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I could be wrong, so guys please correct me on this if needed...the Neumok being imported (made in the DR I believe) is a relatively recent change. The newest batches of Neumoks although welted, have the XL sole cemented on. They are still recraftable, but if you look at the bottom of the sole, no stitching. Maybe production in the DR needed something more than boat shoes to keep them busy ( pure speculation on my part).
Yes, the XL sole is "cemented" to a leather (or synthetic) midsole but the shoe is not actually "cemented construction" which is often used in lower quality cheap shoes. The midsole is the piece that is stitched to the welt which means this shoe is still a Goodyear welted shoe that can be recrafted.
I have been helping a cobbler update his website and have learned far too much about this stuff. As-in, this is what I wrote for him about different welt/construction types that he could put on his website for customers:
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The three main types of shoe construction, from least expensive and less durable to most expensive and more durable, are Cemented, Blake stitched, and Goodyear welted.
Goodyear welted shoe and boot construction uses a strip of leather known as a welt. It is first attached to the upper portion of a shoe and then used to attach the sole. This welt is what allows shoes and boots to be recrafted by cobblers who remove the worn-out sole and attach a new one to the existing welt. A leather welt usually only needs to be replaced if it is damaged or worn-out if the shoes soles have been replaced multiple times.
Blake stitched constructed shoes do not use a welt because the sole is stitched directly to the insole and the upper. When a welt is used on a Blake stitched shoe, it is usually for decoration. The advantage of using the Blake stitched construction is it can provide a lower profile and takes less time to break-in new shoes. The disadvantage is that they can only be resoled a few times because when a new sole is attached it puts more holes into the upper leather which will eventually wear out.
Cemented construction is when an adhesive is used to attach the sole to the shoe upper. It is often found in lower quality men’s shoes because they can be manufactured more quickly and cheaply. Most cemented shoes cannot be resoled so they must be thrown out when the sole wears out. An advantage is they are often the most comfortable type when new and do not need as much break-in time.
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