Men’s Trainers Buying Guide

Men’s trainers are a vibrant, diverse sector of the footwear market. Their intended purpose is for sports but as the years have gone by, trainers have become just as much a facet of streetwear as activewear. Buying men’s trainers can feel like a bit of a minefield sometimes. The prices seem to have skyrocketed in the past few years, and there’s more to it than simply buying the most attractive pair.

We’ve put together this guide to buying men’s trainers because we know that it can be tricky knowing what you want and what to look for. We’ll talk about the different styles of trainers that you should be familiar with, which trainers are in fashion, what to look out for and how to buy men’s trainers in general.

Men’s Trainer Styles

There are four main styles of trainer that you should be aware of. Identify the style that suits you the best or mix and match between different styles. Some people will only wear one type, some will wear different styles depending on their mood. These styles are:

High tops
Low tops
Slip-ons
Running Shoes

High tops feature an upper that covers the ankle. They’re seen most frequently on basketball courts and are designed to be a sports shoe. Like most sportswear items, they’ve gradually become popular streetwear. You’ll want to keep your outfit quite sporty when wearing these, unless they’re designer. Designer high tops seem to be created purely to turn heads and an equally daring outfit will do.

Low tops don’t cover your ankles. These are the most versatile kind of trainers They go with shorts, jeans or even more formal attire. If you’re going to wear trainers with a suit, which we don’t recommend, then you can only really get away with wearing some low tops.

Slip-ons are trainers which, you guessed it, you slip straight onto your feet. Because of their larger vamp, different results can be achieved with them because of their design. You’ll likely find these in a simple design or splashed with bolder prints and patterns.

To round it all off, there are no prizes for guessing what running shoes are. Shoes in which you run, of course! These are characterised by their sporty design. Function takes priority over form with these trainers. Although not designed to be aesthetically pleasing, they often are.

Which Men’s Trainers Are in Fashion in 2019?

It’s hard to keep on top of clothes trends as they change all the time. Which men’s trainers are hot or not also constantly changes. So, what men’s trainers are in fashion in 2019? There’s a few trends that we’ve identified and we’re going to run through them for you.

2019 continues to be the year of the dad. Not only are dad hats, dad bods, dad coats and dad specs on trend right now, but so are dad trainers. Dad trainers are defined by their ugliness and chunkiness. The catwalks were the catalyst for this trend, and it is as polarising as it is popular. Some people cannot stand them and hate that they have become a trend and others love them. Many big trainer brands have released their own takes on this style, often at much more palatable prices than the big fashion houses offer!

The old school is coming back in the fickle world of men’s trainers. With important anniversaries on the horizon in the world of ‘sneakerheads’, there’s likely to be some big brands revisiting some retro shoes. Combine that with the current lust for dad trainers, yesterday’s throwaways are today’s must-haves.

2019 is seeing technology enter the realm of trainers. There are even 3D-printed shoes! The idea is that eventually, you’ll be able to completely customise these shoes to the shape of your feet. High-tech trainers have a certain look about them too. They have a minimalist design that’s often quite out there. Your shoes don’t have to be high-tech but simply look high-tech if you want to get in on this trend.

Finally, one of the more recent trends that’s gaining more and more traction is the mash-up between trainers and hiking boots. This trend is best realised by the surge in popularity of trail runners. Trail runners are designed for people to go running on mountain trails. Their chunkiness and pragmatic materials have seen their popularity boom, going from activewear to streetwear.

What to Look for When Buying Men’s Trainers

Before you go on the hunt for a new pair of trainers, think about what you’re going to use them for. If you’re going to use them for strenuous physical activity, you need to pay more attention to structure and function than design or colour. If you’re getting some trainers to beat the streets in, then that’s a different story. Here are our tips on what to look out for when buying some new trainers.

If you’re playing a particular sport, look into what shoes the pros wear. Different sports have specifically-designed shoes that respond to your feet and their movement in the most appropriate way. For example, running shoes are designed differently to tennis shoes to account for the different ways of moving and the impact on your feet.

Bear in mind that if you go for some cross-trainers, then these are sufficient but are designed to work across different sports. So, you should consider whether a sports-specific shoe will be better suited to your needs and whether it could boost your performance.

Make sure that your trainers fit you properly. If you get ill-fitting trainers, these can result in damaged toenails, calluses, blisters and more. Buying the exact right size will save your feet from pain and again, could improve your performance.

Finally, if you’re buying trainers to play sports in, you need to prioritise function over design. Sure, there might be a stunning pair, with vibrant colours (and you saw a celebrity wearing them in the newspaper) and they’ll look so good on your feet in the gym, you just have to get them! Don’t. You’re doing yourself a disservice if you buy sports trainers based on how good they look rather than how well they work. If your trainers are for wearing in the streets, then by all means, go for the more funky pair.

Are Men’s Trainers the Same Size as Women’s?

Shoe sizes in the UK aren’t different between men and women. A trainer in a men’s UK 7 is the same size as a woman’s UK 7. The differences are to be found on how each of these are built. This is mostly seen in running shoes.

For women, trainers have a wider forefoot and a narrower heel. Men’s trainers are wider and larger than women’s trainers overall. As men generally weigh more than women, they’re creating more impact on every step. Men’s shoes are thus designed to take more impact. This is normally achieved by using different materials in the midsole or heel support.

If you find that a woman’s shoe fits you better than a men’s one, don’t be afraid to buy it. The lines between gendered clothing and apparel are getting more and more blurred, and bear in mind that the more best fit will benefit you most.

Conclusion

Hopefully, our guide to buying men’s trainers will set you down the right path and see you find the right pair of trainers for you. Keep your eyes peeled for dad trainers, classic styles, pastel colours and trail runners. They’ve been lighting up the streets this year and are worth bearing in mind if you want to inject some contemporary style into your wardrobe.

Be clever about which trainers you buy, make sure they fit and will be best suited to the job that you need them to do. You won’t do yourself any favours if you buy for aesthetics instead of performance.