I am not a smart man, but I know what Converse shoe repair is

December 31, 2009 3:38 PM

Converse All-Stars shoe repair ideas?

My year-old pair of Converse All-Stars are starting to rip along the sides, where the cloth meets the sides of the rubber soles. (one rip is roughly 1.5" long).

I have my replacement pair, but I'd like to keep this pair to bum around in... is there any good, cheap, dependable, simple way to repair these rips? I'm thinking of some kind of rugged patch with cloth backing which could be applied to the interior of the shoe, re-connecting the cloth with the sole from the inside.

(It's probably pointless, and I'll have to chuck them, but I thought I'd ask if anyone had a solution. With the current quality of All-Stars, this problem must come up pretty often)

posted by Auden to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (15 answers total)

i've never found a fix for this. i prolong it by trying to have 2 active pairs of chucks at any one time, maybe bought 6 months apart, so one pair doesn't get all the wear and tear.
posted by nadawi at 3:51 PM on December 31, 2009 [1 favorite]

A good fix if you're not going to be walking around in puddles, I've had success with temporary (4+ weeks) success with applying a patch of moleskin on the inside of the tear (inside the shoe) and then a quick whip stitch along the outside tear.
posted by banannafish at 4:04 PM on December 31, 2009

Duct tape.
posted by GPF at 4:05 PM on December 31, 2009 [2 favorites]

The Walmart here carries a tube of tennis shoe repair stuff called "Shoe Goo" that might work for you. It only costs a couple of dollars, and the goo is clear. The patch may be obvious but if they are for bumming around it may not matter.
posted by srbrunson at 4:07 PM on December 31, 2009

Duct tape is the historically correct answer.
posted by boo_radley at 4:16 PM on December 31, 2009 [6 favorites]

I've never even owned a pair, but I came in here to say that duct tape is what people normally use.
posted by skintension at 4:27 PM on December 31, 2009

My SO goes through Chucks like crazy. At least 3 pairs a year, and they all rip right where you're describing. They don't make them like they used to. He's tried everything, and duct tape is about the only thing that works for more than a day or two. Even then, it's a very temporary fix. I recommend a Converse outlet store where if you're lucky the shoes can be replaced for $20.
posted by cgg at 4:27 PM on December 31, 2009

Ditto Duct tape. I have used this solution since 1972. Seriously. Twice around the shoe and you are good to go for a while.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 5:07 PM on December 31, 2009

If you're worried about aesthetics, go for colored duct tape.
posted by NoraReed at 5:28 PM on December 31, 2009

Shoe Goo FTW.
posted by torquemaniac at 5:32 PM on December 31, 2009

The duct tape is probably the most cost efficient fix, but take into consideration that 'guy wearing chucks' and 'guy wearing chucks with duct tape on' create different impressions (at least on me).

They're not massively expensive. If you need two pairs then its probably worth just buying another new pair.
posted by muteh at 5:32 PM on December 31, 2009

Chucks are notorious for this. I wouldn't really worry about it. I have my bummin' pair, and there are matching holes on each pair where my pinky toe rubs the shoe wall. I still wear them, but just for junk work. I actually refer to them as "My Busted Chucks" and use them for chore work. Embrace the wear and tear, it's the sign of a well loved shoe!
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 8:33 PM on December 31, 2009

Embrace and in fact enhance the wear and tear with coloured duct tape, shoe goo'ed on patches, add some Sharpie embellishments, go with all of these together and make a new look of patchwork Chucks. Better still, do this once you have 2 pairs of different colour worn out shoes and wear one from each pair together as a multi colour new look.
posted by kch at 9:38 PM on December 31, 2009

Once the fabric starts to pull from the rest of the shoe, the Chuck is in its final death throes. You can put it on life support via duct tape, but that will merely prolong the suffering. Death will still come.
posted by Thorzdad at 7:30 AM on January 1, 2010 [2 favorites]

For my feet and wear patterns, the Achilles Heel of Chucks is the actual heel. But yeah, for the seam tear Shoe Goo can prolong life a little bit, and duct tape can hold them together, but once the integrity goes that first time any repair you do will change the way they feel on your feet, and why they feel so good, and then the end is near.

You'd be best off buying a new pair a hundred miles or so before the old ones reach the critical stage - then you can break in the new ones and break down the old ones simultaneously, without having either job mess up your feet or your life too much.

Chucks are an evanescent joy - don't try to artificially prolong their life.
posted by dirtdirt at 12:00 PM on January 1, 2010