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jstluise
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PostFri Sep 11, 2020 4:24 pm 
I picked up a pair of La Sportiva Trango Cubes earlier this year and after their only major outing up Rainier a couple months ago I noticed the sole beginning to separate in the heel. I read others having the same issue with these boots so it wasn't a total surprise but still a bummer. Love the boots. I do have the option of sending them into La Sportiva (I pay shipping) since they are still under warranty, but if it is an easy repair I can do I'm inclined to go that route since this may happen again in the future (I'd rather not send the boots in for multiple warranty claims). Barge Cement seems like the go-to for boot soles; however, since it is a contact-style cement I'm not sure if it's appropriate for this repair since I can't apply it separately to the two pieces, let it dry, and then join & clamp. Can I apply Barge Cement to the crack and clamp without going through the normal process of letting it dry? I've used Seamgrip to do minor repairs on other boots (e.g. toe rand separating), but I don't have any experience with Barge Cement. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

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Randito
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PostFri Sep 11, 2020 6:13 pm 
I would do the warrantee return -- if this is a common problem, the manufacturer may have addressed the problem in more recent manufacturing runs. If you needed to fix it yourself (e.g out of warrentee) -- I would remove the entire sole (using the delamination as the starting point). The using a wire brush to remove every last bit of the old glue from both sides, clean both sides with denatured alchohol, let dry completely and then reglue with barge cement.

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texasbb
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PostFri Sep 11, 2020 8:05 pm 
Using the warranty or Randito's repair are probably the "right" answers, but if you're looking for something quick I'd suggest Shoe Goo. Clean out that split real good, dry it even better, then shoot some Goo in there and put weight on the shoe to lightly clamp it shut. I've used Shoe Goo for all kinds of of repairs, on soles and uppers. I used to completely resole my outdoor basketball shoes with the stuff.

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jstluise
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PostSat Sep 12, 2020 9:10 am 
Thanks for the replies! Good point about La Sportiva maybe correcting this issue. I will talk with them first and see if they can tell me anything, either how they will repair/replace it or if there have been any improvements with newer batches. Anything beyond filling the small split with adhesive and clamping, I will leave up to the pros. Dave Page isn't too far away and has done great work for me in the past. I thought about maybe just taking these in to him anyways to fix up. We'll see what La Sportiva says. After taking another closer look, the split is actually within the layers of the heel, rather than the entire sole separating from the boot like I originally said. It is separating between an EVA and TPU layer. I know bonding to a hard plastic can be tricky and may require a special adhesive, so that's maybe another reason to go the warranty route. Thanks again!

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Bowregard
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PostTue Sep 15, 2020 10:31 am 
Believe it or not I have had good results with the gel type of Super glue. It will not fill a gap for you but since it is not flexible you want it curing to a thin layer anyway.The gel keeps the glue from running everywhere and if you can get a bit of pressure on it with a spring clamp of some type it bonds the rubber quite well. I use the Loctite gel stuff and find it also works well for rebonding the edging or bands back on and even stopping runs in the stitching (and leather in a pinch). If they would put it in a smaller container I would add it to my repair kit. I just reread the label and it says "flexible" but I wouldn't put too much stake in that. Maybe flexible bending in a thin layer but wet spots on the paper towels I clean it up with turn very solid after curing.

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jstluise
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PostWed Sep 16, 2020 9:43 am 
I got a hold of La Sportiva's warranty department. They offered a replacement but they only have their camo pattern available. Usually I don't care but I prefer the red over the camo. They offered to repair, which would just be industrial strength super glue and a clamp. They said they've done this same repair before with good results. @Bowregard, looks like you're on to something! I'm leaning towards just doing the super glue/clamp myself, though it technically voids the warranty. However, I probably won't use these boots much between now and next climbing season at which point they will be out of warranty anyways. Thanks again for all the input!

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Navy salad
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PostWed Sep 16, 2020 4:06 pm 
Be careful clamping it! Too much pressure could starve the seam of most of the glue and weaken the bond. If it were up to me, I'd use masking tape above and below the joint (to keep glue that oozes out from getting all over, but be sure to remove it as soon as the glue stops oozing); then use something long and skinny (like a skinny screw driver or narrow piece of sheet metal) to ensure the entire void has glue in it, work the joint a little to ensure the glue moves into the void between layers well, then cram just a bit more glue in to make up for what squeezed out on the first pass.

