For graduation yesterday, I donned a little-used pair of Clarke's shoes. As the processional started, left shoe seemed a little loose. As we started proceeding down the grass aisle towards the stage I thought I'd stepped on something odd. Looked down and saw something white on the back of my shoe. By the time I reached the stage my shoes were in the condition of the attached picture. Never had something like that happen before.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Murphy insures that things like this always happen at the worst possible time.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

It looks like the welt stitching on those is faux. Chinee Clarke's?
I have a hideously ugly pair of English made Clarke's Desert Treks that absolutely refuse to die. Beaten up, neglected, dried out, soaked in pasture muck for years. My wife tries to sneak them into the Goodwill bin at least twice a year. I love them.

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You're a daisy if you do.
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84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting

Lucky for me, I had refused a seat on the front row. If I'd have accepted it, I'd have felt even goofier than I did. As it was, I avoided the recessional by sneaking off the side of the stage rather than limping by 1000 people with the leather tops of my shoes tied around my ankles with the remains of the sole flopping around on every step. Turns out that Clarke's have a reputation for failing like that but I had no prior knowledge the polyurethane shoe soles should be avoided.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

My love affair with Clarke's has faded as of yesterday. I feel betrayed. Not faux stitching I think. Just stitched into a crap sole.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I looked recently online and all their shoes are now apparently outsourced. No British Clarke's made any more. Those injection soles that are so common now are designed to fail and not be repairable. I actually read reviews where people rave about getting two years of wear out of a pair of shoes or boots. Two years, really? I have serviceable footwear older than my kids.

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You're a daisy if you do.
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84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting

I have a pair like that...no failure yet.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Durable leather uppers.

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Chad
2013 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon
OBK#44
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

SOLD
1985 300TD - Red Dragon
1986 300SDL - Coda
1991 - 300TE
1995 - E320
1985 300CD - Gladys
2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE
1998 Acura 3.0 CL

Beware. They looked like a perfectly serviceable pair of shoes which were reduced to tatters in a matter of about 30 yards. There are numerous reports on the internet of similar things happening with Clarke's polyurethane soles.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I spent 2 hours at Coastal Farm and Ranch a couple of weeks ago, only to find that not a SINGLE pair of shoes was made in the USA. I've had several pairs of $70 Sketchers last me about 2 weeks.

Pretty sad...even Danner is having everything made in China now.

Maybe there's a niche, starting a shoe and boot company for all of us old Silverbacks who are sick of Chineese made crap.

I wear nothing but Allen Edmonds or Alden's. Not cheap, but cost-per-mile is reasonable. I have a few pairs that I bought back in the late Nineties that are still going strong.

You can still buy American made shoes and particularly boots, but you gotta pay for them. Red Wings, Thorogood, White's, Hathorn, Chippewa to name a few. As far as lightweight hikers go Merrell used to make some of their line in the U.S. but I am not sure if they still do. Thorogood has some good lightweight hikers that don't take half a lifetime to break in like Red Wings do.

__________________
You're a daisy if you do.
__________________________________
84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting

That is bazaar for any pair of shoes to do that Clarkes will surely send you a new pair if they are authentic. I am shoe junky and have not purchased anything but Ecco in the last few years.

I am an Allen Edmonds fan...some Johnston & Murphy are still made in Nashville too...Aldens don't fit me worth a hoot. I just picked up 2 pair of shoes from my cobbler...replaced leather soles and Vibram heel toplifts for $50 a pair. I expect that some of these shoes will outlive me, and I'm not 50 yet. Be ready to spend $345 for Allen Edmonds, $475 for Alden (calfskin...shell cordovan is closer to $600) and $475 for J&M Custom Select.

They cost more than Clarks but at least the soles won't fall off...

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2002 Ford ZX2
2 x 2013 Honda Civics

Ecco's rock. Been buying them for the last 7 yrs!!

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'07 Yukon 2500
'13 Subaru Outback 3.6R
'13 Orbea Carpe 9-speed

Currently Benzless
Formerly: 300TD, S600, E55, 560SEL

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