Rolling or 'Rocking' soles are not new to the footwear industry. Brands such as MBT pioneered the technology and FitFlop incorporated many of the benefits of rolling soles into their signature sandals. Now the technology has entered a more refined stage with brands such as Gabor slimming down the thickness of the sole and still managing to retain the same benefits.
Walking: As your heel strikes the ground the rolling sole converts the impact into forward motion, reducing the stress on your joints and propelling you into your next step.
Standing: The rolled sole profile means that when standing the toe and heel of the shoe is not in contact with the ground. Instead, the mid sole takes the load. This distributes your weight over the whole surface of your foot reducing pressure points.
Anyone who works in a retail or service industry job where standing still for long periods of time is necessary will tell you how uncomfortable it is, constantly having to adjust your standing position. Rolling soles allow you to rock gently back and forth on the spot eliminating the need to change your stance and promotes a more upright posture which in turn aligns the whole posterior chain from the hips and lower back right up to the neck and shoulders.
Rolling soft shoes also have a contoured foot bed gently supporting the arch and where more support needed the insole can be completely removed and replaced with a custom made orthotic insole.
With a wealth of anatomical data and over a decade of development Rolling Soft shoes are endorsed by podiatrists across Europe.
Half sizes, expert advice and fitting service included at Arnouts Bramhall.
]]>So why would a manufacturer produce footwear that isn't waterproof?
Well, It's all down to construction technique and like everything there are pro's and con's to each method.
Here are 3 of the most popular methods of shoe construction.
1) Stitched construction - The sole is stitched to the upper using heavy thread. This versatile method can be suited to both smart and casual shoes and is widely employed by Rieker shoes.
Pros:
Cons:
2) Cemented construction - A traditional manufacturing method where a rubber sole is glued to the upper. This construction technique is suited to both smart and casual shoes and used extensively by Gabor.
Pros:
Cons:
3) Injection moulded - The leather upper is placed into a mould and a liquid poly-urethane foam is injected into the bottom to create a perfectly bonded and water tight seal. This method is best suited to casual shoes only.
Pro's
Con's
So there are reasons behind each manufacturing technique and lightweight stylish shoes just cant perform as well as their heavier cousins in wet weather.
However some good old fashioned shoe polish worked into the stitching and welts will greatly improve a shoes water resistance level.
For advice on shoe care and waterproofing leather our friendly staff are always happy to offer assistance.
]]>"Are these shoes waterproof?"
So here is our answer. We grade our shoes into 5 levels of water resistance.
1) None
Fabric shoes such as Skechers trainers or shoes with fabric uppers or fabric panels offer no water resistance. Its just not possible. Some trainers are sold with water repellent uppers and while this does help a splash or two to run off, water will eventually soak through if kept wet for long enough.
2) Low level
Leather shoes with heavy stitching. Especially shoes where the sole is stitched to the upper. Brands such as Rieker stitch the soles onto the uppers creating ultra light-weight and flexible designs but the stitching is the entry point for water.
3) Medium level
Shoes which have an injection moulded sole or a sole glued to the upper create a tight seal that takes a long time for water to bypass. Our Gabor shoes often use this construction technique. The rubber soles are a little chunkier and heavier but on the plus side the water resistance level improves.
4) High level
Injection moulded soles with a water resistant membrane such as Gabor-Tex or Rieker-Tex offer the best protection. The seams and soles are sealed. The only place for water to pass through is the Zip or between the tongue which is why these shoes stop short of being 100% water proof.
5) Water proof
Unfortunately we haven't found any shoes to be totally 100% water proof (except for wellies)
A note on suede: Our suede shoes and boots are as waterproof as our leather ones. Its a common myth that suede isn't suitable for wet weather but tests show suede can keep out water for as long as smooth leathers. If they do leak it will be along stitching lines.
So if you do find your shoes are letting in water then some good old fashioned shoe polish works wonders! A tin of wax Kiwi polish and a brush worked into the welts and stitching lines will drastically improve the water resistance level of your footwear. And for suede and textiles, waterproofing spray works well too.
]]>Old shoes will be recycled and proceeds go to the variety club charity. Limited to one discount per new item. In store customer only.
Offer ends 30th November 2019
]]>Queues are long at shoe shops in Stockport and we would like to hear from parents and families what they think is a reasonable price to pay for a pair of children's school shoes?
At Arnouts we are looking ahead to our future in Bramhall and considering the needs of local people. Our biggest question so far is whether to continue stocking children’s school shoes.
A whole range of suppliers exist with prices ranging from £10 to £60 a pair but as the old saying goes “you get what you pay for”.
What we are hoping for is for parents to reach out and comment below with what they think is a reasonable price to pay and what they would expect from their children’s shoes.
So please tell us your thoughts…
Shoe sizing isn't exactly a science but some shoe size conversion charts are almost a full size out by the time they reach the upper end of the scale and here's why...
Comparing English and European sizes is like comparing centimetres and inches. They are two distinct measuring systems. Here is a scale taken from the back of one of our shoe boxes.
Lets say we start with a size 36 (which is what most shoe shops will do) and then work upwards from there. The closest equivalent on the scale above is a UK size 3.
Next, a 37 equates to a size 4 (not a bad equivalent) and size 38 is a UK 5 (which sort of makes sense). However once we reach 39 The scale has started to slide out by a half size and by size 40 its far from a UK 7 yet shops across the UK still insist on calling a size 40 a UK 7.
A European size is actually 0.7 of a UK size.
It is worth mentioning that many shoe boxes don't have a scale like this on the back so its understandable why so many people in the industry incorrectly translate EU to UK sizes.
So our advice is:
If you can see a European size on the box or somewhere printed on the shoe itself then don't trust the UK conversion and instead convert it yourself or learn what your European size is.
And of course you can always pop in to our shop for some friendly fitting advice.
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