Will leather insoles protect my feet from poke-throughs?
September 3, 2013 5:40 PM   Subscribe

I have a pair of admittedly cheap shoes with thin rubber soles. Sharp objects poke through them, and I've recently been painfully pricked by a thorn, and by broken glass. Can I save these shoes by adding leather insoles to protect me?
posted by Bradfordian to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (6 answers total)
 
Can you try adding a topy?
posted by Comrade_robot at 5:46 PM on September 3, 2013


You could resole them, adding a complete new layer of leather.
posted by francesca too at 5:58 PM on September 3, 2013


If your shoes can be resoled--i.e., the uppers can be separated from the soles--do that, rather than trying to armor your foot with another insole. If your shoes can't be resoled, you've purchased a disposable pair of shoes, made to be discarded. Throw them out and buy new shoes.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 6:33 PM on September 3, 2013 [2 favorites]


Anything meant as an insole won't be tough enough to prevent pointed objects from penetrating. And unfortunately, if your shoes are made with synthetic materials in the soles, it's unlikely you can have them resoled with oak tanned leather soles, of sufficient thickness and density to stop your problems.

Next time, look for "full welt" or "3/4 welt" construction, and oak tanned leather soles as original construction, and be prepared to pay for same. Such shoes/boots can be resoled many times, and should protect your feet for years, if treated decently.
posted by paulsc at 7:20 PM on September 3, 2013 [1 favorite]


Have a cobbler add a more substantial rubber sole. I've had that done to leather soled shoes, but it shouldn't be a huge leap to add it to rubber soled shoes.
posted by amandabee at 7:39 AM on September 4, 2013


They're designed for orthotic problems (specifically turf toe), but a steel plate insole would keep your soles from being poked through your soles.
posted by thatdawnperson at 3:27 PM on September 4, 2013


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