Leather Soles vs Rubber Soles (8 Reasons I Prefer Leather) 

The slipperiness of leather soles shoes is a real concern especially on tiled surfaces (which tends to be most offices ). Even on my well worn in dress shoes the leather soles will still occasionally slip

Every single time it rains, I feel like I'm walking on ice. I've never once worn my rubber soled shoes and thought, gosh I wish I had more grip while in leather soles, it happens quite regularly. For that, my preference will always be rubber.

The grip is entirely dependent on the surface you're walking on. I cannot wear a leather sole to work (believe me, I tried) because they have zero grip on polished concrete floors. It's like trying to walk on ice. I ended up having to put rubber sole protectors on all my leather soled shoes and boots.

The day 1 grip is still important. My grandad broke his wrist slipping on the stairs in new leather soled shoes!

Depends heavily on location. I live in Boston. Its rainy or snowy more than half the year. If I was in LA, yea id prolly go for leather soles all the time.

This is so true. This brings back a memory of something that happened to me many, many years ago. One day, I decided to shop a great, popular, mom-and-pop, kitchen-related supplies store, been around for years and years, located on a main street in a neighboring city. I had been in the store a number of times previously. That day I decided to wear a pair of lace-up, casual style, blue suede shoes I hadn’t worn in years; I specifically bought the shoes for an outfit I wore for a big party, a baby shower, I had attended years before. Well, I was walking around in the store, enjoying my time there as usual, when I started noticing some “dirt” on the floor. I was surprised to see it, as the floors were usually very clean. To my horror and utter embarrassment, I realized the “dirt” I saw on the floor was actually the material comprising the soles of my shoes!!! My soles were disintegrating as I walked around!!! What?!!! Oh no!!! Nothing like that had ever happened to me before. I was so embarrassed. One of the employees who saw the “dirt” was super upset about it. My memory is I stepped outside the store very quickly and took off my shoes. I am sure I apologized. And I am sure I made a purchase. Wow, I hadn’t thought about that experience, I can’t remember the last time I thought about that experience. I never thought about taking my shoes to a shoe repair business to have new soles made. I threw the shoes out. If the situation were to happen to me today, I believe I would take the shoes to a shoe repair shop, having watched this RU-vid Channel’s videos.

Always good to see people corroborating this subject as their experience grows, and thanks for the shoutout Nick!! Great video!

I think you're right about the grip with the leather sole except for in cases of rain. Rain is the one thing that makes leather soles hard. Wet leather soles on smooth asphalt, tile, anything but concrete and you're slipping.

Can't wait for the new batch of videos renewing your old boot reviews. Looking forward to your looking at them with refreshed eyes!

Rubber Soul, on the other hand, is one of the Beatles' finest albums

Leather soles are slippery. I prefer the look of leather but have nearly fallen down multiple times walking to work when it rains stepping on metal or tile parts of the sidewalk. While you are right that they aren't slippery on dry pavement...no shoes are slippery on dry pavement.

Happy 5th anniversary Nick. Great video, eliminated some misconceptions about soles.

After going my whole life without any leather soled shoes I recently bought a new pair of grant stones and a pair of jay butler loafers. Haven't worn the loafers yet but the GS's were good to go after a couple days. Also by far the most comfortable and nicest boot I've ever worn.

I had cowboy boots as a little kid, and I loved how consistent they were. A bit of slide everywhere, but never too grippy or too slippy. My diesel boots, however, have way too soft a sole, it picks up rocks, twigs and other flotsam and make horrible noises as these things crunch underneath. The grip\slide is also not consistent at all. I more often find myself reaching for my Oak St Fields instead with their vibram cork.

This is why I wear both rubber & leather soled shoes & boots. I live in the countryside in a wet climate so I rely on rubber soles pretty often but if I'm in town or it's not too wet I just go with leather

Good video as usual! Also nice to see Oakstreet represented! I have two pairs from them and think they're pretty great.

Yay! Welcome to the leather-sole-loving club! I love how well my leather-soled 1000 Mile boots perform in all types of weather, especially where mud is involved. They are amazingly tough, they hold up to all sorts of gardening work including digging with a spade and walking over rocks. It's also worth pointing out that keeping your leather soles conditioned the same way you would the uppers will contribute to their longevity. Thanks for this video and updated outlook!

