The danite on the allen edmonds dress shoes is my favorite. It all depends on where you live. I just moved to Omaha to start my pharmacy residency so I'm sure in the wintertime I'll need it!!!
My favorite sole is the all leather sole with hobnails and iron heel and toe plates, basically the British army ammo book. But its not so practical outside of trench warfare !!! But it does make a great outdoor camping boot.
I have some of those shoes with commando sole. They are made in Northampton England. I like them, actually. Yes they wouldn't be dressy enough to wear with a suit but I like the fact that I can walk in countryside with them and yet they have really good leather and look of great quality and style
When I ordered myself a pair of British Ammo Boots I removed hobb nails and metal plates and had the Shoemaker add rubber under the soles for better traction in addition the protector was also added to make the soles last longer.
In Mexico some places offer a very cheap resole with an actual used tire...you have to bring it to them and I know this because my father used to wear some...kind of bull neck leather cowboy boots and he had that specific kind of resole...like three times...and once he had to bring a tire from one of his friends house ...and it was very cool to see the shape of his sole when he walked on the ground...that it looked like a car tire
@@atsylor5549 that can be a very logical thinking until it is not. Tyre rubber and the non-slip, rubber many manufacturers like Vibram use, can be different and not offer the same properties in terms of slip resistance and flexibility, specially considering radial tyres have steel wire inside
I’m in New England, too. UConn in CT and Husson Univ in ME. I find semi-dress shoes with some tread from Johnston-Murphy to be invaluable in looking pretty well dress while negotiating the snow and slush.
Thanks carl, after about 20 pairs of shoe's and boots I just recently started to think about the importance of the bottom sole. I love the look of the leather dress shoe sole but I'm really starting to appreciate the grip of rubber. Also not a big fan of the noise of a leather sole, rubber is very quiet.
I'm a very recent subscriber and I'm impressed with your videos. Couple of things that I like about them: 1. You have an impressive collection of footwear. Haven't seen but a handful of your videos at this point so I don't know completely what you have and don't have. 2. I like that your shoes/boots look like you actually wear them and that they have left the house to explore the world. I've seen too many postings from other guys that their shoes/boots are pristine looking after what they claim to be months and years of wear. I'm one of those guys that has basically 3 types of shoes/boots. The ones that I keep polished up and nice looking, the ones that I just wear and let them age naturally with the elements, and then I have those that I've just taken out and had fun in by going splashing through puddles, mudding, or working out in the garage when I probably should have worn something else. 3. The last thing that I really like about your videos is that you are a guy like myself that doesn't have really big feet. I generally wear an 8.5 or 9 depending on the style and manufacturer, but most of the videos are from guys that have much larger feet and it isn't all a good way to see how the shoes/boots will work on a smaller foot. Plan to take time to sort through your videos but again, thank you for posting videos that are well though out and done. Any chance you have a collection of taller boots that you haven't shared yet?
Thank you so much for your comment! It sounds like I align well with your interests. I have too many boots man, seriously I need to sell some because I cant find enough storage. Some guys hate the fact that I don’t have shoe trees for every pair and I get disapproving comments every once in a while but I think boots are meant to be worn hard. I do keep them clean as much as I can, but I’m not going to spend a day cleaning and polishing my shoes when I could be spending time with my family or making videos. I do have a few 8 and 10” boots, but not many at all. I just ordered a 10” pair of Nicks Boots which I’ll be doing a review of once I’ve had a chance to actually use them a bit. Thanks for the thoughtful comment, it really helps me tailor my content to what people want to see.
I had a pair of two strap monk shoes re soled with a valbrim mini commando soles with a leather mid sole added. A bit stiff at first. Broke in in about a month. Now my go to friends cottage shoes.
Vibram and Dainite for sure. Man those Long Branches look killer. I have mini lugs on my resoled Iron Rangers and those are cool too, a little over the top for LA weather.
Talk about tough. Your last one reminded me of the huarache sandals my dad has that must be 50+ years old and still haven't worn out. I inherited a hand made pair of boots from Mexico with a huarache sole from my father that he got from his brother that he got from his dad. I loved those boots, super comfortable and very grippy, unfortunately after 4 owners I wore holes through the upper. The tire tread sole never wore out.
My favorite soles are the ones on my Corcoran II combat boots. Rugged and long wearing and has a cushion heel. Bought these when I was in the Army as the issue boots just wore out your feet and then they hurt after a long day. Not so with the Corcoran's. Plus I prefer a 10" boot in combat.
