• Home
    • Recent
    • Calendar
    • Register
    • Login
    Iron Heart Forum
    Iron Heart Forum

    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Collection Preview - Now Live

    Favorite shoe soles & heels?

    Footwear
    12
    19
    7.1k
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • FinksterF
      Finkster
      見習いボス
      Joined:

      Shoes and boots are our daily companions .. and beside the comfort, is a good traction very important.
      Some soles are too slippery - others are too sensitive (and the next cobbler is your best friend) .. Is this brand specific? - resp. 'Do you have a favorite brand for your soles & heels?'

      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • ?
        Guest
        Joined:

        Is there anybody who knows this Bootmaker?

        http://sagaraindonesia.com/site/

        Gesendet von iPhone mit Tapatalk

        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • neph93N
          neph93
          見習いボス
          Joined:

          Vibram for the win imho. After that it's the following factors:

          1. Practical use
          2. Aesthetics

          I need good grip all year round, because of snow/ice/slush from october-may, and a lot of loose grit and mud the rest of the time. I could have #100 on everything and that would be fine. But they are a little large and in your face at times. I've just ordered a pair of custom Wesco's and would have loved a #705 sole because of point 2. above but went for the #430 because of point 1. Hopefully they'll be the perfect year round compromise sole.

          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

          “Some of those that work forces
          Are the same that burn crosses”

          • Virginia Woolf
          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • FinksterF
            Finkster
            見習いボス
            Joined:

            @G.F.:

            Is there anybody who knows this Bootmaker?
            http://sagaraindonesia.com/site/

            NoKipple offers some Sagara Boots in Europe (for a very good price) … I've personally no experience with this shoes.
            http://nokipple.com/pages/sagara
            @Megatron1505 could help you surely for further questions

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • FinksterF
              Finkster
              見習いボス
              Joined:

              ^^ I'm also a sucker for full Vibram soles / heels … I had / have a lot of other brands and different combos on my boots --- no grip with Dainite, Cat's Paw heels crumbling after a few months of constant wearing, etc. ... If, I have the option to choose - Vibram!

              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • mikebarhootM
                mikebarhoot
                Iron Heart Deity
                Joined:

                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.

                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • J
                  jdl1279
                  Joined:

                  I like Vibram and Biltrite. As to say which is better would be difficult.

                  Bourbon: because living in Kentucky just makes you want to drink

                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • Megatron1505M
                    Megatron1505
                    見習いボス
                    Joined:

                    @G.F, drop me a PM if you need info on Sagara  🙂

                    Made in England, clothed in Japan, fed in America and drunk in Belgium !

                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • ChrisC
                      Chris
                      Raw and Unwashed
                      Joined:

                      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.

                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • GraemeG
                        Graeme
                        啓蒙家
                        Joined:

                        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.

                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • den1mheadD
                          den1mhead
                          Raw and Unwashed
                          Joined:

                          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;

                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • FinksterF
                            Finkster
                            見習いボス
                            Joined:

                            ^ unfit for daily use  😉

                            … but a winner for the mountains

                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • den1mheadD
                              den1mhead
                              Raw and Unwashed
                              Joined:

                              @Finkster:

                              ^ unfit for daily use  😉

                              The Meindl Air Revolution boot is, agreed. However I'm highlighting the Vibram brand as my choice through this demonstartion  😉

                              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • neph93N
                                neph93
                                見習いボス
                                Joined:

                                @Chris:

                                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.

                                Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                                “Some of those that work forces
                                Are the same that burn crosses”

                                • Virginia Woolf
                                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • StarsSuckS
                                  StarsSuck
                                  Haraki san Prodigy
                                  Joined:

                                  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.

                                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • Megatron1505M
                                    Megatron1505
                                    見習いボス
                                    Joined:

                                    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.

                                    Made in England, clothed in Japan, fed in America and drunk in Belgium !

                                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • GraemeG
                                      Graeme
                                      啓蒙家
                                      Joined:

                                      Vibram Christy in camouflage. I much prefer this to the white. (Not my pair of boots BTW.)

                                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • BrownIconB
                                        BrownIcon
                                        Joined:

                                        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.

                                        http://3rdiconfess.tumblr.com

                                        To a denimhead, the journey itself is the destination

                                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • Cold SummerC
                                          Cold Summer
                                          Joined:

                                          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.

                                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • First post
                                            Last post
                                          Copyright Iron Heart 2022.