My first shoes with Topy put on

Looks good Myke. Your cobbler did a good job.

Leather soles do not "breathe", offer less traction and look ugly after wear. I have two pairs of shoes topy'd from Nick at B Nelson. There is no good cobbler in this dinky little town where I live. If I had access to someone like B Nelson, I'll topy all my shoes without a doubt. Resoling/Recrafting is expensive and topy considerably prolongs the life of the soles. I don't know why there is even a goddamn debate on SF/AAAC about the benefits of topy.

Originally Posted by IBJanky

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Anyone else rocking some Topy?

myke

never worked for me, with one exception, though it's vibram, it's quite the same.

Originally Posted by RSS

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There's good reason for that. Were this all about practicality ... the topy wins hands down. Fortunately I can still afford the romance ... although after today's stock market results ...

I have more shoes than I'll ever wear out, and will no doubt buy more that I don't need. But the idea of not doing something so basic and unobtrusive to extend the life of some of my favorite things just doesn't compute for me.

I don't Topy all my shoes, and if I walked only to an office and back, perhaps I would not bother with it at all. But I'm not delicate with my clothes or shoes, and I want to wear them when and where I want to wear them. For those that will take the most abuse, those that will be dragged on long walks in the rain, over craggy country terrain and through the nastiest city environs, Topies seem like a very small alteration that offer a very big reward.

Really, though, the main reason I use Topies is that I'm hoping for the ultimate payoff. The shoes with the most spectacular patina I've ever seen had Topies, and I have to assume that the added life the Topies provided played a big part in that. I hope mine turn out the same way.

Originally Posted by upnorth

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Aside from it's non slip properties, Topy is a great alternative to those who lack the geographical accessibility of a decent cobbler who can re-sole your shoes.

+1. Where I am, with the tropical climate, a leather sole just disintegrates very quickly, and there is no high quality re-soling service. It would make a lot of trouble, if at all possible, to send the shoes back to the Northampton factory.

I have had a couple of shoes with Vibram placed on the sole (similar to Topy).

I would advise to proceed slowly as to adding Topy to all of your shoes.

The rubber soles are almost indestructible as compared to leather. Also, they are good for wet weather and slippery surfaces.

However, you may lose some breathability and flexibility by adding the rubber. Also, the shoes wil have a different feel. You cannot use such shoes for ballroom dancing because you need a leather sole to slide on the dancefloor. (I used to dance.)

Try this pair for a few months, and see if you like it.

Good luck.

after nearly cracking my head open w/ my new pair of V Cleats, yeah I'm getting them topy'ed. I think it's worth it for the safety reasons alone. plus I don't want to have to worry about rain puddles or light snow. I wear things hard (ie don't care for them ) so for me it's an easy call if I didn't walk a couple miles every day, and I lived in the desert, then maybe things would be different

Originally Posted by holymadness

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All my shoes have a topy and a European toe tap (fers encastrÃ

s).

I have yet to wear out a pair of soles.

How much can I expect to pay to have a pair done up like this?

Originally Posted by shoejohn

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How much can I expect to pay to have a pair done up like this?
Around €30 in Paris, slightly cheaper elsewhere in France. I don't think North American cobblers know how to do it.

Originally Posted by holymadness

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Around €30 in Paris, slightly cheaper elsewhere in France.

I don't think North American cobblers know how to do it.

Guess again. Flush mounted metal taps aren't as common/readily available in N.A. as they are in Europe, but some do offer it. Nick V./B. Nelson's version of the tap/topy combo:

Originally Posted by Nick V.

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I promised to post when they came in.

Here is what they look like:

This picture shows my own concept of maximum protection for longest wear.
JR heel, Vibram sole guard and, metal toe pieces applied with brass screws.
__________________
Nick V.
www.bnelsonshoes.com

Fwiw, my cobbler installs flush mounted toe taps and I guess he could do the combo if asked. Fwiw, he's a French expat.

Originally Posted by Mark Seitelman

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However, you may lose some breathability and flexibility by adding the rubber. Also, the shoes wil have a different feel. You cannot use such shoes for ballroom dancing because you need a leather sole to slide on the dancefloor. (I used to dance.)

Try this pair for a few months, and see if you like it.

Good luck.

I agree about the 'feel' point, but the breathability point is completely bunk. Leathers soles do not breathe. I don't understand why this myth is being propogated time and again. The flexibility is not changed by adding a peice of rubber that is a thick as a dime.

Originally Posted by Wes Bourne

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Guess again. Flush mounted metal taps aren't as common/readily available in N.A. as they are in Europe, but some do offer it. Nick V./B. Nelson's version of the tap/topy combo:
Ah, good news. They are hard to find, however.

Fwiw, my cobbler installs flush mounted toe taps and I guess he could do the combo if asked. Fwiw, he's a French expat.

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Ron ron ron.

Originally Posted by holymadness

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Ah, good news. They are hard to find, however.

Word. Do you get yours done at Atelier Catellan, as shown here?

Originally Posted by Wes Bourne

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Word. Do you get yours done at Atelier Catellan, as shown here?
No, I got them done by the cobbler across the street from my office for convenience's sake. He did a good job with the shoes I gave him, though he prefers to use nails rather than screws. So far, no complaints.

I'll say adieu. It's just too painful to see you gentlemen ruining -- and yes, that's only my interpretation -- your shoes.

a shoe salesman asked if i wanted him to fit a rubber sole to my shoe before i buy it....is this what he meant??