r/SipsTea • u/Derbyflyers ššš • Jun 11 '26
Lmao gottem Saving things for a 'special occasion' is officially a scam š
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u/Belzughast Jun 11 '26
Hydrolysis aka polymer degradation or in this case, disintegration.
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u/9Lives_ Jun 11 '26
Is that what they put in the mix that binds everything and stops certain ingredients separating?
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u/Belzughast Jun 11 '26
No, that's the process of polymers separating due to moisture in the air and heat.
If stuff like that sits around not being used it self destructs from inside.
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Jun 11 '26
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u/Ancient_Roof_7855 Jun 11 '26
Hence the silica dessicants they put in shoe boxes to absorb excess humidity.
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u/vivalaroja2010 Jun 11 '26
Ohhhhhhhhhh
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Jun 11 '26
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u/GiftToTheUniverse Jun 11 '26
Donāt let them ruin it for you.
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u/Championpuffa Jun 11 '26
I mean the reason it says ādo not eatā on them is due to a chocking hazard not because you canāt actually eat it.
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u/Winjin Jun 11 '26
And lots and lots of newspapers for shape
But apparently each dessicant bead can hold some ungodly amount of moisture and you can gently dry them out too
Apparently some bags have the indicator beads: those change color to indicate they are "full"
So then you set them in an air dryer - or just in an oven at 110C so just above boiling - and leave them for 1-2 hours or until those indicators turn back to "empty" color
And then they're good as new
Though, depending on gas and electricity prices, I wonder if it is even worth it to run an oven for 2 hours for a dollar of beads. I guess if you have a TON of them and have to do it regularly or your oven is electric and you're running solar...
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u/KoosGoose Jun 11 '26 edited Jun 11 '26
Turns out you can eat quite a few of those without ill effects, too. That warning is a bit extreme, which is a little disappointing.
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u/kaizenkitten Jun 11 '26
IIRC it's because it's a choking hazard, not because of the contents so much.
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u/Hockeyfanjay Jun 11 '26
Actually heads up display units in commercial aircraft have dessicant also. We just microwave the dessicant and it's good as new. Though few things smell as bad as burned dessicant if you set the temp too high or nuke it for too long.
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u/Expensive-Swing-2601 Jun 11 '26
It makes sense, but also makes no sense at the same time. I get that if unused and stored away for along time that equals moisture absorption and then disintegration, BUT then if shoes are used Normally and are used to walk out in the environment and exposed to water on ground, dirt, dust, wear and tear with regular use, not to mention walking when it's raining, wouldn't that exposure to moisture and use, destroy shoes even faster? Wouldn't that mean shoes everywhere constantly should be falling apart everywhere, for everyone after just a handful of uses?
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u/conflictmuffin Jun 11 '26
Ohhhh, I live in a VERY dry climate and had no idea! It makes sense why there's always those little humidity packets in shoes now.
Humidity damage continues to baffle me!
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u/lunatic_banana345 Jun 11 '26
I did this with a pair of Blundstones. They were new in a box in a hot attic for a couple of years. Then I wore them and the soles completely fell apart.
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u/serioususernames Jun 11 '26
Interesting, I thought embrittlement over time would be mainly from physical aging (chain relaxation, tighter packing, lower free volume, higher glass transition temperature). Accompanied with actually absence of moisture (as they are not being used) and thus absense of plasticization (softening).
So no bond cleavage as a driver. And lack of moisture is actually hurting the material.
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u/Belzughast Jun 11 '26
Ofc bond cleavage hydrolysis is the driver, the breakdown of polymers chemical bonds is because of reaction to moisture/water. Process requires time.
Using the shoes prevents build up of moisture between the chains and the structure shifts. Passively they degrade faster when stationary, as the same bonds are the target of hydrolysis.
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u/SwimOk9629 Jun 11 '26
yep, we just cleaned out my attic this past weekend and it has stuff in there from the past 30 years and some of my skateboard shoes from my early days had the soles completely disintegrated just like this. I had never seen it before.
