I have 6 pairs of redwings with 2.0 soles. The only ones that fell apart are from 2006. Had them resoled in 2018. 5 years later they are excellent and super comfy. $119 fir redwing to resoled every 12 years is fine with me For the comfort
That how I found this video. Brought a pair of $500.00 gucci sneakers in 2012. Fast forward took them out 2020 after wearing them once. Wear them to work and within 5 hour the whole bottom of my shoes started falling apart. Huge chunks and the shoes looks awful. $500.00 down the drain!!!!
I had 2 pairs of boots which I had not worn for a few years. They had been stored in different wardrobes. Recently, I decided to wear these again, but within a few hours the upper material (not the soles) literally crumbled. Both pairs are destroyed now. I did not know that this would happen to shoes you have not worn for a long time. Really informative video. Thank you very much.
…..ideal humidity conditions bring about the polyurethane soles disintegration …. shoes stored in shoe boxes ( or not ) in a closet , attic garage etc. will crumple …..
Thanks for the explanation. I had a really new pair of white Nike shoes, sat in the closet for several months. My house gets hot during the day but being Hawaii I guess it's humid everywhere. The heel of the soles crumbled, I wanted to resole them but no nearby shoe shops and the labor cost would have been equal to a new pair. I threw them out 😞
I have a pair of ecco shoes with PU sole, which I've bought in 2003, and soles still looks fine. But after 2005 this soles problem appeared in all ecco shoes. Since 2005 every my new pair of ecco (I own(ed) a lot of them) dies in 2-4 years because of problems with soles. Looks like they intentionally decrease the life period of their products to increase sales.
I'm glad that I found this video. I've recently transitioned into shoe repair, and in the last week, I received three pair of work boots in which the soles had crumbled to bits. One pair had been in a closet for two years and had begun to crumble almost immediately. Wolverine, Red Wing, and Rocky boots were the virtue-signaling environmentalists guilty of deceiving their customers by pretending to believe that they're selling quality, cost-effective footwear.
Get shoes with rubber Soles, they are heavy but stable…I honestly have a lot of Pumas with rubber soles and they are still fine…some of them are 8-10 years old…
Hello bro I have 4 sets of polyurethane shoes what should I do to prolong their life and is there any liquid or something in market that increases their life
Using them on a regular basis is what's recommended to push any moisture out of the soles. Some manufacturers recommend to set them on their side, as moisture may get trapped in the soles under the rubber outsole. Also, adding silica gel packets to the shoe box can help.
New old stock military boots had a 1cm PU foam layer between the sole and the shoe. Pretty comfortable for a month, then they fell apart. Got them resolved without the foam layer, not as comfortable but oh well.
Thanks this explains why my Walking Company boots, which I never wore, but stored for 10 years, just fell apart. The soles are the consistency of a brownie. Makes me afraid to every buy shoes again. It's not environmentally friendly if it causes more shoes to be thrown out.
Is it really hard to repair detached soles of sneakers? I have a lot of shoes that has not really been used at all. Many of then stored in the original box. And same with your video, all of them had the soles detached… When I took then to the repair shop all they did was glue the sole. But Unfortunately after a week or so it just get detached again…
You're right about that. PU soles will crumble and the glue won't hold on that unfortunately. You'd have to take the entire midsole off and rebuild it at a significant cost, but it often won't look good around the edges.
Thank you so much!! I got these fabulous, good quality shoes from a second-hand store two days ago. Barely worn, but the sole literally disintegrated after two days!! Now I know why!! Now I just have to figure out how to replace the soles!!
Awesome video! 🏆 I have searched the Internet for a long time trying to find out about this problem with the sole of my shoes. You are the only one who have the answer to my question. Thank you for posting this video.🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
So is there anything you can do to bring the soles back if they are stiff and about to break? If it's hydration based, can you put them in an oven at say 100f or possibly a dehydrator or maybe some other chemical you can put on them?
@@FootGeekzTV in 3d printing, the filament behaves similar. it becomes brittle when moisture is absorbed. in that industry they have created filament dryers which in effect takes the water out and they plastic returns it's flexibility. my assumption is this could save some shoes.
@@Gadget_Evaluator Yes, we have used these before with our 3D filament. However, PU has a tendency to rot from the inside out. I believe keeping the footwear in a box with moisture absorbing pouches would be beneficial.
I bought 6 year old leather sneakers that haven't been worn. Hoping I can condition them so that way I can wear them. Didn't know buying old shoes was more of a "trohpy/showcase" kind of thing lol.
Thank you for your video. I have a pair of leather sneakers I have not worn for a few years. It still looks very good but when i put it on and found it quite sticky to the floor every step I walked. I have tried alcohol, and sanded down the surface of the sole with sand paper block, but don’t seem to work. I wonder if you can help.
🤦♀️ I have these cute faux fur boots that I had for ONE year- I ordered them in winter and wore them that winter, the next winter I went to wear them and noticed when I got home the sole had crumbled... I’m all for being environmentally friendly, but such rapid disintegration is ridiculous... while I know a group who recycles shoes, most would just chuck them in the landfill 🤷🏼♀️ This is creating more waste as many ppl have a variety of shoes and if the soles disintegrated, the shoes will end up in the landfill vs the person wearing them or passing them on to someone else
This is ridiculous. I can't wear all my shoes all the time. Sometimes I don't wear shoes for a year. I've had multiple pairs of shoes, some expensive, some not, literally crumble to dust as I was walking. It's disgusting. I put on a pair of boots yesterday that I love, but haven't worn since July, and the heel just starting separating from the foot bed, which looks like it was made like crap. Just glue, no tacks or staples, nothing to keep that heel on that honey combed foot bed except glue, and these boots were not cheap. It's like throwing money out the window. I don't know what to buy anymore. I don't want to hear about environmentally friendly bullsh*t. It's like they make the damned shoes to fall apart on purpose. I have no idea what to look for when buying shoes. Every time I wear shoes now I worry that they will simply fall apart as I walk. I always wear tall heels, and I end up having to take them off and walk with my pants dragging on the floor until I get home, because once again the heels are disintegrating like someone poured acid on them.
