Hi Thundermarch,
Pardon me for the gender mix up of Alexandra. Yes it's she who replied to my mail. I have wrote in to Vass too, however did not receive any reply from them yet.
I be getting my feet measured on brannock device and forwarding the measurement to zonkey boot for advise on an accurate suitable size and last fit. My right feet instep feels george cleverly penny loafers when I tried the shoes with socks.
Noted Sailor last is a good fit for you and I would also go for the same fit to be on the safe side.
I was told that initially wearing rubber sole is comfortable but the discomfort set in once the rubber sole had harden over a period of time. Leather sole is more comfortable on the long run.
Any one has any views for this?
Hey there,
Actually, with regards to lasts, my point was more of you needing to find out which last works better for your feet. The Sailor works well for me but might not work for you. Conversely, the High Street last might fit you perfectly.
If you are a UK8.5 generally, you are welcome to try my Zonkeys for fit. In fact, if you like the pair I have in the High Street last, you are even welcome to buy them. Worn only once.
The second thing is, what style shoe / boot are you going for? A dress shoe? A more casually styled shoe? The choice of last would also depend on what shoe you are going for.
The Sailor last is undoubtedly a casual looking last; good for boots and casual models. It has a very squared off, wide-ish looking toe and a wide-ish profile all round. So this would not look good on a dress shoe.
In fact, a lot of Zonkey's lasts are very quirky and unconventional, as are their dress shoe models / designs. The entire vibe of the brand is a rather offbeat, atypical maker with a quirky sense of style.
The only last that could probably work well with dress shoes is their Classic last.
Pertaining to rubber / leather soles, I do not find major differences between them in terms of comfort except:
1) Thick commando outsoles on a leather midsole - pretty stiff, compared to single leather.
2) Ridgeway outsole on a leather midsole - also a little stiffer than single leather
3) Double leather outsole vs single leather outsole - slightly stiffer for the double leather.
Dainite soles, I have found to be pretty flexible overall, even if they were sewn to a leather midsole.
That being said, I would say that the main difference between a leather and rubber outsole, is not really the stiffness or comfort per se.... but the durability. One would most likely get more mileage from rubber, before needing a re-sole.
Rubber also has the advantage of being better in wet weather, as walking through a thunderstorm with leather soles, would lead to them getting waterlogged, and likely be subject to mold growth after a few days, despite one's best efforts.
