Walk and Ride All Day Long

June is a very busy month here in Winnipeg! There's lots of events kicking off summer, school is finishing up, and people are really getting into vacation mode!

One event that most of us are very familiar with is the annual Red River Exhibition, which this year takes place June 12th to 21st. So many rides, food, attractions and entertainment to keep you walking around for hours! This can mean a lot of foot pain for those who don't wear the proper footwear. Let us help you take care of that before it becomes a problem!

Going to the fair in the summer can be a great time, especially when the weather is beautiful. The problem is, a lot of people pick sandals or flip flops to wear because they keep their feet cool and if they need to take them off for certain rides, they can. The problem is that when you walk around for two, three, even four hours in little pieces of rubber your feet are going to be very sore by the end of the day. That, and lots of rides now require you to have closed toe shoes because of safety regulations.

So now what are your options? Well of course a walking or running shoe would be your first (and best) choice for comfort and long lasting wear. The only downside is it's going to be a little warmer for your feet, and the dreaded sock tan that so many of us work so hard to avoid in the summer.

We've picked out some shoes for men, women and kids that will not only give you all day comfort, but will keep your feet cool all day long! Check out our Facebook and Instagram this week to see our top picks for you!

Our number one tip: leave the flip-flops at home. Do you know how big the exhibition park is? If you plan on walking through the entire thing, your feet are going to pay for that with blisters. Come in and check out our selection this week so that you can enjoy the Red River Ex and new shoes too!

Bust A Move

Happy Friday Winnipeg! We are so excited with all the stuff that's going on around here that we got two posts on the blog this week!

We wanted to take this time to highlight one of our staff member's. Mark who does our shoe repairs and modifications at our downtown location, was recently at a dance competition in Montreal, and we'll let him tell you all about it!

"Hello my name is Mark San Juan and my dancing name is “Daddy GoodFunk”. My style of dance is called “Locking”! Locking is one of the first street dances that dates back to the late 60’s created by Don “Campbellock” Campbell. It is still kind of unknown in Winnipeg. Myself and some of my crew members of GoodFunk (Joe Boy Rock, Majestic, Shaq Daddy, Lester, Vivik and AllyCat) are helping Locking and other older dances resurface in our city. Because Locking was rare to find in Winnipeg we had to travel around where Locking is still strong, places like Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto, Las Vegas, and Montreal!

Back in 2009 I won my first Locking battle dance competition called “One Touch” in Calgary. After that I got married and had a baby named Illya. Now in May 2015 I wanted to Battle again to see where I am at in Locking so I decided to enter a competition called “Bust-A-Move” in Montreal. With the help of Canadian Footwear giving me support with some of the funds it really made my trip an enjoyable experience that I will never forget. I was able to meet up with other Lockers who travelled from all over the world in one place to learn from each other.

Day 1: Friday May 1^{st -} I had made it past preliminary that was done off the main stage that moved me on to day 2. Day 2: Saturday May 2^nd - I faced my opponent in the top 16 of 25 other Lockers. Given the chance to touch and dance in front of hundreds of people on the main stage (also live streamed on-line) was something I have never experienced. Losing to Jeff D. in the top 16 just showed me that Winnipeg has to step up their game, travel as individuals, take experience back to Winnipeg and share your knowledge to help raise the level and let the world know that Winnipeg has great dancers! Let us Rep our City."

Way to go Mark, and keep up the good work! All of us at Canadian Footwear are very proud! You can check out a video of Mark dancing in the competition on YouTube as well as our Instagram! 

(Mark's also rocking the New Balance MT580HTT style shoes, which he says helps keep him dancing all night long)

Spring Is In The Air

Well it sure felt like Spring in Winnipeg last weekend. The snow is pretty much all gone now, people are (bravely) wearing shorts and sandals, and the sun is shining! We hope that this is a sign that Summer is just around the corner! (wishful thinking right?)

Anyway, we have to apologize because we had a bit of technical difficulties with our blog last week. We tried to get our post up and it said it posted but it never did! So here's hoping this one works this week and that you'll be blown away by everything in it!

What's New?

It's Spring! So that means our showroom is FULL of new shoes, styles, and colours! Everything from casual to dress and athletic, we've got TONS of new footwear! And we've still got lots coming in too! Our boot wall came down yesterday, which means that it's sandal season! Be sure to keep checking back as we feature new styles each week!

