In 1940, Green Shoe introduced a new line of children’s shoes under the name Stride Rite, which focused on innovative materials and designs. The Stride Rite line was designed for big kids sizes 10.5-7 and is known for its durability and style. These shoes are rare finds, made in the United States in the 1980s, and are made with high-quality leather material.
One example of a vintage classic Stride Rite navy and white saddle Oxford shoe is the SR Laurence (Boys’ Toddler-Youth) size 7 D. The shoes have some wear at the toes and rubbing to the leather, but the white part may have been polished. They are available for free shipping and fast delivery.
Stride Rite, formerly the Stride Rite Corporation, is an American children’s footwear company that offers a wide selection of styles, including the Stride Rite Childs Saddle Oxford Shoes Black White Vintage. These shoes are in good vintage shape with a few scuffs.
Independent Walkers, such as Jeremy Oxford Mara Mary Jane Nell Mary Jane Sterling Boot, also offer Stride Rite shoes in various styles and colors. Munchkin by Stride Rite is “made for firsts” as little walkers everywhere find confidence.
In summary, Stride Rite is an American children’s footwear company that offers a variety of shoes for kids, including classic, vintage, and kids’ shoes.
📹 Stride Rite SINGLE SHOE – M2P Journey XW Adaptable (Little Kid) SKU: 9492196
This shoe is part of the Single & Different Size Shoes Test . It is being sold as a SINGLE shoe. If you need assistance buying …
Are saddle oxfords back in style?
Men’s saddle shoes are gaining popularity as high-fashion designers like Prada and Gucci have reinterpreted the classic oxford saddle shoe silhouette. These shoes feature large, chunky designs and intriguing heel options, making them a timeless wardrobe staple. The chunky, nearly platform soles and classic, slimmer shapes have gained popularity. They can be paired with vintage sportswear or denim for a more casual look, or with pointy, square-toe styles for a striking look. These broguing accents are often associated with dancing or golf. However, due to their niche nature, they can be difficult to find and purchase online.
Why were saddle shoes so popular?
Saddle shoes, originally designed for masculine wear, gained popularity in the 20s as a comfortable and eye-catching footwear option for students and young adults. Over time, they became popular among teenagers, particularly girls, who paired them with poodle skirts, bobby socks, and pencil skirts. Saddle shoes have since become an iconic symbol of 1950s Americana and have made a lasting impact on fashion history. Their unique name, distinctive design, and quality materials have made them a fashion statement and a symbol of Americana.
How many types of Oxford shoes are there?
The plethora of Oxford styles, including plain toe, cap toe, wingtip, and wholecut, can be further diversified by incorporating Oxford sneakers and Chelsea Oxfords into one’s footwear collection.
What are classic Oxfords?
Oxford shoes are a traditional form of footwear for men, characterised by closed lacing. It is therefore essential to ascertain the correct size, taking into account both foot length and width, as there is minimal adjustment available through the lacing.
When did saddle oxford shoes come out?
This pair of polished, all-black saddle shoes retains a sporty feel despite their dressy quality. The style, introduced by A. G. Spalding in 1906, features a separate leather piece over the waist, often in contrasting color, forming lacing tabs. By the late 1930s, bi-color saddle shoes were popular as comfortable everyday shoes for both male and female students. This example removes the traditional rubber sole and uses the saddle form to add variety and freshness to a business shoe.
Where did stride rite shoes come from?
Stride Rite, founded in Boston in 1919, was initially known as the Green Shoe Manufacturing Company. It was later sold to Jacob A. Slosberg and Philip Green, who led the company as sales and manufacturing respectively. The company became public in 1960 and was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In 1966, the company adopted the Stride Rite Corporation name to emphasize its best-known product, which was purchased from Tom Lalonde in 1933. In 1968, Arnold Hiatt became president, and sales reached $35 million. Hiatt pursued a policy of acquisitions to stay in tune with consumer preferences.
What is another name for Oxford shoes?
The terms “Oxford” and “balmoral” have different meanings and styles depending on the location. In the United States and Scotland, “Balmoral” is often synonymous with “Oxford”, while in the United States, “Oxford” is used for more formal lace-up shoes like the Blucher and Derby. In Britain, the Balmoral is an Oxford with no seams, except for the toe cap seam, descending to the welt. Oxford shoes are known for their variation or style, with the Cap-Toe Oxford being the most well-known.