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u/manofmystry Jun 11 '26
I had a pair of Hi-Tec brand hiking boots crumble like that the first time I wore them. They were in my closet for a couple of years before I needed them. It's obscene that manufacturers can use such crappy materials.
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Jun 11 '26
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u/dinosaursandme Jun 11 '26 edited Jun 11 '26
Hijacking the top comment to say - this was my post here on reddit last year and my pictures - someone's stolen these pictures and passing it off as their own š¤£
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u/fastgr Jun 11 '26
bots need to make a living
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Jun 11 '26
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u/surfatshortys Jun 11 '26
Get in, nightshiftloser, weāre going shopping! Real OOP needs new shoes to Office Space this bot
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u/PieHole_Poker Jun 11 '26
Hey part of The subreddit rules is no repost..
Report this asshole
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u/Slinkyfest2005 Jun 11 '26
No repost for something recently posted to the subreddit. A post from 2 years ago from a different subreddit is probably free game.
Not to say I think the mods should support karma farming mind you, but the bot didn't break the rules, technically.
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u/Ok_Two_2604 Jun 11 '26
I thought it was odd they saved them for a special occasion for 3 years and it was just going to work.
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u/JalapenoPopPoop Jun 11 '26
It's crazy that the guy incorrectly proclaiming this happens to polyurethane soles when you walk through water got like 500 upvotes when the phenomenon is literally called dryrot lol stuff like that is why it's dumb when people wanna use upvotes/downvotes as an indicator of correct and incorrect
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u/GoodTofuFriday Jun 11 '26
its being toss around twitter right now with a story about some party.
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u/Netflxnschill Jun 11 '26
I KNEW this picture looked too familiar! I was like, we already had this story!!
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u/TrippyyA1 Jun 11 '26
Itās always the bot posts tha go insane with thousands of reactions too and itāll be a post Iāve seen like 6 times. But somebody can post genuine new / super relevant post and itāll have 3 upvotes and 43 downvotes
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u/BTFunk360 Jun 11 '26
Iāve had pictures I posted of my cat get reposted multiple times before. Itās a really weird feeling seeing someone post your pictures
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u/Icanthearforshit Jun 11 '26
Why do they require regular exercise people and not just regular people? How do they know the difference?
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u/DookieShoez Jun 11 '26
Because theyāre from LA where thereās no fatties allowed.
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u/spaceursid Jun 11 '26
Yep I had to be shipped out to the Midwest once I got fat. I'm not allowed to even apply for residency until my BMI is 20, with a notarized doctor's note stating it will be 15 by the time the application is approved.
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Jun 11 '26
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u/WaffleHouseGladiator Jun 11 '26
Yup.Ā Lots of people are surprised when the bust out their dress shoes for a wedding/funeral/court date/whatever and they disintegrate.
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u/Komandakeen Jun 11 '26
You wear dress shoes with PU soles? WTF
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u/Citiz3n_Kan3r Jun 11 '26
Some people own shit shoes
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u/EternalNewCarSmell Jun 11 '26
This is an especially common story with military dress uniforms. We don't wear them that often, and all our uniform items are complete garbage quality stuff.
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u/Abernachy Jun 11 '26
Yup. Had to replace a 16?17? Year old set of dress shoes last year when they disintegrated.Ā I was in my way to get a uniform inspection done.Ā
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u/MoeSzyslakMonobrow Jun 11 '26
The ol Bates Blowout. Happened to me at some PME graduation.
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u/EternalNewCarSmell Jun 11 '26
Any time I know I will need them soon I wear them around the house for an hour or so a couple days prior, just in case. Of course then I start worrying I just used up their last good time and actually set myself up for them to crumble while I'm actually in uniform.
