Is resoling worth it?

Lots of talk about resoling on these boards lately. Is it worth it?

I always end up paying for rand repair so it ends up costing 40 plus with shipping and everything. Even with a good resole the shoes rarely climb the same and the non rubber parts of the shoes can start breaking down with age and then there inevitable stretch and sloppiness. Sometimes I wonder whether or not it is best to just buy new, cheap shoes more often.

Not exactly a green approach though.

Thoughts?

Jim

If climbing in cheap shoes works for you, that's fine. When I get a pair of shoes I like (not cheap), I want to keep using them. Once I get them resoled, they're a little tighter for a while, but then they stretch back to their old feel. And resoling is way cheaper than buying another pair of climbing shoes, for me.

To me it's worth it. I just threw out my first pair of TC Pros after about 3 years, many resoles, and some Shoe Goo. They were pretty stretched out by the time I threw them away, but I don't climb any better in my new ones.

Yes, yes it is. You have to be a little diligent about getting them fixed before you get into the rand, but if you have the number for Rock and Resole, they do an incredible job. Supposedly some guy named Locker on here does a pretty good job as well. Positive Resoles is the name of his outfit. If you like expensive shoes, which I do, resoling is the way to go.

absolutely! even if you bust through the rand a little bit it's worth it. I got two pairs at the same time resoled and it was around $100 all said and done. I was kinda bummed that it was so much then just today i realized how many pitches i've done in just the first pair. Pair #2 is still sittin in the closet...waiting to send!

I've now spent a month without my shoes, which is okay but the guys at cascade arent returning my emails or calls, IF i get my shoes back they better be flawless, otherwise i think i'll save myself the frustration, and just suck it up and buy new.

Daniel S Parker wrote:I've now spent a month without my shoes, which is okay but the guys at cascade arent returning my emails or calls, IF i get my shoes back they better be flawless, otherwise i think i'll save myself the frustration, and just suck it up and buy new.

Daniel, which shoe repair is that? "Cascade"?

Cascade Cobbler cascadecobbler.com

Do people find that resoled shoes climb the same? Maybe its in my head.

Jim

i find the shoes stretch 1/2 a size ... on the other hand the resoles last longer than new sportivas

i size my shoes initially for sport, and after the first resole they become trad shoes ...

i dont bother resoling them more than once, as i find they get funky and too soft by the second resole

is it worth it? .... for a $$$$ shoe like the miura, yes ... for anything that costs ~100 smackaroos, no IMO

but then resoles up here costs 60$+

I love my resoles and usually resole a few times at least. Then again I just drop them off and pick them up so it's cheap and easy compared to new shoes.

jim.dangle wrote:Do people find that resoled shoes climb the same? Maybe its in my head. Jim

Depends on the shoe/rubber you prefer/any number of other variables. I've found for really downturned shoe's it's rare that a resoled pair climbs exactly like a new pair. This isnt always a bad thing, I wasnt totally sold on the solutions until i got mine resoled with stealth, now I love them, I think those shoes climb better after being smashed out and then resoled with stealth.

In response to the original question, I think it's almost always worth it to resole shoes. There is no reason to keep shoes you dont love (with the availability of trading/selling used/getting deals) and thus no reason to not resole, at least not at the level I'm climbing.

I have wondered if resoling was worth it for a long time and tried to have a pair of TC pros resoled last year. I decided to try yosimitebum for the resole and they really did a poor job. The reshaped the shoes into a down turned shoe which compressed my toe nails and made the shoes unwearable and replaced the rands which really did not need to be replaced.

So now what? I am already into the process for $45 for the resole $10 for their shipping cost and another $10 for my shipping costs. That is $65 for a pair of unusable shoes. Should I pay another $10 to ship them back and get them to fix their work? Do I have confidence they can fix their work? Do I have confidence that any vendor is not going to do a poor job? I decided to cut my looses, learn my lesson and bought new.

There is no way resoling makes sense for cheap shoes. Perhaps if I lived near a resoler and did not have to pay shipping and could check the work before paying?

Order some Flat Rate PADDED Envelops from USPS (it's free to order them). I use size 11/12 shoes and they fit inside perfectly but only costs ~$5.70 to ship whatever fits. That should at least save you a couple bucks!

climber pat wrote:I have wondered if resoling was worth it for a long time and tried to have a pair of TC pros resoled last year. I decided to try yosimitebum for the resole and they really did a poor job.?

There's your problem, sending Sportiva shoes to Evolv. They don't seem to have the molds to fit other brand's shoes. I tried them once and won't ever send Sportiva/Scarpa shoes to them again.

I'd say if you ever have any doubts about Sportiva resole (espeically new models), send them to Rock & Resole. Not that others can't do a good job, but R&R would have the most experience of them all (helps having Sportiva NA a few blocks away and Boulder having the highest concentration of Sportiva sponsored climbers in the US).

hows it abuse. Clearly one cannot be satisfied with a product that no longer functions.

WWW.POSITIVERESOLES.COM

AWESOME JOB!!!!

My first pair of Miuras are on their 3rd resole and my second pair is now on their 1st resole. They'll probably need another resole in another couple months, and I won't hesitate. Worst-case scenario a resole is about $50 (though about half that if you don't need the rand) while MSRP on Miuras is $160 right now. It's a pretty significant savings.

As for performance, I guess I've never really done a new vs resoled comparison, but I've never gotten them back and thought "wow, these aren't very good". I get them done through Rock and Resole in Boulder and they come back fitting basically the same as when I sent them. They also glue up any delamination that La Sportiva shoes have problems with from the factory.

If the cheap shoes work for you then go ahead, but I'd much rather find a pair of shoes that I LOVE and resole them until they fall apart.

Hell yes its worth it!!!

I currently use Sportiva Testarossa's which for some reason have jumped WAY! up in price in the last year; last I saw they retail at $175 a pair.

I get my shoes done at Rock and Resole usually send in about 6 pairs at a time. I think last time I did this it cost me around $120 including shipping back. Thats only $20 per pair. Rock and Resole does an amazing job, they get the downturn/cup thingy perfect, they are just like factory new ones.

You do the math $175 per pair or $20 per pair. When you go through shoes every 3 months it starts to add up really quick.

I'm realize I am really in the minority here but . . .

Some of the numbers being thrown around are a little skewed. What climber pays MSRP!? And when I say cheap shoes I mean shoes bought on the cheap not crappy shoes. With a little looking I just bought a pair of verde's new for 80 bucks. A good deal certainly but one you can find if you keep your eye out.

If you can get a good shoe for 80 bucks, is it worth it to get it resoled for 40+? I think it really depends on the shoe and what you plan to do with it.

JIm

If your shoes take a month or more to really break in and get comfortable with, then hell yeah they're worth it to resole.