I'm in the market now, and it'll be interesting to see what I get...
The shoes I need to replace are New Balance. I wasn't 100% happy when new--they didn't quite seem right for my feet. But I won't argue with the life--they have lasted. I also liked the fact that they still made shoes in the US.
For years, though, my approach was buy the cheapest thing that seemed to fit. Probably not the best strategy, at least as far as my feet were concerned. Shoes didn't seem super long lasting, either, although it's hard to say--I used to walk a lot more than I do now. I hate to admit it, but I am half considering this approach again. I am sold on the idea of decent shoes--indeed, as I've tried some attractively cheap shoes, I've noted that some even brand new don't seem as good as the shoes I need to replace. (It's not just a "broken in" or "familiar" issue.) But...cash flow isn't that great, and I'm not walking very much these days, past what I do while running errands. The drawback: I'll probably want to walk a bit more come summer.
One thing I'm interested in trying is specialist store. There is one near me, and I've heard claims that the staff there can help one get a better shoe match than by going to the mass market chain sports store. It would be at least interesting to visit them, although as specialists, the prices might me cringe... Still...for the serious walker/runner, or person who has huge trouble getting workable shoes, that place might be worth every penny.
