It may not last quite as long as the alternatives, but in my opinion crepe soles make for the most comfortable shoes a man can wear. Attach them to a pair of suede chukka boots or a chunky pair of bluchers and there is nothing better for walking around on holiday or weekends in the fall and early spring.
I say fall and early spring because crepe does not like bitter cold or excessive heat. Crepe soles are made from sheets of rubber called Plantation crepe, which gets rigid in the first case and sticky in the second. Either condition is easily fixable but neither is found on rainy 50 degree days (about 10 degrees Celsius) when crepe's traction in the wet is most appreciated.
When the season's first pair of moleskin trousers comes out of the closet, remember the crepe-soled chukkas.
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4 comments:
Interesting post. What would you say are the advantages of a crepe sole compared to, say, dainite rubber?
I'm waiting on a pair of suede chukkas not terribly dissimilar to the ones pictured in your post, but with dainite soles, and am struggling to think of a reason to have preferred a crepe sole instead. Dainite provides decent traction, not obtrusive, and is more durable and so better for going for a walk in. Is your preference for crepe due to its greater flexibility?
Dainite soled shoes feel like conventional shoes with improved traction. Crepe soled shoes are like walking on a cloud. Big difference.
Any difference in durability, and I have no evidence to demonstrate that there is one, will only be discernable if they are the only shoes you wear.
Thanks for the reply. I haven't worn crepe soles for years, but when I did have a pair, that feeling you describe as walking on a cloud came across to me as flimsy rather than floaty. If I'm going for a walk anywhere where there's likely to be water/mud I would want to reach for a dainite sole instead because they "feel" sturdier. Sounds like I'm being unfair on the crepe sole due to an incorrect perception of their relative flexibility? Interesting!
I have a old pair of crepe soled Prada boots from 1995. They received extensive use over the last 15 years and only now have I realized they need to be resoled. Do most cobblers/shoe repairs deal with crepe?
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