Reattaching the soles on surplus German army boots?

[SaraR]

I just noticed that the soles on my very gently used German army boots from the surplus store have pretty much detached completely! The outer sole itself is fine, as is the leather boot, but the middle bit has gone completely. Does anyone know of something that I can use to reattach the soles?

They only get used for dog walking when the weather is foul and the occasional trip to the woods, so I would have expected years more use out of them. The only marking on them is the word "Bund".

 

[0000]

I just noticed that the soles on my very gently used German army boots from the surplus store have pretty much detached completely! The outer sole itself is fine, as is the leather boot, but the middle bit has gone completely. Does anyone know of something that I can use to reattach the soles?

They only get used for dog walking when the weather is foul and the occasional trip to the woods, so I would have expected years more use out of them. The only marking on them is the word "Bund".

The arch support? I'd have a google for some sort of rubber contact cement. Some of that stuff is super strong these days and is actually used in the manufacturing of a lot of boots.

Sent from my SM-A705FN using Tapatalk

 

[lostplanet]

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Not sure if this tube will be enough but try and clamp the sole and boot down as much as possible after youve glued them.
I had a pair of hanwag soles literally fall off mid walk. i took them to the cobbler twice and they still couldnt get them to stick properly, they tried various glues and primers, so I retired them.

 

[lostplanet]

if shoegoo has become a bit tame for some reason, this looks like good stuff. ill be getting some myself.

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[Ogri the trog]

Up until a fortnight ago, I'd have said Shoegoo too,

However, since the cooler weather hit, I dug out an old pair of Lowa's on which the inner sole had sadly crumbled. I had always been told that they could never be repaired, but I gave these guys a call - https://www.bootrepaircompany.co.uk/
Sent them a photo, they said yes, I posted them off and they were back within a week feeling and looking great.

I can't comment personally on the longevity of the repair yet but keep pestering me for updates if you want to know.

Good luck!

 

[lostplanet]

Up until a fortnight ago, I'd have said Shoegoo too,

However, since the cooler weather hit, I dug out an old pair of Lowa's on which the inner sole had sadly crumbled. I had always been told that they could never be repaired, but I gave these guys a call - https://www.bootrepaircompany.co.uk/
Sent them a photo, they said yes, I posted them off and they were back within a week feeling and looking great.

I can't comment personally on the longevity of the repair yet but keep pestering me for updates if you want to know.

Good luck!

Thats interesting. I was using a cobblers in orpington that have done a few jobs for me. had a nightmare with the hanwags.

If you dont mind sharing, how much did they charge you for the fix? and what was replaced?

 

[Erbswurst]

Which one?

BW means Deutsche Bundeswehr.

Bundeswehr Armeestiefel B kaufen | Räer BW & Outdoor

Entdecken Sie hochwertige Bundeswehr Armeestiefel B bei Räer. Profitieren Sie von unserer großen Auswahl an Ausrüstung für Ihr nächstes Abenteuer.

www.raeer.com

 

[Ogri the trog]

If you dont mind sharing, how much did they charge you for the fix? and what was replaced?

£74.95 (their standard costs for replacement soles and return postage) plus the cost of posting to them - so about £80 all in.

I did also ask about them replacing an eyelet, but they didn't have any of the type that I wanted - that would have been an extra £10.

They replaced the cushioned material that was crumbling (might be called a mid-sole or sole-bed) and a new set of Vibram soles.

So far I'm a happy bunny!

 

[Dark Horse Dave]

Funnily enough I've just had some Lowa boots repaired within the last week by The Boot Repair Company. Great service and I'm really pleased with the job they've done ( but possibly OTT for this particular enquiry?)

 

[TLM]

Basically any one component low Tg PU elastic sealant could be used as adhesive. The low Tg requirement usually leads to building outside sealants.

 

[Brizzlebush]

My Lowa's (fantastic boots) are on their way out (sad face).
The leather upper is a little cracked, but intact, so I'm concerned replacing the sole would be a waste. But new soles are cheaper than new boots. Various internet searches have produced ex-army, goretex-lined (£65-£120) or some Seeland boots, which also look good. But no experience or reviews of them.
So either I bite the bullet (£200 for good boots) or compromise with army (not guaranteed to be comfortable, waterproof or silly heavy) or unknown others.
Experience tells me that it's best to spend it wisely on this most important of kit items.