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HitTheTrail
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PostWed Sep 16, 2020 4:49 pm 
texasbb wrote:
for something quick I'd suggest Shoe Goo.
I am actively using around 8 pair of hiking boots/light trail shoes that I rotate through every few days. There is not a single pair that do not have shoe goo on them somewhere. One pair of Salmon Quest 3 GTX's I have had for years are almost completely covered in shoe goo, soles and uppers. And I like them so much will continue that into the future. The outside edge of my boot heels wear out first, so now when I get a new pair I preemptively fill in the tread on the outer heel with shoe goo. You would be amazed how that extends the wear. I also use shoe goo when I do gear mods with my sewing machine. Mainly by putting a light coat on the back of the seam to keep it secure.

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Bowregard
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PostThu Sep 17, 2020 6:49 am 
I respectfully disagree with Navy Salad regarding clamping pressure "starving the seam" in this instance. With materials that absorb the adhesive that can be a problem but this is rubber which should not be very absorbent. Super glue works best with a very thin bond. Once you get the glue into the joint the goal is even and consistent pressure. That's why clamps work much better than physically holding it in place. Using something long and skinny to distribute the glue is a good idea but you have to remember this stuff sets up pretty quick so you can't spend a lot of time fussing with it. Good luck.

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Navy salad
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PostSat Sep 19, 2020 10:16 am 
If the plan is to use Super glue, then I agree (since it does indeed work best with a very thin bond), but Shoe Goo is not a type of Super glue. It's true that rubber won't absorb much, but you need more than a very thin coating or (in my opinion) the bond won't develop full strength.

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Ski
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PostSat Sep 19, 2020 12:07 pm 
I use Pliobond 25 to glue my Tevas back together. About $8 or $9 at ACE Hardware. Gave up on "Shoo Goo" years ago. Just my lousy two cents. But with that boot in question - I'd be contacting the manufacturer about it. Looks like they tried to bond dissimilar materials together and the attempt failed at their end.

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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jstluise
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PostSun Sep 20, 2020 11:34 pm 
I made the repair with CA glue and it seemed to do the trick, but I'll know for sure when I get them on the trail. I pried on the heel by hand and it looks like a strong bond so I think it will hold up. After a little research it appears CA glue is commonly used for EVA foam and polyurethane plastic, so I think it was a good choice for the repair, especially since it's on the rigid heel of the boot.
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I use Pliobond 25 to glue my Tevas back together. About $8 or $9 at ACE Hardware. Gave up on "Shoo Goo" years ago.
@Ski, what do you like about Pliobond over Shoe Goo? My Shoe Goo dried up and I need to make some other repairs on my other boots, so I might give Pliobond a try (never heard of it until now). Thanks again everyone!

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HitTheTrail
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PostMon Sep 21, 2020 8:17 am 
Shoe goo can be used as a glue in some applications but I don't think that is the primary intention. The best use is for surface repair and as a filler or molding agent. I have had two pairs of boots where the sole completely separated from the uppers and I was able to successfully repair them with shoe goo. I find the best application is for rebuilding worn soles, coating surface damage, and making toe caps on full grain leather boots.

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Ski
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PostMon Sep 21, 2020 10:06 am 
jstluise wrote:
@Ski, what do you like about Pliobond over Shoe Goo?
I tried "ShooGoo" on a few different pairs of Tevas - the soles become delaminated on them - and the bond failed every time. I've had way better luck with "Pliobond" on the Tevas. The "Pliobond" is a contact cement type adhesive - paint both sides with a couple coats, allow to dry, then stick the two pieces together. First time I used it was to repair my Helly-Hansen rubber rain suit. Worked great. Have also used it extensively for repairing lawnmower catcher bags - paint it on heavy (right over the dirt) and find a piece of heavy nylon pack cloth for a patch and fix the hole. (Helps to reinforce by sewing with 50-pound nylon monofilament fishing line, but not always necessary.) But, as HTT notes just above, there's a hell of a lot of "ShooGoo" sold and used by guys who swear by it. My results have been different. YMMV

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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Bowregard
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PostMon Sep 21, 2020 11:11 am 
So is Pliobond thinner and/or lighter than contact cement? Contact cement is a great product and works every time for me so long as I use it as directed but I don't use it much because it goes on so thick, and is really heavy and messy. I built a folding kayak with it years ago and it was remarkable how it stayed flexible and waterproof for so long. If there is a similar product that has advantages I would like to hear about it. I never thought of using that type of 2 part adhesive on shoes. I bet it would work well for the parts that pull away from the sole. Of course none of this helps the OP's application.

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