Can Work Boots Be Resoled? (And Is It Worth It?)

Short answer, yes. You can resole your comfortable pair of work boots. But there are a few things you should know before you decide to resole your beloved work boots.

This article will discuss the pros and cons of getting your boots resoled, inform you as to some tell-tale signs that your boots need repairing. And then give you some information on whether specific brands of boots can be resolved or not.

Most of the time the article is assuming that you are looking to get a cobbler (a shoe repair expert) to do the work for you.

But towards the end, we direct you to some specialist information about how to resole your own footwear and cut out the middle man.

Can you resole your work boots? Or should you buy new ones?

That’s the million dollar question 🙂 Let’s check out some of the benefits and down sides too of resoling your work boots.

Pros to resoling your work boots

• Money -The most obvious pro is that paying for a resole is cheaper than paying for a new pair.
• Fit – It takes a while for boots to adapt to the contours of your feet. Repairing your existing pair means you have to go through this awkward phase of adaptation again. Resoling them means you do not.
• If you get someone else to do it, you will get a high-quality service.
• Repairing, not buying new work boots, is better for the environment.

Cons to resoling a pair of safety boots

• If you do it yourself you may end up breaking your work boots entirely, wasting money on materials, and wasting time on a failed fix. And you will feel very frustrated!
• If someone else does it, you will not have access to your boots for a long time, potentially several days if you factor in postage to and from the repair facility. If you need to work during these days, you will have to buy a spare pair anyway, or take the time off work.
• It may cost more than just buying new.

In short, to resole or not to resole your work boots depends on whether you have access to a high-quality cobbler and how much they charge compared to buying new boots.

You should also consider whether you are confident enough in your craft abilities to resole your own boots, as this will remove a large number of the above mentioned cons.

When is it time to resole your work boots?

You should not wait until the soles of your work boots are physically falling off before you resole them. Rather you should resole your work boots as soon as they are compromising either your safety or your comfort.

In terms of safety, if there is a hole in your sole, you have probably already left it too late.

You are compromising the main reason you are wearing boots on a work site- to keep yourself safe.

So if there is even a small amount of reduced tread, it is time to take the boots to the cobbler.

Even a small sole split (where the upper bit of the boot begins to separate from the sole) is compromising your safety and requires urgent action.

Similarly, if moisture is seeping into your socks, this is a sign your boots are not protecting you as much as they should. This moisture, if not taking care of it soon, could lead to athlete’s foot issues, and trust me, you don’t want that!

And if the ground suddenly feels a lot closer to your feet, then it is clear that the leather is thinning and the boots are no longer comfortable or safe. Time for a resole.

How long you can expect to keep a pair of boots (Several months? Several years?) before needing to resole will depend entirely on make and the kind of wear you are subjecting the boots to.

And if the wear on your work boots is structural, that is to say, areas apart from the soles are falling apart, then it may be time to rebuild them entirely.

How far does resoling work boots will get you?

A good quality pair of work boots can be resoled two or three times before the wear and tear is too great and you will have to look at either a rebuild or replacement.

How much does it cost to resole a pair of work boots?

Prices are correct as of 19th January 2021.

Red Wing Boots offer a resoling service for their brand of boots at $100 including postage and packaging. 

Other cobblers can offer a resoling for as low as $35-$40. And a kit to do it yourself generally costs around $25.

Short Q&A about work boots that can be resoled or not

This section will briefly mention some specific brands of boots and whether they can be resoled. It will also give additional information about where you can get this done and costs if applicable.

Can Ariat work boots be resoled?

According to this Amazon Q+A, Ariat work boots can be resoled. Ariat recommends that you ship them to nushoe.com for resoling with their specifically designed outsoles, but independent shops can also do the job.

Can Justin work boots be resoled?

The consensus among Amazon purchasers is also yes. Justin does not appear to have a resoler that they recommend, but the high quality design of their boots mean that any reputable cobbler should be able to resole them, and you can definitely do it yourself.

Can Red wing work boots be resoled?

Red Wings run their own repair facility which includes resoling boots for just $100, cheaper than buying a new pair.

Can Wolverine work boots be resoled?

Yes. Instructions for how to resole them can be found here; this implies that either you can do it yourself or a reputable cobbler can.

Can Keen work boots be resoled?

According to Keen Footwear’s website ‘The Cincinnati is the only product that is able to be resoled.’ The technology they use on their outsoles ‘doesn’t lend itself to re-soling’.

So be aware that if you are keen to resole your boots and keep them for a long time, Keen are not the brand for you.

The bottom line on resoling safety boots

In conclusion, resoling work boots is often very cheap, and environmentally friendly.

But, whether it is the right choice for you, is dependent on what make of boots you use and what cobblers and footwear experts are available to you.

If you think it’s a lot of work, you can always check out a new pair of work boots. Here’s a great selection of work boots!

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Extra resources for more information related to athlete foot

Do it yourself 

https://helpshoe.com/how-to-repair-your-shoes/
https://nicksboots.com/blog/post/when-to-resole-work-boots-and-when-to-rebuild/
https://www.wikihow.com/Resole-Your-Footwear

More information 

https://www.samuelhubbard.com/blog/shoe-resoling/
https://walkwithboots.org/is-it-expensive-to-resole-work-boots/
https://sturdyboot.com/much-cost-resole-boots-discover-need-know/
https://www.redwingshoes.com/customer-service-contact-us/repairs.html

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