Shoes with closed lacing are considered more formal than those with open lacing. A particular type of oxford shoe is the wholecut oxford, with a single leather upper with only a single seam at the back or no seams at all.
Oxfords first appeared in Scotland and Ireland, where they were occasionally called Balmorals after Balmoral Castle. They were later named Oxfords after Oxford University, and in the United States, they are called “Bal-type” instead of “Blucher-type”. In France, they are known as Richelieu or Molière. Oxfords were derived from the Oxonian, a half-boot with side slits that gained popularity at Oxford University in 1800.
What is another name for saddle Oxfords?
Saddle shoes, also known as saddle oxfords, are low-heeled casual shoes with a plain toe and a saddle-shaped decorative panel placed mid-foot. They are typically made of leather and are typically white with a black or dark blue saddle. Saddle shoes are worn by both men and women in various styles, including golf cleats and school uniform shoes. They were popular among schoolgirls in the 1940s.
Elvis Presley wore saddle shoes in Jailhouse Rock in 1957. Bert from Sesame Street often wore saddle oxfords in his song and dance called “Doin’ the Pigeon”. Characters like Lucy van Pelt from The Peanuts, Audrey Horne in Twin Peaks, and May from Sid the Science Kid have also wore saddle shoes. In Family Matters, saddle shoes were part of Steve Urkel’s “nerdy” fashion sense. Characters like Jelly Otter in PB and J Otter, Rory Gilmore in Gilmore Girls, Elaine Benes from Seinfeld, and India Stoker in the 2013 film Stoker receive a pair of saddle shoes every year on her birthday.
What is classic oxford shoes?
Oxford shoes, with their distinctive eyelet area concealed within the vamp, are a classic formal dress shoe that will never go out of style. These black cap toe oxfords have a formal look and maintain their shape better over time. They are versatile, suitable for office wear, suits, and denim, and can be easily matched with suede or lighter leathers. A simple black oxford is never inappropriate for any event.
Who bought Stride Rite?
Wolverine, a Michigan-based company, acquired Stride Rite in 2012 and has since closed most of its stores. CEO Blake Krueger stated that Wolverine has a history of working with partners to license and distribute brands globally. The company has launched the Wolverine Children’s Group to develop and grow the children’s category for its portfolio of top brands, including Merrell, Sperry, Saucony, Hush Puppies, and Keds.
📹 Leather Soles vs Rubber Soles (8 Reasons I Prefer Leather)
Leather soles are unfairly demonized by boot shoppers and reviewers, including myself from several years ago, and I thought it …
The grip is entirely dependent on the surface you’re walking on. I cannot wear a leather sole to work (believe me, I tried) because they have zero grip on polished concrete floors. It’s like trying to walk on ice. I ended up having to put rubber sole protectors on all my leather soled shoes and boots.
I had cowboy boots as a little kid, and I loved how consistent they were. A bit of slide everywhere, but never too grippy or too slippy. My diesel boots, however, have way too soft a sole, it picks up rocks, twigs and other flotsam and make horrible noises as these things crunch underneath. The grip\\slide is also not consistent at all. I more often find myself reaching for my Oak St Fields instead with their vibram cork.
Yay! Welcome to the leather-sole-loving club! I love how well my leather-soled 1000 Mile boots perform in all types of weather, especially where mud is involved. They are amazingly tough, they hold up to all sorts of gardening work including digging with a spade and walking over rocks. It’s also worth pointing out that keeping your leather soles conditioned the same way you would the uppers will contribute to their longevity. Thanks for this article and updated outlook!
I have massive issues with leather soles in the UK, even with well worn-in shoes. Obviously when it’s raining (which is often) they are a no-go, but even on dry days I find myself unsteady on indoor flooring (especially tiles), stairs, and even stone slabs around the city. It’s a shame as I prefer the aesthetic of leather soles but they are a hazard in the modern world which is so full of smooth flooring.
