Leather-sole vs. Rubber-sole

[hi123]

I'm looking to buy these shoes (Loake, Aldwych).

But they come in both leather and rubber soles.
https://www.loake.co.uk/aldwych.html
https://www.loake.co.uk/aldwych-dainite.html

I've done a little research online and was wondering if someone very savvy on the subject could shed some light on which option is best.

I'm not entirely sure but it seems like the leather is stitched on (which I hear is a good thing) and the shoe can be resoled(?)

Which one would you get and why?

My initial thought is that I would get the leather soled ones and then buy and stick on those rubber pads. (What are your thoughts on those?)

But on the other hand I'm wondering if getting the rubber ones will in the end, make the shoes last longer with less maintenance and costs.

Thank you so much for your input

 

[Darell John]

Man this probably been answered a zillion times, anyhow.

TLDR:
Go for leather if your a traditionalist and like the look.
Go for rubber if you like more waterproofing

Leather
Pros: looks better when you cross your legs, more traditional, sounds nice when you walk on marble or tiles
Cons: slippery when new, when you use a bad public toilet it will soak up any liquid on the floor(piss inclusive).. I know it’s a sole so you shouldn’t care but it bothers me and we all know salts are bad for leather..

Rubber
Pros: slip less, does not soak up liquids, cheaper to change
Cons: looks less appealing

It rains like thunderstorm style in sg so my go to in bad weather is my rubber soles RM willams anyhow, if it’s a beater, I would say go rubber. If it’s a 5x a year shoe go with leather. That would be the pragmatic choice. That said, I like the look with leather soles so like 9/10 of my shoes use leather. Of my 3 “rain shoes” only one uses rubber soles.

8)

 

[breakaway01]

one point of clarification--no difference in construction between the two sole options for the Loake; both will be Goodyear welted. Both can be resoled.
Most people here will prefer leather primarily for aesthetic reasons. Some claim that leather soles are breathable while rubber soles are not; I am not at all convinced that leather soles allow passage of any meaningful amount of water vapor. I prefer rubber because I do walk a reasonable amount in wet weather/snow (leather soles wear much faster when wet), plus I work in the lab and clinical (patient) settings where a non-porous sole is desirable.