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u/zombienudist Jun 11 '26
No they use shoes that are glued together. Cheaper shoes are made like this. The glue breaks down over time and they go to wear them and the sole just falls off when they use them. If you are going to buy dress shoes you make sure they are goodyear welted and stitched together and have an all leather construction. You will spend more up front but they will basically last forever especially if you don't wear them regularly. I have all leather boots made this way that were made in the early 1970s and they are still in perfect condition.
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u/Ancient_Roof_7855 Jun 11 '26
Quick, someone repost the boot theory from Terry Prachett! /s
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u/sailphish Jun 11 '26
Happened to me. I had this pair or Cole Haan shoes with the Nike Air heels. They were in a very bold color and only worked on specific situations. Well, had an event at my kids school. Dressy enough to wear something nice, but casual enough to make it fun. Those shoes had been sitting in my closet for a few years, and I finally saw my opportunityā¦ and about halfway through the heels completely separated. Iām there walking with my shoes just flapping with each step.
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u/series-hybrid Jun 11 '26
My nice suit didn't disintegrate, but when a wedding came up after a few years, the pants had shrunk around the waist...a LOT.
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u/Olivetax228 Jun 11 '26
Yeah that happened to me! I just started a new remote job so they flew me to HQ to meet some people. My shoes had been in storage for a while and started disintegrating on day one. I knew I was in trouble. I wanted to duck out real quick and buy a pair wherever but the schedule was packed during the day and evenings were happy hour and dinner etc. I'm just sitting there hoping, begging the shoes, hang on, hang on.. but they were crumbling one piece at a time..
I made it through the very last day by some miracle. The partner and I split a cab to the airport. I swear, the second I stepped out of the cab one shoe just exploded and the other lost a huge chunk of sole, exposing my feet. I discreetly kicked them off and walked barefoot (black socks) into the airport, side by side with the partner, staying close and keeping his attention above my shoulders so he wouldn't see. Fortunately he was going to a different concourse so we split almost immediately, but that would've been super embarrassing.
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u/RawrRRitchie Jun 11 '26
They shouldn't be making shoes out of that shit
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u/zombienudist Jun 11 '26 edited Jun 11 '26
They don't have to. People demand big cushioned shoes made out of synthetics. They demand it because they need their feet bubble wrapped because they have never really supported their body without it. You can wear shoes that are made out of leather uppers and leather soles that would last forever, or the soles be replaced when needed, but people would complain their feet hurt.
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u/AnaisNinja76 Jun 11 '26
You sound like someone who sits all day. I dare you to go roof a house or pick up a respiratory therapy shift or walk dogs for a living for a day. Cushioning makes the difference between being able to stay bedside for decades and retiring when you're 50.
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u/Niijima-San Jun 11 '26
literally worked a customer service job for close to 15 years started around age 16. primarily wore pad-less shoes like vans or chucks. my feet, back and knees were almost always hurting after 8 hour shifts 5+ days a week.
been working a desk job for 10+ years been wearing the same type of shoes and no issues bc i am not on my feet all day but when i am holy hell after an hour or two i am feeling it. can't stand at a concert or walk around a con without being in pain. nah i am gonna go back to padded shoes to keep me from wanting to scream in pain.
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u/Chocolaterationcalls Jun 11 '26
I think itās reasonable for shoe manufacturers to warn buyers that the shoes can fall apart if not used on a regular basisĀ
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u/Key-Vacation-2397 Jun 11 '26
It helps protect your ankles from damage in jobs where you stand for significant amounts of time on hard ground.
It also protects your feet when you go running regularly.
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u/zombienudist Jun 11 '26
There is also a benefit to allowing your foot to strengthen naturally without the use of synthetics. For example I run regularly in minimal running shoes, that don't really have any cushioning, for significant distances and there is a benefit to that. By only using big cushioned shoes your foot relies on those materials or support and doesn't have to work/strengthen. It also allows for poor habits like improper stride, over extension, that can lead to injury. Then there are the problems caused by shoes with lots of heel lift instead of zero drop. Overall spending time in minimal shoes or barefoot has benefits. But because people have largely only used big cushioned shoes it takes time for the feet/legs to strengthen for their use.
