# So it's okay to wear leather soles on pavement? ...



## speedmaster (May 27, 2008)

I'm new to leather soles, please bear w/ me. ;-)

My two new AEs w/ leather soles show a great deal of wear (compared to rubber soles) after only a couple weeks. I'm in a carpeted office but of course walk through parking lots, sidewalks, etc.

I can see how running or dragging one's feet w/ leather soles would greatly accelerate wear. But is this just normal for owning leather soles? Thanks!!! ;-)


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

I don't know, is this a rhetorical question? 

Of course it's okay. Leather is obviously going to get scratched up pretty fast, but as long as the soles haven't worn through long before they're supposed to, you should be fine. If you think they're wearing faster than they should, give AE a call and tell them about your walking habits. They should be able to give you a definitive answer.


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## Orgetorix (May 20, 2005)

Leather on pavement is fine. Try not to wear them in the rain, though--wet leather soles wear down much faster than dry ones. Either wear rubber soles when it's wet, or get some rubber overshoes.


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## woodenchair (Oct 21, 2008)

Orgetorix said:


> Leather on pavement is fine. Try not to wear them in the rain, though--wet leather soles wear down much faster than dry ones. Either wear rubber soles when it's wet, or get some rubber overshoes.


I agree that leather on pavement is fine.

The second advice may help someone who spent beyond his means in leather-soled shoes, but to others may not mean much. After all the cobbler can repair the soles for a price.

In the past, leather-soled shoes were always worn and overshoes not.


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## flatline (Dec 22, 2008)

I think part of the problem is that when you buy your first pair of leather soles, they look something like this:

Clean, smooth, very classy. However, after just 3 or 4 wearings they might look more like this:









It is important to note that this is OK. Your soles are doing their job. In actuality, you will find that scuffed/scored leather soles provide a bit more traction that the baby-bottom-smooth ones on a fresh pair.


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## a tailor (May 16, 2005)

just don't wear them, and they will stay beautiful for ever.


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## Brodirt (Oct 19, 2008)

Day in and day out for the last 20 or so years I have walked the pavement of NYC in leather soled shoes. I have no doubt they would last longer if I didnt wear them on the pavement...but to what end? Rubber soled shoes would wear out just as quickly, so in the expense column I am replacing soles as often (and I think leather actually last longer, but I guess that would be offset by the greater cost of replacing a leather sole). In that I am wearing AE or Florsheim Imperial, I think that the higher quality construction saves my body from the beating of walking on pavement and allows the shoes to last longer. 

Its like Mr. Goodwrench said..you can pay me now, or you can pay me later.


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## mt_spiffy (Apr 12, 2008)

a tailor said:


> just don't wear them, and they will stay beautiful for ever.


This is what I do!


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

speedmaster said:


> I'm new to leather soles, please bear w/ me. ;-)
> 
> My two new AEs w/ leather soles show a great deal of wear (compared to rubber soles) after only a couple weeks. I'm in a carpeted office but of course walk through parking lots, sidewalks, etc.
> 
> I can see how running or dragging one's feet w/ leather soles would greatly accelerate wear. But is this just normal for owning leather soles? Thanks!!! ;-)


At first I thought you were joking, but now understand you aren't. Your soles are as tough as shoe leather! They will wear well. Then wear out. Then you send them back to the nice folks at AE, and they put new ones on them. Repeat.


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## ksinc (May 30, 2005)

I've sort of got the feeling that AE is "seeding" the recrafting business of late. But perhaps there is just a shortage of the best sole leather. I don't enough about it to know for sure, but they seem "softer." OTOH maybe I have just grown more sensitive to new shoes.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

ksinc said:


> I've sort of got the feeling that AE is "seeding" the recrafting business of late. But perhaps there is just a shortage of the best sole leather. I don't enough about it to know for sure, but they seem "softer." OTOH maybe I have just grown more sensitive to new shoes.


I haven't worn AE in many years, but when I did, I didn't find the soles wore particularly well. They were about average. My champs have been Weston and Church's, though they aren't very new either, so things may have changed.


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## ToryBoy (Oct 13, 2008)

flatline said:


> In actuality, you will find that scuffed/scored leather soles provide a bit more traction that the baby-bottom-smooth ones on a fresh pair.


I learnt my lesson a few years ago.

I had a pair of new shoes that were so smooth, they were tricky to walk in; as I was going shopping with the girlfriend, thought all that walking would good for 'wear'. However, it started to rain while we were shopping and this made it worse, I almost slipped a few times. In between shops, I would hold her hand so I would not slip, she did not mind :icon_smile_wink:.


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## Blueboy1938 (Aug 17, 2008)

When I get a new pair of leather-soled shoes, I purposely twist them when going down the rough aggregate of the back stairs so as to score them a bit to enhance traction.


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## pol (Aug 2, 2015)

Blueboy1938 said:


> When I get a new pair of leather-soled shoes, I purposely twist them when going down the rough aggregate of the back stairs so as to score them a bit to enhance traction.


Makes sense to me! A few quick scuffs before waling and trusting the soles seems sensible. I didn't realise I could wear them that quickly though. Must have clipped the toe too much. I'll know better next time.

Not sure I'm ready for the toe taps. Good point made about scratching things.


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## AFCForever (Sep 26, 2013)

I always get a Vibram sole put on as soon as I buy them. I find they need a new leather sole every year if I don't do this. Plus I find the leather too slippy at first


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## Orsini (Apr 24, 2007)

AFCForever said:


> I always get a Vibram sole put on as soon as I buy them. I find they need a new leather sole every year if I don't do this. Plus I find the leather too slippy at first


Any idea how many wearings you are getting?


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

AFCForever said:


> I always get a Vibram sole put on as soon as I buy them. I find they need a new leather sole every year if I don't do this. Plus I find the leather too slippy at first


A new sole? I'm not following you.

Also, how often do you rotate your shoes? Resoled once a year?


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## winghus (Dec 18, 2014)

Probably means a Topy



SG_67 said:


> A new sole? I'm not following you.
> 
> Also, how often do you rotate your shoes? Resoled once a year?


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## fiftyforfifty (Jul 13, 2015)

I feel new shoes are fine in a day in normal walk and are'nt slippery any more.


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