Rock hard leather inner and outer soles can beat your poor feet to a pulp. Here's what I do....

[Reevolving]

Is this forum as active as it was back in 2010 ?

Sold off all my remaining leather soled shoes.
Or replaced them with rubber.

Life is just so much better this way.
Anyone else in this camp?

 

[Zacharrrr]

Sold off all my remaining leather soled shoes.
Or replaced them with rubber.
Life is just so much better this way.
Anyone else in this camp?

Is this forum as active as it was back in 2010 ?

same here. Rubber all the way. Its not worth to endure the pain and ruin my feet.

 

[Hayward]

???

 

[chogall]

Meh. Orange shoes is the new black. Get some real brown shoes.

 

[nh10222]

This is an old thread but the current body of posts already spans three years, so what the hell...

The majority of my shoes are actually Balmoral boots with single leather soles, although I have several with Dainite and Commando. Some fit very well, some not quite so well, and others poorly.

The well-fitting pairs are comfortable irrespective of sole composition; I have spent whole days in them without any obvious acute harmful effects. But it's certainly not something I do every day. With a shortage of good cobblers in Australia, I cannot afford to wear them out too quickly. Even Dainite can wear out at an alarming rate, particularly on the heel, and I suspect it is worse where the fit is slightly too roomy - something which tends to happen for those who don’t fill their wardrobes with bespoke. Rubber also tends to be heavier, which can't help.

I've had a nasty fall overseas on easy rocky terrain (it was basically one great big rock) while wearing double leather soled boots with Topy and toe tap. Fortunately, no injuries were sustained except for a gouge to the calf upper. But if I were 30-40 years older (as I suspect some SF members are), I could easily have broken bones - something best avoided overseas with the complications of international health insurance etc.

One pair of Barker purple suede brogue Oxfords are a close fit but have extremely thin leather soles and are simply not comfortable for walking on hard surfaces. Another pair, Barker semi-brogues in hideous plastic polished cobbler (my mistake) have a seemingly comfortable insole and lining but a similar super-thin leather sole. With both pairs, they feel OK while walking apart from the hammerblow transmitted through my joints with every step - the real pain begins after I sit down, with hours of aches in my feet and lower legs.

So, despite what the traditionalists say, I have a lot of sympathy for your position, which arises from my own experience. The long-term health of my feet and joints is of some concern. Notwithstanding that, I have not stopped buying leather-soled footwear.

It's probably true that while we evolved to have natural shock absorption and can live for >80 years under ideal conditions, we did not evolve to thrive for that long in harsh, untamed environments, let alone to walk for that long on hard concrete surfaces. Moreover, many natural surfaces are actually quite soft. Many of us are also probably heavier than our ancestors in terms of fat and muscle. Two thousand years ago, Roman soldiers wore leather sandals with leather soles and hob nails, but how long did those sandals last and what was the life expectancy of those men? I'd say a few months and about 40 years, respectively. Apparently, slips and falls on those soles were not unheard of, too.

Where extended walking, rough or slippery surfaces and heavy impacts are expected, I now wear rubber. Wherever running is deemed a possibility, I wear rubber, if not sneakers. If I'm on carpeted office floors all day, can put my feet up and show off, I wear leather. The fashion-aware bosses love it as do hypergamous women who know that such shoes = £sd $c

Contrary to some opinion regarding rubber's being hotter: with some single leather soles I can clearly feel the heat of sun-baked pavements in Australian summers, whereas Dainite provides insulation. However, I concede that if the heat is originating from inside it might find its way out more easily with leather.

 

[Reevolving]

The best of reEvolving, back for 2019 !
I no longer wear ANY shoe with leather soles.
I exclusively wear rubber soles.
All leather soles have been sold or put in a glass display case.

 

[Reevolving]

I left this insane asylum many years ago, but I'm glad my threads made an impact.

I sold off all my obsolete leather soled trash AE, Vass and never looked back. I still have my Marlow shell in the back of the closet, and have not worn them in years. I would sell them in a heartbeat if I needed the money.

I do still own my rubber soled Cheaney boots that are going on 10 years old now. Still look as new, but I even wear them less and less. I basically have zero tolerance for snug fits, any discomfort, and exclusively wear sneakers outside of work.

For 7 years, my daily shoes have been $50 Land's End suede bucks with rubber soles. Workhorse yet comfortable as slippers compared to cardboard leather trash. They have lasted 7 years of daily use. Still going strong. I've replaced the laces twice so far. They also get more compliments than grandpa's leather shoes. I have a backup pair that will last me until I retire.

Let the liars of this forum prance about in their "comfortable" high heels on cobblestone streets. This place is full of hilarious lies. Comfortable leather shoes is just one one of them.

Let the circle jerk continue.

 

[teddieriley]

Yes, this is what “Style” forum has become.

 

[Reevolving]

I was a full decade ahead of my time.

Why Millennials and Gen Z Are Opting for Comfy Shoes Made for Grandparents

Why Millennials and Gen Z Are Opting for Comfy Shoes Made for Grandparents

In the WFH Era, Gen Z and millennials are trading hyped-up sneakers for practical, comfortable walking shoes with an orthopedic edge.

www.wsj.com

 

[Reevolving]

Finally retiring this shoe that lasted 9 years of daily wear. DAILY.

Land's End Suede Buck.
Bought on sale for $50 in 2012 or so.
Easily my most workhorse shoes I have ever owned.
The toe started to separate from the rubber sole a few months ago, and now its done.

Gladly, back in 2013, I bought a spare $50 pair that I've been saving.
Here is to another 8 years !

 

[dieworkwear]

For 7 years, my daily shoes have been $50 Land's End suede bucks with rubber soles.

Finally retiring this shoe that lasted 9 years of daily wear.

I, too, count the last 11 months as feeling like 2 years.

 

[Reevolving]

RIP my $50 Land's End Archer Classic Buck (2012-2023)

I wore them 4x a week for over a decade.
In 2021, when the soles separated, I crazy glued them back.
But they came apart again and I decided to retire them.

I ordered a spare backup pair back in 2013 for $70
Each year, I could not believe the original pair was still going strong.
I've been storing the backup pair for over a decade and now it's time to unbox them.
Had I ordered a 3rd pair, it would have taken me into retirement.

Here is to another 10 years on the $70 pair!

 

[dah8]

You've been Chuck Norrised by leather sole.