Disintegrating shoe soles

I was at a talk once and lady sitting behind began to complain about her shoes. The soles were literally falling to bits. We all looked at them in the tea break. They were from Hotter too...

I’ve experienced this with 2 pairs of shoes. One Hotter and the other Clarks. Both relatively new but I hadn’t worn them for about 18 months due to a bad flare up of plantar fasciitis and the orthotic supports provided at the hospital didn’t fit comfortably in these shoes.

When my p.f calmed down I decided to give the shoes a try without the orthotic supports. They felt so comfortable as I started to walk in them. I felt like my feet were sinking into them. After the first few steps I realised my feet were literally sinking into the shoes 😆

The soles had completely flattened and broke into pieces on the floor.

I had the crumbling shoe problem with Hotter shoes. They were not new but just a few years old, good leather comfort concept shoes that were my favourites at the time. Was having lunch with friends when I went to the toilet and the sole of one of shoes started to disintegrate, it just crumbled away.
I now swear by Skechers instead for this reason.

I remember reading at the time it happened to mine that’s it’s a chemical reaction in the polyurethane in the soles called sole hydrolysis. Triggered by lack of use and the soles become brittle and disintegrate.

I have worn Josep seibel shoes as they fit me perfectly. I had one pair that I had not worn as I had various health issues Although they were about three years old when I did wear them the sole disintegrated on the first wearing This winter I have bought two pair of boots one a walking pair and the other a bare foot walking pair both are wearing well. Perhaps it is an age thing. As previously suggested is it built in obsolescence??

I had a pair of Russell and Bromley that did the same. They were lovely leather court shoes with leather soles. To be honest, I hadn’t worn them for years and decided to take them on holiday - big mistake - both soles split right across the middle as soon as I’d taken a few steps.

Yes, it's hydrolysis and polymer chain breakdown.

Polyurethane is a polymer made of long, flexible chains. Water molecules from moisture in the air penetrate the sole, attacking the molecular bonds and breaking the long chains into shorter, weaker components which eventually cause the shoe sole to crumble.

Storing shoes for long periods is more detrimental than wearing them. Regular use allows the flexing action to expel any trapped moisture and should keep the polymer structure intact for much longer.

One solution might be to store shoes with silical gel to absorb the moisture in the air.

Graphite facinating thank you it explains a lot

A couple of years ago I bought some Ecco walking sandals which were almost £100. I had had Ecco’s before and they lasted years. The soles on these just crumbled away in big chunks after a very short time. I returned them to the shop and they did an immediate refund so I suspect they knew it was a big problem. They asked no questions whatsoever.

I had no idea this could happen so thank you Faxgran. I have three pairs of hotter shoes, suitable for summer wear only, and I wear them infrequently, preferring Sketchers trainers for everyday wear.
I will make a point of checking them.

Fallingstar

I had the crumbling shoe problem with Hotter shoes. They were not new but just a few years old, good leather comfort concept shoes that were my favourites at the time. Was having lunch with friends when I went to the toilet and the sole of one of shoes started to disintegrate, it just crumbled away.
I now swear by Skechers instead for this reason.

This recently happened to me too, we were having a restaurant meal with friends and I realised on leaving thatI was leaving a trail of messy black bits on the flooring 🥴
Not Hotters but quite old shoes that looked perfect.I think it only happens to shoes and boots with black soles.

We must all buy lots of new shoes immediately!🤭

Ecco shoes do this too.
It's the foamy inserts that apparently cause the degradation from inside out.
Our local cobbler says it happens most to those that are stored - like my husband's "very smart" wedding pair!
He did re-sole them for him though.

Yes this does happen with Hotters. My DH had sandals which he took on holiday. First day they crumbled beneath his feet. The leather uppers were still ok. It also happened on a pair of my boots. I haven’t had it on any other brand.

I've had this occur with a couple of old pairs of Clarks shoes that I hadn't worn for ages. Very disappointing.

Oreo

We must all buy lots of new shoes immediately!🤭

Sounds like a plan 😉

Me too! I had two beautiful pairs of Hotter shoes, kept for best, rarely worn and stored, wrapped in their original tissue paper and kept in their boxes, at the bottom of a wardrobe.
On one occasion I then wore a pair to walk around town where the soles steadily disintegrated. They had to be thrown out. The remaining pair, on my checking, were found to be starting the same process. My research found the same answers as Graphite
Is this type of material still being used I wonder?
I make sure I wear all my Hotters regularly now to avoid the problem,
Incidentally, I think the manufacturing quality has gone down since Hotters were taken over a few years ago.

Perhaps people can talk about shows that have not had this problem

I had it with Clark’s many years ago - Nature Treks I think they were. We had just threaded (sailed through) The Needles on the IOW when dh asked what the dirty sandwich was that I was treading in. It was actually the whole sole of my shoe that had disintegrated. I had to hobble from the boat to the car park.

Gwyllt

Perhaps people can talk about shows that have not had this problem

I have a pair of Hotter boots, bought for £40 instead of over £100 from a Hotter outlet. It said they were seconds, but couldn’t see why. This was a few years ago.

They are laced walking type boots, not high ones.

They have been worn and worn, I love them, so comfy, resist water, they were a sort of plum colour which is rather faded now, but I don’t care.

I tried to buy a similar pair, but no longer made, it seems.

I hope they never conk out.

It happened to my husband wearing smart shoes for our daughter's graduation! Not the best day to be shedding lumps of black rubber as he walked.

The soles of my nearly-new Rieker shoes comprehensively disintegrated as I was walking round the walls of Lucca.
When I took the shoes back to the shop, I was told that I must have walked into some fluid which attacked the soles. No refund was offered.
I have not bought any Rieker shoes again, nor have I bought shoes from that shop since then.

Grannynannywanny, interesting, no point in keeping shoes for best any more!

Yes my niece who has worked in a shoe shop said they had many customer complaints. Keeping them in shoe boxes seemed to cause most problems!!