My wife just got a pair yesterday, low-end from a chain discount place. They're still good shoes, but not nearly as good as the "real" running shoes. No company makes anything that compares to them. I don't know if they still make 473s, but they do have some damn good ones. They're worth the price.

there is a place here that fits you for running shoes and they don't even ask you what shoes you want from the display* - they just start measuring and drawing on your foot and and then make you walk on a treadmill while a camera at foot level examines your gait and then they take some more measurements and THEN they bring you a few shoes to try on but they rarely need more than a couple pair because they have the right fit for you and when you put them on they feel so good you don't want to take them off. They also make use of inserts to add support or do whatever they think needs done.

It may all be gimmicky and bullshit but I can tell you that was the first athletic shoes I've ever bought that didn't cause blisters and and make my feet hurt. Worth every penny to me.

After we decided what the best shoe was then I could choose from a couple different colors it came in - but I would have taken hot pink and unicorns if that was all they had.

The store here (central Florida) is called Fleet Feet but I don't know if they have other locations. I got the impression the guy running the store was an owner operator rather than a manger of someone else's store.

I did notice they had a lot of New Balance and Asics and a couple other brands.

*although you certainly can insist if you want to blow it and get the wrong shoe

I got a pretty detailed reply and pretty much got pointed to the more recent 623.

After buying various types of running shoes over the years, mainly lowish price at Big 5, it would be worth going to Fleet Feet, or the New Balance outlet store. I use running shoes for walking but they eventually end up rolling outward; maybe I could find some that don't let my feet supinate so much.

Some good tips-
http://www.therunningadvisor.com/running_shoes.html

Actually, I emailed New Balance customer service about bringing back the 473's. They said it's possible if they see more interest. Let's start a campaign!! Bob