Rental shoes

[mouse]

What is the best brand of rental shoes?
We have to replace some as the toes broke with the sole. They were the Brunswick shoes issued to us when we opened up
How long does a pair of rental shoes last? Ours are only 2 years old, and they look like they went thru a disaster.(naturally no onw monitors our shoes, nor takes care of them, just spray foo foo into the shoe.

thanx

[murreyinternat]

Re: Rental shoes

Coaster King:
Should you be interested, Murrey would welcome the opportunity to send you a sample pair of our rentals at no charge. We would be happy to recommend centers in your area currently using them. This way you can speak to one of your peers on their opinion. Call me at 310-532-6091. This way you can decide....Bill [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img]

[8270king]

Re: Rental shoes

I havent seen the Murrey's but I have been replacing ours with the Dexter rentals.

They seem to be very well recieved by the bowlers.

Jerry

[TheGMan143]

Re: Rental shoes

I'm partial to Dexters myself... I've used Dexter shoes myself for about as long as I've been bowling, and the Dexter rentals I've seen are really nice.

The age of 'dead clown shoes' is gone... Some of the nicest rentals I've seen look like regular bowling shoes or sneakers. Others I've seen had the pattern of the old 'red-n-blues', but they are brown and white, and were considerably classier than the clown shoes.

Maybe it's just me, but I actually think that nice looking shoes help business... even if your shoes are brand new, if they look like clown shoes, people still make a face when they are handed to them. On the other hand, I've seen places that have the classy rental shoes have customers say 'wow! these are a lot nicer' when they get their shoes. The shoes are the most personal part of the bowling game...because you actually have to wear them. If they're disgusting, they're going to start the rest of the game experience at your place off 'on the wrong foot (no pun intended [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif[/img] ).

[horizons]

Re: Rental shoes

We use Brunswick shoes now, but I just got a brochure from Murrey in, looks pretty good. I personally like the look of rental shoes, especially those ones with the funny colored laces!

[Drillmn300]

Re: Rental shoes

We use a variety of companies and found that some last longer than others but not that much longer. If you are as busy as we are 2 years is not a bad life span for rental shoes concidering the price of the shoe and renting them for $1.95 to everyone that uses them. I myself like to keep the shoes looking new and throw them out as soon as they start looking like I wouldn't put them on my feet.

Drill

[Adam_Davis]

Re: Rental shoes

We have the "Wolf Rental" shoes. They hold up quite well IMO.

[Ed Fox]

Re: Rental shoes

I'm not sure which shoes I would consider the best but I would recommend that you watch what shoe spray you use to disinfect them from the funky feet that are always in them. Read the labels and use the spray with the least amount of water added and make sure there is IPA added to dry the water ASAP! This will keep the shoes from dry rotting prematurely.

Charlie [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img]

[SVLFever]

Re: Rental shoes

Coasterking,

I agree with Jerry and GMan about the Dexter's. I have used both versions of the AMF shoe for the last several years. The red-black AMFs hold up much better than the green-brown.

I did decide to buy a couple of pairs of the Dexters at last year's Bowl Expo and haven't regretted it. The Dexter's are holding up well and they are VERY COMFORTABLE. Of course now I have the problem of league bowlers only wanting the Dexters when I only have certain sizes and amounts, oh well.

I have a theory that the Dexters, being more comfortable, may possibly encourage open bowlers to bowl an extra game. Mind you, this is just a theory, but think about it...would you want to do something that involved uncomfortable equipment. I don't rollerskate or ice skate often, but when I do, if the shoes don't fit, forget about it. [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/mad.gif[/img]

Fever [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/usflag.jpg[/img]

[Pins In Da Bucket]

Re: Rental shoes

Do these comfortable Dexter rentals have a tendency to "walk off" on their own?

The center I used to work for had a big problem with shoes being stolen from moonlight bowlers and high school gym classes.

Do you guys take a deposit or some sort of collateral (street shoe, money, etc?) to get the customers to bring your shoes back?

Just curious.

[Kurt]

Re: Rental shoes

Ive always wondered, why doesnt a shoe company make a really good shoe, nice looking and insert an alarm detector in the shoe and have those alarms at the door like every electronics store has now. Then just go to the bowling center, give them a free alarm system with purchase of intial pairs of premium priced shoes. They know if the shoes are good enough, and people cant walk off with them, in the long run they would be saving the bowling center money. And the center would have to keep going to them to get shoes. Just remember you heard it here first! lol

[TheGMan143]

Re: Rental shoes

Actually, I bowled at a place in Virginia like that (it was a while back, can't remember the name of the place, but it was near the NC border)... they had 'inktag' markers on the shoes. if you walked out w/ them, you set off the door detector, and if you tried to remove it, you'd get permanent black or green ink all over you. I don't know what kind of rentals they used, but to me they looked a heck of a lot like Linds.

Most places I've seen just trade your street shoes, or other collateral for them (driver license, etc...) Another place I bowled at gave you a choice... regular clown shoes w/ no collateral, or 'pro' shoes w/ your drivers license or other collateral. It was a nice touch.

Shoe companies would probably have something good going on if they would put one of those flat "antenna" tags molded right into the rubber sole... it would be waterproof, and nonremovable (unless you destroyed the shoe to remove it, which kind of defeats the purpose).

[SVLFever]

Re: Rental shoes

Guys,

I checked into the 'alarm' system for the shoes. It can be done for around $2000.

We take a shoe during our 'glow' bowling events to deter theft. Every once in a while we get people that try to cop an attitude and say things like "are you calling me a thief?" and I respond, politely, "If I knew who the theives were by looking at them, I wouldn't have to take everyone's shoe."

We maybe lose a pair a week or two. It may be more with the Dexter's, due to their comfort.

Fever [img]/content/btubb/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/usflag.jpg[/img]

[toon30s]

Re: Rental shoes

We have several pairs of the newer AMF red/white shoes that are doing very well. We are also using the unisex Team Cobra shoes. They are quite comfortable and so far seem to wear good. We have not tried the Dexters yet, but the first time I saw them, I thought they looked as good as my SST'S!!
TOON