes than women
- The powers that be wanted to go after the "Adjacent Whale" (explained in the article) that was the female consumer
- They ended up alienating their core customer base while competing poorly with other brands
0 - https://www.houseofstrauss.com/p/nikes-end-of-men?r=11111
Re: Nike exits the S&P 100 after 18 years and a $200B market-cap wipeout
#220Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think they do have that - Nike SB for skate/street, Nike ACG for trail, etc. That said, I have twice gone to re-buy a trail-oriented shoe of theirs that I liked in the past, and found that it never stuck, and the new options in that space were garish or over-reliant on mesh which just lets in dirt and thorns.
What are you wearing for trail runners now?
I was looking at Nike ACG stuff recently, but the colourways in AU are black (clodhopper!), neon blue, white with khaki, camo, or an odd light brown. And on the side it spells out "All Conditions Gear" like you're an idiot who can't remember what your shoes are for.