From what I understand Thorogood introduced the first Wedge sole work boot in 1964. But the idea of a sole that tracks less mud...ect may very well have been pioneered by redwing, I don't really know.
I am interested in shoes and all your videos about them are fantastic. I learned a lot about shoes especially soles after watching your videos. Excellent work. Thank you. Greetings from Sri Lanka.
Didn’t see the red brick soles on shoes like bucks. Count me in as a big fan of the Red Wing boots myself. I have two pair of Beckmans, one black and the other cordovan and along with my LL Bean engineer boots, those three shoes are on my feet 75% of the time from fall through late spring when casual wear is the order of the day. I have a pair of tobacco brown Shipton & Heneage chukkas arriving tomorrow and feel pretty confident they’ll become a part of my go to footwear rotation also!
Well researched Carl! Recently ive been reaching for my Clarks boots with a crepe sole. I would recommend looking at the Wallabee because its a much thicker sole than the desert boot. For me they are soft but supportive so i can stay on my feet all day!
Thanks for the recommendation! I was looking at several at Nordstrom Rack last week but didn’t pull the trigger. The Wallabee is definitely what I’m looking for.
I love the commando sole.. for me when i think of boots they need to have a commando sole.. i own other soled boots but i prefer the commando over others.
Thanks Carl. Always enjoy your videos. Those Red Wings are a great boot. Need a cleaning which would make a great video. Would sure like to see you clean and shine those boots in a “how to clean your boots” video.
I've been trying to track down a replacement boot like the late 70's Chippewa leather hunting boots I had. I got over 20 years out of those. The tread had a tooth like pattern with great traction on steep hillsides. I have wore out Red Wings and many other brands since then. The popular lug soles don't compare for traction or durability. Those boots had no fancy insulations but they were comfortable. Too bad there isn't a sole wall somewhere with all the patterns through the decades lined up with little description tags.
Carl what was the plain toe red wing shoe you showed in this video with the christy sole? Time shown was 6:17 in the video. I don't think think I've ever seen that particular boot. Thanks! I'd like to try and find a pair.
The lug soles for work boots are my go to, but honest to God idk why they don't make the tread alot thicker, saw a new kinda of tread the other day and not sure what its called but there's almost 3 inches of tread which yes is insane but if it was on a custom boot I'd buy it. Getting ready to order a pair of nicks boots custom hot shots this week . I'm tired of going through 2 cheaper pairs of boots per year.
I have been recently wearing the Thorogood Beloit and the Portage. They have a nitrile cork sole, its good but i think that has made the boots so heavy! 😖 i m thinking to get rid of the sole and put either vibram or dainite
You forgot about HOBNAILED boots, i.e. a leather sole plus nails. They are still being made by the small British manufacturer William LENNON and they are surprisingly cheap.
I know this is obscure, but hobnails are also an option. However the only have traction doesn't work well in most settled areas where vinal and fine concrete
In this case I’d recommend finding a store that can analyze your step, arches, alignment, etc. you can get insoles that will correct any issues you have and make standing or walking more comfortable. Then it’s a matter of finding a boot with a removable insole, or a cobbler who can do a swap for you. Hospital floors are typically poured concrete and very unforgiving on your feet so a nice soft sole will go a long way- crepe soles may be the way to go if they’re not too casual. If you need to bump up the formality a tad go with rubber soles that are a little softer (think sneakers rather than work boots). Hope that helps!
I read some blog and they said something kind of "leather soles is more durable than rubber soles", i dont know how true is that, i mean, i studied chemistry in highschool and i know rubber is kind of indestructable material, so how can the leather soles can outlast rubber soles like those blogger said ? How do you think about it
I’m skeptical, but it probably depends on the rubber compound used. Softer rubber will wear away quickly where tight grained leather is incredibly durable.
good video but always thought the christy wedge is ugly. i would go with commando and on my dressier boots the low profile commando, such as the 2nd gen rangers you referenced.
Hey man!! I was wondering if you could do a vibram sole exclusive video, there’s a few out there, and I have a couple of boots with vibram soles, most military surplus has them, I just want to know which ones you’d go for outside of the commando sole, or maybe a military related boot exclusive cause I know a few people here will probably be going to the military sometime or maybe are interested in that style of boot, so maybe ideas on what to get to get ready for basic or something
You know I actually considered a Vibram video and even spoke to the people over there about it. In the end they had soooo many soles it would have been an hour long video. I still may do something, but I need to really pare it down first.
