A two part invention

I last reported on the trainer situation on 28th May last, having on that occasion bought some more Merrells (http://www.merrell.com/UK/en) from Cotswold's in Cambridge.

Seven months old, they reached retirement age over the Christmas break, a month longer than the six months of the last time around. Heel assembly holding up well due to reasonably consistent use of the shoe horn discussed in the last post. Soles wearing down but still had some wear in them. The right big toe was starting to poke through the restraining netting. But the killer blow was a split in the right hand side of the rubber top cap of the right shoe, both unsightly and water admissive. A minor issue was the lack of grip of the hard plastic soles on some hard wet surfaces, resulting in one tumble and several near misses.

So, happening to be in Piccadilly, thought to try the Cotswold's there, to find that they were very short of the 12s that I needed (despite being reported as 11s in the last post. Perhaps a confusion of the different sizing conventions used in different places). But they did suggest that if sir paid quite a lot more I would get a much better class of sole, much less non-stick. More rubbery than plastic. But disqualified by being a rather narrow fitting for my rather wide and foot shaped feet - quite unlike the shape of many shoes. Curious how we are in denial about the size and shape of our feet, with men being pretty much as vain as women, in this department anyway.

Thus informed, back to the branch at Kingston where they had plenty of 12s and where after some palaver I decided to stick with the relatively cheap 'Moab Ventilators' (£80), rather than upping my game. Once again struck by how knowledgeable the shop assistants managed to sound, reminding me of the assistants in the nearly late lamented OddBins. Knowledge which was a match for the fusspotting of the mainly well heeled clientèle off on its annual hike in the hills. But I also wondered how many of the assistants had a clue about who or what a moab was.

I also wondered about the intrusion of chain stores like Cotswold into the once august Piccadilly, remembering all the fuss there was a long time ago about the tattification of the eastern end of Oxford Street. Fuss which seems to have vanished. I mean, a gaudy shoe shop opposite Fortnum's. He might be a grocer, but he is at least a smart grocer.

PS: in case you are wondering, Merrells, having been a cuddly independent, are now part of the Wolverine family of corporations. See http://www.wolverineworldwide.com/.