“Toughening up” running shoes?

[Rick Reno]

Does anybody have advice about applying shoe goo, seam sealer, or something similar to the outside of running shoe uppers to prevent them from getting all ripped up? I love my light zero drop shoes, but the uppers keep getting ripped up on the outside of the foot just behind my little toe and just above where the uppers join the sole. It happens with pretty much whatever shoes I wear, and long before the soles start getting worn out. it's not the fit; they just get abraded on all these nasty New England rocks. I'd like to paint on something to make them tougher, maybe an inch or so high and running from the toe cup to the heel cup on the outside, so the uppers will last as long as the soles. This group collectively must have worn out millions of pairs of shoes, and tried almost as many ways to prolong their life. Anybody have one that actually worked? Thanks, and Happy Trails!

[Roger Caffin]

Shoe Goo has worked. It's pretty tough. Not too thick. Cheers

[Barry Cuthbert]

I use Seam Grip for this purpose, a 1oz tube does 1 pair of shoes for me. The Seam Grip is used to coat the top of the toes, and any fabric/mesh about 30mm up from the sole joint with the uppers, and all sewn seams.

[Todd T]

Another vote for Shoe Goo. I've used it to "stitch" ripped uppers and to pour a whole new sole onto shoes. It's pretty tough.

[Diane Pinkers]

Does anyone bother to carry Shoe Goo on the trail for repairs? Are there small tubes available?

[Dean F.]

Yes. Google "shoe goo 1 oz". Freesole also makes a 1oz tube.

[Ken Thompson]

Someone here recommends a tube of fishing wader repair glue. UV activated and very durable supposedly.

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