Here's some of the new ones we're pretty pumped about:

Uneek by Keen

Ok. These shoes look a little weird. I have to admit, I took a look at it, and thought it looked kind of like a glorified Croc. I read a little bit into these shoes and why they're so awesome and unique. Once I tried them on, I couldn't get my wallet out fast enough. These shoes may have a bit of a bizarre look to them, but they are so comfortable and lightweight. They're meant for the outdoors for things like walking and hiking. You can check this style out here, or come into our store to try them out! We have both men's and women's styles in this one.

 

Fresh Foam by New Balance

New Balance is going crazy over these shoes. I have never heard so many people talk about one running shoe before. The breathable upper mesh gives the shoe a nice light weight feeling, and allows your feet to breathe during your activity. The foam like midsole allows for cushioning and stability of the foot, and it looks pretty cool. Again, we've got men's and women's styles! Come into our store and check them out. Try them on, and see why everyone thinks they're so great!

And today (March 19th) is New Balance's launch of the Fresh Foam Zante shoes! This means stores across Canada and the US will be having launch parties to showcase how awesome this shoe is. You can follow our New Balance store in Calgary on Facebook and Instagram for live updates this evening from 7-9PM (or 8-10PM Central Time).

So why is now the best time to look for shoes? Well Spring is here, and you want to have a fresh new shoe collection. So why not take an hour (or two) and go through your current shoe selection and ask yourself:

1) have I worn these in the last year?
2) will I wear these in the next year?
3) is it time to throw these out?

Spring is always a good time to start fresh and new. So see if you can challenge yourself by getting rid of the shoes that you don't need! And if you have shoes to donate, we are always accepting donations of new/gently used footwear for Fit Feet on the Street!

Get Up, Get Running!

Well it's almost the end of January, which means...well we have almost survived an entire month in 2015 so that's great. The weather has been surprisingly warm for this time of year so that's even better.

The start of February is a test for a lot of people. A test to see if they can stick to their fitness and healthy New Year's Resolutions. If you're struggling with the fitness part, or just think you don't know where to start in terms of what you need, we can help!

While we can't make you get up and do your workout every day we can make it easier to do so. How many of you are still using your running shoes from 10,15 or 20 years ago? If you answered yes, there's your first problem. Dusting off the old running shoes may seem like an easy and affordable way to get started, but it's not good for your feet and could actually cause you to have to spend more money in the future. You should be buying new running shoes every 300-400 miles of use. Even if you weren't an active person that many years ago, it's good to get a fresh start with a new pair that you know will fit and know will work for you.

So you walk into Canadian Footwear. There's more than five choices for your running shoes. So many colours, shapes, and styles. How on earth do you pick just one pair? Where do you start? We can help with that! We talked to our fit specialist, Dennis, who gave us the basic run down of the different types of running footwear we carry.

Walking Shoe

A walking shoe has the ROLLBAR technology in the back of the heel for support and stability. The arch support in the shoe keeps the foot lined up and walking straight. If you pronate or supinate it will keep you lined up straight. These shoes come in many different widths, including extra wide widths.

Stability Runner

A stability runner has a harder compound in the outsole. If you pronate when you walk, this runner will help keep you lined up straight. It also has a harder heel strike in the back, so it's able to handle the impact that comes from running. This is also designed to allow the runner to spring forward with power and efficiency.

Neutral Runner

A neutral runner is good for beginner runners or if you're just looking for a shoe to wear to work/casually walk around in. There is nothing in the outsole but it gives you good cushioning. A lot of these runners feature a lightweight mesh to provide more breathing room for your feet. These are generally lighter than most stability runners, and they're good with an orthotic to help support the arch in the foot.

So now you've got some basic information to get you started. But which one of these is the best for a beginner runner? If you have no problems with your feet, you can start off with a neutral runner. If you experience pronation in your feet, you are best to start with a stability runner to avoid injury or pain in your feet/legs.

As always, you can come by our store anytime to ask more questions about our running shoes! We carry them in New Balance, Saucony, Etonic, and North Face so you've got plenty of options to choose from! You can visit us online at canadianfootwear.com to check out our selection as well!

Pain is Beauty? I Say No!

I recently arrived home from a week long trip in Hong Kong. Being my first time in Asia, I was a little nervous for the tight crowds. But on the plus side, I am a huge fan of people watching, which Hong Kong proved itself to be incredible for. 

While adventuring around, I noticed that the majority of the [over 7 million!] people who reside there, walked and took the MTR (subway) for transportation.

For being there only a week, my feet were an absolute mess. I actually took a photo of my feet on the last day of my trip because of how worn out they looked.

(I will not be showing that photo, I do not want to make anyone sick...) 