I agree - environmentally friendly - what a load of nonsense. Build things to last. Don't force us to waste the world's resources by making shoes that intentionally fall apart after only a couple of years. Our grandchildren won't thank us for buying junk that doesn't last and wastes the world's resources.
Same things with Jordan 2-9’s. They all use polyurethane midsoles. A lot of collectors have lots of sneakers so they don’t get to wear all of them often. So yeah, it would crumble. I really hope they switch to using phylum midsoles on J’s and maybe other shoes that usually have polyurethane midsoles.
I purchased over $600.00 worth of Redwing work shoe's. I wore them on ice..and those dam polyurethane shoe soles nearly killed me. 3-shoulder operations and one was a replacement. Plus two concussions over 3-years. I finally asked redwing what the hell was going on and the store rep told me not to wear them on ice only on concrete. Well who would have thought that after spending over $600.00 dollar's on work shoes that you can only wear them on concrete. I haven't been able to work over 8 months in the last 5-years.. polyurethane foot wear needs to be banned...
The planet has been through a lot worse than us. Been through earthquakes, volcanoes, plate tectonics, continental drift, solar flares, sun spots, magnetic storms, the magnetic reversal of the poles … hundreds of thousands of years of bombardment by comets and asteroids and meteors, worldwide floods, tidal waves, worldwide fires, erosion, cosmic rays, recurring ice ages … And we think some plastic bags and some aluminum cans are going to make a difference? The planet isn’t going anywhere. WE are!
I forgot to mention. How is throwing the whole boot into a landfill, after 3 years, a good thing ? If boots lasted 10 years, no one would need to replace very often. But I guess the shoe game is to get us to replace as often as possible.
I haven't experimented with that. However, most shoes have these pouches added to the boxes on their travel to North America via container ship. The purpose is to keep the moisture out. It's worth a try.
Just buy Temu shoes. Yes, they are cheap but you don’t lose much like buying the expensive ones and they crumble when you don’t wear them in a long time.
Good point, but they most likely have EVA and rubber outsoles that would most likely not be affected by this. The upper may be made of PU, which may start to peel over time.
@@Steve-hh9gs4yo2i once the material is rotting there's no way to restore it. You may be able to remove the rotten part and then fill it in with another material to extend the lifespan of the shoe. If it's rotten all the way through there's no way to restore it
Can you please define "long period of time". Since material absorb moisture, does it means that are not suitable to be used in rainy days(a rainy days is a estrem case of humid environment)? Thanks
Rainy days don't affect these soles unless they're already in a bad state. We've fixed broken PU soles before. However, you have to remove all materials that have started to disintegrate and then rebuild the sole. Keeping them in a closed space, such as a closet, in a humid environment can cause them to decompose.
How would the soles get less moisture if you wear them in the wet outdoors and walk in puddles and everything? Is it more about giving the material regular compression and movement so that the hydrolysis gets interrupted or something such?
The purpose of moving in the shoe is to push any accumulated moisture out of the sole. Setting the shoes on their side can also help moisture drain out of the sole, which is often prevented from escaping through the rubber soles glued to the bottom of the footwear.
ok, ill play along. how does having a pair of high end boots(ie merrills, etc) that you only need to wear a couple of months out of the year because your geography rot in your closet help the “environment”? it seems to help the manufacturer but definately not the consumer or the polar bears
Merells usually have an EVA midsole with a rubber outsole. However, even rubber outsoles will dry out over time and lose their grip. You're right, designing products to fail is common practice in all consumer industries these days, as a new sale is the profit center, and most consumers won't pay for repairs that cost almost as much as the new product. Thank you for advocating for change.
@@FootGeekzTV My Cabelas Meindl hikers completely fell apart. I guess it was the midsole. I see they do not recommend long term storage on their website. Too late now, but I would not have bought them if I'd have known that. I have shoes much older that have not fallen apart. It makes me not buy their product again, so I am not sure that is a good marketing strategy.
There should not be a manual on how to use these type or shoes. Imagine the amount of people cancelling their purchase when the salesman explains how to use these shoes. Imagine how many of these shoes are stored to long by either the factory/wholesaler or store. Some stores are discounting them after 5 years, and have to refund them after 1 “wear” Its not environmental friendly, its the opposite. Most of these shoes would last a lifetime, but hey guess who would go out of business. Its all for the money
Just checked out some pictures online and it looks like it has an EVA midsole and a rubber outsole, as well as the air cushion chamber. Sometimes the rubber dries out and loses its grip. Most likely it'd be fine though.
I bought a pair of rubber soled ankle boots a few months ago, and they were my go-to shoes. After just a few months, the soles fell apart! I think it has something to do with tarmac or pavement surfaces reacting to the rubber. Is there something you can protect them with? I now have a new pair, but I'm not wearing them till they're protected
Even Timberland boots soles tend to wear very fast and a worn heels of the boots give an ugly look to a brand new pair with in couple weeks of use because Timberland doesn’t use Polyurethane either
Many brands nowadays reduce the thickness of the rubber outsole to reduce cost and weight of the shoe. Have a local shoe repair shop replace the heel of your shoe with a thicker rubber piece for extra longevity.
If the shoe soles aren't completely destroyed a good shoe repair shop can grind out the affected material and fill it with another compound. Then they can finish it with new set of outsoles.
