I have zero brand loyalty at all. I spent several years working in a sporting goods store and watched the shoes change for nothing more than cosmetic reasons while changing fuctionality at the same time. Air Pegasus ain't Air Pegasus anymore. I have no problem with changing colors, but if a shoe is meant to be anti-pronation, don't keep the name but remove the functionality the following year.
For that reason I am a loyal fan of Asics runners. They started as Gel 101 and now are onto something like Gel 1090. Slight modifications through the years but functionally and essentially the same shoe. I've been wearing them since the late 80s (no, not the same pair).
So you don't think I'm contradicting myself, I used to be loyal to Nike, but in that Bundy phase they went from being a company that produced high quality shoes to a company that cranked out bazillions of models in a rainbow of colors, pretty much all dedicated to form rather than function. From 1979 to 1992 I wouldn't buy a basketball shoe that wasn't made by Nike. They lasted, were well built, functional and comfortable. The few pairs I have bought since then have all lasted about a season, no more. And where have the high tops gone? Sure, I have ankle braces too, but why should I have to? Mid-cuts are probably responsible for more ankle sprains than anything else out there.
My favorite company is Asics, but we don't get the asssortment of shoes that the US does (like everything else). Adidas, IMO, makes a very high quality product and I love their clothing (no, not the stuff targeted at kids/teenagers, their nicer clothing line). I have a pair of their golf shoes and they are neck and neck with Nike in that category, Nike producing better versions of running-shoe style golf shoes.
Never been a big fan of K-Swiss or Reebok. I like Converse, but more for comfort than anything else. My favorite shoes of all time were my leather converse all-stars. Great for wearing around. I presume they are still made and available, but the demand is so limited up here. I also used to own multiple canvas Chuck Taylors. Sadly, I'm old enough to remember when people wore them to play basketball, not just as a fashion statement. I only have one pair left, a lovely lemon yellow
I've owned red, camouflage, multi-color and of course, Celtic green.