Leather soles are not great in wet climate of the UK (I find they wear out quickly and let water through) or when it’s cold! Although, like all things, the quality is variable and a thick decent leather may make a difference. Furthermore it has only just occurred to me that perhaps the sole needs cleaning a treating to last longer / remain waterproof – I haven’t seen anything about this though…
Gr8 articles as always. It takes a lot to set foot on this rocky path of shoe knowledge . Im a men’s stylist and have been studying on this quality shoe journey for years. Leather sole welted shoes are simply superior in quality and are the mark of quality shoes. This is the codified gold standard for the finest shoes,the world over. Thank you for your great articles
Great article Nick. I always wondered why leather soles get a bad rap. I find them not to be slippery once scuffed. To be a bit more specific, dainite’s in a restaurant with any grease on the floor are like ice skates. Oakbark tanned leather soles like JR Rendenbach or Baker require longer to become scuffed and grippy, and will wear like iron even when wet, because they do not absorb water. So maybe it depends to some extent on the leather type. Leather soles also give a feel for the floor, hard to explain, for example you can feel whether you’re on a carpet or wood floor thru the shoe. Also rubber is an over generalization, dainite or christie or something else? Nice article.
I am definitely in the rubber camp here. I am a complete sucker for tradition, but leather soles are an objective no no for me. I had a pair of traditional brogue boots made in Northampton, England with leather soles – so not cheap. But on the first wear the soles had already worn down about halfway. This was after a 20 minute walk. So after 40 minutes they would have worn down to the midsoles. I fitted a rubber half sole to prevent them from being totally trashed. Needless to say I hardly wore them since. On the other hand I have had rubber Vibram/Biltrite soles last me for almost 10 years.
Great article. I’ve been a big proponent of rubber soles but was interested in your take, especially as someone who switched sides. I agree with your list of pros/cons. But I think for me the rubber still generally win out due to 1) durability and 2) traction. Rubber is going to last MUCH longer than leather. Maybe twice or more as long, I would say, depending on how hard the rubber is. That means that you’re going to be resoling your leather soled shoes twice or more as often, and that ain’t cheap and it ultimately wears out the welt and other parts faster as a result of all of those re-soles. Regarding traction, I once went to a Mexican restaurant that has a tile floor in my leather-soled shoes. I kid you not, it was like walking on ice. And these shoes had worn soles and weren’t brand new. It was a legitimate safety hazard. Even smooth concrete can be slick if its damp. One aspect I think you might have missed is how poorly leather soles perform in wet weather. Leather soles absorb water and mud. They are going to be even more slippery and wear even faster when wet. The moisture can easily absorb into the shoe. Rubber soles are far superior to leather in inclement weather. What I prefer is to cement rubber toppers on my leather soled shoes. You retain most of the benefits of the leather but add durability, traction, and a waterproof layer between the sole and the ground. If you cement the toppers on (instead of stitching them on) they can be changed out without even having to re-stitch along the welt.
With leather soles, you essentially can’t use them when there’s rain or snow. Unless you don’t care about the longevity of the sole. This is in addition to the lack of waterproofing and slipperiness. And the ugliness when that nice colored finish wears off. I suppose if one does everything by car and one only goes in and out of offices, leather soles are an option. I have a nice pair of cream suede brogues with leather soles by State of Art. They would be ideal for summer holidays, but I’ve found out that walking on the inherently slippery pebbles in accidented small Italian cities is very dangerous. So I try to buy shoes with rubber soles when I can, and if the sole is leather I have a rubber sole protector added.
Despite living in a a very wet climate, I started using leather soled shoes for commuting on public transport and working in an office environment in the late 1980s. So I like leather soles. I had a number of leather soled shoes in rotation and due to them softening and wearing quickly in wet weather I usually needed two re-soles per year across all my shoes. Decades later, when I switched to using Dainite soles for half the time, my Dainite soles lasted several years. Plus I spent much less time with wet feet. Leather soles are much less slippery if you have all rubber heels rather than a quarter tip. For casual use I happily use Dainite for walking the dog across wet grassy slopes or easy wet and muddy paths in the park or similar environments but would hesitate to wear leather soles in those conditions which are now reserved for dry pavement walking. For off road walking proper lugged soles are essential I have a couple of (double) leather soled boots because I like them but they’re not really that practical and I have many more Dainite and lugged sole boots
I think it depends on the situation. If you live in a snowy, icy or rainy environment, rubber sole boots are better. If it is dry or some light rain, then I prefer leather sole boots for the reasons you mention. I don’t find leather soles slippery on tiles or other surfaces that some people mention. I think it depends on the quality of leather soles, I think there poor quality leather soles out there. Love the article!