Get with the Nike design team then. I'm sure they'd be happy to cater to your personal preferences. Or buy New Balance, most are constructed of suede and harder rubbers. There are a lot of things I'd prefer, and there's also reality. (Actually Nike does have a whole line made with REgrind or whatever the name is for their recycled rubber/plastic. It's quite durable and comfortable 🤷🏼 Puma & Adidas also have proprietary recycled construction, it's all good & prbly longer lasting than the foam addressed in the vid)
Thank you. This explains why the soles of the pair of leather Born clogs I wore yesterday completely detached, crumbled, and began to disintegrate! They had been stored in a shoe box with moisture protection, but a number of years old and had not been worn that much. They were also not cheap! The uppers are in great shape, and it's sad that I will have to toss them. I will certainly have to rethink future shoe purchases.
Sounds like using a silica damp trap or big dessicant pack in your shoe cupboard might help. Same as I put in my jacket wardrobe. That or not keeping them in a cupboard and stowing them near the room's heat source (??). I had it happen to an old pair of Ecco 'Hydromax' boots I was trying not to wear too much, to keep them good because I really liked them. Heel flaked into powder, ruptured and split. I've emailed pictures to a cobbler in Edinburgh to ask if the uppers can be remounted on to a new sole and heel unit (??). 'Hydromax'; as if they are 'super waterproof to the max', when, actually, the soles suck up atmospheric moisture over time like a sponge and then self-destruct. It's either blatant lies used as marketing or they just sit round a board table and pluck fancy words out of their arse.
I bought a couple of shoes . I have like 3 pairs of running shoes and one pair of hiking shoes but I don’t wear them often because I work from home . I am concerned about the gum wearing off and the shoes coming apart because I don’t use them very often .what can I do to preserve them and protect them from coming apart . Can I wear it at home and walk around for a bit will that keep the shoes warm and the gum intact ? If so how long should I walk around in them for ?Or is there any other ideas you can give me to protect my shoes from coming off ? Please help me and give me the solution as soon as you can . Ty.
Is the material of the soles made of polyurethane? Most running shoes have an EVA midsole and a rubber outsole. The EVA doesn't crack, but the rubber may become brittle or dry out over time. To prevent moisture from building up in the PU sole you could add silica packs to the shoe box for moisture absorption.
pls i have this safety boots i bought for like a year or two and i have not worn them before. jux recently i went to check it up in the box and the sole has become sticky and breaking small. pls i need your advice becos i don't want to lose that boot
Polyurethane shoe soles are not safe on ice and snow. Redwing shoe's are for wear house, and indoors on concrete. Never wear polyurethane shoe soles on ice or snow...
I owned around 2000 pairs of pu soles that are about a year and a half old..is there any chemical or pu based colour that will help improve soles expiry.
Why does wearing the shoes keep moisture out?! I would've thought a shoe would be exposed to a lot more moisture wearing it out in the world rather than leaving it in a box.
I bought a pair of Scarpa hiking boots because I like to do a few epic hikes every year. However, The mid sole deteriorated after only two or three years! These boots are expensive - they cost three or four times as much as any other type of shoe. The rest of the boot was in excellent condition because I waxed the leather after using them and looked after them. They were comfortable but I was very annoyed when I found that they had fallen apart. I would love to do more hiking - but "wearing them more often" is simply not practical - especially over winter. My question is this: the polyurethane deteriorates when it absorbs moisture, should I be storing them in a bag with some dessicant to avoid the moisture absorption problem? Or is this going to cause the leather to go brittle? Perhaps a good coat of wax would solve this problem?
Storing them in a shoe box with dessicant can help reduce the moisture absorption issue, as it would keep the moisture away from the footwear. Most manufacturers include dessicant pouches or stickers in shoe boxes to remove moisture. I wouldn't seal the footwear in a plastic bag.
Polyurethane soles have a smooth finish. They often feel a bit slippery on smooth surfaces, but will gain traction when worn on rough surfaces such as concrete. Occasionally they will be covered with a rubber outsole, which protects the PU layer from premature wear. The manufacturer's web site should note what type of material the soles of the shoes are made of. However, most PU soles are found in dress casual shoes, while running shoes have EVA midsoles with rubber outsoles.
I do not think that good shoes' sole should disintegrate because shoes are sitting in closet, it's nonsense! I have in my closet for 10+ years polyurethane sole shoes made in Germany, seldom wear them, and they are still OK. But I had 3 pairs of Macy's Alfani polyurethane sole shoes made... guess were? In China! Each of them disintegrate like crazy being almost unworn, not right!
I went out with my mum for the day & she noticed black crumbs where I had just walked & yet the pavement was clear when we got home I took my shoes off & I discovered the soles of my shoes were dissolving as we watched my mum had to sweep the floor & my nephew had a good laugh "omg I don't believe that" lol, the final was I had to ware my mum who's 75 gave me her bright pink trainers to ware home, omg what will my husband think. CJ
How i can prevent this while keeping my shoes in the box ? I have a lot of cool shoes with polyurethane sole and want to keep it in good condition. I cant wear 20 pairs of shoes at the same time ))
Reebok is the last brand that makes quality shoes for the price they charge. And use real leather. Nike on the other hand is a major let down. Their prices are absurd for what you get
2 to 5 years is not "durable". It's going to the trash for no reason. I had a pair of real leather boots fall apart on me because of this cr*p. A pair of shoes that could've lasted a lifetime will now end up in a landfill. How is that good?
Wow you are really trying hard to say my high priced hiking boots are supposed to fall apart. And I thought, with a bit of care, they would last 10 years. Silly me. Plus how on earth would wearing my fancy hiking boots, in wet places, keep the urethane dry? My boots stay in my basement where our dehumidifier keeps humidity at 50%. In winter we seldom get higher naturally. Better would be if the Mfg had a big warning label - DON'T BUY IF YOU INTEND TO KEEP THEM MORE THAN 3 YEARS. THEY WILL FALL APART THEN.
