The Quintessential Dress Shoe: Black Cap Toe Oxford

[Sreezy36]

Why do you think that leather soles are the only acceptable option for suits? Isn't the point of Dainite to provide for the benefits of rubber while maintaining the dressy edge? One might dislike rubber because it destroys the elegance of the edge of the shoe, but surely your soles don't really matter that much at all as no one is going to see them in general. That's like worrying about the colour of your insoles or something silly like that.

I am not saying that leather soles are not super great. I love them. But I don't think you lose much by having dainite. Dainite seems, in fact, quite smart if you live in wet environs where your leather soles are going to be degrade fast and make you slip and slide all over. Surely, staining your leather soles with all sorts of muck and water stains don't make them look quite smart and elegant, either.

If you live in a part of the world that experiences harsh and wet weather rubber sole variation black caps are fine with to wear with suits. Manufacturers also make a slim profile rubber sole for that specific purpose. But, I still don’t think that studded rubber soles are an issue. Especially one is frequently commuting in harsh weather conditions.

 

[scurvyfreedman]

Dainite is a country sole. The C&J city sole and R1 from EG are fine for wet weather dress shoes, b/c they are thin and flat.

Incidentally, I find that dainite is slippery as hell on icy ground and on tile if it's even slightly damp. Additionally, they are hell on my back and knees. I much prefer commando, ridgeway, or even full lug for my boots, because the traction is significantly better.

 

[JFWR]

If you live in a part of the world that experiences harsh and wet weather rubber sole variation black caps are fine with to wear with suits. Manufacturers also make a slim profile rubber sole for that specific purpose. But, I still don’t think that studded rubber soles are an issue. Especially one is frequently commuting in harsh weather conditions.

The stubbed rubber is simply to provide a relatively easy way of getting that traction while making a low-profile edge and the like. I take it that this avoids any indication of having "treads" on your shoes.

Don't get me wrong: Still prefer leather soles, but I don't think it destroys a shoe to have rubber soles if they are made to not be obnoxiously rubber and sneaker or bootish.

 

[JFWR]

Dainite is a country sole. The C&J city sole and R1 from EG are fine for wet weather dress shoes, b/c they are thin and flat.

Incidentally, I find that dainite is slippery as hell on icy ground and on tile if it's even slightly damp. Additionally, they are hell on my back and knees. I much prefer commando, ridgeway, or even full lug for my boots, because the traction is significantly better.

I agree with you that dainite sucks on ice. I have also taken at least one tumble on slick surfaces in dainite - though they usually hold up well. What I do think is that dainite performs nicely on wet pavement and other surfaces of that sort, in a way that leather doesn't quite do as well. Leather is great in nice, dry, even conditions - like what you might find in a city on a dry day. Where you get slipperiness is any condition that doesn't match those, some of which Dainite can handle.

But you are right, if you have a pair of boots, for God's sake, don't go dainite. Ridgeway/Commando and others are much better.

Those mini-lugs aren't that good, though. I was slipping and sliding the other night in some slush because I wore a "mini-lug" (the sort of transcluent ones) on a pair of work-ish looking boots (because I knew where I was going was going to be super casual and covered in trash and beer on the floor).

 

[suitforcourt]

Dainite is a country sole. The C&J city sole and R1 from EG are fine for wet weather dress shoes, b/c they are thin and flat.

Incidentally, I find that dainite is slippery as hell on icy ground and on tile if it's even slightly damp. Additionally, they are hell on my back and knees. I much prefer commando, ridgeway, or even full lug for my boots, because the traction is significantly better.

I second this. Dainite provides little grip and traction on snow, or any smooth surface that is wet.

 

[JFWR]

I second this. Dainite provides little grip and traction on snow, or any smooth surface that is wet.

I've never had slippage on pavement and sidewalks. Ice is another matter.

 

[jssdc]

I’ve always found the tomir sole to be basically indistinguishable from leather visually and to have great performance in weather. Skoak does a ton of custom makeups in that sole but I don’t see it most places. But you’ve got to figure Scandinavians know about rotten weather.

 

[acconrad]

Wish to purchase black oxford shoes that can last a life time.
Looking at G&G, C&J handgrade and EG Chelsea 82 last.

Is it worth spending almost twice for EG over C&J handgrade is a question I am tryig to find an answer to?
Also to note is that later I would also like to add a pair of brown shoes as well to the wardrobe to go with suits and a navy hopsack jacket.

Although all of the above models would be top notch but my use case is that am a doctor based in UK and would love the shoe to be comfortable throughout a long working day and is low maintainence.
Should there be a preference to a sole! Leather or rubber?

PS: I own C&J crawford penny loafers and they fit me well.

Ha - I literally had the same concern a few months ago. Add in the Vass Alt English F Last and I've got the exact same set of brands.

I ended up with the EG Chelsea 82s because they are the ne plus ultra of black cap-toe oxfords.