Now let me remind you, Hong Kong is very big on fashion trends and labels, therefore I was expecting to see people in crazy high heels and outrageous outfits - I couldn't have been more wrong (regarding shoes).

I guess because everyone uses their feet for transportation, it seemed as though almost ALL of the people were wearing sneakers - and when I say sneakers I mean NEW BALANCE! Sneakers seem to be part of the culture there. Even if someone was dressed up, more often than not there would be sneakers on their feet. Seeing this throughout the week of my holiday really has shown me just how fashionable you can make a simple pair of sneakers. The sport stores seemed to be busiest of them all, to the point where it was difficult to shop, let alone move. 

Here is a photo outside of the New Balance store inside of Hong Kong's largest shopping mall. 

With all of the sneaker inspiration I had in Asia, I have compiled a collection of fall looks to consider while throwing on a comfy pair of sneakers. 

All of the photographs below were sourced from Pinterest, if this photo should be labelled otherwise, let me know!

 

shop here

or here!

We Fit You #8: TRENDS OF SPRING/SUMMER 14

Cobb Hill Styles L: "Ivanka" $99.90 & R: "Ivy" $99.90

Animal Print, perforated details, and 70's wedges are some of the trends hitting our shelves this spring (all shoes in photo above are by Clarks and can be found on our website). These styles are all extremely versatile and can be worn dressed up or down with basically any outfit. Super easy to wear! 

And the athletic trend continues! Every colour you can think of is in stock, and they are not just used for working out. You can pull these off with your everyday look. If the Man Repeller can do it, so can you. See here: http://www.harveynichols.com/news/2014/04/14/man-repeller-leandra-medine/

You can get ANY of the shoes above at: www.canadianfootwear.com

We Fit You #3: What is STABILITY?

If you ever stared at a wall of athletic shoes and thought..."what's the difference between all of these shoes...they all look the same!" Well you are not alone. It can be quite confusing. 

When we refer to stability shoes, what are we talking about?

In general, stability walking and running shoes have additional support features that provide extra stability to the foot. Most often this extra support is added to the "medial" or inside part of the shoe to help prevent the foot from over-pronating or rolling inward excessively when walking or running. This design is similar to what we see in motion control shoes but to a lesser degree. While stability shoes give up a little support and control as compared to their motion control cousins, they offer a lighter, less bulky and more streamlined alternative for someone who may need a little less support but more cushioning. 

If we were to look at all athletic running and walking shoes in a larger spectrum of support and control, you would have motion control at one end, neutral cushioning and minimalist footwear at the other end and a range of stability shoes in the middle. Some stability shoes (more often in the walking category) will offer this additional stability equally to both sides of the shoes making them suitable to the under-pronator (foot rolls outward) as well as the over-pronator. 

check out our stability shoe options in the links below:

Men's walking stability:

http://www.canadianfootwear.com/browse;cat,86604;Stability

Men's running stability:

http://www.canadianfootwear.com/browse;cat,86601;Stability

Women's walking stability:

http://www.canadianfootwear.com/browse;cat,86594;Stability

Women's running stability:

http://www.canadianfootwear.com/browse;cat,86592;Stability-supportive-cushioning-

If you have any questions or need clarity, leave a comment below and I will answer!

Have a great day! 

www.canadianfootwear.com

We Fit You #1: What is a LAST?

Have you ever noticed the shape of shoes can be very different? Have you wondered why you are a certain size in one style or brand of shoe but a different size in another?

This is because different brands and styles within brands are not all made using the same last. 

A last is a 3 dimensional form on which a shoe is constructed. Different shoe manufacturers design their own unique lasts which differentiates the fit of their footwear from their competitors. A unique last is used for every individual half size and width. Footwear brands such as New Balance, that are dedicated to fit and comfort, will use numerous last designs that target very specific fits for a specific type of foot and/or activity. This can also explain why some brands may charge a little more for their shoes as the manufacturing costs increase greatly with every size and width added. 

Having a professional shoe fitter who understands the unique fit of every shoe is very important in finding you the right pair of shoes. Understanding that while you may have a foot size (like an 8B or 8 medium) that doesn't mean you will have the same shoe size when you try on different brands or even models within a single brand. 

Having your feet measured gives you a great place to start when you begin trying on shoes. Understanding how your foot size will fit into the thousands of shoes out there may require some help. 

Finding the correct shoe will make you feel better from head to toe!

Thanks for stopping by!

www.canadianfootwear.com

We offer FREE shipping across Canada on orders over $100.