I'm still trying to find a good middle ground between too thick/workboot-y vs too dress-up. I have shoes and boots both i wear casual to formal as well. I bought one shoe with Vibram gumlite, which is good amount of grippy, at least to me, but it's very soft and in like 5 months ended up showing signs of heavy wear and compression. The next shoe i bought is a vibram 700 (vbar) and now i'm not sure how long that will last...5 months is a very short time to show noticeable signs of compression and wear I do want to point out one thing though, and this is an odd thing most reviewers say. Nitrile is not rubber. Nitrile, along with most of the materials used by Vibram on their soles (fire&ice, SBF, gumlite etc) are all made from Fossil Fuels. Some are just as good as rubber, others like vibram lite are notably softer and lighter (that's the whole point of that) but I think it's an important distinction make, nitrile is a compound created from stuff made from burning natural gas and some other petrochemicals. Rubber OTOH is a natural material that is usually treated. The reason i find this annoying is i am actually looking for REAL natural rubber soles, and it's getting very confusing to find because everyone calls everything just "Rubber" without any qualifiers.
What's the relationship between the type of welt (like Goodyear or blake) and the type of sole? I know that leather soles can be either, but what about other types of soles? Are rubber soles, such as dainite, necessarily cemented?
Danite soles can absolutely be Goodyear welted, along with most of the styles I mentioned. I think the reason you’ll see cemented soles with rubber is cost, since the combination is very inexpensive to manufacture. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing since boots like those Stafford Gunners are extremely comfortable, almost like wearing slippers. A Goodyear welt makes the shoe much stiffer but of course has the benefit of being resoled.
I have some leather sole Florsheim office shoes I inherited from my Grandfather. The first time I went outside with them to check my mail I stepped on a patch of ice and nearly hit the deck. Leather is good for around the office but I will never purchase an actual boot with leather soles.
Vibram Soles are available for all Types of Shoes and that includes very Classic ones. There are at least 100 Types of soles. But those are not that famous as the Mountain and Military ones. Of course Rubber ones. But Nobody walks in Winter with Leather Shoes.
Hi Carl, I have a pair of Redwing blacksmiths with nitrile cork soles. Is it suitable for riding a motorbike in the rain? I'm concerned about the traction performance
I have a pair of dansko clogsthey have they does soul is good that he'll has dry rotted I want everybody tells me I can't get them fixed but I just can't come and throw them away that the leather tops are fine the soul is fine it's the heel that went bad how can I get this fixed
I have leather sole cowboy boots and I go to I small school where I'm the only person with leather sole boots and everyone knows it's me when they hear the loud clunk clunk behind them.
I’ve definitely been there man. What I do is have an internal dialogue that goes something like: “is this thing custom or a limited run? If so then you’re stuck. If not, can you return it and buy it later? If so then make a choice and don’t look back.” It doesn’t always work and I’ve had purchases that I’ve had to justify over the course of months (a Harris Tweed topcoat comes to mind) but as long as it’s not tens of thousands, usually it’s just a matter of time.
Carl Murawski I don't know what it is with me but months after buying something I'll start to question Did I really need it? It's funny as when I'm buying it, it seems like such a good idea. It's easy to get over smaller pruchases, I'll just sell it or see if someone in the family wants it, but on bigger pruchases i start festering over. At least it's made me think a lot clearier when buying something in the future :)
It may depend on your upbringing too, my parents struggled as children and see almost any purchase as extravagant and unnecessary. Do you think some of that may be to blame?
When i bought my red wing boots i told the guy at the store that i wanted the boots with the hardest soles. And they work great. I assume they are rubber.
Carl Murawski there really isn't why you shouldn't. I've read many good and some bad about them. My experience, however, has only been positive. I have 15 pairs with the oldest being 13 yrs old and the 2nd being 8 with still lots of use. I know there are many other good brands out there, but my "loyalty" is with them; they were my first pair or leather boots and haven't looked any other place since.
o and whats up with the half heal sole like on john varvatos boots.. i bought a pair and immediately sold them again to get rid of them because they are LOUD on a hard surface, like wtf, james bond would never go for loud shoes no matter what the outfit lol
Obviously rubber soles are more practical for rain/snow, but you just can't beat a good leather sole for the indoors! We spend most of our time indoors anyway, which is why I opt for leather soled shoes and just wear galoshes outside if needed. A leather sole just has that crisp, distinctive sound when you're walking across a hard surface. When you're walking, you sound authoritative, like someone who should be taken seriously. You just don't get that as much with a rubber soled shoe. Also, god forbid you step in water in your rubber soled shoes! You'll be walking around with an annoying squeak for a short time. That just doesn't happen with leather soles.