- Lol, I guess that explains why I've gone through about 4 (old) pairs of shoes and boots in about a month (due to them not being worn in years) - Dayum!
… they fall apart because they’re crap. There is no valid reason for expensive shoes or any shoes to fall apart. Bottom line: they’re crap and shame on the companies that sell them. I have running shoes, dress shoes, and hiking shoes from decades ago - no flapping soles from today’s useless glues, no disintegration. These shoes stand as a testimony that modern shoe materials are crap.
Horrible news for me since I bought shoes so that i wouldn’t have to buy new ones. i haven’t even worn them more than 5 times or less?! Not a very good return on my money either. The so called crumbling of the soles is no consolation since the other parts don’t crumble so easily. Then all these shoe trash gets into our landfill including the crumbled soles and eventually into our food supply. The nasty crumbled soles also get in our food supply with all the other pollution. A horrible case for us all. No wonder why we have so many different cancers and other diseases. Why can’t we just not be so greedy and consumer hungry? Super sad and super mad about this because I have a tennis shoes i haven’t even worn yet that was a gift right when the Covid started that I will probably never get to enjoy either!!! 😢
PU is a poor excuse to use on shoes. 1) my shoes all disinegrating. PU is a poor product to use on RV driver and passenger seats in our 29' Thor Four Winds drivable motorhome. Do you know how much a small motorhome costs?? 2) after less than 4 years our RV seats and sofa/dinette are destroyed so badly 2019 I tackled and finished reupholstering the sofa/dinette. And now I have to reupholster the cab seats next. It's rediculous!!! They just crumbled. We have no pets or children. Just two old people who drive north stay 2 months and drive back south. If it can't hold up to that little use it should never be allowed to be used by any manufacturer. Obviously the crap comes out of China. Stop defending this. There is no excuse for this.
You love a certain shoe style so you buy a spare pair and put them in the cupboard in the original box. 5 years later when the warranty has long expired you open the box to find the shoe disintegrating. The Danish billionaire owners aren't interested, so you've wasted your money. Well, mine.
We always recommend wearing both shoes at the same time, rotate them daily so that you get a longer life out of each and also improve your foot health as the footwear has time to dry out between uses.
![How to Measure Your Foot Size at Home [Perfect Width & Length]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/-07Gllupv48/mqdefault.jpg)
I have 6 pairs of redwings with 2.0 soles. The only ones that fell apart are from 2006. Had them resoled in 2018. 5 years later they are excellent and super comfy. $119 fir redwing to resoled every 12 years is fine with me For the comfort
That how I found this video. Brought a pair of $500.00 gucci sneakers in 2012. Fast forward took them out 2020 after wearing them once. Wear them to work and within 5 hour the whole bottom of my shoes started falling apart. Huge chunks and the shoes looks awful. $500.00 down the drain!!!!
This is why you don’t keep shoes in the box for extended times
Resole with aftermarket EVAs. The uppers are likely pristine leather and deserving of a visit to a cobbler.
Nah man you threw $500 down the drain by not even wearing them for the past 8 years lmaok
Sneaker collectors are WILD! Just put them on a rack or wear them once in a while to dry out !
@@_bit_this is why THE COMPANY SHOULD TELL YOU ABOUT THIS ON THE BOX
I had 2 pairs of boots which I had not worn for a few years. They had been stored in different wardrobes. Recently, I decided to wear these again, but within a few hours the upper material (not the soles) literally crumbled. Both pairs are destroyed now. I did not know that this would happen to shoes you have not worn for a long time. Really informative video. Thank you very much.
…..ideal humidity conditions bring about the polyurethane soles disintegration …. shoes stored in shoe boxes ( or not ) in a closet , attic garage etc. will crumple …..
Thanks for sharing Yes, many Vegan products now have polyurethane uppers, which can crumble just the same as the outer soles.
Thanks for the explanation. I had a really new pair of white Nike shoes, sat in the closet for several months. My house gets hot during the day but being Hawaii I guess it's humid everywhere. The heel of the soles crumbled, I wanted to resole them but no nearby shoe shops and the labor cost would have been equal to a new pair. I threw them out 😞
Thanks for sharing. Sorry to hear about the shoes. Once they start crumbling you'd have to replace the entire bottom to get it to stick.
I heard if you put then in zip locks with some silicate bags can help but you still gotta air them out once in a while
Puma Suede sneaker have rubber soles and last a long time. My go to sneaker for casual style
I have a pair of ecco shoes with PU sole, which I've bought in 2003, and soles still looks fine. But after 2005 this soles problem appeared in all ecco shoes. Since 2005 every my new pair of ecco (I own(ed) a lot of them) dies in 2-4 years because of problems with soles. Looks like they intentionally decrease the life period of their products to increase sales.
They may have added some other ingredients to speed up decay.
I'm glad that I found this video. I've recently transitioned into shoe repair, and in the last week, I received three pair of work boots in which the soles had crumbled to bits. One pair had been in a closet for two years and had begun to crumble almost immediately. Wolverine, Red Wing, and Rocky boots were the virtue-signaling environmentalists guilty of deceiving their customers by pretending to believe that they're selling quality, cost-effective footwear.
Get shoes with rubber Soles, they are heavy but stable…I honestly have a lot of Pumas with rubber soles and they are still fine…some of them are 8-10 years old…
Hello bro I have 4 sets of polyurethane shoes what should I do to prolong their life and is there any liquid or something in market that increases their life
Using them on a regular basis is what's recommended to push any moisture out of the soles. Some manufacturers recommend to set them on their side, as moisture may get trapped in the soles under the rubber outsole. Also, adding silica gel packets to the shoe box can help.
