Resole Dr Martens?

jagmqt · Jan 21, 2009

I know that Dr Martens take some bashing around here, but in the winter months, I like thier basic brown boot...it's light and comfortable to walk in...

My problem is the soles are extremely slippery and offer very little traction in any amount of snow or ice.

Anyone ever have them resoled with something that offers more traction? A non-Dr Marten sole? Is that even possible?

Thanks for any advice...

jag

jagmqt · Jan 28, 2009

Bump...I'll give it one more try before I let it die...

No one has resoled a Dr Marten?

Anyone ever resole a boot?

jag

dave · Jan 28, 2009

I believe it's possible to resole Docs. I've never done it because I've never had a sole wear out on any of mine. and I've worn the **** out of some docs. Still do.

I was just in toronto for a week over Christmas and wore Docs the whole time. never noticed that they were overly slippery. what type of sole would be better? leather soles would certainly be more entertaining.

jagmqt · Jan 28, 2009

Something like this...

http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/30956947/c/68259.html

(don't look at the boot, look at the tread)

It's just the Dr Marten soles are hard like plastic...something that is more of a rubber sole like a hiking boot would provide more traction on snow...

I don't know what the snowfall is like in Toronto, but here, I walk a couple of miles every day on unshovled sidewalks in temperatures between 5 and 25 F...in addition to snow, at 7:00 am, it's icy as well.

Maybe I should dump the Doc's in the winter and find a new boot all together...

jag

Johdus Fanfoozal · Feb 3, 2010

Had a pair of rubber-soled boots that I loved, but were falling apart.
Resoled them twice.
Basically a cobbler has to cut off what remains of the sole and glue another one on using liquid cement. The soles lasted about two years.

mlyngard · Feb 3, 2010

Originally Posted by jagmqt

I know that Dr Martens take some bashing around here,

jag

What??!!

mlyngard · Feb 3, 2010

Doc soles are one-piece moulded. You'd have to send them back to the factory for an entire new sole to be stitched on. I know for a fact (from DM's FAQ area) that they do not offer re-soleing at all, recommend anyone who will do so, or offer soles for sale. So we're fucked, my friend.

That said, the soles last a respectable time, are not in fact plastic, and do really well in moderate snow. I prefer them over my old pair of Timberlands - the Timberland sole got much harder in the cold than my DMs ever have.

If your DMs are smooth on the bottom, you can always see about having a cobbler apply a Vibram sole to it (which are usually adhered with shoe-goo/adhesive/epoxy)

KitAkira · Feb 3, 2010

You sure about the resoling? Seems like it would be easy for a cobbler to remove the welting/cement and replace the sole with a cemented one

mlyngard · Feb 3, 2010

Originally Posted by KitAkira

You sure about the resoling? Seems like it would be easy for a cobbler to remove the welting/cement and replace the sole with a cemented one

Hmm...Not certain that a cobbler can't do it, but:

1. you wouldn't be replacing it with a Doc sole or welt which is a major element of the boot.
2. You loose the trademark Doc yellow proprietary welt stitch
3. why not get a new pair at that point?

It's my only real concern about docs, especially since I do a lot of walking. But then, I don't see Docs as a lifetime boot investment like a pair of Aldens would be.

KitAkira · Feb 3, 2010

I see points 1 and 2 as improvements

DeadDJ · Feb 3, 2010

Not sure how applicable it is but the general consensus on the internet is that it would cost $100 to completely resole a pair of boots with commando soles.

Listi · Feb 3, 2010

I wear dms when my vibram soled boots slide too much :\\

I want to get a pair of regular DM's, mine are steel toed from work, so they're really chunky.

freelance robotics · Feb 4, 2010

Originally Posted by mlyngard

Doc soles are one-piece moulded. You'd have to send them back to the factory for an entire new sole to be stitched on. I know for a fact (from DM's FAQ area) that they do not offer re-soleing at all, recommend anyone who will do so, or offer soles for sale. So we're fucked, my friend.

That said, the soles last a respectable time, are not in fact plastic, and do really well in moderate snow. I prefer them over my old pair of Timberlands - the Timberland sole got much harder in the cold than my DMs ever have.

If your DMs are smooth on the bottom, you can always see about having a cobbler apply a Vibram sole to it (which are usually adhered with shoe-goo/adhesive/epoxy)

Sad. I have a pair that are polished down, busted up, and broken in just how I want them--but the tread has worn smooth and they're not as good on the snow and ice as they were the first winter I had them. But I've literally been wearing them nearly every day for a year straight (might be more by this point).

But I've been planning on getting a black pair of 1919s anyways, so it's not that big a deal.

Kent Money · Feb 4, 2010

I think some DMs would look awesome on a slightly lower profile Vibram sole (and sans yellow stiching).

hmmm, making me start to think...

Stylin-1 · Jan 23, 2011

It can also be inferred that slw1111 is about to feel the wrath of the banhammer.

Resole Dr Martens?

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