Don't bother with the crepe sole like that found on the clarks desert boots. They get dirty really quick and don't clean well. Better off investing in boots of better quality that can be re soled
Rubber every day of the week! As a boy I had a pair of new leather soled dress shoes which had no grip initially. I slipped on a metal stair nosing and took a dive down a flight of stairs, bit my tongue in two places and bloodied my suit. As an adult, I owned another pair that I had a few close calls like a pulled hammy or groin whenever I wore them on carpet too often and being mindful of the flooring. Today, all of my dress shoes and boots have some form of Vtread, dainite, vibrham, or gum. So for safety reasons, rubber for the win!
Oh my goodness! Sounds like you’ve had some damn good reasons to stick with rubber! Surely there isn’t a man who hasn’t done the carpet slide in a pair of new leather-soled shoes.
"You get what you pay for." I had to say that before you did. I have for years bought tennis shoes for around $20.00. Well, now you can spend over $50.00 and you still have crap. I'm not a kid, so I do not spend $300 or $400 on shoes, but they wear about the same, one season, maybe. The problem is the sole, some have cardboard in them. They wear out so fast! I therefore am interested in shoes that have good soles that last. I have little interest in wearing spats without soles....
boots need to have a commando sole......otherwise they're just for show. I could never understand having boots with smooth slippery leather or nitrile cork soles
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Which shoe soles are your favorite? Let me know in the comments!
could we get an in-depth video on when to replace the soles on your shoes, and the construction of the sole?
The danite on the allen edmonds dress shoes is my favorite. It all depends on where you live. I just moved to Omaha to start my pharmacy residency so I'm sure in the wintertime I'll need it!!!
Most of my boots are Dainite, while a couple have crepe soles. By the way I believe the proper pronunciation of Dainite is "day-night."
Great idea!
Oh I’m certain of it!
I'm just amazed how good your review/how-to/breakdowns are. It's shocking how little I know about my footwear!
Thanks again and greetings from Poland!
Thanks so much and sto lat!
I have most of the soles featured here. One of my favourites - and it surely must become more popular - is the ridgeway sole.
My favorite sole is the all leather sole with hobnails and iron heel and toe plates, basically the British army ammo book.
But its not so practical outside of trench warfare !!! But it does make a great outdoor camping boot.
I have some of those shoes with commando sole. They are made in Northampton England. I like them, actually. Yes they wouldn't be dressy enough to wear with a suit but I like the fact that I can walk in countryside with them and yet they have really good leather and look of great quality and style
When I ordered myself a pair of British Ammo Boots I removed hobb nails and metal plates and had the Shoemaker add rubber under the soles for better traction in addition the protector was also added to make the soles last longer.
In Mexico some places offer a very cheap resole with an actual used tire...you have to bring it to them and I know this because my father used to wear some...kind of bull neck leather cowboy boots and he had that specific kind of resole...like three times...and once he had to bring a tire from one of his friends house ...and it was very cool to see the shape of his sole when he walked on the ground...that it looked like a car tire
That’s a cool story and it makes perfect sense. If a tire has enough traction for a car it has more than enough for a pair of boots.
@@atsylor5549 that can be a very logical thinking until it is not. Tyre rubber and the non-slip, rubber many manufacturers like Vibram use, can be different and not offer the same properties in terms of slip resistance and flexibility, specially considering radial tyres have steel wire inside
I’m in New England, too. UConn in CT and Husson Univ in ME. I find semi-dress shoes with some tread from Johnston-Murphy to be invaluable in looking pretty well dress while negotiating the snow and slush.
Hello fellow Nutmegger! I agree, tread is essential in those crummy months. Still, there’s nothing like a fine leather sole!
For work I’ll go with the Redwing. Great for walking beams and driving trucks. First class reviews as always.
Red Wings for lyfe
Excellent video Carl!
Absolutely! Have a great weekend man.
Red Wing IR is the 1st made in USA boots that I bought. Salute to the American craftsmanship.
Try whites for a real boot
Thanks carl, after about 20 pairs of shoe's and boots I just recently started to think about the importance of the bottom sole. I love the look of the leather dress shoe sole but I'm really starting to appreciate the grip of rubber. Also not a big fan of the noise of a leather sole, rubber is very quiet.