@@FootGeekzTV thanks
New old stock military boots had a 1cm PU foam layer between the sole and the shoe. Pretty comfortable for a month, then they fell apart. Got them resolved without the foam layer, not as comfortable but oh well.
At least you were able to put them back together. The cushion provided by PU is very comfortable I must admit.
Thanks this explains why my Walking Company boots, which I never wore, but stored for 10 years, just fell apart. The soles are the consistency of a brownie. Makes me afraid to every buy shoes again. It's not environmentally friendly if it causes more shoes to be thrown out.
Sorry to hear. It's planned obsolescence.
This is a great explanation, @FootGeekzTV
Is it really hard to repair detached soles of sneakers? I have a lot of shoes that has not really been used at all. Many of then stored in the original box. And same with your video, all of them had the soles detached… When I took then to the repair shop all they did was glue the sole. But Unfortunately after a week or so it just get detached again…
You're right about that. PU soles will crumble and the glue won't hold on that unfortunately. You'd have to take the entire midsole off and rebuild it at a significant cost, but it often won't look good around the edges.
Thank you so much!! I got these fabulous, good quality shoes from a second-hand store two days ago. Barely worn, but the sole literally disintegrated after two days!! Now I know why!! Now I just have to figure out how to replace the soles!!
Sorry to hear. A good shoe repair shop should be able to help you out.
@@FootGeekzTV thx!!
Awesome video! 🏆 I have searched the Internet for a long time trying to find out about this problem with the sole of my shoes. You are the only one who have the answer to my question. Thank you for posting this video.🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
Thank you. Glad it helped!
So is there anything you can do to bring the soles back if they are stiff and about to break? If it's hydration based, can you put them in an oven at say 100f or possibly a dehydrator or maybe some other chemical you can put on them?
Nothing that we've found so far.
@@FootGeekzTV in 3d printing, the filament behaves similar. it becomes brittle when moisture is absorbed. in that industry they have created filament dryers which in effect takes the water out and they plastic returns it's flexibility. my assumption is this could save some shoes.
@@Gadget_Evaluator Yes, we have used these before with our 3D filament. However, PU has a tendency to rot from the inside out. I believe keeping the footwear in a box with moisture absorbing pouches would be beneficial.
I bought 6 year old leather sneakers that haven't been worn. Hoping I can condition them so that way I can wear them. Didn't know buying old shoes was more of a "trohpy/showcase" kind of thing lol.
Thank you for your video. I have a pair of leather sneakers I have not worn for a few years. It still looks very good but when i put it on and found it quite sticky to the floor every step I walked. I have tried alcohol, and sanded down the surface of the sole with sand paper block, but don’t seem to work. I wonder if you can help.
Is the sole leather or PU? I'm assuming it's PU or TPU. If the sole is sticky as described it's usually a sign of the material being too far gone.
Thanks. A lot of “SOAP” branded skate shoes have PU midsoles and unfortunately start to crumble over 20 plus years
It's unfortunate.
🤦♀️ I have these cute faux fur boots that I had for ONE year- I ordered them in winter and wore them that winter, the next winter I went to wear them and noticed when I got home the sole had crumbled... I’m all for being environmentally friendly, but such rapid disintegration is ridiculous... while I know a group who recycles shoes, most would just chuck them in the landfill 🤷🏼♀️ This is creating more waste as many ppl have a variety of shoes and if the soles disintegrated, the shoes will end up in the landfill vs the person wearing them or passing them on to someone else
That’s because you didn’t let them dry completely after you wore then
This is ridiculous. I can't wear all my shoes all the time. Sometimes I don't wear shoes for a year. I've had multiple pairs of shoes, some expensive, some not, literally crumble to dust as I was walking. It's disgusting. I put on a pair of boots yesterday that I love, but haven't worn since July, and the heel just starting separating from the foot bed, which looks like it was made like crap. Just glue, no tacks or staples, nothing to keep that heel on that honey combed foot bed except glue, and these boots were not cheap. It's like throwing money out the window. I don't know what to buy anymore. I don't want to hear about environmentally friendly bullsh*t. It's like they make the damned shoes to fall apart on purpose. I have no idea what to look for when buying shoes. Every time I wear shoes now I worry that they will simply fall apart as I walk. I always wear tall heels, and I end up having to take them off and walk with my pants dragging on the floor until I get home, because once again the heels are disintegrating like someone poured acid on them.
I agree - environmentally friendly - what a load of nonsense. Build things to last. Don't force us to waste the world's resources by making shoes that intentionally fall apart after only a couple of years. Our grandchildren won't thank us for buying junk that doesn't last and wastes the world's resources.
Same things with Jordan 2-9’s. They all use polyurethane midsoles. A lot of collectors have lots of sneakers so they don’t get to wear all of them often. So yeah, it would crumble. I really hope they switch to using phylum midsoles on J’s and maybe other shoes that usually have polyurethane midsoles.
I purchased over $600.00 worth of Redwing work shoe's. I wore them on ice..and those dam polyurethane shoe soles nearly killed me. 3-shoulder operations and one was a replacement. Plus two concussions over 3-years. I finally asked redwing what the hell was going on and the store rep told me not to wear them on ice only on concrete. Well who would have thought that after spending over $600.00 dollar's on work shoes that you can only wear them on concrete. I haven't been able to work over 8 months in the last 5-years.. polyurethane foot wear needs to be banned...
The planet has been through a lot worse than us. Been through earthquakes, volcanoes, plate tectonics, continental drift, solar flares, sun spots, magnetic storms, the magnetic reversal of the poles … hundreds of thousands of years of bombardment by comets and asteroids and meteors, worldwide floods, tidal waves, worldwide fires, erosion, cosmic rays, recurring ice ages … And we think some plastic bags and some aluminum cans are going to make a difference? The planet isn’t going anywhere. WE are!
