Finding the Right Shoe
Q: Why shouldn’t I buy my shoes at a regular shoe store?
A: They generally will not measure your feet, allow you to take a “test ride”, determine your biomechanics, watch you run or walk, explain the changes made to updated shoe models, take into consideration your particular profile (purpose, weight, injury history, arch type, etc.), fit you with the right insoles, etc.
Q: Why do you watch your customers run or walk when you fit them?
A: One of the best ways to determine what type of shoe is best for you is to analyze your biomechanics, while watching you run or walk.
Q: Why can’t I get fitted at Pacers & Racers the first time and then just buy my shoes somewhere else the rest of the time?
A: Several reasons: 1. Your biomechanics can change – just because you might overpronate now doesn’t mean that you will always do so. 2. Your shoe size can change – we will check for proper sizing each time you come in to replace your shoes. 3. The updated version of your shoe is probably different than the model that you previously purchased – we will explain the differences. 4. We will examine the tread wear to determine if a different type of shoe might work better for you. 5. Your medical condition might have changed – for example, if you have developed Patellar Tendonitis or Morton’s Neuroma, you might need a different type of shoe.
Q: Why shouldn’t I buy my shoes online?
A: For the same reasons that Pacers & Racers does not sell shoes online – no one can observe you run or walk, you can’t try on the shoes, you can’t have your arches or the wear pattern of your old shoes analyzed, you can’t have your feet measured for length and width, etc.
Q: Why do you ask your customers to bring their old shoes with them when they are buying shoes?
A: We can learn a lot about the type of shoes that are best for you by examining the wear pattern on your old shoes.
Q: Do you measure your customers’ feet?
A: Yes. We measure both feet for length and for width.
Q: Why do you have your customers try on two different styles of shoes at the same time?
A: We make sure that every shoe you try on is the right type for you, but we want you to tell us which one feels the very best, and it is easier to do this by giving you two different styles of shoes to compare at the same time.
Q: Do you ever have new customers come in with the wrong type or the wrong size shoes?
A: Yes. In the 17 years that we have been open, we have never had a day without having at least one new customer wearing the wrong shoes.
Our Merchandise
Q: Do you carry any shoes besides running and walking shoes?
A: Yes, we also have aerobic shoes, casual shoes, cross trainers, dress shoes, hiking shoes, house slippers, sandals, trail shoes, volleyball shoes and work shoes (steel, composite and soft toe).
Q: Do you carry shoes in different widths and do you carry large sizes?
A: We carry six different widths (2A to 6E) and adult sizes 5 to 16.
Q: Will you special order a shoe or other item if I cannot find the one that I want, and is there any additional cost?
A: We offer special ordering at no additional cost.
Q: Do you have children’s shoes?
A: Yes. We carry several brands of children’s shoes in infant, pre-school and grade school sizes. We also custom fit children the same way we do adults.
Q: Do you carry insoles?
A: Yes. We carry 37 different types of insoles, for virtually every need – high or low arches, regular or heat moldable, over pronators or supinators, with or without metatarsal support, wide or narrow feet, exercise or dress shoes, with or without cupped heels, extra heel or forefoot cushioning, etc.
Q: Do you carry anything besides shoes and insoles?
A: Yes. We also have accessories, apparel, braces, earphones, GPS devices, headbands, massage sticks, nutritional items, rollers for stretching, safety items, socks, sunglasses, watches, etc.
Q: How many different brands do you carry?
A: Right now, we have approximately 50, but the number frequently changes as we receive suggestions from our customers and new products become available.