In this series, we’ve talked about the purpose of OOFOS, the OOfoam™ technology found in each pair, and the construction of our shoes that gives you that OOmazing comfort and support to "make yOO feel better." Today, we want to help you understand when it’s time to replace your beloved OOFOS.

As we've touched on, each and every pair of OOFOS footwear is designed with our proprietary OOfoam™ impact-absorbing technology. OOFOS are unique because their footbed, sole, and midsole are all made of just one material, OOfoam™, which will never lose its integrity throughout the life of the shoe.

Which brings us to the purpose of today’s post—what is the lifespan of a pair of OOFOS?

It’s a question that is asked frequently and, really, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. It truly depends on a multitude of factors, including: how often you wear them, the environment in which you wear them, and your natural walking gait.

While OOfoam™ will not lose its soft, cushioning feeling under your foot, it is very important for OOFOS wearers to pay attention to the sole of the shoe (the bottom part of the shoe that comes in contact with the ground) which is where you’ll see the shoe wearing down over time.

The soles of OOFOS shoes are grooved for traction. When the shoes start to wear down, the grooves will become less prominent and that's a good indicator of when it's time to get a new pair. It's important to check on the soles every once in a while to make sure they're holding up.

In these photos, you can see a clear difference in the new pair of OOFOS (top image) and the pair that has been worn and loved and should be replaced (bottom image). 

When our shoes begin to wear down, depending on the area of wear, they can become slippery when wet because of the loss of traction. If the front of the shoe becomes worn thin, it becomes a tripping hazard and wearers may become more likely to clip the front of the shoe on the ground while walking. This is why it's so important to pay attention to the wear of the shoes... we don't want you hurting yourself!

We tend to recommend that you replace your OOFOS about as often as you would replace a pair of running shoes, but it’s all relative to use. If you are wearing your pair of OOFOS all day, every day, they may begin to wear out more quickly than a pair of shoes that you wear only a couple of times a week for a few hours at a time. Similar to running shoes, the more use your OOFOS get, the quicker they'll wear.

You may also see wear in certain areas quicker than others because of your natural walking gait. Everyone walks differently and, therefore, everyone’s shoes will wear a little differently.