Sport a Shoe That’s Fit to Play Those Little Games

It used to be there wasn’t much to choose from when it came to fitness footwear. There were tennis shoes and then there were . . . tennis shoes. Nowadays, just about every sport has a shoe to go with it.

“The fitness footwear industry is more specialized today than ever before, for good reason,” says Steve Adler, president of the Walking Company, which has two stores in Orange County that sell walking shoes.

“Every exercise requires shoes with different stress points,” he says. “A walking shoe, for instance, needs a heel-to-toe rocker motion, while a tennis shoe must allow a lot of lateral movement. You shouldn’t wear a walking shoe for tennis, and vice versa.”

Go looking for fitness footwear, and you’re likely to see many walking shoes. While running shoes were popular in the 1970s and aerobics shoes in the 1980s, the 1990s is the decade of the walking shoe, Adler says.

“In the last five years, walking shoes have been the fastest growing market in fitness footwear. Today people of all ages walk for exercise.”

Whatever your sport of choice is, the following stores offer a selection of quality fitness shoes:

AEROBICS SHOES

For an aerobics shoe that will give you a perfect workout every time, look for a flexible shoe that has a comfortable mid-sole with extra shock absorbency, says Ray Ghaffari, owner of Warehouse Shoe Sales.

The store has the Avia 455 in mid- and low-cut. It is made of soft garment leather and comes in all white and all black ($35-$40, women’s only).

Warehouse Shoe Sales, 1051 S. Lemon St., Fullerton, (714) 525-9185.

The Air Elite Max by Nike at Chick’s Sporting Goods is lightweight and flexible and has a lot of cushion, says shoe manager Scott Dwinell at the Laguna Hills store. The shoe is made of synthetic leather and comes in white-and-turquoise striped and white-and-blueberry striped ($100, women’s only).

Chick’s Sporting Goods, 24821 Alicia Parkway, Laguna Hills, (714) 472-8180; 2771 El Camino Real, Tustin, (714) 731-1300, and 19651 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 777-1867.

BASKETBALL SHOES

Because of the intense movement that occurs during a game of basketball, it’s important that a basketball shoe absorb shock well and do a good job of grabbing the ground, says Rob Summers, manager of the Athlete’s Foot in the Buena Park Mall.

The lightweight Air Maestro by Nike at the Athlete’s Foot has an air unit in the mid-sole that provides air circulation and shock absorbency. The shoe comes in black with white trim ($110, men’s only).

The Athlete’s Foot, Buena Park Mall, (714) 995-1084; Mission Viejo Mall, (714) 582-2626, and Westminster Mall, (714) 895-4564.

For a basic basketball shoe with good support and stability, try the lightweight Converse 500 at Sport Shoe Warehouse. This comes in low and high top, although high top is considered better for basketball because of the ankle support. The store has white-and-gray and white-and-black shoes in men’s and women’s sizes ($47-$55).

Sport Shoe Warehouse, 310 E. Orangethorpe Ave., Placentia, (714) 993-2660.

CROSS-TRAINERS

If you’re a fitness buff who participates in many sports, then an all-purpose cross-training shoe is for you. When looking for a good multifunctional shoe, shock absorption and arch support are important, says Lance Stephens, manager of FootLocker in The City Shopping Center, Orange.

FootLocker stores carry the Huarache by Nike, which has neoprene (wet-suit material) lining that forms to the foot, Stephens says. The shoe is black with green and gray accents ($125, men).

FootLocker: Brea Mall, (714) 529-7972; Buena Park Mall, (714) 761-3062; 13145 Harbor Blvd., Garden Grove, (714) 636-3235; Laguna Hills Mall, (714) 855-4311; MainPlace/Santa Ana, (714) 953-9125; Mission Viejo Mall, (714) 364-2466; Orange Mall, (714) 921-2562; 655 N. Tustin Ave., Orange, (714) 633-0794; South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, (714) 540-0525; The City Shopping Center, Orange, (714) 978-3130, and Westminster Mall, (714) 897-6440.

The Nike Cross Trainer High 3 found at the Shoes Club Warehouse is good for all sports. This shoe has a lot of cushion on the sole, is lightweight and comes in white with a black stripe ($55, men’s and women’s).

Shoes Club Warehouse, 1202 S. Main St., Santa Ana, (714) 285-0910.

RUNNING SHOES

When it comes to choosing a good running shoe, cushioning is important because it absorbs the impact of your weight and disperses it, says Dave Reynolds, owner of A Snail’s Pace. “This protects your joints and keeps you from getting tired.”

At A Snail’s Pace, find the Asics Gel Lyte Ultra, which has gel cushioning in the heel and forefoot. This low-cut, lightweight shoe comes in white with neon green, blue or black trim ($76 for men’s and women’s).

A Snail’s Pace, 8780 Warner Ave., Fountain Valley, (714) 842-2337.

The Nike Air Anodyne/Athena found at Fleet Feet Triathlete has features such as a foot and heel air bag that helps cushion the feet and make landing comfortable. This lightweight shoe also has a footbridge, which stabilizes the foot and helps a runner from over-pronating. It comes in blue-and-white striped for men and blue-and-white striped for women ($85 for men’s or women’s).

Fleet Feet Triathlete, 4255 Campus Drive, Suite A120, Irvine, (714) 854-3338.

TENNIS SHOES

When searching for a winning tennis shoe, look for one that has a heavy cushioned insole, because it will make the game more comfortable and prevent you from tiring too quickly, says Ed Torpey, manager of Coast Footwear in Brea.

At Coast Footwear you can find Men’s New Balance 675 shoes, which have been designed to play on cement or concrete tennis courts. Pivot easily on these shoes, which come in white and have a leather upper that molds to the foot ($60, men’s).

Coast Footwear, 1040 E. Imperial Highway, Brea, (714) 529-8686; 1922 W. Lincoln Ave., Anaheim, (714) 535-9633, and 3831 S. Bristol St., Santa Ana, (714) 957-0868.

Also for tennis is the K-Swiss Classic at Treds & Threads. “These are the sturdiest and most long-lasting of tennis shoes. They have a great outsole that can’t be worn out,” says store manager Kirk Bauermeister. These white low-cut, leather upper shoes come in men’s and women’s sizes ($50).

Treds & Threads, 270 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa, (714) 548-3323.

WALKING SHOES

A walking shoe should also have good air circulation, arch and heel support, ample toe room and a padded collar and tongue.

At Mission Cobbler, the most popular shoe is the RockPort Pro Walker for men and women. These low-cut lightweight shoes are supportive and comfortable, says store owner Lyn McDowall. The shoes are all leather and come in white (men’s: $125; women’s: $65).

Mission Cobbler, 25290 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo, (714) 770-2282.

At the Walking Store, which carries 250 styles of walking shoes, you can find a top-of-the-line walking shoe made by Mephisto known as Rush (women’s) and Match (men’s), in white or cream leather. “These high-performance sports shoes are handmade with all natural materials,” Adler says.

If you wish a more fashionable look, you’ll want suede, which comes in a variety of colors. This low-top Oxford shoe has an air-jet circulation system and an orthopedic foot-bed and heel cushioning for protection of the joints (men’s, $230; women’s $210).

MainPlace/Santa Ana, (714) 541-8330 and Crystal Court, Costa Mesa, (714) 546-6610.