types of shoe soles and their characteristics

One of the most important parts of any shoe is the sole. The sole is the outer part of the shoe that is in contact with the ground, protecting your feet from injury while making the shoe last longer. The design of some shoe soles is so beautiful that it becomes a reason to buy that shoe. You may say to yourself, what is the difference between shoe soles? But make no mistake. Each sole has its own use, and when buying shoes, you should also pay attention to the use of the sole of that shoe in order to prevent the sole from breaking and cracking. In today’s leather blog article, we intend to introduce you to the types of shoe soles, their features and uses.

What is PU sole? (Polyurethane shoe soles)

In your opinion, what are the characteristics of a good shoe sole? Durability, comfort or reasonable price? PU shoe sole has all these features. The word PU stands for Polyurethane, and in short, it refers to soles that are made by combining two materials, Polyol and Isocyanate. Pio soles are very light and durable. Therefore, shoes that use PU soles are very suitable for long-term use. PU shoe soles are flexible, thermally insulated in the cold, and the probability of breaking in this type of soles is very low (according to international standards, the probability of breaking this sole is about 10 percent). It is also resistant to slip and moisture.

EVA shoe sole

Walk into a shoe store and take a look around. You can be sure that more than 70% of the shoes you see are made with EVA soles. EVA sole is widely used in the production of all kinds of shoes. The word EVA stands for (Ethyl Vinyl Acetate) and its characteristic is that it is made of extremely soft materials and has the ability to withstand shocks and strong impacts. So, we should not be surprised that EVA soles are also used to make most sports shoes.

  Due to the extreme softness of the EVA sole, it is usually combined with rubber and TPU so that it is resistant to heat and does not change shape. Therefore, if rubber and TPU are not used in making the soles of EVA shoes, there is a possibility of the shoes slipping on slippery and wet surfaces. Note that the EVA sole, besides being soft, is very light and is also used in making comfortable shoes.

Rubber shoe soles

If the word Rubber is written in the specification section of your shoe, it means that your shoe has a rubber sole. The sole of the rubber shoe cannot be broken or worn in any way, and it also has a very high friction. Despite its high strength, rubber sole has very good flexibility and this feature makes it possible to use this type of soles in the construction of climbing shoes. In addition, it has good resistance against water penetration.

The rubber sole is a little heavier than the ones mentioned above. Of course, some people prefer the durability and flexibility of this sole to its weight, but perhaps it is better not to use this type of sole in making comfortable shoes. A shoe made with rubber soles may produce noise when moving on smooth and polished surfaces due to the friction of the rubber with the surface, which is normal.

TPU shoe soles

If you care about the resistance of the shoe sole against slipping and wear, you should go for the TPU shoe sole. The TPU sole is strong and flexible at the same time. As mentioned, the distinctive feature of this type of sole is that it has a very high resistance to wear and sliding, is considered a good insulator, and is resistant to breaking. For this reason, this type of sole is usually used to make safety shoes.

It is interesting to know that the TPU sole is generally clear and colorless. This is the reason why shoe designers can easily produce this sole with the desired color, and as a result, various colors of this type of sole are available in the market.

PVC shoe soles

When you hear the name PVC, you probably think of water pipes. But PVC materials have many more uses. PVC shoe sole (Poly Vinyl Chloride) is an excellent insulator for all types of shoes. PVC sole can easily be transformed into different shapes. PVC shoe soles are hard by nature and become a little softer by adding some materials.

The relatively light weight and affordable price of this sole has made various designs of PVC sole available in the market and it is mostly used in making cheap shoes and slippers. Another advantage of PVC sole is that it cannot wear or break.

Thermo shoe soles

If you are looking for a shoe that is extremely resistant to slipping and wear, be sure to choose shoes that are made with thermo soles. The Thermo shoe sole with its high quality allows you to easily walk on slippery surfaces. Also, because this sole is heat insulated, it is suitable for use in summer and winter. Another advantage of this sole is that it cannot break and has a medium density, so it is relatively light in weight and suitable for walking.