I'm a very recent subscriber and I'm impressed with your videos. Couple of things that I like about them: 1. You have an impressive collection of footwear. Haven't seen but a handful of your videos at this point so I don't know completely what you have and don't have. 2. I like that your shoes/boots look like you actually wear them and that they have left the house to explore the world. I've seen too many postings from other guys that their shoes/boots are pristine looking after what they claim to be months and years of wear. I'm one of those guys that has basically 3 types of shoes/boots. The ones that I keep polished up and nice looking, the ones that I just wear and let them age naturally with the elements, and then I have those that I've just taken out and had fun in by going splashing through puddles, mudding, or working out in the garage when I probably should have worn something else. 3. The last thing that I really like about your videos is that you are a guy like myself that doesn't have really big feet. I generally wear an 8.5 or 9 depending on the style and manufacturer, but most of the videos are from guys that have much larger feet and it isn't all a good way to see how the shoes/boots will work on a smaller foot. Plan to take time to sort through your videos but again, thank you for posting videos that are well though out and done. Any chance you have a collection of taller boots that you haven't shared yet?
Thank you so much for your comment! It sounds like I align well with your interests. I have too many boots man, seriously I need to sell some because I cant find enough storage. Some guys hate the fact that I don’t have shoe trees for every pair and I get disapproving comments every once in a while but I think boots are meant to be worn hard. I do keep them clean as much as I can, but I’m not going to spend a day cleaning and polishing my shoes when I could be spending time with my family or making videos.
I do have a few 8 and 10” boots, but not many at all. I just ordered a 10” pair of Nicks Boots which I’ll be doing a review of once I’ve had a chance to actually use them a bit.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment, it really helps me tailor my content to what people want to see.
When at work i wear the Red Wing work boot, with the commando sole, but while out an about i'm a fan of my Iron Rangers.
I had a pair of two strap monk shoes re soled with a valbrim mini commando soles with a leather mid sole added. A bit stiff at first. Broke in in about a month. Now my go to friends cottage shoes.
this man, needs more subs and likes
Vibram and Dainite for sure. Man those Long Branches look killer. I have mini lugs on my resoled Iron Rangers and those are cool too, a little over the top for LA weather.
The raw cord sole seemed pretty cool and I really liked the look of the cord pieces scattered throughout the sole.
I think the work boot with the flat, non lugged sole, is geared towards working primarily on cement.
Talk about tough. Your last one reminded me of the huarache sandals my dad has that must be 50+ years old and still haven't worn out. I inherited a hand made pair of boots from Mexico with a huarache sole from my father that he got from his brother that he got from his dad. I loved those boots, super comfortable and very grippy, unfortunately after 4 owners I wore holes through the upper. The tire tread sole never wore out.
That’s awesome! Can you have a cobbler restore them? It would be cool to hang on to something like that.
My favorite soles are the ones on my Corcoran II combat boots. Rugged and long wearing and has a cushion heel. Bought these when I was in the Army as the issue boots just wore out your feet and then they hurt after a long day. Not so with the Corcoran's. Plus I prefer a 10" boot in combat.
Crepe soles are amazing! I have them on my wallabee boots, I always travel in them. They are superior to sneakers
From what I understand Thorogood introduced the first Wedge sole work boot in 1964.
But the idea of a sole that tracks less mud...ect may very well have been pioneered by redwing, I don't really know.
The commando some is my favourite.
I am interested in shoes and all your videos about them are fantastic. I learned a lot about shoes especially soles after watching your videos. Excellent work. Thank you. Greetings from Sri Lanka.
My favorite rubber soles are commando
Would appreciate a little more detail in terms of what each type of sole is best/ worst for what kind of use.
Didn’t see the red brick soles on shoes like bucks. Count me in as a big fan of the Red Wing boots myself. I have two pair of Beckmans, one black and the other cordovan and along with my LL Bean engineer boots, those three shoes are on my feet 75% of the time from fall through late spring when casual wear is the order of the day. I have a pair of tobacco brown Shipton & Heneage chukkas arriving tomorrow and feel pretty confident they’ll become a part of my go to footwear rotation also!
Gotta love those Red Wings! I have a pair of moc toe boots that are basically like slippers at this point.
One of my favorite videos so far.
Well researched Carl! Recently ive been reaching for my Clarks boots with a crepe sole. I would recommend looking at the Wallabee because its a much thicker sole than the desert boot. For me they are soft but supportive so i can stay on my feet all day!
Thanks for the recommendation! I was looking at several at Nordstrom Rack last week but didn’t pull the trigger. The Wallabee is definitely what I’m looking for.
Great insightful video Carl! That last type of sole has me interested, it would make sense to use tires for soles
Agreed, especially at war time
Now, that is a thought that has crossed my mind.
Solovair rubber soles are the best for me. Love the looks and they are as durable as the old school dr Martens used to be.