On the Wolverine 1000 mile boots, the reason the rubber is more expensive is because it is the exact same boot with a leather sole, then rubber is placed on top of that. (I think in most boots, if the leather is replaced with rubber, they end up being cheaper) I’ve got both in the Wolverine. The leather soles are more comfortable, flexible and breathable. The rubber is nice to have if it’s wet out.
I live in Europe, for many years I use leather sole + rubber pad for the classic design and also more formal. But my job need to be stand up all along the day, and now I use rubber sole. It’s more comfortable and no more extra to pay for adding rubber pad, so for me it’s cheaper than leather at the end.
I’ve only tried leather soles in a store, on carpet. So I thought they looked neat (ofcourse) but they were far too slippery. I walk on tile probably 75% of my time so I don’t think it’d be smart for me to buy leather soles. But hey I’d love to buy some boots with leather soles one day. Even maybe just for special occasions. I have cowboy boots with leather insoles which are amazing. So I wanna try leather outsoles too
I prefer rubber soles over leather soles. Just bought TLB chelsea boots with rubber soles, Johnston & Murphy Moc toe boots with rubber soles and Salvatore Ferragamo with rubber soles. I’ve stayed away from leather soles for several reasons: They are too slippery on tile or polished floors. They tend to permeate water very easily They are uncomfortable when you walk over small pebbles.
Well, I live in California, and mostly work in an office. There’s quite a difference in my leather soled 1000 Mile boots vs the Vibram 430 mini lugs on my Red Wing Blacksmith boots. The Blacksmith’s seem much heavier than the 1000 milers. Don’t think Nick commented on that difference. I also agree that the leather soles feel better (more comfortable) underfoot than the Vibrams. So.. less heavy and more comfortable I’d say for the leather soles. I haven’t had any real issues with sliding around either.
Greetings Nick. Here in Mexico, even though i would like having leather soles in a few ones (My dress shoes?) i have to say that unfortunately i couldn’t afford to wear them properly where i live on a daily basis or such. I live in an enviroment with a lot of rocks (I live in front of a hill and i usually climb the ones around several times a week) and while a leather outsole would be easier to clean (Everyone who has gotten dogcrap in Vibrams will know!) i have to say that i choose rubber Vibrams because of the heavy feel they bring, the slightly higher profile they have, on antimicrobial properties and breathability i really don’t care much since i clean my boots usually, i have an insole which i can take out and clean separately, i put talcum on them and when the interior gets wet or humid i let them out to dry in the sun (That’s actually quite important with leather jackets as well, hanging them inside out a couple hours per each side on the sun once a week is great) that besides the fact that it’s cold as hell where i live. That besides being easier to grip on any surface and walking in the rain better. I now have a pair of dress shoes (Brogues, i do love them but they almost broke my ankle a few days ago) which need resoling and i still need to decide if to put rubber soles to them (I think it would be better) or leather ones, which i haven’t ever tried… My boots are both the same model (510 by El Arco boots here in Mexico, great workboot company, and each pair costs like 20 bucks new) and both have a Vibram heavy lug sole, they’re just a different age and different color.
So many comments saying leather soles are bad… I have both, and both have their purposes. Leather is traditional, and it tends to look a little more sleek than a rubber-soled shoe of the same style. Rubber is typically more slip-resistant (but seriously, just take it easy if it’s wet, neither sole material is 100% slip-proof), and it does generally last longer than leather. Given the choice, though, I usually reach for my leather-soled options for a dressier occasion (unless I’m working). They feel great, and a good shoe can say a lot about a man’s character.