I feel you same here.. Specially Jordan's
My $200 shoes were hardly worn and completely fallen apart. I no longer buy PU sole as they don't last and very slippery.
I forgot to mention. How is throwing the whole boot into a landfill, after 3 years, a good thing ? If boots lasted 10 years, no one would need to replace very often. But I guess the shoe game is to get us to replace as often as possible.
Agreed. China's answer to taking all our jobs!
does adding some silica pouch gel to the container where the shoe is stored will prevent the material to absorb moisture ?
That's what suppliers use in shoe boxes during transfer
Will putting silica gels pouches in the shoe box help with keeping the PU to last longer ?
I haven't experimented with that. However, most shoes have these pouches added to the boxes on their travel to North America via container ship. The purpose is to keep the moisture out. It's worth a try.
@@FootGeekzTV China does not care that the soles fall apart while the tops are still wearable. Now we are really filling up landfills!
Are you sure that moist is the problem? It's like the opposite imo. They are too dry.
Once they start to crumble the material is dust like in nature.
so how do the collectors store their thousand pair of shoes
Time to bring moccasins back in style.
Just buy Temu shoes. Yes, they are cheap but you don’t lose much like buying the expensive ones and they crumble when you don’t wear them in a long time.
Good point, but they most likely have EVA and rubber outsoles that would most likely not be affected by this. The upper may be made of PU, which may start to peel over time.
is there a conditioner oil or silicone that can rejuvenate the soles if a bit dry??
@@Steve-hh9gs4yo2i once the material is rotting there's no way to restore it. You may be able to remove the rotten part and then fill it in with another material to extend the lifespan of the shoe. If it's rotten all the way through there's no way to restore it
Can you please define "long period of time".
Since material absorb moisture, does it means that are not suitable to be used in rainy days(a rainy days is a estrem case of humid environment)? Thanks
Rainy days don't affect these soles unless they're already in a bad state. We've fixed broken PU soles before. However, you have to remove all materials that have started to disintegrate and then rebuild the sole. Keeping them in a closed space, such as a closet, in a humid environment can cause them to decompose.
@@FootGeekzTV That's just rediculous! Get real!
Hmm.. Never again to Ecco Shoes polyurethane soles. I'll stick with rubber soles.
But they're so comfy while they last.. :p
Can you even buy rubber soles anymore? I am from the generation who had leather soles as a kid and teen. They lasted!
How would the soles get less moisture if you wear them in the wet outdoors and walk in puddles and everything? Is it more about giving the material regular compression and movement so that the hydrolysis gets interrupted or something such?
The purpose of moving in the shoe is to push any accumulated moisture out of the sole. Setting the shoes on their side can also help moisture drain out of the sole, which is often prevented from escaping through the rubber soles glued to the bottom of the footwear.
ok, ill
play along. how does having a pair of high end boots(ie merrills, etc) that you only need to wear a couple of months out of the year because your geography rot in your closet help the “environment”? it seems to help the manufacturer but definately not the consumer or the polar bears
Merells usually have an EVA midsole with a rubber outsole. However, even rubber outsoles will dry out over time and lose their grip. You're right, designing products to fail is common practice in all consumer industries these days, as a new sale is the profit center, and most consumers won't pay for repairs that cost almost as much as the new product. Thank you for advocating for change.
@@FootGeekzTV My Cabelas Meindl hikers completely fell apart. I guess it was the midsole. I see they do not recommend long term storage on their website. Too late now, but I would not have bought them if I'd have known that. I have shoes much older that have not fallen apart. It makes me not buy their product again, so I am not sure that is a good marketing strategy.
@@dicaeopolis8522 thanks for your input!
There should not be a manual on how to use these type or shoes. Imagine the amount of people cancelling their purchase when the salesman explains how to use these shoes.
Imagine how many of these shoes are stored to long by either the factory/wholesaler or store. Some stores are discounting them after 5 years, and have to refund them after 1 “wear”
Its not environmental friendly, its the opposite. Most of these shoes would last a lifetime, but hey guess who would go out of business. Its all for the money
I have an airmax 90 and it is new and unworn for about 4 years. Do you think if i wear it it’ll be still in a good condition?
Just checked out some pictures online and it looks like it has an EVA midsole and a rubber outsole, as well as the air cushion chamber. Sometimes the rubber dries out and loses its grip. Most likely it'd be fine though.
so i found my 10 years old sneakers their soles are soo dry and all i have to do is take a walk?
Probably too late now. Are they PU soles?
I bought a pair of rubber soled ankle boots a few months ago, and they were my go-to shoes. After just a few months, the soles fell apart! I think it has something to do with tarmac or pavement surfaces reacting to the rubber. Is there something you can protect them with? I now have a new pair, but I'm not wearing them till they're protected
Was the sole glued to the shoe? Is the tarmac or pavement very hot?
@@FootGeekzTV no, but it happened to a pair I had before
Even Timberland boots soles tend to wear very fast and a worn heels of the boots give an ugly look to a brand new pair with in couple weeks of use because Timberland doesn’t use Polyurethane either
Many brands nowadays reduce the thickness of the rubber outsole to reduce cost and weight of the shoe. Have a local shoe repair shop replace the heel of your shoe with a thicker rubber piece for extra longevity.
Is there a place that can replace the old foam midsole?
If the shoe soles aren't completely destroyed a good shoe repair shop can grind out the affected material and fill it with another compound. Then they can finish it with new set of outsoles.
Would like to see that. Ha!
@@FootGeekzTV I have an old pair of Dunham waffle Stompers that the midsole disintegrated. Is it a costly repair?
