Repairing the Heel on Your Running Shoes

Nov. 6, 2009 - PRLog -- As any runner will tell you, most running shoes wear quickly and unevenly. This means that although your high-tech EVA midsole may have plenty of bounce left in it, the traction on the outer sole may have worn away - or vice versa. One of the most common places running shoes wear down is on the inside of the shoe’s heel. The fabric of the shoe wears away so that the plastic heel counter is exposed. (This is the part of the shoe that covers your Achilles tendon).

There are several ways to patch up this problem, each requiring varying levels of expertise and maintenance. Choose a method that matches the amount of time you want to spend fiddling. Perhaps the easiest solution is just to stick a piece of Duct Tape over the tear. As you probably know from watching MacGyver, Duct Tape can solve just about anything, and holes in your shoes are no exception! The tape is hardy, but gentle enough on your feet, and it can be replaced easily if the tape wears away.

The more labor-intensive approach is to use a piece of cloth. Choosing the type of cloth is important. Most people recommend a slippery cloth because knit fabrics tend to tear when your heel moves up and down. You want a fabric that will move with the motion of your heel. Nylon can be a good choice, but since you will be gluing this fabric in place, you will need to make sure that the glue doesn’t soak through the nylon and make the fabric hard. Other fabrics to try include denim and leather or suede. (Consider finding an old jacket at a thrift store and using the decorative leather patches on the elbows to reline the back of your shoes. This option is durable while being soft on your feet.)

Whichever material you end up using, you will need to first glue the material in place. Remove the insoles before you apply the glue. You will want to use glue that is strong but flexible. Super Glue will stick, but it may be a bit hard when it dries. Your best bet is to find a glue specifically designed for making shoes.

Once the patch is glued in place, you should (if possible) stitch the fabric to the back of the shoe. Stitching and gluing the patch will make it last longer. Once you are finished, you can replace the insert. Your running shoes are good to go for another couple of weeks.