As someone who lives in an unpredictably damp country that also sometimes has issues with ice, I will respectfully disagree a little bit. Much as I really like the refined appearance of leather soles (and the sound they make on hard floors), even ones where I have a rubber topy that the manufacturer set in properly, even I’ve found that to be slippery at times on wet paving
I’ve walked on some very worn rubber soles that had become flat, wouldn’t recommend that. That’s also the reason why I personally don’t like leather soles: I don’t like having to gamble whether I will or will not slip whenever I step into a puddle or through mud. (Yes, I frequently take walks with my friends through the forest.) Add to that that a nicely lugged rubber sole also has 0% chance to go flat or wear through. That’s why I will always go for rubber soles if I get the chance.
I’m HIGHLY dubious about leather soles being breathable. What I think is happening is that the thermal conductivity of leather is better than rubber so heat comes out of your feet and is dissipated easier. I don’t think this would make a noticeable difference, though. And if you’re standing on really hot asphalt then you should feel hotter… I won’t believe anything either way unless someone does a test with a pair of boots, one resoled with a rubber sole, and can accurately measure sweat evaporation and thermal retention inside the boots
I am really suspicious about the breathability about leather outsole. Each sole layer is heavily glued together. I doubt how much the water molecule will pass the glue layers to most outside sole to evaporate ultimately. I think the leather outsole is mostly the aesthetic thing and the cultural concept thing.
I’m still skeptical, at least for use in my area. It’s not that I don’t like leather soles, they are gorgeous and give a great profile to the boot, it is from a practical standpoint, mainly when dealing with the weather in my area. It rains a LOT here, the ground is always wet as hell. I am more concerned my feet are gonna get wet and I and going to ruin my boots by allowing water to soak on the leather. I am not too concerned about grip, because I don’t work on tile floors or smooth concrete or anything like that. I am tempted to get a pair of cowboy boots, though, and those pretty exclusively have leather soles. We will see.
Tile floors, metal or hard rubber/plastic strips on stair step edges, unexpected rain, snow, and damp grass, are all common where I live and make leather soles too treacherous to use regularly. In my experience Dainite soles are fine on soft surfaces, but on hard surfaces are at least as slippery as leather. I avoid them. Sole protectors and similar thin rubber soles fare better than leather on smooth dry surfaces, but are only marginally grippier than leather on smooth wet surfaces. This is my preference for dress shoes and boots. Full on lug soles, or crepe rubber for chukkas, are my preference for casual boots. Even otherwise dressy boots that I plan to wear casually.
I kinda feel like I should get some boots with a leather sole now. All my boots are rubber soles and I have loved them but maybe I should try leather ones. I never have a problem with sweaty and musty feet and stinky boots. I wear my boots all day ever day and they still smell like leather. Cedar shoe trees make a world of difference.
I guess I don’t have too much argument with this vid except I want the option to go off-roading in ANY pair of boots even if you say I’m unlikely to do so most of the time. But I also don’t buy “fashion” boots as much as work boots, so they won’t come in leather options ever, anyway, and I intend to turn most of the “fashion” boots into “work” boots once they’re beat up enough.
Just a few views – I do like leather soles and one thing to keep them lasting is to condition them – any cream is beneficial, especially a neutral one (no pigments), but the oils sold specially for soles have huge benefits. I am also a believer that a thin rubber front piece can help preserve the life of the sole (in fact make it last forever), and protects against rain, snow, slipping etc. I would not do it at the beginning, and not on all shoes – wear the leather sole first, and as the shoes break i or even years later, you will get to know which you want protected in this way. Any views on a leather heel anyone (the classic one with nails?) – I love the look on classic shoes, but do realise they are very slippery as the nails grind down. A rubber quarter heel is the way to go. As you polish your shoes, do treat your soles too, it will help the leather fibers bind together and strengthen them. Enjoy your fine shoes and boots everyone!
This is so true. This brings back a memory of something that happened to me many, many years ago. One day, I decided to shop a great, popular, mom-and-pop, kitchen-related supplies store, been around for years and years, located on a main street in a neighboring city. I had been in the store a number of times previously. That day I decided to wear a pair of lace-up, casual style, blue suede shoes I hadn’t worn in years; I specifically bought the shoes for an outfit I wore for a big party, a baby shower, I had attended years before. Well, I was walking around in the store, enjoying my time there as usual, when I started noticing some “dirt” on the floor. I was surprised to see it, as the floors were usually very clean. To my horror and utter embarrassment, I realized the “dirt” I saw on the floor was actually the material comprising the soles of my shoes!!! My soles were disintegrating as I walked around!!! What?!!! Oh no!!! Nothing like that had ever happened to me before. I was so embarrassed. One of the employees who saw the “dirt” was super upset about it. My memory is I stepped outside the store very quickly and took off my shoes. I am sure I apologized. And I am sure I made a purchase. Wow, I hadn’t thought about that experience, I can’t remember the last time I thought about that experience. I never thought about taking my shoes to a shoe repair business to have new soles made. I threw the shoes out. If the situation were to happen to me today, I believe I would take the shoes to a shoe repair shop, having watched this YouTube website’s articles.
