{"id":40564,"date":"2022-11-16T07:20:38","date_gmt":"2022-11-16T06:20:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test-01.bergfreunde.de\/blog\/resoling-service\/"},"modified":"2022-12-30T08:50:39","modified_gmt":"2022-12-30T07:50:39","slug":"resoling-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alpinetrek.co.uk\/blog\/resoling-service\/","title":{"rendered":"The sole is worn out, but still good? Which brands offer resoling services?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Even the highest-quality shoes have their limits, and those limits can be as low as a couple hundred miles. After a certain amount of wear, soles can show major signs of wear and tear, especially in the areas where they\u2019re subjected to the most pressure. The material can even begin to crumble right before your very eyes, with scratches and holes developing on the rubber rand. All in all, things can start to look pretty grim down there after a while. Even with all that happening to the sole of the shoe, the nicely broken-in upper can escape virtually unscathed and have tons of life left in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As products of the throw-away society we live in, most of us would probably just toss the run-down shoes in the rubbish bin and go buy new ones. After all, there\u2019s hardly anything quicker or easier than just getting rid of them.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Climbers<\/a>
Your shoes are one of the most important pieces of kit. If the sole of your shoe is worn out, you might not feel comfortable walking in them, but it\u2019s no reason to toss them in the rubbish bin!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

How about you get the shoes repaired instead? After all, getting them repaired can be significantly cheaper than buying a brand-new pair, especially when it comes to expensive, high-quality mountaineering boots. This option not only saves resources and saves you money, but also allows you to get the most out of a good pair of boots. Of course, there\u2019s always a third option. You could just keep on wearing them until they officially kick the bucket. Of course, I wouldn’t recommend that. You wouldn\u2019t want your boots falling apart as you\u2019re climbing steep, rocky terrain, nor would you be doing your feet and ankles any favours walking around in boots with worn-out and potentially deformed soles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When is a repair worth it?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As you probably already know, shoe soles wear out much faster than the rest of the shoe. When the tread is worn down to the point that it is hardly visible anymore, then it\u2019s definitely time for a new sole<\/strong>. At this point, you should also have a look<\/strong> at the lower portion of the shoe for any other signs of material ageing<\/strong>. Of course, this is easier said than done. Oftentimes, signs of ageing can\u2019t be seen from the outside because they\u2019re developing on the inside as well. This has less to do with physical strain and much more to do with moisture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s even a technical term for the moisture-induced deterioration of the inside of the sole (more specifically: the midsole and heel wedge), namely hydrolysis<\/strong>. Hydrolysis is something you want to avoid at all costs. In fact, it\u2019s the main reason why proper care, thoroughly drying your shoes (during and after your trips) as well as storing them in a dry place are all so important!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether and when it\u2019s worth it to get your shoes repaired is, of course, a question of cost as well. The costs<\/strong> depend on what kind of shoes they are and how many parts of the sole need to be replaced. In other words, getting a pair of walking or trekking boots<\/a> repaired will be cheaper than crampon-compatible mountaineering boots.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Black<\/a>
Climbing shoes<\/a> are usually the cheapest to repair.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Repairing climbing shoes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Climbing shoes<\/strong> are usually the cheapest to repair. Replacing the worn-out sole of a climbing shoe will usually run around \u20ac20-\u20ac60. It\u2019d probably be cheaper if you just went to your local cobbler, but cobblers usually lack the expertise in climbing shoes and mountaineering boots. It\u2019s really hit or miss. For quality brand-made mountaineering boots<\/strong>, sole repairs can cost around \u20ac40 to \u20ac80, depending on the repairer and the time needed to finish the job. Online, the prices can skyrocket up to \u20ac100. That may sound like a lot of money, but when you think about how much you\u2019d have to spend for new boots, it\u2019s still much cheaper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your shoe has a membrane (e.g. GORE-TEX), make sure the shoes are still waterproof before getting them repaired. If they\u2019re not, it might be a good idea to buy new ones instead. Obviously, this is a non-issue with full leather boots or those without membranes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do repairs work? What are the possibilities?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In principle, replacing the sole <\/strong>of a shoe is very simple: The old, damaged sole is sanded down or removed, and the new one is glued on \u2013 that\u2019s about it. However, in practice, it can be much more difficult than it sounds, even if nothing else has to be replaced. That being said, it\u2019s best to leave the whole process to professionals<\/strong> who are not only familiar with the process and the sole unit but also capable of replacing the shoe rand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To get the shoes into the hands of a professional, you can usually go through the retailer<\/strong> you bought them from. The dealer will then send the shoes to the manufacturer. Collection or shipment of the repaired shoes will also be handled by the dealer. Returning the shoes to the manufacturer directly<\/strong> is only possible in rare cases, which is why several shoe manufacturers list authorised dealers on their websites. We\u2019ll have a look at the requirements of renowned mountaineering boot<\/a> brands in the Alpinetrek shop in the final section of this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternatively, the following three options remain:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n