Solovair used to manufacture Dr Martens, before Dr Martens moved out of England.. Now I only get Solovair or NPS Shoes..
I love the commando sole.. for me when i think of boots they need to have a commando sole.. i own other soled boots but i prefer the commando over others.
I also seen i think jk boots and maybe whites have that new fire and ice tread pattern
Vibram and other hard rubbers can last just as long or longer then leather
Full vibram lug sole like on Silverado 7724 or Red Wing 8146.
can you make a video explaining what "good grip" and "traction" and "absorption shock" are?
Thanks Carl. Always enjoy your videos. Those Red Wings are a great boot. Need a cleaning which would make a great video. Would sure like to see you clean and shine those boots in a “how to clean your boots” video.
You’re spot on, they’ve been neglected for too long. I love the idea of a boot cleaning video, I’ll get the Saddle Soap and camera fired up soon!
Great review and information.
I've been trying to track down a replacement boot like the late 70's Chippewa leather hunting boots I had. I got over 20 years out of those. The tread had a tooth like pattern with great traction on steep hillsides. I have wore out Red Wings and many other brands since then. The popular lug soles don't compare for traction or durability. Those boots had no fancy insulations but they were comfortable. Too bad there isn't a sole wall somewhere with all the patterns through the decades lined up with little description tags.
Carl what was the plain toe red wing shoe you showed in this video with the christy sole? Time shown was 6:17 in the video. I don't think think I've ever seen that particular boot. Thanks! I'd like to try and find a pair.
The lug soles for work boots are my go to, but honest to God idk why they don't make the tread alot thicker, saw a new kinda of tread the other day and not sure what its called but there's almost 3 inches of tread which yes is insane but if it was on a custom boot I'd buy it. Getting ready to order a pair of nicks boots custom hot shots this week . I'm tired of going through 2 cheaper pairs of boots per year.
I have been recently wearing the Thorogood Beloit and the Portage. They have a nitrile cork sole, its good but i think that has made the boots so heavy! 😖 i m thinking to get rid of the sole and put either vibram or dainite
You forgot about HOBNAILED boots, i.e. a leather sole plus nails. They are still being made by the small British manufacturer William LENNON and they are surprisingly cheap.
I know this is obscure, but hobnails are also an option. However the only have traction doesn't work well in most settled areas where vinal and fine concrete
Oops, I clicked on the wrong video I was looking to a guide on souls.
lol!
Would that make you a lost soul😳
Wrong Dark Souls guide mate
What type of boot would you recommend for a hospital setting? Gotta be dressy but on your feet all Day
In this case I’d recommend finding a store that can analyze your step, arches, alignment, etc. you can get insoles that will correct any issues you have and make standing or walking more comfortable. Then it’s a matter of finding a boot with a removable insole, or a cobbler who can do a swap for you. Hospital floors are typically poured concrete and very unforgiving on your feet so a nice soft sole will go a long way- crepe soles may be the way to go if they’re not too casual. If you need to bump up the formality a tad go with rubber soles that are a little softer (think sneakers rather than work boots). Hope that helps!
I read some blog and they said something kind of "leather soles is more durable than rubber soles", i dont know how true is that, i mean, i studied chemistry in highschool and i know rubber is kind of indestructable material, so how can the leather soles can outlast rubber soles like those blogger said ? How do you think about it
I’m skeptical, but it probably depends on the rubber compound used. Softer rubber will wear away quickly where tight grained leather is incredibly durable.
good video but always thought the christy wedge is ugly. i would go with commando and on my dressier boots the low profile commando, such as the 2nd gen rangers you referenced.
Hey man!! I was wondering if you could do a vibram sole exclusive video, there’s a few out there, and I have a couple of boots with vibram soles, most military surplus has them, I just want to know which ones you’d go for outside of the commando sole, or maybe a military related boot exclusive cause I know a few people here will probably be going to the military sometime or maybe are interested in that style of boot, so maybe ideas on what to get to get ready for basic or something
You know I actually considered a Vibram video and even spoke to the people over there about it. In the end they had soooo many soles it would have been an hour long video. I still may do something, but I need to really pare it down first.
Carl Murawski alrighty, I look forward to hearing more about it! Please, keep us posted.
What soles last the longest? I walk 2.5 to 5 miles per day. Interested.
The iron rangers and commando both last really long but real commando soles, he shoes dressier versions but both of those are near immortal.
@@liam3044 thank you for the info.
Thank you so much for this video Carl! I'm just getting into this topic and you helped me a lot.
Very informative. Thank you...
Thanks for watching!
