Is there a resoling business that doesn't charge return shipping?

I used to get my shoes resoled for a total $35-45 through the mail (including shipping - this was pre-2020), but now the cheapest I can find is about $58-65.

Anybody know a mail-in resole company who can get the job done under $50 including return shipping?

Thanks!

Yosemite Bum does free return shipping if you resole 5 pair of shoes!

Inflation is wild, eh?

Shipping, material and labor costs have all increased dramatically in the last few years.  Percentage wise, the cost of a resole has not really changed relative to the cost of a new pair of shoes. I know that wasn't your question but it's the reality of it these days.  

Shipping one way is going to cost $10.  That only leaves $40 for materials, a couple hours labor and margin.  I'd personally rather pay a higher price to ensure that folks are being paid a living wage.  If they're not, they'll go find new jobs and it'll become harder and harder to find someone with that skillset.  Once that happens, either the price goes up because they realize they need to pay for the skills required or they close up shop.  Either way, not good for the end user.

Yeah, stuff just costs more now. You can probably get under $50 if you can walk in somewhere, but if you're shipping to/from it's going to be more. That said, I just paid $55 for a 1/2 sole of XS Grip 2 on my VSRs including $10 shipping back to Oakland from Backcountry Cobbler in Lander, WY. I did have to pay to ship to them too though, so probably $65-70 total.

No. You pay the shipping no matter what. It's either a separate line item on the receipt or embedded in the price of the resole, but trust me, you pay the shipping both ways.

Cherokee Nunes wrote:

No. You pay the shipping no matter what. It's either a separate line item on the receipt or embedded in the price of the resole, but trust me, you pay the shipping both ways.

People are too used to "Free delivery" 

I've been getting new or like new shoes for cheaper than a resole. It's hard to justify a resole when at times it costs $20 more than brand new ones. 

Rock and Resole is backed up, 9 weeks for your shoes back. Free return shipping is the least of all the things, and of course that's wrapped into the total bill. We are talking about climbers resoling other climbers shoes, not an Amazon deal.

I'm just looking for perfect work, whatever it costs that's not 9 friggin weeks wait time..

When I was a tad milk and gas were < $1 a gallon

Dave Page in Seattle is still $40 for resole (not including rands or any other work) But that's only if you drop it off in person. 1 week turnaround too but the quality is... variable.

Nathan Doyle wrote:

I've been getting new or like new shoes for cheaper than a resole. It's hard to justify a resole when at times it costs $20 more than brand new ones. 

Sweet.  Point me to $50 TC Pros in new/like new condition.

Micah Hoover wrote:

Dave Page in Seattle is still $40 for resole (not including rands or any other work) But that's only if you drop it off in person. 1 week turnaround too but the quality is... variable.

In my experience the quality isn't variable, it is just really bad....

Yeah, Rock and Resole is crap with the 9 week wait time but I've always found their work to be fantastic. So there's that.

Type 2 Repair is around 8 weeks right now. Have to plan out the resoles and have enough shoes to cover the wait time. $45 if you don't need rands. I drop off and pick up at Movement, so no shipping costs. 

Like I said, variable. I just dropped off a batch of 4 and 1 was bad, 1 was ok and 2 I was quite happy with. All depends on who's actually doing the work. But, he's still unnecessarily cranky and difficult to work with. If it wasn't $40 and just down the road I wouldn't go there but the convenience...

It's one of those businesses where the profit margins are thin and due to the relatively low cost of original manufacturing, the repair is nearly as expensive, or more, than buying new. Even though it's just rubber material, you need to pay for someone's hour of time, plus shop overhead and shipping. There is no way to make it any cheaper and still be viable business. Check out REI used shoes, or geartrade to find used shoes that are nearly new and half off. If they don't have what you want, then it's worth the cost to repair your shoes and get a new lifetime out of them since you have no other option. 

Your choice

Nathan Doyle wrote:

I've been getting new or like new shoes for cheaper than a resole. It's hard to justify a resole when at times it costs $20 more than brand new ones. 

This comment has 5 likes. Can the 6 of you point the rest of us to these shoes?

+1 for sending a bunch of shoes to Yosemite Bum and getting free return shipping. They've always done good work for me in less than the anticipated timeframe. It's quite possible that I'm not a good enough climber to feel the difference between their work and the boutique cobblers'.

Gunkiemike wrote:

Sweet.  Point me to $50 TC Pros in new/like new condition.

They don't make TC Pros in my size, unfortunately. 

I've picked up a couple pair of pinks, some moccs and many guide tennies. Also a pair of Tenaya and a pair of Scarpa Origins (so slippery.)