You won't be able to get them repaired using the same materials. In Canada it would be around 100-150.
Environmentally friendly? I prefer user friendly shoes that can be worn when I want to wear them, not junk that falls apart.
Get with the Nike design team then. I'm sure they'd be happy to cater to your personal preferences. Or buy New Balance, most are constructed of suede and harder rubbers. There are a lot of things I'd prefer, and there's also reality.
(Actually Nike does have a whole line made with REgrind or whatever the name is for their recycled rubber/plastic. It's quite durable and comfortable 🤷🏼 Puma & Adidas also have proprietary recycled construction, it's all good & prbly longer lasting than the foam addressed in the vid)
Then buy a different shoe, the fact they are designed this way so they can break down is a good thing.
@coreyrees840 micro, macro... all the stuff is plastic it's not environmentally anything good. Crumbled or not
Oh crap.. I have a ton of new shoes, unworn .
If u left ir shoes in the shoe bix for 3 moths will it ruin
Not necessarily. However, I would recommend adding some silica gel packets to the box to absorb moisture.
Thank you. This explains why the soles of the pair of leather Born clogs I wore yesterday completely detached, crumbled, and began to disintegrate! They had been stored in a shoe box with moisture protection, but a number of years old and had not been worn that much. They were also not cheap! The uppers are in great shape, and it's sad that I will have to toss them.
I will certainly have to rethink future shoe purchases.
Resole ?
Sounds like using a silica damp trap or big dessicant pack in your shoe cupboard might help. Same as I put in my jacket wardrobe. That or not keeping them in a cupboard and stowing them near the room's heat source (??).
I had it happen to an old pair of Ecco 'Hydromax' boots I was trying not to wear too much, to keep them good because I really liked them. Heel flaked into powder, ruptured and split.
I've emailed pictures to a cobbler in Edinburgh to ask if the uppers can be remounted on to a new sole and heel unit (??).
'Hydromax'; as if they are 'super waterproof to the max', when, actually, the soles suck up atmospheric moisture over time like a sponge and then self-destruct. It's either blatant lies used as marketing or they just sit round a board table and pluck fancy words out of their arse.
pls is there any liquid to make it hard like it was or anything i can do to make the sole hard again?
You'd have to remove the entire sole and replace it with a new after market bottom.
I bought a couple of shoes . I have like 3 pairs of running shoes and one pair of hiking shoes but I don’t wear them often because I work from home . I am concerned about the gum wearing off and the shoes coming apart because I don’t use them very often .what can I do to preserve them and protect them from coming apart . Can I wear it at home and walk around for a bit will that keep the shoes warm and the gum intact ? If so how long should I walk around in them for ?Or is there any other ideas you can give me to protect my shoes from coming off ? Please help me and give me the solution as soon as you can . Ty.
Is the material of the soles made of polyurethane? Most running shoes have an EVA midsole and a rubber outsole. The EVA doesn't crack, but the rubber may become brittle or dry out over time. To prevent moisture from building up in the PU sole you could add silica packs to the shoe box for moisture absorption.
pls i have this safety boots i bought for like a year or two and i have not worn them before. jux recently i went to check it up in the box and the sole has become sticky and breaking small. pls i need your advice becos i don't want to lose that boot
Resole it
The problem is I can't wear it linger as I have season shoes
You could store them in a box with silica pouches.
Polyurethane shoe soles are not safe on ice and snow. Redwing shoe's are for wear house, and indoors on concrete. Never wear polyurethane shoe soles on ice or snow...
My 1985 air Jordan’s are drying out
I owned around 2000 pairs of pu soles that are about a year and a half old..is there any chemical or pu based colour that will help improve soles expiry.
If you store them in a box you may want to add some silica gel pouches to absorb moisture.
Why does wearing the shoes keep moisture out?! I would've thought a shoe would be exposed to a lot more moisture wearing it out in the world rather than leaving it in a box.
As you walk on the material the compression of the material helps to push out the moisture, kind of like a sponge effect, just not that noticeable
I bought a pair of Scarpa hiking boots because I like to do a few epic hikes every year. However, The mid sole deteriorated after only two or three years! These boots are expensive - they cost three or four times as much as any other type of shoe. The rest of the boot was in excellent condition because I waxed the leather after using them and looked after them. They were comfortable but I was very annoyed when I found that they had fallen apart. I would love to do more hiking - but "wearing them more often" is simply not practical - especially over winter.
My question is this: the polyurethane deteriorates when it absorbs moisture, should I be storing them in a bag with some dessicant to avoid the moisture absorption problem? Or is this going to cause the leather to go brittle? Perhaps a good coat of wax would solve this problem?
Storing them in a shoe box with dessicant can help reduce the moisture absorption issue, as it would keep the moisture away from the footwear. Most manufacturers include dessicant pouches or stickers in shoe boxes to remove moisture. I wouldn't seal the footwear in a plastic bag.
Dessicant can help, but you have to replace dessicant also, they will absord moisture and will no longer be effective after a period of time.
How to make sport and casual shoes from polyurethane.i want to know it’s chemicals composition also
We don't manufacture shoes and don't have that exact information.
Hello Arpit - Pl contact me at 9871157065 for details
Which other shoe brand makes shoes and boots with polyurethane outer sole? Can you please explain.
Polyurethane soles have a smooth finish. They often feel a bit slippery on smooth surfaces, but will gain traction when worn on rough surfaces such as concrete. Occasionally they will be covered with a rubber outsole, which protects the PU layer from premature wear. The manufacturer's web site should note what type of material the soles of the shoes are made of. However, most PU soles are found in dress casual shoes, while running shoes have EVA midsoles with rubber outsoles.
