5.10 Guide Tennie - Sole is falling off.

I recently bought a pair of these on Ebay for $80.  They are practically brand new and the sole is delaminating. Has anyone else had this problem? I tried to exchange them but 5.10 requires receipt. Is there any back alley way to get an exchange or am I going to need to bust out the rubber cement and become a cobbler? 

Sole delams are, unfortunately, fairly common with shoes these days, as most have glued on outsoles. Most often, someone has only worn the shoes a handful of times (enough for glue-earring microbes to be introduced), and then stashed them away in a box or closet. While they think they are preserving their nice new shoes, in reality they are allowing the microbes to go to town, leading to the issue your having. The best way to avoid this is to wear your shoes regularly, as the regular impacts of use prevent the microbes from consuming the glue as quickly.

I know none of that info really helps you now, but I thought it could be useful to know why that happened. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find a cobbler that will re-glue outsoles, so it may be up to you and the shoe goo. 

My partner and I have numerous pairs of 5.10 approach shoes with this problem, mostly the Insight and Guide Tennie. Some of them are brand new out-of-the-box and the soles delaminate after a couple times wearing them. The problem is that the shoes are between 7 to 10 years old. When the Insights were discontinued, we bought as many pairs as we could find and saved them, thinking we would have a small stockpile. The Insights are the best approach shoes I’ve worn.

Unfortunately, the midsoles are disintegrating from age and the glue no longer holds. You could try what I’ve done, using Barge cement (diluted with Barge Thinner) on both surfaces, letting it dry, and then heating the glue with a heat gun and pressing it together. I even made a vacuum press for this. But the resoles last for just a few days. Probably best to buy new shoes.

Very interesting Emilio! Thanks for that info, I am now a little wiser.  Yeah, the guy who sold them to me said that they were sitting in the box for a long time. I thought that was a good thing.  Little did I know. 

So, what do you think?.... no chance of 5.10 exchanging them?  The thing is, is that I loved the shoes and would have bought another new pair when these wore out.  But I don't care how long they were in the box, they still shouldn't just fall apart like that and 5.10 should have the integrity to resolve the problem.   

Kyran Keisling wrote:

 But I don't care how long they were in the box, they still shouldn't just fall apart like that and 5.10 should have the integrity to resolve the problem.   

Welcome to the reality of aged plastics and some other materials. Ski boots do the same thing after 20-25 years.....

Terry E wrote:

My partner and I have numerous pairs of 5.10 approach shoes with this problem, mostly the Insight and Guide Tennie. Some of them are brand new out-of-the-box and the soles delaminate after a couple times wearing them. The problem is that the shoes are between 7 to 10 years old. When the Insights were discontinued, we bought as many pairs as we could find and saved them, thinking we would have a small stockpile. The Insights are the best approach shoes I’ve worn.

Unfortunately, the midsoles are disintegrating from age and the glue no longer holds. You could try what I’ve done, using Barge cement (diluted with Barge Thinner) on both surfaces, letting it dry, and then heating the glue with a heat gun and pressing it together. I even made a vacuum press for this. But the resoles last for just a few days. Probably best to buy new shoes.

That is not what I wanted to hear!! I appreciate you taking the time to comment though. I was thinking the same thing with the cement but looks like it's a waste of time. Well, now I am in search of another brand for my next pair.  

grab a tube of Shoe-Goo, apply, stuff some socks in the shoes, bind the sole tight with some string, and let it sit for a day. Works a charm and I've been wearing my delam tennies for about 3-4 years now without issue

I have used Gorilla Glue Gel with great success when I’ve had delam issues.  Clean both surfaces really well.  I’ve got a pair of guide tennies that delamed a few years ago that are still going strong after using gorilla glue gel.    I now keep a small tube of it in my pack just in case.  It also works for skin flappers in a pinch but I don’t recommend it. 

1. bummer you way overpaid for those

2. glue them as noted above and problem solved

Hey everyone, I wanted say thanks for the suggestions on this thread.  I just want to report back about my shoe repair.  I took a wire wheel brush (picture) and cleaned all the old glue off and got back down to clean rubber.  I used rubbing alcohol to further clean the rubber.  I then used Gorilla Gel super glue as suggested above.  I used duct tape and wood clamps to hold it tight and let it sit over night.  I had a few flappers that didn't set up right, so I re-ground and glued them again and clamped the trouble spots. I have now used the shoes since February.  I have put them through the ringer while I have been developing a sport climbing area and they are only now starting to peel just a tich at the arch (I will clean and re-glue).  Your advice saved me a bunch of money and I ended up getting 3.5 months of hard core use out of the shoes.  Thanks again.   This type of thread is the best part of this forum. 

Locker wrote:

with five ten guide tennies in particular, you don't have to wait for them to be old before they delam

it's common for them to come apart

and it can be a time-consuming pain in the ass to put them back together

Nice to know!  I will try another brand next time.  Up until I bought this pair I always thought approach shoes were an unnecessary luxury that people that bought climbing pants used.  But after spending this spring putting up new routes with them, I will never not have a pair.  What brand do you like?  

I have been a shitty Walmart shoe wearer for my whole climbing life.  I understand.  Maybe I'm getting soft it my old age. Still, I will never be too soft to buy "climbing" pants.  

I had mine resoled with pretty good results. That said, would not buy again given that issue plus there is a stress point in the instep next to the ball of the foot that on mine has worn through the shoe at the intersection of the rand and the leather. In the OP's photo there may be something similar happening where there's a crack/tear in the upper

Unfortunately, this is a common and sometimes known issue with these shoes, especially since the Adidas acquisition. 

Locker wrote:

personally I don't spend money on approach shoes other than just shity tennis shoes from Walmart or the equivalent

but if I were to get an approach shoe these days I would probably look at Scarpas

Welp, it was fun while it lasted. Back to the Walyworld kicks. My favorite thing about these shoes is the blaze orange laces! Fashionable as well as functional.