Leather soles V. rubber.

[Matt Deckard]

I switched to leather soles for a reason. I always thought they would be uncomfortable and my dress shoes were Rockports or other brands. When I started dancing I needed something that would slide on the floor a bit better so I bought some Stacy adams in the 90's... They had a plastic sole and were impossilble to be confortable to wear for long periods of time (they make better shoes now). I then moved on to florsheim witch had a leather sole with a rubber patch in the middle as well as rubber on the end of the heel. The florsheims were like walking on rocks and I would always carry a pair of sneakers with me for after dancing.

Alot of the dancers wear Vans with Chrome Leather (suede)leather soles that they have shoe shops put on the bottom. Not my look

Alot of dancers wear vintage shoes. I hadn't the time to search for vintage in my size.

Alot of dancers wore bleyers http://www.dancestore.com/, I just don't like shoes made specifically for dancing, some look okay, but not my thing.

I wanted shoes I could wear like they wore 'em in the 40's something that you would see old men wearing while mowing their lawns in. leather soled and comfortable.

Later on when I could afford it (around 1998) I bought my first pair of Allen Edmonds. They look just like vintage Allen Edmonds I have seen (vintage ones have brown leather linings) and are the first pair of leather soled shoes I have been able to wear daily without problems, I'd take them over Rockports.

I only wear leather soled dress shoes and they take me to the office and out dancing. Leather sole rubber tipped heal

My question is, What do you preffer, rubber or leather Dress shoes and why?

 

[PrettyBigGuy]

For day to day wear, I wears rubber soled Sketchers or Dr. Martins (when I'm not wearing Aldens). I also swing dance, and it's leather soles all the way. I have a pair of black & white spectators with leather soles (I forget the brand name) and 1 pair of Allen Edmonds. I even found a bowling alley pro shop that sold me a brand new pair of rental style bowling shoes that I wear for dancing. If I'm going for the "rockabilly look" I'll dance in my Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars. Even though they have rubber soles, they are flat and are pretty forgiving.
PBG

 

[Matt Deckard]

Originally posted by PrettyBigGuy
If I'm going for the "rockabilly look" I'll dance in my Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars. Even though they have rubber soles, they are flat and are pretty forgiving.
PBG

You will see pictures of dancers in the 40's wearing chuck taylors, Look the same as the ones sold today except the rubber wall around the sides was a little taller back then. You see pics of high school kids wearing them while dancing.

They are a classic shoe that passes for vintage. dancers wore 'em then and wear 'em now.

Good choice.

 

[kent]

I'm sold on leather soles and rubber heels. Mostly I'll wear the wingtips or an old pair of boots with leather soles of course. This is another reminder that I need to take up swing dancing. =)

I don't really enjoy wearing rubber shoes anymore, it's nice to know there's a mostly hard surface between my feet and the ground. Only time I'll wear something with rubber soles is for playing basketball.