I believe the veg tan leather lining is very important for antimicrobial purposes (specially for chrome and combination tanned leather uppers) as it is not leather itself that is antimicrobial, it is the vegetable tannins that are. All western boots are lined BTW. Companies make unlined boots to save on leather and propagate the breathable myth, don’t let them fool you Nick 🤪
If you have an upper that can last multiple generations (like stingray or sharkskin or even shell cordovan), then best to go full rubber sole including a rubber welt. You cannot resole shoes indefinitely as new stitch holes will be added to the upper until it falls apart. Even with Goodyear welt, you will eventually wear down your welt. Leather soles simply don’t last long and will need more resoles, making the overall cost of the shoes more expensive and shortens the lifespan of something that could have laster long enough to be a heirloom. It’s ok on cowhides but then remember that it need more resoles and can be pricier in the long run.
I kept buying rubber soled boots thinking they should be more comfortable. After hundreds of dollars on many different cushy I sole pairs of boots I went back to plain ropers with leather soles. Bam, comfort returns. Even on pavement a good leather sole boot beats a cushy rubber sole. Especially a roper with the lower heel.
I ride a bicycle, so a grippy rubber sole is vital. Having my feet continually slip off the pedals is actually dangerous. I do have shoes with leather soles and they’re nice, but I don’t use them on the bike. At all. Rubber is fine even for dress wear, if well designed. Allen Edmond’s dress rubber soles look just as good as their leather soles.
Like the majority of other commenters I’m not convinced I’m afraid. It isn’t just hunting or countryside where rubber has advantages of grip but in the city too with a variety of surfaces, some quite smooth, and which if wet can be even more slippery. Rubber all the way for me. I do get rubber grips put on my leather soled shoes.
Hey Nick, a while back you put us on to sites like sierra, moose jaw, and 6pm but to my knowledge you’re coverage of the boot brands I see there is a bit lacking, anyway you could help me out here? For example I keep seeing intriguing boots by Shoe The Bear, To Boot NY, and Vince but I’m skeptical and have a ravenous hunger for validation from a stranger on the internet. Thanks!
I guess it is OK if you have multiple pairs of boots for special purposes. I grew up wearing one pair of shoes till they needed to be replaced. Leather soles on shoes have caused more slips and falls on ordinary streets if there is any incline or wetness. I had a few of those myself. Dirty lugs are a false argument since you don’t have to buy lugged. Flat rubber soles have served in shoes for decades. Leather soles also absorb water which does them no good. You can’t argue that they “breathe”(yeah, right) and not absorb wetness from the bottom. Rain is not a special condition.
try to walk up a damp grass hill. even just like from a parking lot up to a building. maybe I just havent scuffed mine up enough, but I’m not sure how people made do with leather soles for so long. also, leather soles in cowboy boots are so they can slide in and out of stirrups without catching on a lug. the one area I’ll vouch for them is actual horseback riding.
As much as I love leather and tradition, my shoes have to be usable in quite a lot of contexts. I already have to watch for my outfit that can be more precious than what people usually wear (so I have to pay extra attention not to get stains, not to tear the fabric on a sharp wooden edge, etc). So I cannot really afford to introduce many other constraints in my life because I choose the wrong shoes in the morning and didn’t know it would rain for example. There are too many situations, even in the city, in which walking with leather soles require so much extra care not to slip that the walk is no longer enjoyable for me.