Great video Nick. I've given you some stick about rubber soles over the years so glad to see you soften your stance on leather soles.

Shoulda put “being able to strike a match on a worn leather sole” in the pro section.

It’s completely valid to think you need a 360 double braided Norwegian constructed boot with commando soles for when walking from the parking garage to the office, if it rains I mean come on, it’s a necessity! 😅😅

I’m a huge fan of Allen Edmunds. They have an amazing variety of shoes, boots, leather and dainte. I’m addicted to polishing and brushing them

I’ve noticed that when walking grittier surfaces sometimes tiny pebbles get stuck in the little dents of leather soles (this takes a while to reach this state). It’s very noticeable and uncomfortable while walking. Luckily they’re easy to remove.

I think the grip is a legitimate complaint for when you're caught in the rain. I've found myself far less stable on leather soled boots when it's raining (when also there's reason to hurry)

I think you should be able to enjoy both leather and rubber. For me leather sole is almost like a tradition, when I wear a leather sole the sound makes me remember when I was a kid walking with my father and grandfather

Gr8 videos as always. It takes a lot to set foot on this rocky path of shoe knowledge . Im a men's stylist and have been studying on this quality shoe journey for years. Leather sole welted shoes are simply superior in quality and are the mark of quality shoes. This is the codified gold standard for the finest shoes,the world over. Thank you for your great videos

Great video Nick. I always wondered why leather soles get a bad rap. I find them not to be slippery once scuffed. To be a bit more specific, dainite’s in a restaurant with any grease on the floor are like ice skates. Oakbark tanned leather soles like JR Rendenbach or Baker require longer to become scuffed and grippy, and will wear like iron even when wet, because they do not absorb water. So maybe it depends to some extent on the leather type. Leather soles also give a feel for the floor, hard to explain, for example you can feel whether you’re on a carpet or wood floor thru the shoe. Also rubber is an over generalization, dainite or christie or something else? Nice video.

Nick forgot to mention that leather soles degrade quickly when walking on wet streets. Water softens the leather and then the hard rough surface wears them down quickly. Just saying 🤷🏻‍♂️

I used to wear dress shoes for work. Major issues with leather resoling in terms of durability and grip. I had to resole way too often! Still have yet to resole a 'heritage' boot. Would it have been low quality leather for the resole?

Great topic! I just spent all day at Disneyland in all leather Carminas, I find that construction to be really comfortable for all day city walking situations. They just have a nice amount of cushion and also provide a little “road feel.”

I have both leather and rubber soles. I actually find rubber more comfortable. I have a few pairs of John Lobb boots in leather, but resoled with Danite. I actually think the rubber is more comfortable after a long day in them.

Very nice video. The only point you made that I do not agree with is grip. Particularly on wet surfaces. That aside, you hit the nail on the head sir!

On the Wolverine 1000 mile boots, the reason the rubber is more expensive is because it is the exact same boot with a leather sole, then rubber is placed on top of that. (I think in most boots, if the leather is replaced with rubber, they end up being cheaper) I've got both in the Wolverine. The leather soles are more comfortable, flexible and breathable. The rubber is nice to have if it's wet out.

I’ve had issues slipping and falling here here in Chicago during the winter months so leather sole boots never were practical for me. I’m moving to Florida later this year, so will have to reconsider leather soles since inclement weather won’t be a factor for me anymore.

I am definitely in the rubber camp here. I am a complete sucker for tradition, but leather soles are an objective no no for me. I had a pair of traditional brogue boots made in Northampton, England with leather soles - so not cheap. But on the first wear the soles had already worn down about halfway. This was after a 20 minute walk. So after 40 minutes they would have worn down to the midsoles. I fitted a rubber half sole to prevent them from being totally trashed. Needless to say I hardly wore them since. On the other hand I have had rubber Vibram/Biltrite soles last me for almost 10 years.

They are great but been cautious for leather sole while driving, it can been slippery.

Leather soles are more formal, I love them but in the winter, in heavy rain or snow I wear casual winter boots.