I'm still trying to find a good middle ground between too thick/workboot-y vs too dress-up. I have shoes and boots both i wear casual to formal as well. I bought one shoe with Vibram gumlite, which is good amount of grippy, at least to me, but it's very soft and in like 5 months ended up showing signs of heavy wear and compression. The next shoe i bought is a vibram 700 (vbar) and now i'm not sure how long that will last...5 months is a very short time to show noticeable signs of compression and wear
I do want to point out one thing though, and this is an odd thing most reviewers say. Nitrile is not rubber. Nitrile, along with most of the materials used by Vibram on their soles (fire&ice, SBF, gumlite etc) are all made from Fossil Fuels. Some are just as good as rubber, others like vibram lite are notably softer and lighter (that's the whole point of that) but I think it's an important distinction make, nitrile is a compound created from stuff made from burning natural gas and some other petrochemicals. Rubber OTOH is a natural material that is usually treated. The reason i find this annoying is i am actually looking for REAL natural rubber soles, and it's getting very confusing to find because everyone calls everything just "Rubber" without any qualifiers.
I really like Woolrich's look. but it seems like it discontinues the boots you mentioned.
What's the relationship between the type of welt (like Goodyear or blake) and the type of sole? I know that leather soles can be either, but what about other types of soles? Are rubber soles, such as dainite, necessarily cemented?
Danite soles can absolutely be Goodyear welted, along with most of the styles I mentioned. I think the reason you’ll see cemented soles with rubber is cost, since the combination is very inexpensive to manufacture. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing since boots like those Stafford Gunners are extremely comfortable, almost like wearing slippers. A Goodyear welt makes the shoe much stiffer but of course has the benefit of being resoled.
What about a double rubber sole vs a rubber sole. Which one is best and why? Also what about York soles like meermin has?
I usually go for leather soles, they are the most comfortable for me
i enjoy your channel . do you know of any custom made boots that offers 6E with i tryed nicks and whites adn they said they did not when i called them
I have some leather sole Florsheim office shoes I inherited from my Grandfather. The first time I went outside with them to check my mail I stepped on a patch of ice and nearly hit the deck. Leather is good for around the office but I will never purchase an actual boot with leather soles.
Vibram Soles are available for all Types of Shoes and that includes very Classic ones. There are at least 100 Types of soles. But those are not that famous as the Mountain and Military ones. Of course Rubber ones. But Nobody walks in Winter with Leather Shoes.
Smooth soles are good for saddle safety.
Hi Carl, I have a pair of Redwing blacksmiths with nitrile cork soles. Is it suitable for riding a motorbike in the rain? I'm concerned about the traction performance
That christie wedge sole looks really thin. How long before you have to replace them if you wear the boots just for the weekend?
Thank you for all the info! For me, outsoles are way more important than the shoe upper.
Excellent video!
I have a pair of dansko clogsthey have they does soul is good that he'll has dry rotted I want everybody tells me I can't get them fixed but I just can't come and throw them away that the leather tops are fine the soul is fine it's the heel that went bad how can I get this fixed
I have leather sole cowboy boots and I go to I small school where I'm the only person with leather sole boots and everyone knows it's me when they hear the loud clunk clunk behind them.
Haha don’t worry, I’m time they’ll know that’s the mark of a high end shoe/boot.
Like your channel, Carl. Started at AWXInc, then found RMRS, and Alpha M. Now, I'm here.
Well that’s one heck of a journey! I’m happy you’re here though, please let me know if there’s anything you’d like to see.
Great vid Carl!That pair of woolridge boots are gorgeous, I am getting me a pair. Ps I also love you shirt bud, brand, color? Thanks, peace
Thanks man! This is a Ledbury shirt in light violet linen and it's awesome!
What were the Woolrich boots? Never heard of that brand and can’t find them online
Those are the Woolrich Yankee 6" boot
How to remove the annoying squezy noise that comes from the shoes with rubber sole while walking on a floor with tiles..???
Great video.
Anyone else develop knee pain when using heeled outsoles like the ones found on Iron Rangers? But not on crepe/wedge soles?
what about steel toe ?
Another great video Carl, any advice on getting over buyer's remorse? us stylish dudes do make costly style mistakes once in a while.
I’ve definitely been there man. What I do is have an internal dialogue that goes something like: “is this thing custom or a limited run? If so then you’re stuck. If not, can you return it and buy it later? If so then make a choice and don’t look back.” It doesn’t always work and I’ve had purchases that I’ve had to justify over the course of months (a Harris Tweed topcoat comes to mind) but as long as it’s not tens of thousands, usually it’s just a matter of time.