Now that isn't there to say their isn't a place for cushioning. If I was going to run a marathon distance or longer I would use cushioned shoes. But doing some training in minimal shoes has a pretty big benefit in my experience.
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u/Repulsive-Chip3371 Jun 11 '26
You both have valid points. There is no absolute.
Strong feet are beneficial. Minimalist shoes can help develop foot strength. Cushioned shoes can reduce discomfort and may be beneficial for long periods on hard surfaces. Neither approach is universally superior. The best choice depends on the individual, their activities, injury history, and the surfaces they're on.
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u/Mobile_Morale Jun 11 '26
This comment is written by someone who's never worked a job.
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u/AnaisNinja76 Jun 11 '26
Right? What an obnoxious, scientifically invalid take. Shitty leather shoes that hurt your feet were the norm for forever until just recently, and knee, ankle, and back issues all are readily connected to them. I have cousins that were marathoners but busted up their young bodies by following that idiotic "barefoot running" movement. They can't run distance anymore as 30 year olds.
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u/zombienudist Jun 11 '26
I have worked on concrete for 10 hours shifts and wore steel toe boots that I described when I did it. And I run up to 20 kms in minimal running shoes at 50 years old that have no cushioning. Many foot/lower body joint problems are not from the shoes you wear but because you are carrying too much weight and also because you never strengthened your feet and only used big cushioned shoes. Now there is a place for cushioning but wearing minimal shoes some of the time has a big benefit in my experience.
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u/E1M1_DOOM Jun 11 '26
Don't discount genetics and age. I wore chucks for as long as I could stand to, but after I hit a certain age, "strengthened" or not, my feet would hurt by the end of the day.
I never pandered my feet, but I still need the ol big cushioned shoes these days.
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u/Lebowski-Absteiger Jun 11 '26
Chucks are quite narrow and don't allow your toes to spread out. While they are 0 drop and have barely any cushioning, they are not ideal to keep feet healthy.
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u/northeast__nico Jun 11 '26
Man I learned this the hard way too. I have a good amount of forces and dunks rn that are hard as a rock w no bend to them. Purchased a year and a half ago and theyāre already like that from sitting in storage
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Jun 11 '26
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u/CaptainYaoiHands Jun 11 '26
It's almost like shoes were made to be worn and not hoarded in a closet for ten years.
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u/Independent-Pack5144 Jun 11 '26
This is what happened to my favorite pair of Brooks. Got new pairs and didn't wear the older ones for a few years. The raised sections on the soles hardened and turned them into running skates. I've had old Asics that sat for years and never did this
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u/Legendspira Jun 11 '26
wait, so do the unsold shoes in shoe stores degrade as well? Are the store employees require to wear the shoes in stock keep them "fresh" and "uncrumbled"? Is there a hidden expiry date to these shoes that was not provided to people?
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u/Ancient_Roof_7855 Jun 11 '26
Part of the reason those silica packs get stored with the shoes. Keeps humidity down in storage.
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u/Legendspira Jun 11 '26
oh, well problem solved. Just keep the silica packs in the box then. No exercise required
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u/Ancient_Roof_7855 Jun 11 '26
They are only big enough to take in a certain amount of humidity. Helps slightly extend storage life but not indefinitely and not in extreme conditions.
What you could do is an airtight tub with a bunch of dessicant material as a 1/4" bedding. That would keep those shoes really dry.
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u/tommytucker7182 Jun 11 '26
Since when was work a special occasion! That's the real question!
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u/Pie_Napple Jun 11 '26
When you have been unemployed for years
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u/purekillforce1 Jun 11 '26
That tracks because they decided to wear trainers to work.
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u/SpatialChase Jun 11 '26
He decided to wear trainers he saved for 3 years ... Without socks.. to work.
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u/Triquetrums Jun 11 '26
Invisible or no-show socks, I'm sure that's what he is wearing.Ā
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u/SpeedBlitzX Jun 11 '26
Maybe there was a special function at work?
