Favorite shoe soles & heels?
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vibrams have been the most durable for me. for a long time (1980's i think). especially on riding boots (bike) or at offices with carpet over cement. for ranch / horseback riding, prefer leather. Just a few years ago i learned that leather sole life can be extended by treating them with a conditioner/oil as well. I started doing this but debatable as to if and how long it extends the leather life. IMHO.
only had 1 pr of cats paw. not impressed. only lasted a couple of months (literally 2 i think) before they started crumbling (bad). quite a few years ago. on a pr of western boots.
had a pr done in crepe (dont recal the brand). super comfy but not very practical or durable. id go with it again on a pr of boots if i was standing all day.
very pleased with sole, comfort, and wear on my Iron Rangers.
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@G.F, drop me a PM if you need info on Sagara
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Dunno who makes them, but the commando soles on my Viberg boots are pretty great. I'd put them on par with any of the Vibram soles I've had.
Dainite soles are only useable on dry surfaces. Anything wet and they slide all over the place.
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I like the Commando soles too. They're reasonably discrete on dressier boots, as the cleats are set back from the edge, so not so visible.
Aesthetically, I'm a fan of the full ripple Vibram sole. It's very soft and comfortable to walk on, but seems to wear down pretty quickly. I've probably had three or four months total out of mine, and the heel end of the sole is getting close to needing replacement.
The Dr. Soles on my W and Anchor shoes have stood up well. The rubber heels need replacing (and the heel liners are ripped), so they're another option for more traditional workshoes.
I don't have any particular preference for brands, but prefer soles that have a decent tread and lifespan.
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I make my assessment based across the whole continuum of situation that my boot soles & heels may find themselves in. I find I can trust my life in my boot soles & heels, on Crib Goch (see below), in Vibram so its Vibram for me;
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^ unfit for daily use
The Meindl Air Revolution boot is, agreed. However I'm highlighting the Vibram brand as my choice through this demonstartion
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Dunno who makes them, but the commando soles on my Viberg boots are pretty great. I'd put them on par with any of the Vibram soles I've had.
Dainite soles are only useable on dry surfaces. Anything wet and they slide all over the place.
Which Viberg's? My Viberg Smoke Jumpers have the Vibram #100 which I hear people call a commando sole.
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Man vibram is overwhelmingly the winner. I like a goodyear heel-they last forever. Actually the sole guards are decent to and have get many a pair of boots going strong for miles and miles.
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Not strictly soles, but for heels I pick Quabaug like on every pair of SD's I've ever had. Much better and longer lasting that Cats Paw.
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Goodyear Commandos' worked very well for me since I got into boots 7-8yrs ago. Got boots that're over 4y/o that're not even close to re-soling … not even any kind of sole repair.
As for the heels, however, rate of wear on the commandois about the same as any composite, e.g., Vibram 700__ Quabaug is good, but not widely available. The thing with the Commando heel tho' is that, it's more rugged/off-road looking & does not take taps … I mean it can, but would look odd
IMO, a hybrid= combination of commando sole + a 700 or Quabaug would be most appropriate for an urban setting like NYC, where u get all sorts of weather conditions & concrete abounds.
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I love the Dainite soles on my Vibergs - they can be a little slippery on wet, slick surfaces, but grip really nice to everything else, and feel good, too. Probably most of all, though, I just really like the look of them.
