Whether you stand or walk all day long, the sole of your work boot will continuously come in contact with the surface. Thus, the work boot sole tends to get damaged or thinned sooner than other parts of your boot. When the sole becomes thin or gets damaged, it will lose grip on the ground. So, you will lose both safety and comfort with the work boots.
Hence, you need to resole the work boot to keep it in usable condition and maintain proper comfort and safety. But, how much does it cost to resole work boots? Is it worth resoling work boots?
Well, this depends on the damage percentage of the sole, and the resoling worth will further depend on the price of your work boots.
Ideally, an average work boot resoling might cost you anywhere from $40 to $100 or slightly more. The resoling cost depends on the damage level, type of sole you want to repair, and where you would perform the resoling job.
How Much Does It Cost To Resole Work Boots?
Although work boot sole is made ruggedly to last almost forever, the sole will eventually start showing signs of wear and tear after a few months. Since the outsole of your work boot will directly come across the surface, it starts wearing out sooner than any part of the boots. The wearing out of the outsole happens faster if you work in mines, construction sites, a heavy-metal industry where the surface is often uneven, muddy, or rocky.
When the outsole starts wearing out, its texture also begins flattening. So, it loses grip and increases the chance of slippage and punctures due to sharper objects.
That’s why your work boot sole replacement is essential for your safety and comfort in the workplace. Or else, it runs the risk of injuring your feet severely.
But, many workers don’t know the cost of replacing their work boots sole. So, they ask, “How much does resoling boot cost?
The short answer will be-
The resoling cost of an average pair of work boots will cost you from $40 to $100. However, it will depend on the damage level of the outsole and the resoling location. For instance, resoling the work boot from a local cobbler is way cheaper than resoling it directly from the manufacturer. The following points will help you realize the cost breakdown of the work boot resoling better.
- Forum members in Askingaboutclothes.com suggested that repairing and replacing leather work boots might cost around $50 per pair. Also, the cost depends on the type of outsole your work boot has. For instance, Vibram soles are pricier to replace than the regular EVA outsoles.
- Next up, if you use Red Wings work boots, you can repair the sole directly from the manufacturer. Although it will cost a bit more, the resoling will be highly functional and durable than the local cobblers. Red Wings Boot has enlisted their cost breakdown in their website, which states that resoling and replacing the boot’s heel will cost you $100. It is an A La Carte option. The good part is that you can choose from different options for resoling or repairing your work boots.
- Dr. Martens is also a famous work boot manufacturer, and they too offer to resole their boot outsole. You can get your work boot outsole repaired from the manufacturer at $95 for the perfect fitting and with an entirely new outsole for maximum durability.
- Over the years, NuShoe has been offering high-end work boot sole replacement service. Their website shows that the outsole replacement for work boots costs starts from $80 for the Vibram soles. You can expect to pay them $100 for the heel replacement along with the sole repairing job for the best results. On their website, you can get the cost breakdown for the work boot sole repairing from NuShoe.
- Tulsa Shoe Rebuilders is a famous and reliable work boot and shoe repairer. They are located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Moreover, they have enlisted their work boot sole replacement costing on their website. It states that you need to pay $75 for the half-leather sole and $95 for the full-leather sole of your work boot.
These are some of the official costings we found for replacing and repairing the work boot outsole. You may, however, perform the resoling job at home. You will need the DIY outsole repair kit for this purpose, and it would cost you from $10 to 425 mostly. Also, you can opt to resole the work boot from the local cobbler if you need it immediately and with optimal performance.
Is It Worth Resoling Work Boots?
As a worker, you aim to get the maximum performance from your work boots. Thankfully, the work boot manufacturer makes their boots last long and can easily go up to 5 to 7 years with proper maintenance and care.
However, the sole with more exposure to the floor and external elements will begin to wear out sooner than you expect. So, you need to replace it for safety purposes. But how worth is it to replace the outsole of your work boot? Also, is it worthier than buying a new pair of work boots?
The comparison between your work boot price and its resoling cost can be a good guide to determine the worthiness of resoling the work boot. The Los Angles Times published an article in this regard named “Cobbling together shoe-repair savings,” which has discussed the fact with excellent details.
Hence, you should always consider your work boot pricing and compare it with the resoling cost to decide whether you should resolve the boot or not. For instance, if your work boot price was $120, its resoling cost sums up to be close to $75 or more, it is better to buy a new pair of work boots. On the contrary, if you have bought the high-end Red Wing work boots, you may even resole these boots several times. It is because a good pair of Red Wing work boots might cost $250 or more. Thus, buying a new pair of these high-end working boots twice or thrice in a couple of years isn’t a financially practical idea when you can easily repair its outsole.