I personally favor the Dr. Sole half-sole. I think it offers the perfect balance between the grip and weather resistance of the Vibrams (which I quite appreciate) with the comfort and breathability of a leather sole. Also, I know this comment is a year late, but “Mr. Sole”??!! How dare you take away the brilliant Taiwanese shoemaker’s PhD in Sole-ology?! But seriously… they make some fantastic and highly underrated outsoles IMhO, and I have no brand affiliation or sponsorship. Just a fan of a well-made product.
I’ve had the same epiphany. I just got a pair of Wolverine 1ks because they were hella cheap; and I can’t get over how much I love the leather soles. I don’t find they slip all that much…I just stay mindful on certain surfaces. I wear them in the rain, on tiles. on concrete, in the yard. It’s not that big of.deal to me. The leather soles seem to work just fine. They do have a rubber heel though.
Rubber soles > leather soles overall. There’s no real dilemma for me. I’ll buy dress shoes with leather soles because they’re nicer and dressier. Boots are for inclement weather, so rubber is always better for that reason. Rubber soles are a must for all boots, including dress boots that substitute for dress shoes. The lone exception for me can be Cowboy / Western boots: they can have leather soles since I would only really be using them for fashion, and they need to sound great when walking.
weighing 140 kilos and living where this is tons of snow, slush, rain, pavements are constantly salted to prevent slip injuries, i wear through leather soles as if they where cardboard. unless jr soles are literally 10 times more durable in these conditions than whatever meermin uses im never going back to leather soles.
This argument of people not needing as much traction as they think is very fair if you live in a very urban area. City streets and sidewalks are generally fairly decent even in the winter when they’re snowy. Rural areas, leather isn’t really an option. Bad or no sidewalks plus ice and snow are terrible on leather soles, even guys who wear cowboy boots make sure they have a rubber sole protector around here, else deal with very wet feet
Leather soles have been in use for thousands of years. There is no deny that compared to modern day rubber soles, it is lacking in grip. That was why military boots have metal studs in the old days. Looking back to historical times, leather soles never stopped the conquest of soldiers marching thousands of miles as shown by the Roman army as well as Alexander the Great.
Sorry not to say definitely do not agree.. After slipping/falling a few times in leather sole shoes, I regard them as dangerous.. They also get damp very easily, water leaches through the sole in the morning commute and you have wet shoes for the day. Yes they wear out faster – much faster. Replacing a sole is not cheap. As to flexibility “come on” the rubber soles I have are as flexible if not more so than leather.
I actually think leather soles look better than rubber most of the time. Sure, they get scuffed up more easily, but nobody is going to see that part of the sole unless you lift up your foot. Most rubber soles IMO are too thick and chunky, especially if lugged, to look especially good (at least from the side.)
I bought the exact grant stone boot, color and all in leather bottom by accident. Day 1 is the worst but not because of the grip but because it pretty much destroys the beauty of the leather. Day 2 and onwards are just as bad for me . I ended up just buying the rubber sole version. Other than the ugly look I can say that just cleaning them is a problem. They just hold in everything and is quite unhygienic looking. All the minute stones and particles bury in it. That which brings me to the worst problem of all. Those tiny stones make a horrendous and squeaky noise on all tile and smooth surfaces. It is bad and maybe just me but it is a screeching unbearable sound which even affects my walking. Sorry but no leather soles for me.
This article just screams hey I live in an apartment in the city. For people that actually walk on grass or gravel even just in their yard leather sucks. Need to walk down a driveway that is on a hill to get the mail? yep leather sucks. Take your dog for a walk in a park and get out into the grass even when the weather isnt perfect? yep leather sucks. People ditched leather soles for a reason. They are fine if you stay in the city where everything is level and taken care of for you. If not… Yeah rubber with some sort of lug.
if the leather was as grippy as you claim people wouldn’t be putting hobnails in it. rubber is for me, because they do offer a better grip. Sure, if you walk in nice weather on the concrete ground leather is OK. However, add a bit of rain, or ice, and moss or other dying leaves, add stone stairs etc and suddenly it’s not that grippy. sure- not every rubber sole is, but the differences are noticeable. The softness/hardness of boots, and how easy they are to break in, is determined not just by the sole material, but by the sole construction. plenty of leather or rubber = hard sole. breathability and moisture wicking can be improved by the proper lining, sock and insole. and (decent) synthetic insoles are way better than (decent) leather ones