How We Pick Our Recommendations
We believe you deserve to know exactly how and why we recommend what we recommend. Here's our complete editorial process — no fluff.
SneakTools was built on a simple premise: sneaker buyers deserve accurate, honest information that helps them make better purchasing decisions. Every recommendation on this site goes through the same process regardless of whether we have an affiliate relationship with the brand or retailer.
We never recommend a product solely because we earn a commission on it. If a shoe isn't genuinely good for its intended purpose, it doesn't appear in our guides — period.
👟 Performance
Does the shoe actually do what it claims? We evaluate cushioning, support, durability, and fit based on community feedback, expert reviews, and our own assessment.
💰 Value
Is the price justified by the quality? We consider retail price, resale value, and longevity. A $200 shoe that lasts 3 years may be better value than a $80 shoe that lasts 6 months.
📐 Sizing Accuracy
We verify sizing information against multiple sources including brand sizing charts, community sizing data from resale platforms, and podiatrist guidance where relevant.
🌍 Availability
We only recommend shoes that are genuinely available to buy — not discontinued models or limited releases that most people can't access at reasonable prices.
⭐ Community Consensus
We weigh feedback from thousands of buyers across StockX, GOAT, eBay, and Reddit. If the community consistently reports an issue, we report it too.
🔄 Regular Updates
Sneaker models change between versions. We update our guides when new versions launch or when sizing and quality feedback changes significantly.
Our size guides are built from three primary sources:
- Official brand sizing charts — the baseline for all conversions
- Resale platform data — StockX and GOAT show which sizes sell fastest, indicating where demand (and proper fit) clusters
- Community sizing reports — aggregated feedback from buyers who've purchased and worn the specific model
Where sources conflict, we default to community consensus and flag the discrepancy. Sizing is not an exact science — foot shape, width, and personal preference all affect the "right" size for any individual.
💰 Affiliate Disclosure
SneakTools uses affiliate links. When you click a link to Zappos, eBay, GOAT, StockX, or other retailers and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. This is how we keep the site free.
Our affiliate relationships do not influence our editorial recommendations. We recommend the same shoes whether or not we have an affiliate deal with the retailer. If a shoe is genuinely the best option for your needs, it's in our guide regardless of commission rate.
- We don't accept payment to feature products
- We don't rank shoes based on commission rate
- We don't fabricate reviews or fake "expert" testing
- We don't recommend discontinued shoes just to fill content
- We don't hide our affiliate relationships — every page with affiliate links has a disclosure
If you find a sizing error, an outdated recommendation, or any inaccuracy in our guides, please contact us. We update guides when corrections are warranted and credit the reader when appropriate.