Shoo Goo Tips

Newer hikers may not be familiar with Shoo Goo

When I get a good new pair of shoes/boots, I want them to last a long time. As soon as they start to show a little wear on the soles, I put a thin layer of Shoe Goo on the wear spots and renew it as needed. Before applying it, make sure the sole is clean and dry. Multiple thin layers are better than a thick layer according to the manufacturer. For a larger area, glop it on thickly in the middle of the area and spread with an ice cube.

For little splittings in the seams, Shoe Goo applied early can keep them from splitting further. One trick I learned is to glob it on a bit thickly and then smooth it with an ice cube. It doesn't stick to the ice and you can spread it evenly around and into the seam so it holds better.

Allow 24 hours to dry.

Hadn't heard about the ice cube trick, thanks.

Haven't heard of the ice cube trick either. I have made masking tape 'dams' around the heal, and the goo self levels in the low/warn spots of the heal (shoe kept upside down until cured). Helps to clean the area with acetone and lightly sand and scuff the area.
McNett AquaSeal seems to be the same thing. I use it to weld drysuit neck/wrist/ankle seals to the suits. Works well on shoes.

A huge mystery to me is....how to protect the heal cups in trail runners? I wear out the heal cup fabric way faster than the soles/heals. Tried medical tape for years but even it breaks down the heal fabric. Any ideas?

Dryer,

I've been playing with the ice cube trick which works amazingly well. It's certainly worth a try. I'm also considering taping areas to make patches on the top more professional looking.

I generally toss my shoes in the wash before using Shoo Goo on the top. So far, I've never had a pair of shoes come apart after washing them.

I don't know how to protect heel cups. They always wear out for me, too. But they never bother me.

The heal cups are a big problem for me. When the plastic wears through it cuts into my heal and makes the shoe worthless. I usually tape them with nylon medical tape but that's getting hard to find these days. Wonder if I can shoe-goo a patch there....come to think of it?

I find preventative mainenance is easier than fixing. Shoe Goo when new may work. Gorilla Tape would be less risky.

Another trick I've seen but never tried is to get a shoe without a heal cup and make one with silicone putty. The video shoes wetting bare feet before stepping into the shoe.