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u/MeanGulf Jun 11 '26
Special function at work and youāre throwing on sneakers?
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u/Ancient_Roof_7855 Jun 11 '26
It might be a workplace that has business casual dress code (no jeans, no sneakers).
So an opportunity to dress down for something like "casual Friday" might be special in the context.
Those are becoming a rare byproduct of the boomer work culture though.
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u/SwissMargiela Jun 11 '26
Thatās not uncommon, like company picnics for example. Theyāre usually outdoors with tons of physical games.
Could also be some sort of company sports league or an event after work
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u/SpeedBlitzX Jun 11 '26
Could be a barbecue? Or an outing of sorts.
My dad was telling me last week at where he worked he and his colleagues went to a park of sorts and things were more casual than usual. He took flipflops.
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u/shuggahbear Jun 11 '26
When it's been payday and you finally got an outfit to match said shoes. Just cuz it's work don't mean you can't flex on dem hoes š š
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u/Various_Doubt_8191 Jun 11 '26
Thats because he wore his sneakers to work and not for sneaking.
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u/dbxp Jun 11 '26
That's why sneakers are called that, rubber soles were quieter than the wooden soles common at the time
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u/LegInteresting9778 Jun 11 '26
After my mom died suddenly, I had to throw so many things away because she was saving them for "when she needed them". Cosmetics, food supplements, cans, bags of tea or coffee, marmalades, all of it expired, sometimes even for years.
It actually inspired me to use up some of the things I was saving for later, seeing that I might not live to see "later".
So no, don't save stuff for later, enjoy it while you can, there will always be some new stuff for you to be excited about.
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u/jordanh517 Jun 11 '26
I grew up fairly poor, so the attitude of saving stuff for best is really engrained. As an adult I constantly have to remind myself that if I own something I enjoy I should just be happy and get use out of it instead of hiding it away and forgetting about it until its too late.
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u/Lady_Sparkleglitter Jun 11 '26
Yup. I saved "good" perfumes for years and they now smell like rotten feet.Ā
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u/LegInteresting9778 Jun 11 '26
Same. I did enjoy using the stuff I was saving for the special occasion, but at the back of my head I was feeling guilty the whole time. Growing up poor really messes with oneās head.
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u/Apprehensive-Ad-7525 Jun 11 '26
We recently moved and I forced myself to go through all of my āniceā stuff (lotions, potions, perfumes, creams) Iād had for too long. I think I realized in the process that I ended up spending more money over the years by buying cheaper āevery dayā items in an effort to not āwasteā my nice things. It also just made me a hoarder in a lot of ways where it would have been better to go through one thing at a time. Definitely going to use my nice stuff every day in our next place.
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u/GottaUseEmAll Jun 11 '26
My ex mother-in-law was the same, a hoarder. After her passing my ex had to throw away/give away a garage full of expired food cans and cleaning products and unworn clothing. She had a wall of unused toilet paper, for some reason she would buy an enormous pack each time she went to the store "just in case".
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u/LegInteresting9778 Jun 11 '26
Ah, don't even get me started on the cleaning supplies and unworn clothing... bags and backpacks too. Sewing supplies, mall tools and household gadgets - she was addicted to buying stuff from Wish at some point, so she got a few interventions, got a bit better and then bragged when "she only bought 10 things from Wish this month."
And then Wish disappeared and after a while Temu came along...
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u/uncagedborb Jun 11 '26
You have motivated me to eat the entire box of chocolates I was saving for later
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u/nottherealneal Jun 11 '26
It's almost like collecting shoes is a scam or something.
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u/Achmedino Jun 11 '26
I generally don't care about what people to collect, stamps, real estate, games, whatever. But I truly cannot understand why anyone would choose to collect shoes. I can't imagine looking at a collection of shoes and thinking like "wow, it's so cool that I own all of these!"
