Is it worth getting shoes repaired?

Ash_Pole

I've only had these a year and already the heels are holed and there's a split in the midsole. The uppers are fine though. Does anyone know what (e.g.) Timpsons would charge for replacing the soles? Or is it possible to do a DIY replacement?

https://www.hushpuppies.co.uk/products/dean-boot-black

Bigphil1474

My OH gets her shoes repaired from time to time. If you take them to Timpsons, they'll tell you how much. Can't be that much if my OH does it.

vacheron

Depends on the shoes.

My wife has a couple of pairs of quite expensive German hiking boots which she recently had resoled with genuine Vibram soles for about £60. Given that the rest of the boots were in great condition and a new pair would be a few hundred pounds, and they were already comfortably worn in, it made sense.

I also have a pair of English made formal leather shoes with leather soles which I have had re-soled previously back when I cared more about what I looked like. However these will probably see me out now the amount of times I can be bothered to get dressed up now! 😊

If you can get a new pair for £37 in the sale like your link. I wouldn't personally bother unless they had some sort of sentimental value.

elsien

Also depends what material the sole is made out of as to how replaceable it is.

I have had some leather shoes. I’ve had to reload a couple of times because that was still cheaper than buying new at an independent cobbler. Others they couldn’t do or said it just wasn’t worth it..

casper_gutman

It can't hurt to ask. I actually once paid more to reheel a pair of boots than I'd paid for the pair new - they were in the sales for £20, and when the heels wore out I paid about £30 to have them repaired. It made complete sense, as they were such a bargain in the first place. I looked around for a similar replacement pair, but couldn't find them for less than about £80.

Rosa_Damascena

A slight aside - Lidl is selling an electruc device that dries out shoes - which made me think, if there's a hole in the sole, why would you not just dispose of it? I would not dream of going outside in non-waterproof shoes if rain was on the cards. Nor can I imagine sticking soft shoes suc as trainers in the washing machine, I cannot believe that this doesn't degrade the show.

horsewithnoname

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82181747#Comment_82181747

yeah, got one of those devices. Sometimes the weatherman gets it wrong and you end up with wet shoes, also some are designed to be washed, and come up looking decent. You don’t have to have a hole in your shoes to get them wet. Just have an outdoor job in the UK 😂

flaneurs_lobster

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82181751#Comment_82181751

Is this for trainer-type shoes? Because anything made of leather will be wrecked by drying at anything higher than room temperature.

Proper shoes would be stuffed with newspaper to aid drying but daresay most homes no longer have a permanent pile of newsprint.

As @vacheron says, if the shoes are of sufficient quality that they have a welted construction with the outer sole stitched to the welt then the whole sole can be replaced. I do this with Timberland deck shoes and walking boots. Looking at £60 - £80 at a decent independent cobbler - no idea if available at Timpsons.

strawb_shortcake

We have a local cobbler, most of their repairs are around £15, he resoled a pair of my irregular choice boots, I lost the decorative sole but they will last me and weren't really replaceable.

twopenny

If you've only had them a year and they're hush puppies I'd get in touch with them first. You may be out of the 12mts time but tell them how disappointed you are in a brand with a good reputation.

I'd get a price and whether they can be repaired to add to your complaint.

Worth a go.

A lot of modern soles can't be repaired but if you want to give it a try you can buy soles with the correct glue. They'll last a while but depends on how they are worn.

Ash_Pole

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82182060#Comment_82182060

TBH I didn't even think of complaining, but yeah, they should have lasted longer. I don't even think it was a year I only wore them over last winter. I'll give it a go.