Thread: Polyurethane shoe sole disintigrating

I bought a pair of Florsheim shoes a few years ago to wear to weddings and funerals etc. For me that is about once a year or so. They HAD Polyurethane soles. Today I went to a wedding and took them out of the box from under my bed. After driving 50 miles to the town the wedding was in I stopped at a gas station and when I got out something was wrong with my right shoe. I was leaving chunks/crumbs on the tar as I walked across the parking lot. The sole was just falling apart. OMG at the rate I have worn them I figured I could be buried in them.

Thank goodness it was mostly an outside wedding and reception but by the end of the evening there was nothing left of the soles on either shoe. The uppers were in perfect shape!

When I got home I looked into it on the net and I found out that the polyurethane soles have a shelf life of 4 - 5 years and storing them without use arguably shortens their lifespan.

Has anyone else had this issue? If not a heads up!

I have a pair of expensive hiking boots that did the exact same thing, the soles came apart in big tarry chunks. I still might get them resoled if possible

I've had many shoes tossed over the years for this problem.

Stepping on gasoline, diesel and some organic solvents do this.

Tim I hope you had your Red Wings with you as backup! Always acceptable to go to a wedding in Wings. Tc

Originally Posted by tcrideshd

Tim I hope you had your Red Wings with you as backup! Always acceptable to go to a wedding in Wings. Tc

I have done that and a funeral too.

I had that with a pair of Sears Boots years ago. That material is the Celluloid of the shoe world. They just disintegrate at will.

Originally Posted by tcrideshd

Tim I hope you had your Red Wings with you as backup! Always acceptable to go to a wedding in Wings. Tc

I had debated wearing my "dress" Red wings but didn't. And left them home.

Many shoe collectors lament this issue, because shoes are made to only last a few years. Especially with the Air Jordan shoes, there was a documentary/news special on it a couple years ago. I think there's a company trying to develop a more stable sole that will last for a longer amount of time, but my research-fu is failing me. This is why my parents bought me a pair of classically wood soled shoes for my highschool graduation, they're a decade old and still in fine condition.

Termites could be an issue...............

Originally Posted by dinnermint

This is why my parents bought me a pair of classically wood soled shoes for my highschool graduation, they're a decade old and still in fine condition.