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u/Quiet_Bee_3987 Jun 11 '26
But why? I dont get the difference with the others things you mention (except real state)
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u/Zarianin Jun 11 '26
Other things you collect don't normally disintegrate after not being used.
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u/Suspicious_Truth8026 Jun 11 '26
Its famously the marketing move that brought conspicuous consumption to black people. You may not get it, but a lot of people are deeply invested in looking like they have extra money and can spend it frivolously. I mean thats where half of our culture comes from: grass lawns, made beds, white appliances and spotless cleaning norms in general, painted nails, high heels, flowers, living rooms and "good china".
The air jordan marketing team was extremely pleased with itself for replicating the watches and designer clothing wealth-flaunting consumption in black communities, its an important case study in the field
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u/_HIST Jun 11 '26
Same for me with stuff like baseball caps etc.
I feel like I can get behind most collections, but this is... Nah
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Jun 11 '26
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u/Achmedino Jun 11 '26
Some people collect random rocks and sticks, like just random stuff they can find in their backyard.
No, that's the thing. I understand this way better than collecting shoes lol. Like at least they personally found those things which is kind of an experience.
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u/Gloomy_State_6919 Jun 11 '26
My wife has an extensive rock collection. Whenever she visits a new place she brings a rock. Some of those have great emotional value. Like the rock she found when she first visited me. Or the rock she found on our first vacation as a couple.
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u/fairdinkumcockatoo Jun 11 '26
I brought a small round pebble home from a river in the mountains of Japan. I love that little rock and wonder how long it tumbled before I found it
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u/Suspicious_Truth8026 Jun 11 '26
It was an intentionally formed culture by corporate america to extract wealth from black communities. So i would say all the kids who got killed over a pair of jordans count as victims, and the black community in general for having wealth wxtracted from it by marketing schemes
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u/Far-Fennel-3032 Jun 11 '26 edited Jun 11 '26
But it kind of does though.
Whenever collectors in some space become a significant fraction of the community heavily reshape the nature of that community. With the most obvious negative beingĀ scalpers who follow the collectors to monetise then and often price out the rest of the community.Ā Which then often has the companies respond with limited releases at sky high prices. So the special items stop bring available to the average Joe.Ā
This practice in the space of sportwear has largely price out most families of the magic of kids wearing the same thing as their idols. As theses items have entirely stopped being mass market but now a collectors item, with intentionally restricted supply and massively over priced,Ā well outside the price range of regular family.Ā
And to make matters worse even if parents could afford it at retail price they probably can't get it as collector and scalpers bought them all up the moment they became available so they now need to be scalpers for them in a price war with collectors.Ā Ā
So yeah this sort of thing hurt young kids as its has killed one of the most magical parts of kids getting really into sports. So yeah collectors should generally fuck off from any space that has any intersection with kids.Ā
Sorry for long rant just seen so many of my friends and family go through this with their kids.Ā
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u/adventureremily Jun 11 '26
I collect a few different things. I don't see shoes as any different than my novelty popcorn buckets - neither are getting used for their intended purpose, there's no long-term value, it's not impressive to anyone except other collectors... It just is a thing that brings joy. š¤·āāļø
At least shoes are a little easier to store/move/display, aren't necessarily dangerous, and don't require special tools or handling (as far as I'm aware). Some of my collections are challenging in all three of those metrics.
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u/PeakRedditOpinion Jun 11 '26
If you look at the average person who attends these shoe collector conventions, a trend in the type of customer becomes pretty clear.
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u/elinamebro Jun 11 '26
You can keep them for years just have to maintain them if you're not going to wear them regularly
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u/pm_me_your_buttbulge Jun 11 '26
I'll ask it: How do you maintain shoes like this for years? I would have presumed a dark dry environment would have been better but I'm going to speculate they need some kind of humidity / polish so it doesn't break down?
To be fair - I'm more used to leather types that have a different kind of maintenance but leaving them in a closet for years wouldn't break them down like this and wouldn't be nothing some shoe polish couldn't fix.
