UKC

We all know shoes wear out and need resoled etc, but I've really not had my current-model NIAD VCS for that long and they already have a chunk out the left inner toe edge. It's maybe a 8x5mm triangle of rubber missing that's only appeared in the last 2 sessions.

It's not a hole yet, but it'll get there. I'm wondering what's best to try to nip this in the knackers?

1. Moan to Go Outdoors for a refund?
2. Moan to Five10 to a replacement?
3. Accept the disgraceful built-in-obsolescence and pay another £30 for a resole on an already expensive pair of shoes?

I'm not optimistic about moaning solving anything, but it just seems a bit ridiculous that the shoes can fail so obviously. Car tyres obviously need replaced, but it's not every couple of months because they tear open.

Has anyone ever got anywhere with replacements or refunds on shoes?

In reply to matt1984:

That doesn't look like fair wear and tear to me. The rest of the rubber is in too good condition.

Your contract is with the retailer, so perhaps try them to start with.

In reply to matt1984:

This happened to mine in about 4 months of weekly use. Adidas told me to contact the distributor as they are covered under warranty. Possibly 2 years. 

Granted I've still not done this but have bought new shoes...

In reply to matt1984:

Just look worn out to me, not a fault of the shoe as such   

rubber is extensively worn either side of the area you have gone through and that area is one that looks in a common place where dragging your toe behind you on indoor textured walls creates this wear pattern? 

You could try taking them back to gooutdoors but i wouldn't hold your breath

In reply to matt1984: that's what it looks like to me.. worn rubber and sloppy footwork.. 

In reply to matt1984:

I've worked in outdoor retail for 5 years and would personally refuse this as a waranty claim (our warranty department would all do the same).

The rubber has extensive wear and you've actually torn through the rand rubber, after having worn through the edge rubber. You're well beyond the point of an effective resole at this point and any job will be middling at best because they'll have to cut away and patch the whole rand which will significantly change the feel/function of the shoe. Resoles need to be done once the edge rubber wears through and meets the rand rubber below. 

The reason the small piece has torn away here is because it became sufficiently thin to rip. This has happened through use and isn't a defect. The rubber on the toe in general is very thin and really on the limit in terms of lifetime anyway. As others have pointed out, the hole itself is also classically positioned in an area where rubber is worn unevenly as a result of foot dragging. 

My advice would be to replace your shoes and then to make sure you resole them in future as soon as the edge rubber has worn through. This will allow for a couple of good quality resoles, significantly increasing the value of the shoe and reducing the environmental impact. 

I appreciate this probably isn't the answer you want to read but I've found it's best to be honest in these situations as climbers (myself previously included) sometimes have unrealistic expectations about the application of warranty and the lifetime of a climbing shoe. The most effective thing I did was to work on my footwork to improve precision and reduce dragging which means I now get a solid 6-9 months from a pair of shoes before needing resole despite climbing 3-6 days a week. 

Hope this helps  

In reply to MischaHY:

Yes it helps, though is little surprise. Thanks for taking the time for the detailed reply though.

Maybe my expectations are too high. The shoes are 6 months old and have been climbed in 2-4 times a week. Like just about everything, accepting built-in-obsolescence is the answer.

Oh and start trying to improve my "sloppy footwork" as Adam Ondra helpfully diagnosed above your post. There I was practicing levitating myself up the wall better during my hours of climbing every week!

In reply to matt1984:

Sloppy footwork or not, it's dead easy to wear climbing shoes out, that's the reality 

They are built for performance and not longevity i am afraid and the" built in obsolecence" is just a function of making them really good to climb in. 

Textured walls in climbing gyms are the worst for wrecking shoes, partly due to the fact that it is so easy to have 100's of goes every session and partly due to the flat abrasive surface you rub them against constantly due to indoor setters making problems harder by skipping foot holds all the time.