Khurram Malik jordan brand
Troy Cape not anymore
I do not think that good shoes' sole should disintegrate because shoes are sitting in closet, it's nonsense! I have in my closet for 10+ years polyurethane sole shoes made in Germany, seldom wear them, and they are still OK. But I had 3 pairs of Macy's Alfani polyurethane sole shoes made... guess were? In China! Each of them disintegrate like crazy being almost unworn, not right!
I went out with my mum for the day & she noticed black crumbs where I had just walked & yet the pavement was clear when we got home I took my shoes off & I discovered the soles of my shoes were dissolving as we watched my mum had to sweep the floor & my nephew had a good laugh "omg I don't believe that" lol, the final was I had to ware my mum who's 75 gave me her bright pink trainers to ware home, omg what will my husband think. CJ
👍Way to go. Getting a head start on supporting breast cancer awareness. #pinksneakers
iv got 20 pairs of top end $1000 shoes and they are all falling apart due to not being worn
🙁
How i can prevent this while keeping my shoes in the box ?
I have a lot of cool shoes with polyurethane sole and want to keep it in good condition.
I cant wear 20 pairs of shoes at the same time ))
Try adding Silica Gel packets to your shoe boxes to help whisk away moisture.
Reebok is the last brand that makes quality shoes for the price they charge. And use real leather. Nike on the other hand is a major let down. Their prices are absurd for what you get
2 to 5 years is not "durable". It's going to the trash for no reason. I had a pair of real leather boots fall apart on me because of this cr*p. A pair of shoes that could've lasted a lifetime will now end up in a landfill. How is that good?
Agreed. Room for improvement
Pu sole shoes is good for regular use or not?? Plz tell me
If you wear the shoes on a regular basis it helps to draw out moisture from the sole.
@@FootGeekzTV means it's good to use it regularly ? And lasts for long time period.
Does keeping shoes in sunlight help?
Not necessarily. Direct Sunlight can cause the soles to discolour.
Is leather unworn shoes is falling apart too or not?
Leather may require the occasional polish to keep the material supple and prevent it from drying out and cracking.
Im devestated. My wedges are ruined.
i lost 2 shoes because pandemic. i didn't know that. one of them is leather shoes.
Wow you are really trying hard to say my high priced hiking boots are supposed to fall apart. And I thought, with a bit of care, they would last 10 years. Silly me. Plus how on earth would wearing my fancy hiking boots, in wet places, keep the urethane dry? My boots stay in my basement where our dehumidifier keeps humidity at 50%. In winter we seldom get higher naturally. Better would be if the Mfg had a big warning label - DON'T BUY IF YOU INTEND TO KEEP THEM MORE THAN 3 YEARS. THEY WILL FALL APART THEN.
I lost my sole. Can I be redeemed?
LOL.
- Lol, I guess that explains why I've gone through about 4 (old) pairs of shoes and boots in about a month (due to them not being worn in years) - Dayum!
Had two pairs of Asolo boots disintegrate below my feet. Buyer beware.
Any way at all to reverse it? That would save people hundreds of dollars. Thank you
Companies are working to improve upon current durability, but we are unaware of ways to reverse the process.
Video game collectors are LAUGHING at the dump shoe collectors 😅😂😂😂
When I find clothes that fit, I like to get spares for storage. This PU garbage makes that impossible for shoes.
We wouldn't recommend it. If you get spares, rotate them to prevent this issue.
… they fall apart because they’re crap.
There is no valid reason for expensive shoes or any shoes to fall apart. Bottom line: they’re crap and shame on the companies that sell them. I have running shoes, dress shoes, and hiking shoes from decades ago - no flapping soles from today’s useless glues, no disintegration. These shoes stand as a testimony that modern shoe materials are crap.
Wow, very soulful incites.
Lots of informations, thanks.
I hate foam soles.
Horrible news for me since I bought shoes so that i wouldn’t have to buy new ones. i haven’t even worn them more than 5 times or less?! Not a very good return on my money either. The so called crumbling of the soles is no consolation since the other parts don’t crumble so easily. Then all these shoe trash gets into our landfill including the crumbled soles and eventually into our food supply. The nasty crumbled soles also get in our food supply with all the other pollution. A horrible case for us all. No wonder why we have so many different cancers and other diseases. Why can’t we just not be so greedy and consumer hungry? Super sad and super mad about this because I have a tennis shoes i haven’t even worn yet that was a gift right when the Covid started that I will probably never get to enjoy either!!! 😢
PU is a poor excuse to use on shoes. 1) my shoes all disinegrating.
PU is a poor product to use on RV driver and passenger seats in our 29' Thor Four Winds drivable motorhome. Do you know how much a small motorhome costs??
2) after less than 4 years our RV seats and sofa/dinette are destroyed so badly 2019 I tackled and finished reupholstering the sofa/dinette. And now I have to reupholster the cab seats next. It's rediculous!!! They just crumbled. We have no pets or children. Just two old people who drive north stay 2 months and drive back south. If it can't hold up to that little use it should never be allowed to be used by any manufacturer. Obviously the crap comes out of China.
Stop defending this. There is no excuse for this.
If a shoe sole does not fall apart who would buy a new shoe?
You're right. It's how we keep the economy going. However, I believe most people her are concerned about unworn shoes becoming unusable.
You love a certain shoe style so you buy a spare pair and put them in the cupboard in the original box. 5 years later when the warranty has long expired you open the box to find the shoe disintegrating. The Danish billionaire owners aren't interested, so you've wasted your money. Well, mine.
We always recommend wearing both shoes at the same time, rotate them daily so that you get a longer life out of each and also improve your foot health as the footwear has time to dry out between uses.
nowadays, you really dont 'get what you paid for'
@@linchou69 true
Man using some butters shoes
“🎵 I’ve got something in my front pocket for youuu 🎵”
Nike's are shit!