Disintegrating Hotter Shoes

Is this a plastic being stored against plastic "thing" ? I had that happen with some GC's shoe soles. I do hope so, otherwise your news has filled me with trepidation. I have 6 pairs of Hotter shoes in boxes (I don't go to the UK very often) in my cupboard. I have been wearing Birkenstocks all through lockdown and the summer. I shall now brace myself for what happens!!

I've got about 8 assorted pairs of Hotter shoes and sandals, all bought 2nd hand on Ebay and some several years old. Haven't had any problems at all with them. DH did once point out that my new shoes were splitting already and I had to explain that a slit up the front was part of the design!

Return them to the seller.

I’ve worn Hotter shoes for years and never experienced anything like that. Sandals don’t get worn for half of the year but some are five or six years old now.

I have worn Hotter shoes and boots for over 10 years (not the same pairs obviously, I do have a bit of an Imelda Marcos alter ego ) and can honestly say I have never, ever had this problem.
The trouble is, as you did not buy them from Hotter, you have no way of proving the shoes are at fault, but it might be worth contacting them anyway.
Just don’t expect Hotter to refund your money.

I stick to Clarkes.
Had one pair for 4 years and wear them 3/4 days a week.
And they still have tread.

I have several pairs of Hotter shoes - some of them are summer or winter and so get put away for several months at a time with no problems. It sounds as though you’ve been really unlucky - perhaps they’d been kept in an extreme temperature before you got them?

I have heard of this problem with Hotter shoes that haven't been regularly used. Perhaps the person who sold them on Ebay had them in storage for some time. It hasn't happened to any of my Hotter shoes, sandals or boots.

This rang a very distant bell as I knew I'd heard this before.
The shoes could be unworn but old and stored incorrectly and the soles begin to disintegrate.
This is about Clark's shoes but it could have happened with other makes if the material is the same.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5KsBtLRQQH4m2kPvN1w5fYd/clark-shoe

I used to store shoes in a cupboard backing onto the gas boiler so always warm. A few pairs of old Clark’s summer shoes fragmented on their first wearing after being stored over the winter so I expect that is what happened to your shoes.

The same thing happened to me with Ecco shoes I bought from Ebay. They were not brand new and the soles fell apart when I started wearing them. I guessed they had not been worn for a long time and the sole material had perished.

I had an expensive pair of sandals that I had not worn for a while and the soles disintegrated in the bottom of the wardrobe. I'm not sure if they were Clarks or Hotter.

If composition soles are stored for any length of time they will disintegrate---not only hotter as I had a comfy pair of K shoes which I'd worn alternately to others and they too showed signs of " perishing " even though on the face of it were fine visually.

I had a pair of knee length Clark's leather boots.
The sole split right across after a couple of years but the leather was still perfect.

I wish I'd asked for a refund.

GD has a pair of Doc Martens, a very soft leather boot and she wears them all of the time and loves them to bits.
I’m thinking of getting a pair, but then I remember how much they cost, I can’t justify it at the moment.

I wore Dr Martens boots for years and years and they took forever to wear out. I don't have anywhere I can buy them near me now, so haven't renewed them, but absolutely loved them for quality and comfort. Expensive though!

I sold a pair of shoes on Ebay (hotter, I think) which I listed as immaculate.
The seller then contacted me with a picture of the sole, which had chunks out of it, and powdery residue all everywhere.

Very embarrassing.

EllanVannin

If composition soles are stored for any length of time they will disintegrate---not only hotter as I had a comfy pair of K shoes which I'd worn alternately to others and they too showed signs of " perishing " even though on the face of it were fine visually.

This is true, it’s the material ( non leather soles) is it polyurethane? Anyway, a black rubbery sole.We had a thread on this a few years ago, with lots of examples if you can find it.
The prevailing thought seemed to be age of shoes and storing them in cramped airless conditions.
Anyway, it was Hotter, Clarks and several other makes.

Doctor Martens do all kinds of shoes, sandals and boots.
You can find them on Ebay, often unworn, and cheaper than new.
No sole problems, either.

I had that happen to a pair if Clarks shoes a couple of years ago. Also happened to a pair of Van Daal's.

I can’t wear my hotter sandals and trainers out even though I walk a lot. The linings etc wear out before the soles. I have new ones waiting to be worn but I just can’t bear to throw my others away.

I know some posters don't like links so I will copy part of my link:

“The issues raised on tonight’s show are consistent with a well reported and acknowledged problem in the industry with polyurethane shoes, known as hydrolysis. The term hydrolysis refers to the chemical breakdown of the polymer used when making shoes with Polyurethane soles and occurs over several years, resulting in soles ‘disintegrating’ when stored in certain conditions for long periods of time.

“Clarks began phasing out the use of this material around ten years ago and now uses materials which are far less likely to degrade over long periods of storage. Since 2012 instances of hydrolysis reported to us have declined by 63%.

I have lots of hotter shoes and not had this problem. I did have a pair of flowery canvas shoes which I had saved for a holiday in Greece (those were the days when we could chase the sun). The first time I wore them they rubbed the back of my feet so badly it almost ruined the holiday. As they had run out of the time span to return hotter were very reluctant to receive them back, but did eventually.

However I have bought their boots for years, wide fit six and a half and live in them all winter. My only fear is that they will stop the design I wear.

So overall I find them excellent, I just wish they did more of their styles in the wider fitting, which is why most women buy them.

I just wish they did more of their styles in te wider fitting, which is why most women buy them

precisely! I find it frustrating that the nicest styles are not wide fitting!

I had a pair of sandals that I wore for the first time this summer, the first time I put them on the soles fell apart. I am concerned that I created the problem by buying plastic storage boxes so I could pick the shoes easily.
They were not terribly expensive sandals but even £35 + seems dear when you only get one wearing.