Clarks Desert Boots Lately

[Fifty150]

Here are a few videos of the resole on crepe sole shoes.

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[Fifty150]

I can now see the grid pattern of the air cells inside of the heel. I wonder if that means I'm getting close to wearing them out.

 

[Edward]

I can now see the grid pattern of the air cells inside of the heel. I wonder if that means I'm getting close to wearing them out.

View attachment 679980 View attachment 679981​

I think you should be good for a while yet - if the sole is as I think it is, its only really gone when there's aa visible hole in 'em.


I picked up a pair of Bushacre 3s a few weeks ago. Amazon had a flash sale on the black oiled leather ones (I'm guessing a less popular colour than the brown), which came in at about £40. About what I pay for a pair of Vans on sale, to be worn on the hottest of Summer days when leather is too much. We're currently oscillating in London between unusually warm for May (last Friday was 27 Celsius), and colder / damper. Turns out the Bushacres are ideal for those days when it's wet but still somewhat too warm for my regular boots. Indeed, enjoying them so much that a couple of weeks ago when I got paid again, I found another Amazon option that had the dark brown B3s on deep discount and picked them up too.

The crepe sole I think I would have worn out far too quickly, but these feel like I'll get a bit more time out of them. The Desert Boot 2 is a model I might have been tempted by at the right price. Same boot as the Bushacre 3, but the body of the shoe is lined. Be interesting to try.... the only shame is they've also embossed a logo on those, on the ankle. Likely won't be seen by anyone not looking for it, but niggles with me.

I did see somewhere a Clark's boot that was the same upper shape as these, but with a Goodyear welted leather sole. At around £200 it felt a bit pricey, but it's an interesting thought given I know local places which would de a resole fairly cheaply - about £50 or so. Maybe an experiment for the future if I do fall in with a pair in the seemingly very rare oxblood / burgundy leather colour.

 

[thegenius1ne]

+1 on the john lofgrens!

John Lofgren makes a Dessert Boot as well, A bit more expensive then Clarks.. at $500.. But the quality and workmanship are tops.

https://johnlofgren.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIn-fX6uX86QIVA3iGCh0FwgDNEAAYASAAEgKRi_D_BwE

They have a few colors ( sand, Navy Rust & Green)

I like this green

 

[Fifty150]

a pair of Bushacre 3s

Here's what I don't like. And it's only my problem, since I like to wear the shoes without socks. My bare feet do not like the footbed. The lasting board that the shoe is sewn on to do not feel so good. Not a problem if you wear socks.


If I find the right cobbler to do it, it would be great to have the uppers sewn onto a piece of veg tan leather, then resoled with a wedge sole. I have come to really like the Vibram wedge soles that came on my Allen Edmonds Park City boots.



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[Edward]

Here's what I don't like. And it's only my problem, since I like to wear the shoes without socks. My bare feet do not like the footbed. The lasting board that the shoe is sewn on to do not feel so good. Not a problem if you wear socks.​

Yeah, I'm a socks guy myself. Even back twenty five years ago when I last owned a pair of sandals I wore socks with 'em.

If I find the right cobbler to do it, it would be great to have the uppers sewn onto a piece of veg tan leather, then resoled with a wedge sole. I have come to really like the Vibram wedge soles that came on my Allen Edmonds Park City boots.​

That should be workable. As we've previously discussed, it'll cost more than the boots, but the impression of the two pairs I have is that the uppers are of sufficient quality that if the soles can be replaced, the uppers should support that.

I've considered this in the past with some saddle shoes I've owned - love them, love the uppers, but those red EVA soles wear down on the heel so quickly with me, I might sometime try to have the soles replaced with something else on a pair of mine.

 

[Fifty150]

the impression of the two pairs I have is that the uppers are of sufficient quality

My impression is that the leather is very good quality. Much better than a lot of other shoes. At the price, you can't get shoes with better leather.

 

[RickP]

I wore Clark’s for years, the last pair I bought had the crepe soles, they were junk. The soles were only glued on. There was a stitch line around the sole but it was just for show, didn’t actually have any structural purpose. I returned them when the sole separated, the shoe store said it was pretty common.
B

As a leatherworker, I do appreciate a shoe that has a sole actually stitched on, but in reality, shoe uppers are normally stitched to a leather last which is then glued to the sole. properly glued sole is just fine. Hot Hide glue has held the soles on mankinds shoes since the 1400's. As mentioned, lots of modern "stitched" shoes are actually just a stitched decorative strip glued on.

Ive got an almost new pair of split cowhide Clarks with crepe soles that I very rarelly wear ( to me theyre hard to keep clean and the crepe soles wear out fast on my feet) Ive been wearing slighly heavier double layer smooth leather Clarks for several years. These are about 3 yrs old and have held up really well ( Think the model name is the Dessert Boot EVO) Just as comfortable to me and dont stain as bad. These got soaked throughly in last weeks storms. There all dry now and will be getting a good saddle soaping and carnuba waxing this weekend