Anybody else struggle in the wet with their Loakes.

[Franky Four Fingers]

Been shopping all day in Bath with the wife where it's been p***ng down most of the day.
For the first 10 minutes I started to lose my footing and then eventually it was like walking on ice with glass bottomed shoes on. I had to keep to the roads and had no choice to go the local Scuh shop and buy a pair of cheapies.
Once off the bottoms have gone like a very well worn and used chamois Leather and on the paved slabs of Bath they are virtually useless. I'm not the most lightest footed of people but I literally couldn't move.
The wife found it most amusing as I done the splits!
Anyone else suffered the same?

FFF

[itsgotournameonit]

I have experienced similar with Timberland earthkeepers.Brilliant on rough but useless on wet flat surface.

[jmarchitect]

I resolved to never again purchase a pair of leather soled shoes as they have never performed well, either turning to ice soles in the wet or wearing through too quickly. Dainite all the way for me.

[ralphy]

The first time I realised the slipperiness of leather-soled shoes was when running suited and booted through a hotel car-park in the rain, my gymnastic fall had me landing hard on my back - and observed by a dining room full of guests: pain & embarrassment combined.

(Church's, FWIW).

R

[Mick P]

I use leather soles only when I am 100% confident it will be dry.

Other than that it makes sense to wear a shoe with a man made sole.

Loake Chesters with a Dainite sole are my choice this weather.

[Franky Four Fingers]

The first time I realised the slipperiness of leather-soled shoes was when running suited and booted through a hotel car-park in the rain, my gymnastic fall had me landing hard on my back - and observed by a dining room full of guests: pain & embarrassment combined.

(Church's, FWIW).

R

Yeh it would have ended like that I'm sure, the embarrassment of just doing the partial splits was bad enough.

[Franky Four Fingers]

I use leather soles only when I am 100% confident it will be dry.

Other than that it makes sense to wear a shoe with a man made sole.

Loake Chesters with a Dainite sole are my choice this weather.

Mine are Chesters, Do you know if they can be changed from the leather welted to those?

[Mr Curta]

It pees down most afternoons in Bogotá, I'd be stuffed on the brick pavements without Dainite soles.

[Kirk280]

Mine are Chesters, Do you know if they can be changed from the leather welted to those?

Yes they can. I'd recommend sending them back to Loake; it'll cost you ca. £100.

I find dainite soles to be very slippy on certain wet surfaces as well though! If it's going to be rainy (a rare occurrence in Manchester) I try to wear commando soles.

[Franky Four Fingers]

Yes they can. I'd recommend sending them back to Loake; it'll cost you ca. £100.

I find dainite soles to be very slippy on certain wet surfaces as well though! If it's going to be rainy (a rare occurrence in Manchester) I try to wear commando soles.

Might aswell just get a second pair then.....im sure the wife will like that!
What do you need 2 pairs for.? Why, wet a dry weather of course...I can hear it now!

[Franky Four Fingers]

On a slightly different note......heavily armed Police everywhere. Very strange to see them on our streets.

[Wolfie]

I paid my very good indipendant shoe bloke to glue on some rubber treads for about £12 - job done

[Billyloves2boogie]

Mine are Chesters, Do you know if they can be changed from the leather welted to those?

Yes, the factory offer a full refurb service where you can have any sole unit you like. It's £80 & takes about four weeks.


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[Billyloves2boogie]

There are a few options with Loake's on soles with some shoes offering leather or Dainite soles.

[Neil.C]

I paid my very good indipendant shoe bloke to glue on some rubber treads for about £12 - job done

I remember my Dad gluing rubber treads on his leather soled shoes as a matter of course.

[dougair]

I bought a pair of leather soled shoes once...never again.

[dl_griff]

I saw a youtube shoe polishing demo a few years ago that advised polishing the soles as well as the uppers on my Grenson Stanleys, found out that was a bad idea the hard way as I went flying down the stairs in Cardiff station. they have dainite soles now!

[matt666]

Yes leather soles do sometimes turn into ice skates in the wet. I do still prefer the look of leather even though you can't see the soles most of the time! Just walk on your heels like a penguin!

[RobDad]

I discovered the same effect with the natural rubber/crepe soles of Clarks Desert boots. Literally like ice skates on a rainy day. In comparison leather soles are way more grippy!!


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[rdesouza]

Just put rubber soles on. Protects the leather as well

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[Michael 38]

I always wear leather soled shoes a couple of times then get stick on rubber soles from eBay

[bonzo697]

I appreciate this isn't always possible, but I was told by a shoe repairer to wear leather soles in dry condition for 2-3 weeks before going in the rain as it's the oils in the new leather that cause you to slip. It does make a difference and it will also prevent premature wear to the soles.

[Chalet]

I ended up with with ankle ligament damage slipping on a wet surface with my leather sole Loakes!

Slipped walking into a hospital

[relaxer7]

I bought a pair of leather soled shoes once...never again.

I hear that!

[jwg663]

I discovered the same effect with the natural rubber/crepe soles of Clarks Desert boots. Literally like ice skates on a rainy day. In comparison leather soles are way more grippy!!

The clue is in the name -- desert = arrid, dry, lack of precipitation.

I appreciate this isn't always possible, but I was told by a shoe repairer to wear leather soles in dry condition for 2-3 weeks before going in the rain as it's the oils in the new leather that cause you to slip. It does make a difference and it will also prevent premature wear to the soles.

It also builds up a layer of micro-grit on the leather sole which provides traction in the wet.

