Protecting soles on Allen Edmonds

[somaticmarker1]

At work, I walk on concrete all day. I bought my first two pairs on Allen Edmonds about 3 months ago and wear them fairly often. It seems that the concrete is wreaking havoc on the soles.


What can I do to protect the soles? I don't want to put on anything that won't allow AE to recraft them. However, at the current rate, I think I will have to send them in to be recrafted after a year.

[alan]

You can have a cobbler paste a rubber slip (don't know the actual term) to the bottom of the sole. It would have to be peeled off to recraft, but it shouldn't affect the overall recraftability. (I would consult with the cobbler or AE to make sure, though.)


I don't use any protection, but what I've done is learn to walk from heel to toe. The heel will wear more quickly (especially in the outer-rear side), but there's more heel than sole so the overall life should be generally extended. And you can get heel and toe taps, but many people don't like them so it's a personal choice thing.

[tomservo]

Look into toe taps/heel taps. If you have a local shoe repair place they can install them for cheap.

[alan]

@somaticmarker1: You work in a federal prison, right? If you get steel taps, they'll make a loud click on those concrete floors. Plastic taps won't be as loud, but they'll have to be occassionally replaced. I've never personally used either, but I think it's the sound that people either hate or learn to ignore. As tomservo mentioned, they'll be cheap... Maybe $10 for the set.

[Chareth]

You can get them topy'ed. It's just a rubber half-sole glued on top of the existing leather sole. AE confirmed to me that as long as it was just glued on and nothing structually was changed, they'll recraft them with no issues.


For reference, the Fifth Ave and Strand that AE sells rebranded through Brooks Brothers comes with a rubber half-sole glued on it.

[alan]

Topy! That's the term I was looking for...

[Chareth]

Just for reference, though, I've never come across a cobbler that actually uses the Topy brand, so you may get a blank stare if you use it with them.


I just say "rubber half-sole" and just confirm that he glues it on top of the existing leather sole. They usually know exactly what you want.

[alan]

I could have used some of those this past Sunday. Nearly killed myself, my wife, and our 12-yr old dog when my slick shoes sent me flying down the stairs, taking us all out in the process.

[Chareth]

Yeah, I use them on all of my work dress shoes for exactly that reason and the fact that they help you go longer between recrafts, assuming you keep the uppers in good condition.


They don't look great, but hell, my health is more important than what some random guy who happens to be looking at my soles thinks.

[frost]

[alan]

@frost: I'm surprised you didn't propose black hefty trash bags!

[BrownCow]

Out of curiosity, Chareth, how often does it take you to go between resoles usually? I just got my first pairs of AEs and am trying to figure out their lifespan/proper care.

[alan]

FWIW, I've only once gone completely through the soles of a pair of leather-soled shoes, and they were cheesey Kenneth Coles.

[Chareth]

I work in NYC and can do as much as several miles of walking on sidewalk and asphalt per day of wear (and during bad weather as well), so file all this under "YMMV".


For leather soles without a rubber topy, I've gone through some of them in as little as 100-150 wears, probably.

[BrownCow]

Thanks for the guesstimate. I probably won't be putting miles on them each day. I'm trying to figure out how long the soles of my new AEs will last through medical school. It sounds like consensus is to get a rubber topy added by a cobbler? I ask just because I think I'll be walking a fair bit on a daily basis to and from class and will be in New England, where things can get slick and rainy fast.