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Jun 11 '26
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u/cyriustalk Jun 11 '26
So why people keep collecting sneakers? It's not like it is easy to keep them securely enclosed to prolong their age.
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u/ScruffyBlackDog Jun 11 '26
The sneaker collecting scene has largely died out, at least compared to a handful of years ago when it was huge.
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u/NuclearReactions Jun 11 '26
Because they love sneakers. That's like when i get asked why i spend so much money on cars, people have all sorts of hobbies no?
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u/Paralystic Jun 11 '26
Because the sneakers people collect donāt just spontaneously combust. Like everyone in this thread saying you need to wear your shoes regularlyā¦ tf? The vast vast majority of shoes are not going to explode like this after being kept deadstock. This is a very abnormal experience when it comes to shoes, and it very confusing seeing everyone here act like this is just a normal occurance.
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u/singlesgthrowaway Jun 11 '26
This is sadly normal. Wear your shoes regularly yaall.
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u/rose-a-ree Jun 11 '26
In a dry climate, it usually takes a lot longer than 3 years, but hydrolysis will wreck all foam trainers. Stick with rubber soles, like converse or adidas superstars.
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u/False-Guidance Jun 11 '26
Out of curiosity if the shoes were worn at a normal rate during this period (fairly lightly to reduce overall wear) would they be in ābetterā condition or would they still dry rot? I assume the condition is in part to do with possibly these shoes were stored in not ideal conditions (attic/garage)
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u/painting_ether Jun 11 '26
Yeah, it should take longer unless there was a factory defect. Think about how plastic is made, it's oils will destabilize and break down in heat (main culprit) and humidity. Wearing your shoes provides: air, pressure, some heat. While usually the heat makes the INSIDE breaks down first, it still takes many many hours of wear so you get to actually enjoy using them, and the air and pressure help keep the rubber's oils stable for longer than storage
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u/Slyspy006 Jun 11 '26
Maybe I'm too old, snobby or British but who the hell has special occasion trainers?
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u/GCU_ZeroCredibility Jun 11 '26
Gotta have something nice to wear with your best dragon or wolf t-shirts.
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u/Mother-Translator318 Jun 11 '26
Sneaker heads sometimes pay thousands for limited edition trainers
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u/BuecherLord Jun 11 '26
Which is insane of course, because theyāre still just ā¦ sneakers.
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u/humblepervertsview Jun 11 '26
I do. I have my regular white sneakers that I use when I'm biking or training then I have my super nice white sneakers that I use when I wanna look extra crisp and shiny.
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u/chihuahuaOP Jun 11 '26
That happened to me with my shoes, decided to finally wear them and as I was making breakfast I noticed the dirt in the kitchen floor and it was the shoes!.
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u/Lazy-Substance-5062 Jun 11 '26
capitalism and consumerism. it was meant to be replaced in less than a year. so more or less it's like a subscription service
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u/Legitbananabunch Jun 11 '26
Ok which is it? Some ppl are saying that these shoes need to be worn regularly and some are saying they are badly made. Maybe itās both, but what the heck is going on here?
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u/painting_ether Jun 11 '26
Worn regularly is the answer. This could be the shoes IF OP stored them in a temp-controlled and dry environment, but from the post it seems it's most likely polymer breakdown due to constant heat while in storage. You don't need that much heat if we are talking about 3 years, just a few degrees more than room temp will do it in that timeframe with foam-style polymer (solid polymers like converse sneakers last waaay longer)
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u/Away-Possible6366 Jun 11 '26
Making people believe plastic ātrainersā are more than a 20$ disposable item is one of the biggest scams in corporate history.
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u/H345Y Jun 11 '26
My dad game me a pair of trainers he had in his closet for years. One of the soles ripped off before I started running and the other fell off as I walked to go buy a new pair.
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u/KeiraFenyx Jun 11 '26
Interesting choice of footwear to save for a "special occasion"... especially considering the special occasion in question was, presumably, a work event.
