How much wear do you get out of leather soles?

The Louche · Jan 5, 2010

Since this topic comes up a bit, I'd like to do a little academic analysis on the matter. The end goal is to make a rudimentary database that will allow one to query expected sole life based on a few factors. I need data from SF first, though, and I'll start by providing my own. If you like this idea and want to run with it please provide a complete set of your own data, identically formated.

Pairs of regularly worn dress shoes in M-F rotation: 7
Approx. miles walked on pavement each work day: 1.5
Approx. body weight: 170
Typical life of leather sole: 12 months

Your turn. The more people that reply, the more accurate the results/tool will be.

unjung · Jan 5, 2010

Interesting question but some people wear their shoes a lot harder - hard footstrike, etc. Walking surface would also be a factor - tile versus concrete, etc.

The Louche · Jan 5, 2010

Originally Posted by The Louche

Since this topic comes up a bit, I'd like to do a little academic analysis on the matter. The end goal is to make a rudimentary database that will allow one to query expected sole life based on a few factors. I need data from SF first, though, and I'll start by providing my own. If you like this idea and want to run with it please provide a complete set of your own data, identically formated.

Pairs of regularly worn dress shoes in M-F rotation: 7
Approx. miles walked on pavement each work day: 1.5
Approx. body weight: 170
Typical life of leather sole: 12 months

Your turn. The more people that reply, the more accurate the results/tool will be.

Originally Posted by unjung

Interesting question but some people wear their shoes a lot harder - hard footstrike, etc. Walking surface would also be a factor - tile versus concrete, etc.

I know that there are other factors here - gait, taps, toppies, etc. Unfortunately we just can't account for those.

I'm simply looking to make the most of the basic data we can collect.

gdl203 · Jan 5, 2010

I haven't resoled a shoe in the last 4 or 5 years. I just have too many of them.

The Louche · Jan 5, 2010

^ Mind providing the data like I asked for above? If enough people respond, we can at least get a forum average. I'm just curious.

SammyD · Jan 5, 2010

Originally Posted by The Louche

Since this topic comes up a bit, I'd like to do a little academic analysis on the matter. The end goal is to make a rudimentary database that will allow one to query expected sole life based on a few factors. I need data from SF first, though, and I'll start by providing my own. If you like this idea and want to run with it please provide a complete set of your own data, identically formated.

Pairs of regularly worn dress shoes in M-F rotation: 7
Approx. miles walked on pavement each work day: 1.5
Approx. body weight: 170
Typical life of leather sole: 12 months

Your turn. The more people that reply, the more accurate the results/tool will be.

I get about six months wearing a pair around two days a week. Of course, one day of snow and road grit rips them to shreds very quickly. Unfortunately.

gdl203 · Jan 5, 2010

Originally Posted by The Louche

^ Mind providing the data like I asked for above? If enough people respond, we can at least get a forum average. I'm just curious.

Pairs of regularly worn dress shoes in M-F rotation: c. 40
Approx. miles walked on pavement each work day: 1
Approx. body weight: 200
Typical life of leather sole: undetermined

brandall10 · Jan 5, 2010

A quick BOTE calc tells me The Louche is getting about 50 miles of pavement walking before needing a resole. That seems rather low. If a typical resole is $100 that's $2/mile, or about $3/day for the privilege of using the shoes above and beyond their purchase price.

I'm relatively new to the leather sole shoe thing so I have no real data to contribute. With 3 shoes in the rotation though for the past few months, and maybe 1.5 miles/day (roughly 20 miles for each shoe) they show little in the way of wear. I'm 130 lbs.

JayJay · Jan 5, 2010

I've never had leather soles to wear out that I can remember.

deveandepot1 · Jan 5, 2010

Originally Posted by JayJay

I've never had leather soles to wear out that I can remember.

+1, but if I only had 2 pairs of shoes I rotated I guess they would wear out after 1 or 2 years.

binge · Jan 5, 2010

Pairs of regularly worn dress shoes in M-F rotation: 16
Approx. miles walked on pavement each work day: 2.0-2.5
Approx. body weight: 210
Typical life of leather sole: 24+ months, haven't resoled any in over 2 years.

voxsartoria · Jan 5, 2010

Church's Shannons, purchased new in 1986.

Still on the original double sole.

- B

srivats · Jan 5, 2010

Originally Posted by voxsartoria

Church's Shannons, purchased new in 1986.

Still on the original double sole.

- B

You are an outlier. Don't distort the statistics!

With your shoe rotation, I doubt if you have to *ever* resole a pair.

(lovely shoes though, I need a pair of black PTBs)

voxsartoria · Jan 5, 2010

Originally Posted by srivats

You are an outlier. Don't distort the statistics!

With your shoe rotation, I doubt if you have to *ever* resole a pair.

(lovely shoes though, I need a pair of black PTBs)

Shannons are corrected grain Binder (Bookbinder back then,) so it is an excellent perversion.

- B

spitfirees20 · Jan 6, 2010

Somewhat off topic, but I have a pair of RM Williams Turnouts that need to be resoled. Approximately how much should I expect to pay at a local cobbler?

How much wear do you get out of leather soles?

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