I've got some 1000miles headed my way this very minute. Perfect timing

I live in Europe, for many years I use leather sole + rubber pad for the classic design and also more formal. But my job need to be stand up all along the day, and now I use rubber sole. It's more comfortable and no more extra to pay for adding rubber pad, so for me it's cheaper than leather at the end.

I live in Ireland which is damp and rainy for most of the year. How good are leather soles with that sort of climate? I am more concerned about wet feet than slipping to be honest... although I am clumsy, so maybe I should be more worried.

I understand there is a cork layer between in and out sole. Is this cork layer breathable?

Do you have any videos about which pants looks nicer with boots? I mostly wear levis 501 and I wonder how they would look on boots.

Great video. I've been a big proponent of rubber soles but was interested in your take, especially as someone who switched sides. I agree with your list of pros/cons. But I think for me the rubber still generally win out due to 1) durability and 2) traction. Rubber is going to last MUCH longer than leather. Maybe twice or more as long, I would say, depending on how hard the rubber is. That means that you're going to be resoling your leather soled shoes twice or more as often, and that ain't cheap and it ultimately wears out the welt and other parts faster as a result of all of those re-soles. Regarding traction, I once went to a Mexican restaurant that has a tile floor in my leather-soled shoes. I kid you not, it was like walking on ice. And these shoes had worn soles and weren't brand new. It was a legitimate safety hazard. Even smooth concrete can be slick if its damp. One aspect I think you might have missed is how poorly leather soles perform in wet weather. Leather soles absorb water and mud. They are going to be even more slippery and wear even faster when wet. The moisture can easily absorb into the shoe. Rubber soles are far superior to leather in inclement weather. What I prefer is to cement rubber toppers on my leather soled shoes. You retain most of the benefits of the leather but add durability, traction, and a waterproof layer between the sole and the ground. If you cement the toppers on (instead of stitching them on) they can be changed out without even having to re-stitch along the welt. They give you even more longevity and cost savings than full rubber soles.

Leather soles are not great in wet climate of the UK (I find they wear out quickly and let water through) or when it’s cold! Although, like all things, the quality is variable and a thick decent leather may make a difference. Furthermore it has only just occurred to me that perhaps the sole needs cleaning a treating to last longer / remain waterproof - I haven’t seen anything about this though…

Well, I live in California, and mostly work in an office. There's quite a difference in my leather soled 1000 Mile boots vs the Vibram 430 mini lugs on my Red Wing Blacksmith boots. The Blacksmith's seem much heavier than the 1000 milers. Don't think Nick commented on that difference. I also agree that the leather soles feel better (more comfortable) underfoot than the Vibrams. So.. less heavy and more comfortable I'd say for the leather soles. I haven't had any real issues with sliding around either.

Greetings Nick. Here in Mexico, even though i would like having leather soles in a few ones (My dress shoes?) i have to say that unfortunately i couldn't afford to wear them properly where i live on a daily basis or such. I live in an enviroment with a lot of rocks (I live in front of a hill and i usually climb the ones around several times a week) and while a leather outsole would be easier to clean (Everyone who has gotten dogcrap in Vibrams will know!) i have to say that i choose rubber Vibrams because of the heavy feel they bring, the slightly higher profile they have, on antimicrobial properties and breathability i really don't care much since i clean my boots usually, i have an insole which i can take out and clean separately, i put talcum on them and when the interior gets wet or humid i let them out to dry in the sun (That's actually quite important with leather jackets as well, hanging them inside out a couple hours per each side on the sun once a week is great) that besides the fact that it's cold as hell where i live. That besides being easier to grip on any surface and walking in the rain better. I now have a pair of dress shoes (Brogues, i do love them but they almost broke my ankle a few days ago) which need resoling and i still need to decide if to put rubber soles to them (I think it would be better) or leather ones, which i haven't ever tried... My boots are both the same model (510 by El Arco boots here in Mexico, great workboot company, and each pair costs like 20 bucks new) and both have a Vibram heavy lug sole, they're just a different age and different color. i have a straight out black pair and a nice burgundy one which comes to life when greased) Cheers lml