 

[Dark Horse Dave]

My Lowa's (fantastic boots) are on their way out (sad face).
The leather upper is a little cracked, but intact, so I'm concerned replacing the sole would be a waste. But new soles are cheaper than new boots. Various internet searches have produced ex-army, goretex-lined (£65-£120) or some Seeland boots, which also look good. But no experience or reviews of them.
So either I bite the bullet (£200 for good boots) or compromise with army (not guaranteed to be comfortable, waterproof or silly heavy) or unknown others.
Experience tells me that it's best to spend it wisely on this most important of kit items.

Something you could consider: previously I'd sent another pair of Lowas to the Boot Repair Company, and like you wasn't sure whether a new sole was an option. As it turned out it wasn't possible, but they contacted me by phone very promptly to discuss the matter. In the end I decided to let them dispose of my boots for me. So in the end it cost me the price of posting ( about 12 quid I think), but at least I knew for sure.

 

[SaraR]

Literally nothing showing before last night.

 

[Brizzlebush]

Something you could consider: previously I'd sent another pair of Lowas to the Boot Repair Company, and like you wasn't sure whether a new sole was an option. As it turned out it wasn't possible, but they contacted me by phone very promptly to discuss the matter. In the end I decided to let them dispose of my boots for me. So in the end it cost me the price of posting ( about 12 quid I think), but at least I knew for sure.

That's dead handy to know. Thanks Dave. I might give them a call or send an email first with a pic.

 

[Brizzlebush]

View attachment 62706
Literally nothing showing before last night.

Army surplus?
I've seen very similar on flea bay.
Yikes, not ideal!

 

[Brizzlebush]

I just noticed that the soles on my very gently used German army boots from the surplus store have pretty much detached completely! The outer sole itself is fine, as is the leather boot, but the middle bit has gone completely. Does anyone know of something that I can use to reattach the soles?

They only get used for dog walking when the weather is foul and the occasional trip to the woods, so I would have expected years more use out of them. The only marking on them is the word "Bund".

I used Gorilla glue to stick a sole on recently.
It worked really well but I needed 83 clamps and a selection of wooden battens, in a variety of positions to get it all held!
It was a kind of shoe glue scaffold origami.
It worked though.

 

[Erbswurst]

In my opinion the complete sole needs to be replaced.

They are simply too old. That happens with most boots 8 years after production.

That's why I always recommend traditional double stiched old fashioned boots. They last 20 years or even far longer.

Should you decide to replace them I can tell you a few boots that surely last longer than yours, which obviously had been stored too long.

Nowadays you can't buy anymore surplus boots. They throw them out of the storage if they had been stored too long to issue them.

If you want such glued comfortable military boots you must take them out of current production. Haix, Meindl, Lowa, Altberg for example sell them new to civil clients too.

And I even would buy only new produced sewn boots, because nowadays also they have EVA pieces in the soles to make them softer.
You very rarely get the old hard rubber sole boots which really last a lifetime.

But the sewn ones, the double stiched ones especially, are made to be resoled.
Every shoemaker master can do it.

You could send this photo to Meindl and Lowa and Haix, ask them if it's made by them and if they are able to resole it.

I know that Meindl offers it for their top models. But I don't know if yours is a Meindl boot.

 

[Mowmow]

Up until a fortnight ago, I'd have said Shoegoo too,

However, since the cooler weather hit, I dug out an old pair of Lowa's on which the inner sole had sadly crumbled. I had always been told that they could never be repaired, but I gave these guys a call - https://www.bootrepaircompany.co.uk/
Sent them a photo, they said yes, I posted them off and they were back within a week feeling and looking great.

I can't comment personally on the longevity of the repair yet but keep pestering me for updates if you want to know.

Good luck!

I'll be bearing that in mind!
Nowhere seems to do resoling near where i live.

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[SaraR]

Funnily enough I've just had some Lowa boots repaired within the last week by The Boot Repair Company. Great service and I'm really pleased with the job they've done ( but possibly OTT for this particular enquiry?)

Yeah, that's really good to know for future use on "nice" boots, but I'm not willing to soend that much on these.

 

[Erbswurst]

I recommend to have a look at Meindl Ortler if you want to get new boots.

I guess you will find a shop where you can try them.

These will not fall in pieces pretty soon like most others.

Ortler | Meindl - Shoes For Actives

meindl.de