Every time I thought I found a great shoe my FOMO kicked in because I knew that if I even entertained the idea of actually owning the Chelseas, any purchase outside of that would just be a waste because in another 5+ years I'd still pine for the Chelseas.

So... get the EGs.

 

[te0o]

Ha - I literally had the same concern a few months ago. Add in the Vass Alt English F Last and I've got the exact same set of brands.

I ended up with the EG Chelsea 82s because they are the ne plus ultra of black cap-toe oxfords.

Every time I thought I found a great shoe my FOMO kicked in because I knew that if I even entertained the idea of actually owning the Chelseas, any purchase outside of that would just be a waste because in another 5+ years I'd still pine for the Chelseas.

So... get the EGs.

Buy once, cry once.

My first pair of welted shoes were Barker. 2 years later I jumped straight to Edward Green. No regrets.

 

[Duke Santos]

I agree with you that dainite sucks on ice. I have also taken at least one tumble on slick surfaces in dainite - though they usually hold up well. What I do think is that dainite performs nicely on wet pavement and other surfaces of that sort, in a way that leather doesn't quite do as well. Leather is great in nice, dry, even conditions - like what you might find in a city on a dry day. Where you get slipperiness is any condition that doesn't match those, some of which Dainite can handle.

But you are right, if you have a pair of boots, for God's sake, don't go dainite. Ridgeway/Commando and others are much better.

Those mini-lugs aren't that good, though. I was slipping and sliding the other night in some slush because I wore a "mini-lug" (the sort of transcluent ones) on a pair of work-ish looking boots (because I knew where I was going was going to be super casual and covered in trash and beer on the floor).

In Chicago, I've never had problems with Dainite in snow or rain. They don't handle hard ice or something very slick like a freshly mopped lobby floor well at all.

 

[JohnMRobie]

Wish to purchase black oxford shoes that can last a life time.
Looking at G&G, C&J handgrade and EG Chelsea 82 last.

Is it worth spending almost twice for EG over C&J handgrade is a question I am tryig to find an answer to?
Also to note is that later I would also like to add a pair of brown shoes as well to the wardrobe to go with suits and a navy hopsack jacket.

Although all of the above models would be top notch but my use case is that am a doctor based in UK and would love the shoe to be comfortable throughout a long working day and is low maintainence.
Should there be a preference to a sole! Leather or rubber?

PS: I own C&J crawford penny loafers and they fit me well.

The other guys already chimed in but as @te0o mentioned the pair that fits you best is the winner. Trying to decide which is "the best" can easily turn into a bottomless pit of shoes. Between Lobb, EG, GG, CJ Handgrade and the million non-English brands out there the options are endless so pick the one that fits best and if they all fit well, pick the one you like the looks of the best.

As for rubber vs leather, I find dainite to be next to useless for city wear. I only have it on a few pair of boots anymore and they’re boots meant for walking in grass/mud/fields where it's actually a benefit rather than a hinderance. Team leather soles.

 

[JohnMRobie]

Speaking of black cap toes and incredibly lousy conditions. Our snow is starting to melt leaving ankle deep puddles of water filled with salt around the city so the Lobb Stafford’s got the call for beater duty complete with their already salt stained outsoles.

Spoiler: sidewalk

 

[jonathanS]

The other guys already chimed in but as @te0o mentioned the pair that fits you best is the winner. Trying to decide which is "the best" can easily turn into a bottomless pit of shoes. Between Lobb, EG, GG, CJ Handgrade and the million non-English brands out there the options are endless so pick the one that fits best and if they all fit well, pick the one you like the looks of the best.

As for rubber vs leather, I find dainite to be next to useless for city wear. I only have it on a few pair of boots anymore and they’re boots meant for walking in grass/mud/fields where it's actually a benefit rather than a hinderance. Team leather soles.

Personally, I’d go for gaziano & girling or Anthony Cleverley (George Cleverley) for a cap toe Oxford. But if you’re going cheap, something like carmina or tlb

 

[JFWR]

In Chicago, I've never had problems with Dainite in snow or rain. They don't handle hard ice or something very slick like a freshly mopped lobby floor well at all.

Really? No problem in the snow? The snow just makes them slip and slide a lot for me, but they do fine in the rain, and unless the floor is soaking wet, works there, too.

 

[JohnMRobie]

Personally, I’d go for gaziano & girling or Anthony Cleverley (George Cleverley) for a cap toe Oxford. But if you’re going cheap, something like carmina or tlb

I think this is why once you cross a certain threshold this is why it’s really down to fit and aesthetics though. GG and AC work well for my weird low-volume feet but I’ve also got friends who can’t wear them. Quality wise I also can’t speak to the new AC with whatever they’re doing with it these days changing it all up but assume it being MTO only now makes it more of a PITA unless you’re getting old stock.