Despite living in a a very wet climate, I started using leather soled shoes for commuting on public transport and working in an office environment in the late 1980s. So I like leather soles. I had a number of leather soled shoes in rotation and due to them softening and wearing quickly in wet weather I usually needed two re-soles per year across all my shoes. Decades later, when I switched to using Dainite soles for half the time, my Dainite soles lasted several years. Plus I spent much less time with wet feet. Leather soles are much less slippery if you have all rubber heels rather than a quarter tip. For casual use I happily use Dainite for walking the dog across wet grassy slopes or easy wet and muddy paths in the park or similar environments but would hesitate to wear leather soles in those conditions which are now reserved for dry pavement walking. For off road walking proper lugged soles are essential I have a couple of (double) leather soled boots because I like them but they're not really that practical and I have many more Dainite and lugged sole boots

First time i tried a leather sole, i nearly slipped just standing up. On my high end allen edmunds i put rubber covers on the soles to avoid the slip and wear. Especially as theyre mostly used for weddings, and thats heavy drinking on slick dance floors.

I live in Oregon, where it rains most of the year (glorious summers, though..). Although I enjoy leather soles in dry weather, they absorb water when walking on wet pavement and need to dry before wearing again.

Too much rain here in Denmark for leather soles to be preferable, unless you strictly use them indoors.

I agree with your findings. It is the same reason people think they "need" a 4x4 car. 99.9% of them don't.

Leather all day. I live in northern NY, so snow all the time, still wear leather soles unless I'm spending a long time outside in the snow.

One major problem that I have with leather soles is that they get waterlogged fast if your in the rain. They get torn up bad when wet. A good compromise is to put a toppy on the leather sole

I think it depends on the situation. If you live in a snowy, icy or rainy environment, rubber sole boots are better. If it is dry or some light rain, then I prefer leather sole boots for the reasons you mention. I don't find leather soles slippery on tiles or other surfaces that some people mention. I think it depends on the quality of leather soles, I think there poor quality leather soles out there. Love the video!

love leather soles but my main concern is how quickly they get damaged when walking on a poor terrain with lots of tiny sharp stones and they get wet in rain and get damaged even more...how to protect them?

Is Vibram or Topy anti slip sole add on better for female shoes?

As much as I love leather and tradition, my shoes have to be usable in quite a lot of contexts. I already have to watch for my outfit that can be more precious than what people usually wear (so I have to pay extra attention not to get stains, not to tear the fabric on a sharp wooden edge, etc). So I cannot really afford to introduce many other constraints in my life because I choose the wrong shoes in the morning and didn't know it would rain for example. There are too many situations, even in the city, in which walking with leather soles require so much extra care not to slip that the walk is no longer enjoyable for me.

My original issue boots were leather. They were great on the parade ground but we froze in the winter and the heat came through the pavement when standing for long periods. Veeeebram (as pronounced apparently) was a huge improvement.

I used to go with Dainite by default until I fell over! Grip is better with leather and they don’t make my feet ache.

Make a review of the Stockton ranch boots from Tecovas and or the Midland.

Hey Nick, a while back you put us on to sites like sierra, moose jaw, and 6pm but to my knowledge you’re coverage of the boot brands I see there is a bit lacking, anyway you could help me out here? For example I keep seeing intriguing boots by Shoe The Bear, To Boot NY, and Vince but I’m skeptical and have a ravenous hunger for validation from a stranger on the internet. Thanks!

@0:52 ... is that Hamilton khaki mechanical?

Curious to know why you didn’t mention water resistance as a pro/ con for list. Can’t wear the leather sole in rain.

with my bad back - one slip or near miss and I am done forever with leather soles - I always ask cobbler to glue some rubber o the botttom .

I've only tried leather soles in a store, on carpet. So I thought they looked neat (ofcourse) but they were far too slippery. I walk on tile probably 75% of my time so I don't think it'd be smart for me to buy leather soles. But hey I'd love to buy some boots with leather soles one day. Even maybe just for special occasions. I have cowboy boots with leather insoles which are amazing. So I wanna try leather outsoles too

Owner of 2 pairs of leather sole Craftsman’s and the only thing that’s stopped me from landing on my arse while walking around Perth and Melbourne has been the fact they have a rubber heel. Trying to put the brakes on wearing leather soles when someone stops right in front of you is risky business.

