Also among classic Goodyear welted footwear, which is our main area of expertise, rubber soles have always had their place, and in recent years the development has taken further steps. This is both because new types of soles have been developed, but also because manufacturers have become better at working with rubber soles so that, if desired, you can get exactly the same look as with leather soles (in fact, TLB Mallorca is seen as a world leader in this respect).
Our different types of rubber soles can be divided into three areas: thin rubber soles, thicker rubber soles and rubber soles for sneakers. Below we show different examples within these areas, and briefly describe their characteristics. All our shoes with rubber soles can be found here.
Thin rubber soles
On shoes from our own Skolyx range of Goodyear welted shoes, made on Mallorca, we use this type of so-called city rubber sole. Thin and neat, giving the look of a leather sole, but with the grip and durability of a rubber sole. Shoes with this sole can be found here.
TLB Mallorca also makes similar city rubber soles, but with even more worked sides and waists, not least on the Artista line. These have gotten a lot of attention in the shoe world, as the TLB factory manages to make extremely narrow waists with round bevelling that goes under the heel of rubber soles, something that very few priced twice as much do even with leather soles. Shoes with this sole can be found here.
On Yanko's Belgian loafers we have the thinnest rubber soles of all. These are really neat, lightweight shoes, but thanks to the half-rubber sole and the Blake-stitched construction, they will still last a long time, and even be able to be resoled. Shoes with this sole can be found here.
Thicker rubber soles
This type of rubber sole is usually called "studded", and sometimes they are referred to as Dainite soles after the most common manufacturer. In most cases we choose the version made by Italian Vibram since the rubber compound is much better for the Nordic climate, it can withstand sub-zero temperatures and has good grip even on snow and ice. The pattern also prevents snow from sticking, and the rather thick rubber insulates well against the cold. Shoes with this sole can be found here.
We have a wedge sole on our moc toe boots from Yanko and Midas. It's a type of sole that is very light and soft, really comfortable to walk with. Shoes with this sole can be found here.
Our Yanko traveler Belgian loafers have a thick, super-soft rubber sole like this. It's a bit like walking on clouds with this type of sole. Shoes with this sole can be found here.
Rubber soles for sneakers
Cup soles are common on minimalist sneakers, and have the great advantage of being sewn with a sidewall stitched construction. They can then be resoled by cobblers with the right equipment. Shoes with this sole can be found here.
Our trainer soles have a rubber outer layer that provides good traction and is hard-wearing, and are then built in a cushioning rubber compound that still provides enough support not to collapse when walking. At the back, we also have extra reinforcement so that also people who pronate can wear these trainers. Shoes with this sole can be found here.
The sole of our runners is very similar to the construction of our trainer soles, but here the pattern is a bit more substantial, similar to the soles of the first runners models in the 70s. You can find shoes with this sole here.