Women's Sneakers
Buy and sell women’s sneakers in Guatemala.
Women’s sneakers here run from the white leather pair that goes to the office with jeans to the low suede adidas on a honey-coloured gum sole, canvas Converse and the cushioned runners for a Sunday walk down Avenida Las Américas. New in the box or pre-owned, the same few details decide a pair: the US size on the tongue label, how much sole is left, and whether the upper is leather, suede or canvas. Ask for both soles photographed flat-on before you agree to meet.
Leather, suede or canvas on a lifestyle sneaker:
the upper decides how a pair wears and how it cleans. Leather court shoes such as the Nike Air Force 1 or the adidas Stan Smith sit on a thick, flat cupsole, wipe clean with a damp cloth and take a few months to soften. Suede shoes like the Samba, Gazelle or Handball Spezial are low and narrow on a thin gum sole, and feel closer to a slipper than to a trainer. Canvas Converse and Vans are the lightest and the easiest to replace, and the first to look tired. Converse are sized in men’s numbers, so read the women’s size printed beside the men’s on the tongue before assuming yours. Flats, sandals and dress shoes have their own place under women’s shoes.
A Sunday morning on Reforma during Pasos y Pedales:
the avenue closes to cars and fills with walkers, runners and skaters, and a whole morning on asphalt is where a running or walking shoe with a thick, soft midsole earns its place. A flat Samba sends every step of it straight into the heel. Gym classes want the opposite: a firm, flat sole with support at the sides for squats, dance workouts and lateral steps, because a tall, soft running shoe rolls under you on a sideways move. Leggings, tops and the rest of the kit for those sessions are under women’s sportswear.
Nike and adidas classics, new and lightly worn:
leather court shoes and suede low-tops from the two big brands sit around Q1,100 to Q1,300 new, and canvas Converse around Q450 to Q850. A used lifestyle pair is priced on how it looks, because looking clean is the whole point: a pair worn a few times, still white and still boxed, holds close to the shelf price once that colourway has gone from the shops, while a creased pair with grey soles drops fast even with plenty of wear left in it. Running shoes work the other way round: they lose value with the distance in the midsole, not the scuffs on the mesh.
Creases, soles and the tongue label on a used pair:
creases across the toe of a leather pair are normal; cracked leather, or a sole lifting away from the upper at the toe, is not. Turn suede shoes over: the gum wears smooth under the ball of the foot first, and a bald heel means a lot of walking. On canvas, look where the rubber toe cap meets the fabric and at the flex point by the little toe, which is where they tear. Set running shoes on a table and look at them from behind: one that leans inward has collapsed on that side and will pull your stride the same way. The tongue label should carry a size and a product code that match the box and, typed into a search, bring up the same colourway. The most wanted models get copied; uneven stitching and a strong chemical smell inside the shoe are the usual giveaways.
Sneakers sent by family in the United States a size off:
plenty of near-new pairs start out that way, a gift that never got worn, sometimes still with the box and tag. If yours is one, say so, and give the US women’s size from the tongue label rather than the size you usually take. For a pair you have worn, photograph both sides, both soles flat-on, the inside of the heel and the tongue label in daylight, and say how long you wore them and for what: the office, the gym or walking. Clean them before the photos and mention any repaint or sole whitener. A buyer coming in from Villa Nueva or Chiquimula will want to try them on, so pick a meeting point where she can sit down and lace them properly.