[MrSmith]

just get a thin Topy sole put on the leather sole by a good cobbler.
i know people say this stops the leather breathing but if you rotate your shoes and use shoe trees then this will not be an issue.
i’ll go through a layer of leather on the toe in a matter of weeks so it’s a necessity if i go for a leather sole. for day to day wear i usually have a commando or dainite sole but a slimmer oxford type shoe means a thinner leather sole.

[Daddelvirks]

It pees down most afternoons in Bogotá, I'd be stuffed on the brick pavements without Dainite soles.

What's this?

You've got a bit of the same climate as Suriname I guess, flip flops all the way I'd say :)

Never smarter than in a suit with flip flops..........

Daddel.

[Carlton-Browne]

I appreciate this isn't always possible, but I was told by a shoe repairer to wear leather soles in dry condition for 2-3 weeks before going in the rain as it's the oils in the new leather that cause you to slip. It does make a difference and it will also prevent premature wear to the soles.

It also builds up a layer of micro-grit on the leather sole which provides traction in the wet.

This - I learnt it from John Rushton who I've bought most of my shoes from.

[Mr Curta]

What's this?

You've got a bit of the same climate as Suriname I guess, flip flops all the way I'd say :)

Never smarter than in a suit with flip flops..........

Daddel.

Not in Bogotá, thanks to being at an altitude of around 2,700m in the Andean highlands we have an average temperature of just 15 °C. The flip flops only come out when heading (literally) down to the coast.

[OliverCD]

This - I learnt it from John Rushton who I've bought most of my shoes from.

Thanks for that share Carlton... I've walked past the shop often, but never ventured in. With his love for jazz, I may well do next time and have a chat!

[Carlton-Browne]

With his love for jazz, I may well do next time and have a chat!

Please do; John's an absolute gent.

[Kirk280]

I like wearing leather soles shoes, wearing some today in fact. Luckily it doesn't rain often in Manchester....

[trident-7]

I only ever wear trainers or Crocs & never have any problem with traction

[Mr Curta]

I only switched to Dainite soles when moving back to the damp tropics, they have the added advantage of not attracting or storing the many disagreeable substances that are encountered on the streets. They have a genuine English heritage going back well over 100 years and are manufactured only just over the Northamptonshire border, in Market Harborough. http://www.dainite.com/flash.html

In the UK I would have been inclined to stick with leather, but I'm pleased to note that the shoe handled by John Rushton early in the video clip appears to have a Dainite sole.

[walkerwek1958]

I remember my Dad gluing rubber treads on his leather soled shoes as a matter of course.

Me too! My dad's job involved a lot of walking and he was forever getting shoes re-soled or fixing them himself. He even had a cobblers last, which I confess to scrapping when he died several years back.

Personally I'd never buy shoes with leather outer soles. Slippery when wet and they wear out far too quickly. Much as I like the idea of quality/expensive shoes I know they wouldn' t be practical given the amount of walking I do.

Paul

[yumma]

I only ever wear trainers or Crocs & never have any problem with traction

Trainers eh, how novel. I'm a socks and Croc's man myself.

Another one in the camp of tried leather once and vowed never to do so again.

[VDG]

As a quick solution just pop in to the nearest boots and buy an adhesive textile plaster band (without white absorption bit in the middle) stick it to your soles and you good to go. Just don't forget to take them of (if anything left) afterwards ;)

[Neil.C]

Me too! My dad's job involved a lot of walking and he was forever getting shoes re-soled or fixing them himself. He even had a cobblers last, which I confess to scrapping when he died several years back.

Personally I'd never buy shoes with leather outer soles. Slippery when wet and they wear out far too quickly. Much as I like the idea of quality/expensive shoes I know they wouldn' t be practical given the amount of walking I do.

Paul

Ditto Paul.

I'm not a great walker but I don't like ending up on my arse!

[geran]

I paid my very good indipendant shoe bloke to glue on some rubber treads for about £12 - job done

Yep, did the same with all my leather soled shoes / boots I have a pair of Trickers Boots they must be 15yrs old never had any bother.

[Franco81]

Mine just turn to mush and wear through. Had to get them re-soled.


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[Glamdring]

Segs. They're the only way to go.
http://www.blakeys-segs.co.uk/

[soundood]

Segs. They're the only way to go.
http://www.blakeys-segs.co.uk/

lol yeah, any hard surface is a skating rink in the wet, fun that I truly miss.

[JGJG]

I think people tend to be a bit too precious of leather-soled shoes and don't really know what to do with them.

The first thing to do when you get 'em is forget all those hundreds of pounds spent, turn them upside down and criss-cross them with a good sharp knife

[bloater]

I was off to a charity reception at St. James palace a few years ago all suited and booted lovely new suit and shoes.
Slipped on the first bit of wet floor I met just leaving the train station suit covered in mud and water, then got the next train home didn't make the reception as I couldn't turn up looking filthy and soaked.
Not been a fan of leather soled shoes since.

[VDG]

[Steve27752]

On a slightly different note......heavily armed Police everywhere. Very strange to see them on our streets.

Unfortunately a sign of the times.

[Jimmcb]

I paid my very good indipendant shoe bloke to glue on some rubber treads for about £12 - job done

That's the sensible option. Low cost remedial measure.

[Jimmcb]

I always wear leather soled shoes a couple of times then get stick on rubber soles from eBay

+1

[Glamdring]

I've never understood why the shoemakers produce leather soled shoes. They should be fined if anyone slips because it's all so predictable.

[Jimmcb]

I've never understood why the shoemakers produce leather soled shoes. They should be fined if anyone slips because it's all so predictable.

Seriously? Fined for what?

Shoes with leather shoes are worn in places other than rainy uk. I. These are the places where rubber literally melts - hence leather there is king.