Karrimor KSB Walking shoes

RedOnRed

There are some stores that go out of their way to make shopping with them a pleasurable and repeat experience and others that just want your money. Unfortunately, the former are few and far between and Sports World are most definitely in the latter.

Harpoon_2

withabix wrote:

Karrimor products currently available are just sh*te made by Sports World, who now own the name.

Nothing to do with the quality products which were once made by Karrimor, which went bust in early 2004 due to a badly-advised purchase of another company (YHA Outdoor or similar) which was in Administration, in an attempt to go into retail themselves.

This dragged down Karrimor in approx Feb 2004.

Blacks is about to be taken over by Sports World, so there goes another quality brand down the swanny...

Blacks Leisure Group owns Millets as well as Blacks, so be interesting to see what happens if SW take them over.

Sports World also own Dunlop and Slazenger.

brad

I notice since starting this thread everyone says that the KSB shoes are poor quality. The pair I bought look ok and I've done a fair bit of walking in my time. I have to say some styles looked better than others, but for £20 what are you worried about, if they are comfy and the pair I've got look well made enough to last a year, you're quids in!

Hintza

I have bought a pair of traier style walking shoes and a pair of KSB300 in the last six months. The shoes are fine so far no complaints. The boots haven't had as much wear but no complaints as of yet.

To be honest I didn't realise they had changed, just thought I was getting a bargain.

For the money I would give them a try.

Brockyman

I bought two pairs of these Karrimor shoes in August and boy do I wish I had read this thread first.
THESE SHOES ARE ABSOLUTE RUBBISH. DO NOT BUY THEM!!
I bought them for work and being Karrimor I thought they would last a fair while. After about 6 weeks they were so uncomfortable to wear that I gave up on them. The construction of the sole is a honeycomb sort of affair and it has collapsed very badly at the heel making them rub very badly. I bought them in Chester whilst on holiday and have long since lost the reciept so too much hassle to return them.
Once again:
THESE SHOES ARE ABSOLUTE RUBBISH.
DO NOT BUY THEM!!

Ian.

rs3100

Seems to be a mix of opinion on these shoes. All I can say is I'm a regular walker, and although i don't wear the Karrimor shoes for serious walking, I have used mine for light walking and general use, and just replaced a pair that I'd had for just over 2 years, which have only just worn through the sole and started letting in water. I have had to replace the laces several times - as already mentioned they wear through because of the design of the eyelets, but at £20 for the shoes and a couple of quid every now and then for the laces, I can't see the problem.

Have Sports World taken over the entire Karrimor brand? Only ask, as at work I was recently issued with a Karrimor "Special Forces" jacket and fleece, which seem to be pretty good quality kit, windproof Polartec and a breathable laminate.

RedOnRed

rs3100 wrote: »

Seems to be a mix of opinion on these shoes. All I can say is I'm a regular walker, and although i don't wear the Karrimor shoes for serious walking, I have used mine for light walking and general use, and just replaced a pair that I'd had for just over 2 years, which have only just worn through the sole and started letting in water. I have had to replace the laces several times - as already mentioned they wear through because of the design of the eyelets, but at £20 for the shoes and a couple of quid every now and then for the laces, I can't see the problem.

Have Sports World taken over the entire Karrimor brand? Only ask, as at work I was recently issued with a Karrimor "Special Forces" jacket and fleece, which seem to be pretty good quality kit, windproof Polartec and a breathable laminate.

Sports World International acquired Karrimor in March 2003.