After 33 years of making sneakers in Norridgewock Maine. Competitive wages and excellent benefits.

I haven't checked to see which models are and which aren't. I'm not in the market for that type of shoe. I just looked. You can shop just those shoes on their website. The lowest price I could find for men's shoes made in the USA was $150.

No way could I pay that much for a pair of sneakers. I just can't.

To provide jobs in manufacturing to over one thousand people in New England. And they are constantly working to bring as many styles to the US as possible. As for the price, you priced Nikes lately.

But, for people who can, my link lets them know where they can go.

Out of my price range, although I know there are many pricier ones.

Got 2 pair really comfy sneaks from K-Mart for 45 bucks total at the buy one get one half off sale.

That's the thing. I can't afford that. I just can't. So, I buy my fake hiking/walking shoes at the local farm supply store, when they're on sale, for about $40 a pair. I guarantee they're not made in the USA. They fit. They last. I wear them every day.

The equivalent in a USA made model is up near $200 per pair. That's the dilemma people face. Looking at New Balance's USA-made shoes, their website says they're 70% USA made. I wonder what that means exactly. It's confusing, really.

There were a couple of places on that website that are truly 100% USA made in much smaller operations, but their prices were even higher. One place has just 2 employees, so those are custom shoes made by a couple of shoemakers.

What are people to do? You have to have shoes. You get yours at K-Mart. I get mine at the local Mills Fleet Farm, and I wait for them to go on sale, at that. They look OK and fit OK. They're not cool, of course, but neither am I, really.

I don't know. It's a toss-up. If I buy one pair of USA-made shoes to replace 4 or 5 pairs or imported ones, what's the trade-off. The imported ones employ people who are working to live and eat. The USA-made ones are also made by people who need to earn a living. I don't know how much people are getting paid in USA shoe factories, either. I don't know their working conditions.

I just know that I need shoes, and have only so much money to buy them. We're all kind of stuck, i guess.

Quality has nosedived, though. Used to last forever, now you're lucky to get a year out of them. And many are not that comfortable.

Some of them are actually still pretty good, but you don't know which ones until you wore them a month or so.

WalMart selections suck and quality is even worse. Target has nothing. A couple of other shoe stores around, but same problem as Bass. Payless is small step up from WalMart, and mostly women's shoes. Every shoe store is all or mostly women's. If we start wearing stilettos and ballerina flats we'll be in good shape.

When the local KMart closes next month, I go barefoot.

They have the same brands I buy at the local farm supply store, and sometimes for even less. Once you find something you like, you can reorder as needed.

I wear three types of shoes. Hiker/walker sneakers. Work boots. Insulated high boots. That's it. I have a pair of dress shoes in the closet for funerals, but I won't replace them. The insulated boots I wear only for snow removal when the snow is over 6" deep or the temperature is below zero. My pair is now 14 years old and like new. The work boots are for, well, work, as in shoveling and other such outdoor work. My pair is at least 8 years old, because they get little use. The Hiker/walkers are on my feet the rest of the time I'm wearing shoes. They tend to last a couple of years, and I rarely pay more than $39 for them, and often just $29.

That's it. I have an old pair of Minnetonka moccasins I wear around the house, too. I have no idea how long I've had those. Could be 25 years.