THERE IS NO HEART WITHOUT A GOOD SOLE

ON SOLE CONSTRUCTION, WHAT IT REVEALS ABOUT A SNEAKER'S INTENTIONS, AND WHY IT MATTERS MORE THAN ANY OTHER SINGLE ELEMENT

THE SOLE IS THE MOST HONEST PART OF THE SNEAKER. IT CANNOT BE DRESSED UP. IT CANNOT BE MADE TO LOOK BETTER THAN IT IS. EVERY STEP IT TAKES IS A STEP TOWARD REVEALING WHAT IT IS MADE FROM AND HOW IT WAS ATTACHED.

THE SOLE DECISION IS MADE BEFORE ANY CUSTOMER SEES THE SNEAKER. IN THE SPECIFICATION. IN THE CONSTRUCTION METHOD CHOSEN. IN THE COMPOUND SELECTED. THESE ARE THE DECISIONS THAT DETERMINE WHETHER A SNEAKER WILL BE AROUND IN TEN YEARS OR IN A LANDFILL IN TWO.

GLUED VERSUS BUILT TO BE RESOLED

MOST SNEAKERS ARE GLUED. ADHESIVE BONDING IS FAST, CHEAP AND PERMANENT IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. WHEN THE SOLE FAILS, AND IT WILL, THE SNEAKER IS FINISHED. THERE IS NO PATH BACK FROM ADHESIVE BONDING THAT MAKES ECONOMIC SENSE. THE SNEAKER GOES IN THE BIN.

A SOLE BUILT TO BE REPLACED CHANGES THIS ENTIRELY. THE OUTSOLE IS ATTACHED SO THAT IT CAN BE REMOVED RATHER THAN BONDED PERMANENTLY TO THE UPPER. WHEN THE OUTSOLE WEARS THROUGH, A COBBLER REMOVES IT AND FITS A NEW ONE. THE UPPER, THE INSOLE, THE LEATHER SHAPED TO THE FOOT OVER YEARS OF WEAR, ALL OF IT PRESERVED. THE SNEAKER BEGINS AGAIN.

THE COMPOUND

THE CORRECT RUBBER COMPOUND IS DENSER THAN COMMODITY RUBBER. IT WEARS MORE SLOWLY. IT HOLDS ITS PROFILE RATHER THAN COMPRESSING AND DISTORTING WITHIN MONTHS. THE DIFFERENCE IN COST IS SMALL RELATIVE TO THE TOTAL COST OF THE SNEAKER. THE DIFFERENCE IN LONGEVITY IS SIGNIFICANT.

THE SOLE TELLS THE TRUTH. THERE IS NO HEART IN A SNEAKER WITHOUT A GOOD ONE.