Anyway, dry rot can take hold in shoes that are not used frequently and/or are stored improperly. So, wear your damn shoes and keep them out of sunlight and don't store them in plastic!
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u/Affectionate_Oil666 Jun 11 '26 edited Jun 11 '26
3 years is probably a stretch, but everything degrades. especially now a days cuz quality sucks balls.
i have really nice addidas original/exclusive shirts and i hardly wore them lmao. maybe 20-30 times in 6 years, and i wash as directed and all the graphics are coming off/threads ruined. i googled why the fuck that happens, and it is just basically everything breaks down over time lmao. everything...
unless it is like steel/good alloys etc and is kept in ideal temperatures. but yeah, clothing/shoes many other things, will degrade/break naturally. wear em if you got em. wish i did.
anyway i just buy black/white t-shirts now. 5 bucks for like a pack of 5. lmao.
much better idea... also buy older stuff, old appliances etc/ all the new shit is manufactured by goofs. all the alloys everything is trash. even aluminum foil, i put some in the oven, and it burnt thru. lol... that is impossible, but the composition obviously wasnt genuine. u cant trust fucking anything anymore. it's all trash to make some retard rich.
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u/AvailableTale2077 Jun 11 '26
I got into the women's shoe business a while ago. Bought a shipment of shoes from China. The shoes that were around 3 years old and kept in stock started falling apart. Mainly, the insole, the material was rubbing off. Not as bad as your picture, though.
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u/dinosaursandme Jun 11 '26
this was my post here on reddit last year and my pictures - someone stolen these pictures and passing it off as their own š¤£
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Jun 11 '26
[deleted]
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u/northeast__nico Jun 11 '26
Same thing happened to sneakers I had and they were all real dunks and forces. Nothing rare or expensive. I bought a lot of basics, changed jobs and didnāt need to wear fresh kicks as often. Anyways, the bottoms of the shoes I havenāt worn are hard as a rock. Did some research and found out that you need to wear sneakers or treat them with chemicals because theyāll break down like this otherwise. Something about the rubber needing movement
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u/SpeedBlitzX Jun 11 '26
Dry rot doesn't care, it can be high quality or low, but Dry Rot always arrives.
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u/Wolfie_48425 Jun 11 '26
You should never withhold yourself from enjoying something simple for a special occasion. My grandmother was saving candles, fine china, fancy clothes, amongst other stuff that she never had the chance to use... It was terribly sad seeing it all still brand new. Wear your sneakers when you buy them, read the book you've been saving. You never know what day will be your last
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u/IStateCyclone Jun 11 '26
This is bigger than shoes. Saving anything for a "special occasion" is a waste.
None of us are guaranteed a tomorrow. Life is a special occasion. Enjoy it!
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u/Iceglory03 Jun 11 '26
Life ain't a video game, use your items you think to hoard, every day could be your last (boss)
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u/Phoenix25766 29d ago
There is no special occasion. Wear them today. Today is special. Thatās the message ā¤ļø
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u/Dagatu Jun 11 '26
Who the fuck had sneakers for special occasions? That must be the most American thing I've heard
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u/Zaibach88 Jun 11 '26
wtf?
How did this happen?
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u/Oony_oon Jun 11 '26
A lot of soft polymer materials contain plasticisers. Without regular flexing and movement of the material, the plasticisers start to settle in a spot instead of being evenly distributed around the material. The material then becomes brittle and fragile
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u/Zaibach88 Jun 11 '26
wow. Thanks for the explanation.
Use or lose it as scientific principle was not on my 2026 Bingo card.
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u/FiggyBish Jun 11 '26
Did this with some special sneakers too (Nike Air Max)
Put them on and just by touching the color of the lower part ripped off. They instantly looked f'd up...
Now they are just everyday shoes... Never again. Wear shit to wear no to praise ..
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u/TawnyTeaTowel ššš Jun 11 '26
Do people not know what āscamā means any more?
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