Owning Vs. Renting Bowling Shoes
When most people think about the very first bowling equipment
that you need, they will instinctively say it is a bowling
ball. This is very true. Without the bowling ball, there is
no bowling. But there is another item that is needed if you
really want to get better at your bowling game but is often
overlooked because it isn't viewed as essential for bowling.
The overlooked equipment are the bowling shoes.
Having the right bowling shoes is a must for anyone who is
more than just a "hit the lanes once a year" kind
of bowler. Even if you are a casual bowler but have a regular
bowling night, you definitely want to have your own pair of
shoes.
What's the big deal of having your own bowling shoes?
Having your very own bowling shoes is probably the best investment
you could make when it comes to considering bowling equipment.
First and foremost, you don't have to worry about renting
bowlilng shoes that about a thousand other people have worn.
You don't know who the previous person who wore the shoes
could be and what kind of foot problems they might have. So
hygenically speaking this is a definite plus to having your
own shoes.
Another point to consider about owning is that you know that
you will always have a shoe that fits you perfectly. With
rented bowling shoes, they get stretched out so much and worn
out so much that it's like wearing clown shoes. Having your
own bowling shoes allows for maximum comfort whenever you
bowl.
In addition to this, your own bowling shoes can improve your
game. You will be able to make modifications whether brushing
the bottom of the shoes or changing the soles on some shoes
or even shorting the laces. Making the shoe fit you means
comfort and solid and predictable footing. There are shoes
on the market that actually have removable soles. This allows
different soles to be used that have properties that are better
suited to the lane conditions. House bowling shoes can't do
that. So if you are experiencing excessive stickiness in your
shoes there is nothing you can do with rented shoes. But with
your very own pair of shoes you would be able to fix that.
This will decrease the chances of sticking and disrupting
your bowling.
Now this next point isn't a big deal for most but still worth
mentioning. Having your own bowling shoes will save you time
at the bowling alley. You don't have to wait at the counter
for the clerk to go back and forth to find the shoes you need.
You can go right to the lanes and get bowling.
Probably the biggest positive point is that you will save
a ton of money owning rather than renting bowling shoes. Right
now, bowling centers are charging anywhere from $3 to $6 to
rent a pair of bowling shoes. Let's say you go on a regulary
weekly basis to the local lanes. If you rent each time, you
are looking at spending roughly $12 to $32 each month. Now
multiply that by a year and you are looking at spending $144
to $384 on just shoe rentals! That doesn't even include the
cost of the actual bowling games. Now it may not sound like
a lot but when you compare that cost to the cost of owning
your own shoes being around $50 to $150, in less than a year
they would have already paid for themselves.
Special considerations for children
If you are thinking about buying bowling shoes for your kid(s)
there are some issues to consider:
- How old is the child?
- Have they stopped growing?
- How committed are they to continuing to bowl on a regular
basis?
Since kids are still growing, they will eventually outgrow
their shoes. In general, most parents will buy children's
clothes a bit bigger to compensate for growth and make their
clothing last longer. While this is very frugal, in bowling
it can be a hazard. Shoes that are too big may cause awkwardness
in the approach and even cause the child to trip. It is better
to fit the bowling shoe now and avoid the potential of them
hurting himself. Besides, by the time it is time to get new
shoes, he may no longer be interested in bowling anymore.
So when it come to getting children's bowling shoes, its best
to get ones that fit well.
So finally, as you can see there is a definite consideration
that needs to be made when it comes to bowling shoes. In the
long run it makes financial sense to purchase your own bowling
shoes. But it also makes sense immediately because having
your own shoes that fit you and you alone will help to provide
consistency and comfort when you are out there bowling for
the perfect game.
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