To sole gaurd or not ? - Page 2

Originally Posted by Quadcammer

thats cool and all, but its a pair of shoes. They aren't meant to have an infinite life span.You wear them (and given most people on here have multiple shoes, not terribly often), get them resoled a few times, and then you move on.

Its like putting plastic covers on your nice leather couches because you don't want them to wear.

Originally Posted by makewayhomer

it also screams "I don't like cracking my head on ice"

Originally Posted by DWFII

I have to disagree. My own experience, plus a somewhat more than superficial understanding of the characteristics of leather versus rubber, tends to refute this common urban myth.

Leather is a fiber mat. It has pores and when worn just a little...past the waxed grain...tends to expand in contact with moisture. As it gets wet it becomes a little softer as well. So the upshot is that leather, if not dismissed out of hand, will conform to any irregularities and will tend to grip slick surfaces better than a less porous compound.

Rubber...topy in particular...has no pores. Has no ability to expand or get soft or grip. The texture or "tread" on the topy will work pretty well on wet surfaces that are not inherently slick. But, if nothing else, once that tread is worn down a little, it is slick against slick.

If you doubt this principle try driving in Minnesota in the winter without studded tires. Despite what they say, even All Weather tires are not even a little secure on icy roads. DAMHIKT

Originally Posted by Kuro

perhaps this is a good compromise....especially in nyc where the sidewalks are like beirut

Originally Posted by Xenon

This question comes up once in a while so here is my list of best to worst: 1) All my nice shoes will have leather soles only and left intact but will never see contact with rough or aggregate surfaces (asphalt, rough cement, mud, rain ect). For winter or outside use I will have a few pairs of leather soled shoes that have been covered with topy or other types of membranes. 2) keep nice leather soled shoes intact and don't use outside and have rubber soled beaters for outside uses. 3) Have all leather soled shoes covered with topy, ect 4) Keep nice leather soled shoes intact and use outside regardless 5) Wear only rubber soled shoes thinking they are nice : Clearly a covered leather sole (topy) is not the equivalent of a rubber. A topy is infinitely thinner and less ugly than rubber (vibram ect). A leather sole is hard wearing except when wet, where it will soften and pick up all sorts of grit. This embedded grit will abrade the sole more and also abrade any type of flooring including granite that you walk on. lastly a well built shoe (welted or blake rapid) can be resoled but not having to disturb the stitches and leather sole is more desirable. Quite simply I do not trust third parties to accomplish a trouble and damage free resole 100% of the time. That resole will never be as good as the best original sole. This is akin to factory OE (Original Equipment) paint job on your car. Your Porshe, BMW, Bentley ect will never see a paint job as good as the original it came with ( including all the phospate and corrosion protection layers) if involed in an accident. There isn't a body shop in the world that reapplies all the necessary layers in the same diligent manner that is done in the factory.

Originally Posted by DWFII

That said, once you get going down this path the logical next step is to put topy on topy so that the topy never has to be replaced.

I've seen it.

Originally Posted by patrickBOOTH

The key is to have enough shoes that having to resole is not really an issue.

Originally Posted by ThatGuy

Nothing says small-timer to me than a nice pair of shoes with topys on the bottom. It screams "I bought these on B&S and can't afford a resole" I own four very nice pairs of shoes. Non of them are topy'd. Leather is very heard wearing and is fine in the rain. Plus, if I wanted my soles to have rubber on them, I'd by Danite soled shoes in the first place.

Originally Posted by Fred H.

Eat my shorts, TG. How many times can YOU get a pair of good shoes resoled? Why should I invest hundreds > thousands on shoes, work them into my regular rotation (~10 pairs), and STILL watch holes appear in the soles within a year? Yes, when a guy walks 35 minutes a day to and from the train there will be wear on his hoofs. My 1/16" zips don't show from the side and any one who stares at the soles of my shoes risks catching a swift one in the incisors. Care for a closer look?

Originally Posted by ThatGuy

I doubt you would risk taking anything more strenuous than a prance in your shoes. If you decide to go for one, you risk scratching the leather if you miss.

Originally Posted by ThatGuy

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Originally Posted by patrickBOOTH

I have to agree with this. I had dianites on a pair of shoes and not only did they feel not as sturdy I slipped around like crazy. Got them resoled with JR's.