Repairing footwear on the way: sole, laces, seam

Large forces act on a shoe with every step. As you roll through, the sole bends; as you push off, it pulls at the front where it joins the upper. That is why soles almost always come loose at the toe first. Once the bond is open, it tears a little further with every step – just like a tear in fabric.

A temporary repair must take up these pulling forces without pressing on the foot. Wraps of tape spread the load over a large area around shoe and sole. Cable ties or cord run through existing eyelets and around the sole hold particularly firmly at individual points. A combination is often best: fix at points, secure over an area.

Shoe glue can properly rebond a sole – but only on clean, dry surfaces, and it needs time to cure. On the way that usually means: glue in the evening, let it dry overnight tightly wrapped and secure it with tape in the morning as well. Follow the instructions on the packaging.

Clean and dry the surfaces before taping – tape on mud or wet leather barely holds. Wrap the tape several times crosswise around shoe and sole, but keep it thin under the ball of the foot: a lot of weight rests there when walking, and thick bulges get in the way. For larger detachments, run cable ties or cord through the lace eyelets and around the sole, and lay the ends to the side or inwards so they do not scrape on the ground.

A broken lace can be joined again with a knot or replaced with cord. Paracord has thin inner strands that can be pulled out and make a good spare lace. If an eyelet has torn out, simply skip it. Split seams on the upper are sewn with strong thread in backstitch and protected on the outside with tape against abrasion.

An old sock pulled over the repaired shoe protects the tape from abrasion and can give a little more grip on ice for a short time – but that is only a stopgap. Check every repair in the morning and at every break and renew it before it fails completely.

Tape and cable ties under the sole reduce grip. On wet rock, roots, grass or ice they can be truly slippery. Adjust your pace and route, avoid exposed spots and if in doubt rather turn back. A fall weighs more heavily than a cut-short trip.

In high mountains or on ice, a completely detached sole is not a case for a repair but for a retreat plan. The same applies to crampon-compatible mountain boots with a damaged welt: crampons no longer hold reliably on them.

Blisters form quickly when knots, edges or folds of tape press on the foot. If you feel a pressure point, stop straight away and correct the repair or the fit of your sock. Dry socks help too, because wet skin is more sensitive.

Repairs work well for soles coming loose at the toe, broken laces and torn-out eyelets, and small tears in the upper. On hiking trails, in town or on the way home they will usually get you safely to your destination.

How long a temporary fix holds cannot be predicted. It depends on the damage, the material, the terrain and the weather. So always expect it to fail sooner than hoped, and plan your route and way back accordingly. It is never a permanent solution: after the trip the shoe goes to a professional or is replaced.

Footwear problems are among the most common gear failures on the way. Mountaineering textbooks therefore recommend checking boots before every trip and carrying a small repair kit. A quick look at the sole edge, seams and eyelets the evening before often saves a repair on the mountain.

Old shoes whose glue has become brittle are especially prone to coming apart – even if they stood in the cupboard for a long time and were hardly worn. Walk in them for a while before a longer trip, and you will see whether they still hold.