Leather Soles on Ice.

• Mar 18, 2016

• #1

I

ironthinker

New in Town

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26

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Moorhead, MN

I love, collect and wear quality dress shoes. Most i buy on Ebay estate sales. I have two pair that have rubber soles and the rest have leather soles. I live in northern MN so the problem is walking with leather soles on ice, during our long Winters. The older I get the less i like the idea of shoe skiing. Any ideas out there?

 

• Mar 18, 2016

• #2

Dinerman

Super Moderator

Bartender

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Bozeman, MT

Rubber overshoes.

 

• Mar 18, 2016

• #3

Edward

Bartender

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London, UK

I tend to have the cobbler stick a thin rubber layer over my leather soles, which makes a big difference.

 

• Mar 18, 2016

• #4

Short Balding Guy

I'll Lock Up

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9,605

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Minnesota, USA

Minnesota resident here: +1 for rubber overshoe and rubber sole protectors. The light snow last night and the wet snow yesterday has me wearing rubber overshoes this morning during my commute.

Eric -

 

• Mar 18, 2016

• #5

Feraud

Bartender

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Hardlucksville, NY

Dress for the environment. If you're dealing with ice and long winters skip the dress shoe. Get a thick gummy soled boot!

 

• Mar 18, 2016

• #6

R

Retromoto

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MI

I'm over 60 and even with a rubber overlay on my boot's soles, I tend to skate more than I really want to. While I'm pretty agile for my age, I'm thinking a pair of those elastic gizmos that stretch over the sole and bite into ice/snow will be the ticket for next winter.
Retromoto

 

• Mar 18, 2016

• #7

robrinay

One Too Many

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Sheffield UK

Yaktrax - great product but just remember to wash and dry them before storing or the elastic a will perish. Ps take them off before walking on hard floors such as supermarket floors - feels just like leather soles in ice.

 

• Mar 18, 2016

• #8

R

Retromoto

One of the Regulars

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228

Location

MI

robrinay said:

Yaktrax - great product but just remember to wash and dry them before storing or the elastic a will perish. Ps take them off before walking on hard floors such as supermarket floors - feels just like leather soles in ice.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the input,
My local Postal route employees are wearing something similar as are Fireman where my son lives.
Retromoto

 

• Mar 19, 2016

• #9

Mathematicus

A-List Customer

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379

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Coventry, UK

I wonder what kind of shoes did people wear in Golden Age. I mean, what the average clerk in 30s would have worn going from home to the office in a long, icy winter?

 

• Mar 24, 2016

• #10

I

ironthinker

New in Town

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26

Location

Moorhead, MN

I have lived in ND and MN all my life. In the 1950 and almost everyone wore some kind of rubber shoe covering. Today I would guess it's less than 20%. This Winter I saw one older gentleman wear rubber streach overshoes, ( the kind that only cover the bottom half of an oxford), and a little girl had never seen them acted like they were a novelty from Mars.

 

• Mar 25, 2016

• #11

LuvMyMan

I’ll Lock Up.

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Michigan

ironthinker said:

I love, collect and wear quality dress shoes. Most i buy on Ebay estate sales. I have two pair that have rubber soles and the rest have leather soles. I live in northern MN so the problem is walking with leather soles on ice, during our long Winters. The older I get the less i like the idea of shoe skiing. Any ideas out there?

Click to expand...

One of the products I install on shoes is glued with Barge Cement (the product is already adhesive but not good enough to really stay without the Barge. It is a film that is both gummy and has some very good grip for walking in snow, ice, or rain. This is not like what some call, a Topy sole or sole protector, much more flexible, gummy, and more grip!

 

• Mar 25, 2016

• #12

GHT

I'll Lock Up

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New Forest

We don't get the heavy snow in winter like we used to, but I remember when wearing leather shoes, and walking in snow, would ruin the upper part of the shoe, leaving a white stain through the leather. Shoe polish could hide it, but once there, it never really disappeared. Once I had my drivers licence, and my first car, the problem was solved, but I kept a strong pair of Wellington boots in the car, for emergencies.