I have a few heels from Italy and I should say that I prefer the leather soles. I find beauty in the scruffs of my heels, I think it tells so much story about it hehe

Just a few views - I do like leather soles and one thing to keep them lasting is to condition them - any cream is beneficial, especially a neutral one (no pigments), but the oils sold specially for soles have huge benefits. I am also a believer that a thin rubber front piece can help preserve the life of the sole (in fact make it last forever), and protects against rain, snow, slipping etc. I would not do it at the beginning, and not on all shoes - wear the leather sole first, and as the shoes break i or even years later, you will get to know which you want protected in this way. Any views on a leather heel anyone (the classic one with nails?) - I love the look on classic shoes, but do realise they are very slippery as the nails grind down. A rubber quarter heel is the way to go. As you polish your shoes, do treat your soles too, it will help the leather fibers bind together and strengthen them. Enjoy your fine shoes and boots everyone!

I’ve walked on some very worn rubber soles that had become flat, wouldn’t recommend that. That’s also the reason why I personally don’t like leather soles: I don’t like having to gamble whether I will or will not slip whenever I step into a puddle or through mud. (Yes, I frequently take walks with my friends through the forest.) Add to that that a nicely lugged rubber sole also has 0% chance to go flat or wear through. That’s why I will always go for rubber soles if I get the chance.

No one in many videos is mentioning these soles that feel like I’m walking in a pair of wood skiis. How do I soften that up? I can’t walk in them long at all.

What if you added big metal hobnails into the leather soles so they dont wear out so fast?

I believe the veg tan leather lining is very important for antimicrobial purposes (specially for chrome and combination tanned leather uppers) as it is not leather itself that is antimicrobial, it is the vegetable tannins that are. All western boots are lined BTW. Companies make unlined boots to save on leather and propagate the breathable myth, don’t let them fool you Nick 🤪

So many comments saying leather soles are bad... I have both, and both have their purposes. Leather is traditional, and it tends to look a little more sleek than a rubber-soled shoe of the same style. Rubber is typically more slip-resistant (but seriously, just take it easy if it's wet, neither sole material is 100% slip-proof), and it does generally last longer than leather. Given the choice, though, I usually reach for my leather-soled options for a dressier occasion (unless I'm working). They feel great, and a good shoe can say a lot about a man's character.

the rubber soles from Paraboot are literraly indestructible, grip is great as well.

What about reinforced suede soles??

I think you missed the biggest drawback with a leather sole. Rain and water affects leather soles a lot more than rubber soles.

The breathable and antimicrobial reasons are really good. I hate stinking shoes and boots.

As someone who lives in an unpredictably damp country that also sometimes has issues with ice, I will respectfully disagree a little bit. Much as I really like the refined appearance of leather soles (and the sound they make on hard floors), even ones where I have a rubber topy that the manufacturer set in properly, even I've found that to be slippery at times on wet paving

Given a choice, unless certain conditions, leather for sure!

I wore leather-soled shoes to an orthodontist appointment when I was 10 years old. I wiped out walking down an incline in the parking lot. After decades of therapy, I still refuse to wear leather-soled shoes or boots.

Totally agree

My $300 leather sole work shoes wore out to a hole in three months only walking 10 minutes to and from work in the city.

Great video, I didn’t realize there were advantages to leather soles. Of course, all it takes is one bad fall, and you’ll never wear leather soled shoes again.

I'm a fan of the look, but tbh while the grip might be okay on the street, even in my most well-worn leather soles I've nearly slipped in a store or coffee shop too many times to risk it again

I ride a bicycle, so a grippy rubber sole is vital. Having my feet continually slip off the pedals is actually dangerous. I do have shoes with leather soles and they're nice, but I don't use them on the bike. At all. Rubber is fine even for dress wear, if well designed. Allen Edmond's dress rubber soles look just as good as their leather soles.

