Eli5: why do shoes disintegrate when left unworn (for extended period of time) and frequently wearing them actually prevents/delays disintegration?
In: Other
This is a common issue with certain materials used in shoe soles. The material will break down suddenly. I have had this occur with multiple shoes in the last few years. It is not caused by storage or use, it just is the nature of the material used and its inherent instability and random time to breakdown.
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I doubt it actually does delay disintegration, you just wear them out usefully before the materials themselves fail, as opposed to not using them and the materials failing in a similar timestamp.
I’ve noticed that Blundstone’s boots have this problem. If used fairly regularly, they just last and last. but if left alone for a couple years the rubber/PU sole ends up crumbling off of the upper.
I went to a shoe repair shop, and was told that the nature of these soles they can’t repair them, even though the leather upper was still in mint condition. He said that, when stored, the oils in the sole end up leaching out, but with regular use the oils get redistributed in the rubber.
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