Of course, as you may have expected, materials used to make 30 dollar shoes is one of our key criteria. Because, thanks to them, you get to enjoy a comfortable, durable shoe with good style and an appropriate fit. One may think that cheap shoes are made out of cheap materials, which is often the case - but as we mentioned before, if the materials are used the best ones possible, the end product can turn out to be valuable!

Believe it or not, you can find 30 dollar shoes made out of leather! But the leather used in this case will be the regular kind, compared to full-grain premium leather.

The main difference between the two is from where the leather is gathered. Full-grain leather comes from the part of the animal skin that is the closest to the hair. This means that it will be hardy because it guards the animal against danger. It will breathe very well, and after you break it in, it will bend with your foot and become super soft.

This is not the case with cheaper leather. It might be even harder to break it in, and it may not end up so soft. It will crack, and it will not last as long. One way you can keep that from happening is if you take care of it well. Wash it daily, use creams that bring out that high gloss on it, and help keep it water-resistant - the less water penetrates the inner side, the less chance it has to start peeling and cracking!

Rubber is a natural material that is always cheap, no matter how you look at it. It is a material that is the absolute champ at keeping all that nasty water and moisture away from your precious feet. Coupled with a mesh or textile liner or upper, you get a protective casing that breathes just enough to keep your feet from suffocating.

Besides being used as an upper for rubber boots or shoes, it is most commonly used for outsoles. The reason is quite simple: it gives you enough traction and grip to keep you from falling down even in the slickest of environments! The drawbacks are that rubber can start to peel, you might feel like you need more air and lower temperatures, and sometimes it even blooms - white patches start to appear, but that can be solved with a cloth and a little bit of olive oil.

Lastly, we have textile, a super simple man-made material. Synthetic threads are woven in a loose-ish pattern, creating a lightweight, porous product. Textile is the best choice for footwear used in the summer (or any warmer month) and is the most popular choice for sneakers and skate shoes. It flexes like a proud gym rat and wicks away moisture like a champ.

But just like everything that was ever created, it has its drawbacks. Textile is very prone to tearing, and your toes might start to play peek-a-boo after a short period of time! But it takes on colors very well, which leaves plenty of room for designers to be enchantingly creative!

It’s easy to understand why you may think that the comfort of 30 dollar shoes may be compromised. After all, how can you even make a comfy shoe with a limited range of technologies? Well, we are here to knock down that doubt you have, and to show you that it is very possible to achieve comfort without the price skyrocketing!

Ortholite footbeds are a super popular technology and are used by brands like Clarks, Rockport, and many more. The reason is simple: they're removable, cheap and insanely cozy! Their PU and recycled rubber formula is the only one in existence that combines durable cushioning, enough airflow and moisture management.

Compared to traditional insoles, the compression rate of Ortholite footbeds is less than 5%, meaning that no matter how much stress and weight you apply to them, their shape will remain stubbornly the same. So whenever you slide your feet in, the fit and comfort will remain the same!

The open-cell PU foam also breathes very well. The moisture will be able to escape, leaving you dry and fresh and bacteria free. And the best part - you can wash the Ortholite footbeds in a machine, so it always feels like you have a brand new set to insert in your 30 dollar shoes!

The gore is a part of some 30 dollar shoes, inserted on the sides of the upper. It’s made out of elastic rubber that stretches when you need it and returns to its original shape when not used. It joins two parts of the upper together.

But why is such a piece integral to the comfort of the wearer? Putting on a pair of boots, for example, will be much, much easier. The gore panel will stretch out, and you’ll be able to slide into your boots without any actual effort. If your feet are on the wide side, the gore will ensure you’ve got plenty of room in there, so nothing will clamp down on your toes and sides, saving you from unnecessary pain and discomfort.

Many customers complain about the lack of arch support of many models that exist on the market today. Latex arch inserts bring just what you need to the table, and help you stay in the right position, saving you from aches and eliminating the need to reach for pain meds!

Finally, molded sock liners might not be the first thing you think about when comfort comes to mind, but they are very good at ensuring you have a cozy ride! They usually come in single layers, double layers or are multi-density liners. One of the most common purposes for such a sock liner is to create the perfect fit when handcrafting footwear - for custom fits and sublime comfort.

Durability is surely a concern for 30 dollar shoes. Were they just glued together without care? Are the stitches superficial, or maybe even purely decorative? We understand your concern, but be sure that none of the shoes on our list were created with zero care.

Leather uppers appear numerous times, and we all know how hardy leather is. It’s well known as the absolute champion of durability, lasting even for decades to come. And if you put just a little bit of effort into taking care for it, you will be rewarded without a doubt.

Reinforced stitching is also one way to ensure that 30 dollar shoes do not fall apart when the wind blows lightly on them. Not only can the stitches look stylish, but they reinforce the construction significantly and make the life of your shoes last much longer.

Usually, the outsoles are the first part of the shoe that break off, because, as common sense dictates, it’s the part we use the most. Using a special kind of mixed rubber, or vulcanized outsoles, makes sure that you don’t lose them somewhere along the way. Vulcanized cupsoles are well known in the skating industry, as they make the fit flexible, durable and very soft. And, if special welts are used, be sure you won’t lose your outsoles even if you try!

What’s better than having a 30 dollar shoe that can be worn with any outfit you can come up with? Versatile 30 dollar shoes might feel like winning the lottery because you will get a pair that you can mix and match, saving you plenty of cash, alleviating the need to buy additional footwear!

If the style of the shoe is very specific, like stiletto pumps, be sure that there is no way you will be able to wear those whenever you wish. If, however, you choose sneakers or loafers, the number of choices you have will increase tenfold. And if they have details that only improve their style, you’d be able to wear them with outfits that are more formal.

The colors also affect the versatility of our footwear. If you choose 30 dollar shoes that have patterns or vivid colors, you won’t be able to combine them with many outfits. But if you choose neutral colors or classic colors like brown or black or nude, be sure that the options you have are infinite.

This is especially true for 30 dollar shoes that come in a huge variety of colors, making it possible to buy multiple pairs in different colors, so you can look your best no matter what you wear!

Obviously, the value of 30 dollar shoes is questionable. Their price may be low, but how much do they exactly bring to the table? Many cheap shoes provide value proportional to their price, because which manufacturer wants to receive less than what they gave? Exceptions exist, and may they be blessed.

Many famous companies, like Adidas, New Balance, and Nike, have realized that sometimes it’s better to increase the value of their shoes and lower their prices - thus 30 dollar shoes were born! This creates customers that will always come back to them, knowing that they will get the best possible shoe for the price it is being sold for!

Sometimes their durability might suffer, but if you end up with a shoe that hangs on a thread, you can always go out and buy the same exact pair without spending a fortune on them! While we all want our footwear to last as long as possible, the true value of 30 dollar shoes lies in the fact that you can go out and buy new ones whenever you please!