Carl Murawski I don't know what it is with me but months after buying something I'll start to question Did I really need it? It's funny as when I'm buying it, it seems like such a good idea. It's easy to get over smaller pruchases, I'll just sell it or see if someone in the family wants it, but on bigger pruchases i start festering over. At least it's made me think a lot clearier when buying something in the future :)
It may depend on your upbringing too, my parents struggled as children and see almost any purchase as extravagant and unnecessary. Do you think some of that may be to blame?
Do you review the Woolrich somewhere? Or do you know where I can see their full boot supply line? I can't find it on the webpage.
I ended up getting these from Huckberry. The only thing I dont like about them is that they're pretty narrow.
Trickers have a long tradition of super thick leather soles and shoes with commando soles.
When i bought my red wing boots i told the guy at the store that i wanted the boots with the hardest soles. And they work great. I assume they are rubber.
Awesome vid
I run Leather Sole with rubber heel soles...
Can crepe soles be used on wet sidewalks
Crepe Sole is not very stable. They break on the Fore Foot very often Clarks as example. Use a Mephisto same hight as Clarks but last twice the Time.
What about direct molded soles ? 😅
Panama soles are the best
@@themonolithian I mean yeah they do but do they last ? And is there chance for them to be resoled ?
@@christopherkyledeleon4193 yeah I've heard of it being done.
100% of my boots are From Frye. They’re not the grippiest but they’ve lasted me a while. Usually wear the harness and engineer.
My buddy Aaron loves Frye and I’ve heard nothing but good things from people who own them. I have no good reason why there isn’t a pair in my closet!
Carl Murawski there really isn't why you shouldn't. I've read many good and some bad about them. My experience, however, has only been positive. I have 15 pairs with the oldest being 13 yrs old and the 2nd being 8 with still lots of use.
I know there are many other good brands out there, but my "loyalty" is with them; they were my first pair or leather boots and haven't looked any other place since.
o and whats up with the half heal sole like on john varvatos boots.. i bought a pair and immediately sold them again to get rid of them because they are LOUD on a hard surface, like wtf, james bond would never go for loud shoes no matter what the outfit lol
You show an Itshide lug sole but no mention of it. That just seems wrong.
Obviously rubber soles are more practical for rain/snow, but you just can't beat a good leather sole for the indoors! We spend most of our time indoors anyway, which is why I opt for leather soled shoes and just wear galoshes outside if needed.
A leather sole just has that crisp, distinctive sound when you're walking across a hard surface. When you're walking, you sound authoritative, like someone who should be taken seriously. You just don't get that as much with a rubber soled shoe. Also, god forbid you step in water in your rubber soled shoes! You'll be walking around with an annoying squeak for a short time. That just doesn't happen with leather soles.
Cowboy boot with commando soles
Danner boots, shoes??
Don't bother with the crepe sole like that found on the clarks desert boots. They get dirty really quick and don't clean well. Better off investing in boots of better quality that can be re soled
you forgot the leather sole but with dainite studs
Commando sole= waffle stomper of the 70's
Vibram soles!!! FTW
Rubber every day of the week! As a boy I had a pair of new leather soled dress shoes which had no grip initially. I slipped on a metal stair nosing and took a dive down a flight of stairs, bit my tongue in two places and bloodied my suit. As an adult, I owned another pair that I had a few close calls like a pulled hammy or groin whenever I wore them on carpet too often and being mindful of the flooring. Today, all of my dress shoes and boots have some form of Vtread, dainite, vibrham, or gum. So for safety reasons, rubber for the win!
Oh my goodness! Sounds like you’ve had some damn good reasons to stick with rubber! Surely there isn’t a man who hasn’t done the carpet slide in a pair of new leather-soled shoes.
important criteria for my shoe is it's sole doesn't come off while walking.
Unless you have a proper sole, the boot will just be a fashion statement.
"You get what you pay for." I had to say that before you did.
I have for years bought tennis shoes for around $20.00. Well, now you can spend over $50.00 and you still have crap. I'm not a kid, so I do not spend $300 or $400 on shoes, but they wear about the same, one season, maybe. The problem is the sole, some have cardboard in them. They wear out so fast!
I therefore am interested in shoes that have good soles that last. I have little interest in wearing spats without soles....
You should update this video to reflect 2025 soles
Amaretto
boots need to have a commando sole......otherwise they're just for show. I could never understand having boots with smooth slippery leather or nitrile cork soles
are you manufacturer of the shoe sole?