From about 2012-2017 I'd gone with the $16.99 Costco shoes, bought about once a year.
Just over a year ago, I "splurged" on some ~$50 (I think) Asics. These "seemed" like "better" shoes comfort-wise.
Here I am, just over a year later, and they're worn out. Both have holes in each side, at the largest and smallest toes (worse on the outer side). I'm probably about a month past the point where most people would throw them away.
I feel like I really didn't get my money's worth out of these shoes. Does anyone have advice for quality, cost-effective shoes that will actually last? I really wouldn't mind plunking down more money if they would actually last an appropriate amount of time.
Use: walking on wood floors, walking on gravel paths, walking on grass, walking on sidewalks, walking on office carpet, standing on office carpet (standing desk, 40 hours per week), mowing grass, walking through snow/mud, driving. Averaged over the last year, Fitbit says I walk about 12,000 steps per day.
I should also probably get a pair of "nice" shoes to wear to events that warrant it, along with non-casual days at work. My last pair was some crappy Walmart $25 black dress shoes that I wore twice (to two weddings) and then proceeded to inadvertently donate as chew toys to our dogs. They looked fine, but I knew they wouldn't stand up to hard use (but again, they saw minimal use overall).