I think everyone has very different feet, and what works for the goose won't necessarily work for the gander. Or the ibex.

I seem to be able to wear just about any old hiking shoes or boots, and they work fine. My only issues are:

1. I don't like feeling too many pointy rocks on the bottoms of my feet.

2. I don't like heavy shoes.

3. I don't like my toes being jammed into mash as I hike downhill.

Now there's a set of compromises to drive someone crazy.

But my wife has a lot of trouble with hiking shoes---she's tried lots of different things, and is still searching for perfection.

On thing she notices about her work out shoes (to bring this post back to the topic at hand!) is that the STRUCTURE of the shoes begins to break down over time. Shoes look great, but no longer provide the arch support and cushioning that she needs for a workout.

And I don't think any amount of tape, polish or wax would change that.

I am sure that it is also true of some hiking shoes.