Bushwalk Australia

Bit of a strange question but I figure someone on here will have experience with something to help.

My favourite pair of boots to wear (they truly are bliss on my feet) have a major flaw. So much so they have been deligated to gardening duties which is a tad sad. On the inside arch of the sole there is a stiffening wedge of plastic. Whilst most of the time its all good and well, if walking off track/damp/rainforest condidtions if you tread on a rock/tree root with that part of the boot you quite simply wind up on your backside. It is immensely slippery. You honestly slip like on ice sort of deal. So I was thinking is there a rubber compound that I could paint on to that part of the sole that would give it a bit more traction/less slippery?

Thanks in advance

I would glop on a layer of shoe-goo if I could get some, or something similar. Something to replicate the tread of the shoe. Another option would be some heavy duty contact cement like Barge glue and a bit of bicycle tire or inner tube, again, trying to replicate the tread. Hopefully this leads you down a path that works, I'm not sure either product is easy to find here in australia, but it might lead you to find a solution that works.

Why the loss of grip? Was it the rubber compound or a lack of tread? If later, can try to cut some fine treads or roughen the contact surfaces to help. If it's the compound, then I'd say you are better to find a better pair than mucking around with shoegoo.

I have used bike tube repair patches,sometimes they work,sometimes they don't,still might be worth a try

I suspect that patch is to protect the boot when sliding down ropes. Many boots are sold to the military personnel in large numbers, especially in the USA. Even larger numbers of civilians think that military features are cool, and buy them on that basis even if the features are of no use to them.

If the boots otherwise work well for you I can see good reason to stick with them. The idea of some sealant over the patch to add friction is a good one (maybe try polyurethane sealant (e.g. sikaflex) ).

They are Ahnu boots so not sure on its purpose. Its a plastic piece in the arch (next to the yellow vibram on the sole there). The loss of grip comes when you are on something raised ie tread on a tree root or rock where you balance on the arch. I've got a reconstructed knee that I hate slipping any more than necessary on lol. It might only happen once on a walk but its one time too many if in a precarious spot lol. I thought about shoe goo. My local shop has it from memory. I might give that a go otherwise I'll try glueing something like a bit of tyre on. Thanks for the suggestions

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Shoe Goo, you may have to re-apply now and then but its probably at least less slippery/more rubbery. Iv'e had boots with those pesky inserts pop off and glued them back on. Some keen shoes seem to use that slippery hard compound all the way around in chunks and shapes. The Goo iv'e only used for toe caps (mask and 'paint' on) but i'd agree- it's good stuff.

Also roofing silicon would be worth a try
After all we use that on groundsheets so our sleeping mats don't slip everywhere

I was wondering about that too but wasn't sure if it would stick to the plastic. Might try goo on one and silicone on the other =D

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