Never heard anyone complain about anything on a leather sole other than the grip, Especially not the look of worn leather soles. From my experience, a leather sole is viewed as a marker of a high quality shoe. Interesting video on an argument that I didn’t know existed

What’s that blue boot that you had made? - looks good

I’m HIGHLY dubious about leather soles being breathable. What I think is happening is that the thermal conductivity of leather is better than rubber so heat comes out of your feet and is dissipated easier. I don’t think this would make a noticeable difference, though. And if you’re standing on really hot asphalt then you should feel hotter… I won’t believe anything either way unless someone does a test with a pair of boots, one resoled with a rubber sole, and can accurately measure sweat evaporation and thermal retention inside the boots

I'm still skeptical, at least for use in my area. It's not that I don't like leather soles, they are gorgeous and give a great profile to the boot, it is from a practical standpoint, mainly when dealing with the weather in my area. It rains a LOT here, the ground is always wet as hell. I am more concerned my feet are gonna get wet and I and going to ruin my boots by allowing water to soak on the leather. I am not too concerned about grip, because I don't work on tile floors or smooth concrete or anything like that. I am tempted to get a pair of cowboy boots, though, and those pretty exclusively have leather soles. We will see.

I guess I don't have too much argument with this vid except I want the option to go off-roading in ANY pair of boots even if you say I'm unlikely to do so most of the time. But I also don't buy "fashion" boots as much as work boots, so they won't come in leather options ever, anyway, and I intend to turn most of the "fashion" boots into "work" boots once they're beat up enough.

Tile floors, metal or hard rubber/plastic strips on stair step edges, unexpected rain, snow, and damp grass, are all common where I live and make leather soles too treacherous to use regularly. In my experience Dainite soles are fine on soft surfaces, but on hard surfaces are at least as slippery as leather. I avoid them. Sole protectors and similar thin rubber soles fare better than leather on smooth dry surfaces, but are only marginally grippier than leather on smooth wet surfaces. This is my preference for dress shoes and boots. Full on lug soles, or crepe rubber for chukkas, are my preference for casual boots. Even otherwise dressy boots that I plan to wear casually.

I kept buying rubber soled boots thinking they should be more comfortable. After hundreds of dollars on many different cushy I sole pairs of boots I went back to plain ropers with leather soles. Bam, comfort returns. Even on pavement a good leather sole boot beats a cushy rubber sole. Especially a roper with the lower heel.

I have a pair of crepe rubber boots and a pair of daynight soles and i hate wearing the daynight boots...they hurt my feet.

I am going to have to respectfully disagree. Anybody that has ever walked into a public/workplace bathroom knows why. I cringe at the thought of having my leather soles soaking up with piss

I prefer rubber soles over leather soles. Just bought TLB chelsea boots with rubber soles, Johnston & Murphy Moc toe boots with rubber soles and Salvatore Ferragamo with rubber soles. I’ve stayed away from leather soles for several reasons: They are too slippery on tile or polished floors. They tend to permeate water very easily They are uncomfortable when you walk over small pebbles.

Like the majority of other commenters I'm not convinced I'm afraid. It isn't just hunting or countryside where rubber has advantages of grip but in the city too with a variety of surfaces, some quite smooth, and which if wet can be even more slippery. Rubber all the way for me. I do get rubber grips put on my leather soled shoes.

I love leather soles, they’re super comfortable especially Grant Stones.

I love my leather soles, but the only issue I find is that they’re very cold in the winter.

Rubber is far more waterproof. Particularly a commando where the main part of the sole is raised a few mm off the ground. Walking around all day in the rain with a leather sole, your feet will likely get damp, and the sole may take a day or two to dry out

If you have an upper that can last multiple generations (like stingray or sharkskin or even shell cordovan), then best to go full rubber sole including a rubber welt. You cannot resole shoes indefinitely as new stitch holes will be added to the upper until it falls apart. Even with Goodyear welt, you will eventually wear down your welt. Leather soles simply don't last long and will need more resoles, making the overall cost of the shoes more expensive and shortens the lifespan of something that could have laster long enough to be a heirloom. It's ok on cowhides but then remember that it need more resoles and can be pricier in the long run.

I like leather soles for most situations! But for hiking or hunting I agree non-leather soles make more sense!