When you pay $200 plus for a pair of shoes, you expect to get a good few kilometres wear out of them.
What you don't expect is for the soles to start disintegrating before they're barely worn in – but we've had complaints about exactly this problem.
Polyurethane soles
The culprit is polyurethane, a synthetic material that's used to make the soles of some popular footwear brands. Polyurethane has advantages. It's lightweight and flexible. But manufacturers acknowledge its major drawback is that it can deteriorate rapidly in humid conditions.
The problems we've heard about have occurred with shoes worn a few times and then stored away. When they're taken out to wear again, the owners have found the soles are falling to pieces. The uppers still look like new but the soles are crumbling away – one member described it as turning into "something like breadcrumbs".
Well-known brands Ecco and Kumfs (now Ziera) are among those which use polyurethane soles in their footwear ranges. Both told us they're aware of the problem and said they assess customer complaints on a "case-by-case" basis.
Ziera's Andrew Robertson reckons they don't get many complaints in relation to the number of shoes they sell. "We produce approximately 500,000 pairs of shoes per year – and we get a couple of issues a week at most and often they are pretty old shoes."
Graeme McKinlay, President of the Footwear Industry Association, also told us polyurethane is used in millions of pairs of shoes each year "with no problems". But he says not all polyurethane soles are made equal. McKinlay reckons "better grades" should last the life of the shoe. The design of the polyurethane sole and the shape of the "cleats" – the projections on the sole – will also affect how long it lasts, he says.
What to do
If you buy a pair of polyurethane-soled shoes and the sole starts to crumble after little wear, we think you're entitled to a refund or replacement. Keep your receipt and take your shoes back to the store you bought them from. If that's not possible, contact the manufacturer. If the sole is labelled "PU" that's means it's made from polyurethane.
If you've had this type of problem, let us know.
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I had sandals who's pu soles fell apart last year, very disappointed as pair before lasted years. Shop woman said 8 months was pretty good since I'd worn them regularly over the summer. Is 8months "pretty good" for well made $160 sandals? What is reasonable to expect? (my lesson was I didn't keep the receipt!)
I have had this problem with 2 pairs of Zac shoes, and unfortunately the company has since gone. Neither of them has been worn much and I am worried my other pairs will go the same way after reading this. I did not know of the problem before.
My latest pair of Kumfs are made in China. I wonder if that is the problem.
What would happen if a stick on sole was stuck on them when new?
Can you still get stick on soles?
I've found the uppers wear out long before the soles. But I had one pair that lasted over ten years.
My Kumps $200+ shoes also started disstergrating after very little intermitent use while the leather tops were still perfect. They were alternated with several other pairs of shoes.The Kumps store refused to do anthing about them and the shoe repairer said they could not be repaired as it was the type of sole.Very dissapointing.
I have purchased two pair of Hush Puppies at $147.00 and $150.00. I purchased these because they have leather uppers, which I prefer. The first pair lasted three months before the sole split across the middle, the second lasted two months longer. Hannahs kindly replaced the first pair but declined to get involved in the second pair; so for a total of $297.00 for less than six months wear. Perhaps we should revert to leather soles.
I have had several instances over the last few years where kids shoes broke or fell apart within a few weeks or months of purchase, and was extrememly impressed with Hannahs who offered a complete replacement - no questions asked.
I'm in the same boat as M Lyde. First pair - Reef (brand) sandals - went on me about 18mths in, but after (rotating with jandals) 1 and a bit summers. "Soles made of fish-gut" I was told by the repair shop in Chch. Same for some Ecco, and Rockport, shoes. And two pairs of Clarks school shoes for my daughter. I try to buy rubber soled shoes now...but no manufacturer caters for that product anymore seemingly. Damn annoying.
Has anyone had the problem with Hush Puppies cracking along the bend line as in the photo shown. They also seem to start cracking within months and are useless within a year.