Question:
I have a pair of Banana Republic shoes that I use for everday wear, and they have rubber soles. I am thinking about getting them resoled, but with leather soles. Does anyone here have experience with resoling rubber soled shoes with leather soles?
Answer:
It may not be worth it, although it's certainly possible. Do the shoes have leather uppers? In my experience, the uppers of a shoe will become a mass of ill-defined creases and scratches long before the average rubber sole will wear out.
If they're new, I'd still say keep 'em rubber-soled. Most of the time, rubber soles on 'everyday' shoes are pretty useful - traction, waterproofing, and all the rest...
Answer:
It depends very much in the method of construction used, whether or not it can be done. (If the rubber soles are moulded, forget it.) Talk to a good shoe repairer and ask his opinion. Do not forget, a re-bottoming job, professionally done, will not be cheap (maybe $ 80). You will have to decide if the shoes are worth that investment. I doubt it a bit. Otherwise put that money towards a new pair.
Answer:
I used to believe that the uppers usually wear out long before a sole might ever wear out and so I questioned the usefullness of a easy resoling as a selling point when I was buying some shoes.
I have later found that some of the more expensive shoes with good care and regular trips to a good cobbler will have uppers that easily outlast the sole. I was surprised to see this, to be honest. Also the shoes were not ridiculously expensive they were in the $250-$350 range - certainly worth every penny, as I think they have years of life left on them.
Answer:
What is meant by the term "uppers"?
Answer:
Actually what it says: “Uppers” is the upper part of the shoe, the leather bits sewn together to form the actual shoe. Main parts are the “vamp” (covering the front of the foot) and the “quarters” (containing the eyelets and joined by the back seam).
Everything else, sole and heal, are part of the bottom.