Work Boot Sole Replacement Cost Breakdown: The Important Factors
We have stated a few times already that work boot resoling and repairing will cost you around $40-$100 or slightly more. So, you might be keen to know which factors determine the costing variation to resole the work boot bottom.
It includes the quality and type of work boot bottom you want to repair or resole and the extent of the sole’s damage. The common reasons are:
Damage level:
Firstly, you need to check the damage level of the work boot outsole or bottom. Actually, it depends on the number of holes the bottom of the boot has. If the work boot bottom has more holes, you need to pay more to get a better replacement.
Also, the cost will vary depending on the replacement requirement of the boot. If you need only a minimal repairing of the work boot insole, you can even accomplish it in less than $20.
Half or full sole replacement:
This point is again linked directly with the extent of the damage of the work boot bottom. Do you need to repair the half-sole of the boot? Or, do you want a full-sole replacement?
This decision will largely determine the actual costing to resole the work boot properly. You would need to pay $25 to $60 to replace the half-sole for the work boots. If you wish to resole the full sole of the work boot, you might need to pay from $40 to $80.
Type and quality of the outsole:
The work boot outsole can e of different kinds, including leather, foam, and rubber. Also, there’re quality variations within these materials. Thus, you have to consider the quality of your work boot outsole and its type to finalize the work boot bottom replacement cost.
Usually, leather outsole replacement is the costliest, while regular rubber or wader outsoles are usually the cheapest to replace.
Resoling location:
Finally, the resoling location will have an impact on the pricing. It will be pretty costlier if you want to replace or repair the work boot sole directly from the manufacturer. The good thing is to do it from a local cobbler. You can expect to save 25% to 50% to replace the work boot sole from local cobblers than from the manufacturer.
Moreover, cobblers can replace and deliver your work boots much faster compared to the original manufacturers.
When Should You Resole Your Work Boots: The Top 5 Signs
Resoling is important to extend the lifespan of your work boot and ensure safety in the workplace. But how do you know when to resole work boots?
Well, the following 5 points are the sure-shot signs that your work boot probably needs outsole replacement. These signals are:
- Suppose you find one or multiple holes on the sole of your work boot. In fact, if the work boot bottom already has several holes, it might be beyond any repair. Thus, you are left with no choice but to replace the outsole entirely.
- As you walk with your work boots on, its bottom will wear out sooner or later. However, the two boots of the pair won’t wear equally. It means one work boot will wear out more than the other one. If the wear and tear of your work boot are too much uneven, it will impact your walking safety and comfort. So, you should repair the sole to remove the unevenness.
- Their outsole will become thin when you wear the work boots rigorously for a few months or even a year. If it gets too thin, you can’t but add another outsole layer at its bottom. Also, you might replace the entire sole when the older one becomes simple too thin. A good way of finding the thinness of the work boot bottom is that you will feel the surface lot closer than it was earlier.
- If the work boot has a leather outsole, it can quickly get damaged due to water. Hence, water damage will take its toll on the work boot bottom, asking you to replace the bottom. Hence, if you repeatedly work in wet and drenched conditions, replacing the bottom of the work boot quicker than in average situations is good.
- Last but not least, the splitting sole is the clearest sign that you need to repair the bottom or replace it. Thankfully, you can repair smaller splits on the work boot bottom using a strong shoe adhesive.
Is Timberland work boot sole replaceable?
Timberland work boots are relatively cheaper and long-lasting. The good thing is that you can easily replace and repair the outsole of the Timberland boots. You can perform the replacement job from a reputed cobbler. But, unlike Red Wings, Timberland doesn’t offer a replacement and repairing service for their boots.
Can I resole Thorogood boots?
Thorogood work boot has premium Goodyear stitching around the outsole, making the bottom incredibly long-lasting. The good part is that you can also repair and replace it several times to prolong its lifespan, and it is worth the investment.
Can I resole Ariat work boots?
Ariat is famous for its fashionable work boots that you will definitely love. Thankfully, their work boot has a strong bottom, and you can repair it multiple times at an affordable price.
The Summary
How much does it cost to resole work boots?
The cost of resoling your work boots varies from $40 to $100 depending on the damage level and quality of the bottom.
But is it worth resoling work boots?
Yes, work boot resoling is worth it if the cost is less than 50% than the new pair of work boots. Also, consider the lifespan of the work boots and for how long you have been using them. Usually, one to two times resoling is beneficial for the work boots. But doing it for the third time isn’t a practical idea. Instead of the third time replacement of the bottom of your work boot, we suggest you buy a new pair for better safety and comfort.
