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This week I spent an hour being interviewed by Catharine Livingston from National Geographic Adventure for an article on their website about footwear, repairs, and sustainability.

And with the recent announcement of out partnership with Patagonia we’ve been also getting some attention in the blogisphere, here and here.

Building on its best product, least harm brand goal, Patagonia Footwear partners exclusively with Mountain Soles to offer resoles and repairs on Patagonia’s popular footwear styles. For more information on resoling Patagonia Footwear, please visit www.mtnsoles.com.

“Patagonia began with founder Yvon Chouinard in the tinshed pounding pitons that would last and be re-used time and time again,” said Whitney Conner, brand manager at Patagonia Footwear. “Our philosophy has always been about creating products that perform and inventing ways to increase the longevity of our gear. There is no need to go out and purchase a new pair of shoes if you’ve spent the time outdoors, molding them for the perfect fit. There are alternatives to material purchases and we’re working to increase the lifespan of our products by partnering with solid organizations that share a similar philosophy to Patagonia.”
“We’re excited that Patagonia has developed footwear which can be serviced and maintained for a longer life,” said Matt Menely of Mountain Soles. “We’ve always shared a similar ethos with the Patagonia brand. Much like the tinshed, Mountain Soles started in a single car garage in Southeast Portland, seeking to use our trade to help reduce people’s environmental footprint by keeping essential gear out of landfills. We’ve been hoping for a long time that more footwear companies would take up this challenge and produce more sustainable and resoleable shoes and Patagonia Footwear has jumped in feet first.”

Consumers can find more information about Patagonia Footwear’s resoling program on the web, at retailers and in the catalog. Currently Mountain Soles can resole the Vibram® Idrogrip sticky rubber outsoles, the Vibram® EcoStep multi-sport outsoles, EcoStep hiking outsoles, and the Skywalk natural latex honeycomb outsoles. Prices range from $50-$80 depending on style of sole and construction.

While resoling might not seem like the obvious choice, given that it sometimes approaches the cost of a new pair, there are other reasons to consider resoling shoes. Once a customer thinks about the natural resources used to create a new pair of shoes, shipping those shoes across the ocean, and then the landfill space required to dispose of the old shoes, they might decide that repairing is one way to lessen their impact on the environment. Not to mention the fact that customers current shoes are already broken in.

Mountain Soles has been providing high quality resoling and repair services on boots and other outdoor sports footwear since 1979. With the addition of sewing and dry suit repairs in 2001, and a move into a retail storefront, they became Mountain Soles Outdoor Footwear & Fabric Repair, a one-stop-shop for outdoor enthusiasts and their repair needs. Mountain Soles is also the go-to for all repairs of well worn clothing and gear for the Patagonia Store in Portland, OR. The folks at Mountain Soles are not only gear repair specialists; they are also outdoor enthusiasts who use the very gear that they seek to restore to its original function. They are Rock Climbers, Kayakers, Cyclists, Skiers and Outdoor Adventurers who enjoy keeping their customers’ gear functioning, and out of landfills.

Patagonia, with sales last year of $298M, is noted internationally for its commitment to product quality and environmental activism. Its Environmental Grants Program has contributed over $30M to grassroots environmental activists since the program began in 1985, and its Environmental Internship Program allows employees to work for environmental groups while receiving their full paycheck. Incorporating environmental responsibility in to product development, the company has, since 1996, used only organically-grown cotton in its clothing line, and its most recent launch of synthetic fiber-to-fiber recycling – taking back its worn-out clothing and reincarnating it as new products, forever capturing the petroleum used in making virgin fiber. Known for a unique corporate culture, the company has been recognized for many years by Working Mother magazine as one of the “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers,” and is a regular recipient of recognition by Fortune and Human Resources Management magazine as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work for in America.”

Need help walking in all this icy weather?

Stop by and pick up some studded footwear traction made by Korkers. $20.00

We’ve been using and selling these for 6 years and we love them!

If the weather is bad, give us a call to make sure that we are here.

Usually this time of year the cold rain is pouring down in sheets and makes us wish we were someplace warm and dry.  We’ve had some rain thus far, but generally it has been a pretty mild fall so far.  As long as it is mild, you might want to consider washing and re-waterproofing your outerwear to restore the water shedding capabilities (DWR) so that you are ready for future downpours.  We are well stocked with Nikwax Tech Wash and TX Direct Wash-In.  Drop by our shop, pick up some Nikwax, and we’ll give you the lowdown on how to correctly clean and re-treat your garments (or go here for more info) so that the rain beads up and rolls off you just like it did when your jacket was new.

Materials: Fabric and/or leather for top, bottom and sidewall. Elastic, closed cell foam, contact cement and (optional) zipper. You can recycle jackets or outdoor type fabric and camping pads for closed cell foam.

Tools: Single edge razor blade or box knife, rotary cutters or scissors. A decent home sewing machine with a denim needle and heavy thread (especially if you are using thicker materials).

You are going to need some basic sewing skills and if you want to put in a zipper, it does not contain all the info really needed to face the zipper to match the material. We left that as an exercise for the viewer!

If you don’t have the skills or the time to do this project, you can buy a similar pad from the nice folks at Clever Cycles.

Click on the movie to watch it, then go make one!

It may take a minute or so to download.

Over the years of owning Mountain Soles we have seen and repaired many interesting things. Often times we work with customers who are trying to get a piece of gear or footwear to do something that it was not meant or designed to do. This kind of modification or custom work usually doesn’t come cheap because we frequently have to do quite a bit talking and drawing with the customer or even build a prototype (or a few) to ensure that we translate their ideas into reality. This kind of creative thinking and working can take time but it can lead to some interesting results.

Not long after I bought the business in 1999, a friend of a friend named Michael Sylvester, called me and said that he had a bike shoe project that he wanted to see if we would tackle for one of his clients. It turns out that the client had one leg shorter than the other which is a pretty normal occurence. Since then we have worked with many of Michael’s clients, compensating for their leg length differences so that they have better body alignment while riding their bike. Below is a pair of Sidi Dominator cycling shoes (a particularly good shoe for this kind of modification) with a build up on the right foot. The picture above is a pair of PearlIzumi running shoes with approx. 20mm build up.

Scott Rulander kayaking on the Sandy River. Photo: Matt Menely

With rain on the horizon, the onset of whitewater season is here and the replacement of many gaskets on dry tops and suits at Mountain Soles is soon to follow. Here are a few tips to help make your latex gaskets last a little longer.Latex gaskets are subject to premature deterioration if not cared for properly. Wash your gaskets inside and out with a mild soap (non-detergent) and water solution to remove all contamination like body oils, pollution, and lotions. It helps to do this on a regular basis if you are using your suit frequently, and especially if you have oily skin. After you have cleaned your gaskets, apply a protectant such as Seal Saver, both on the inside and outside of the gasket. If you are using silicone, make sure that is a food grade silicone that does not contain petroleum distillates or fluorocarbon propellants. You can extend the life of your natural latex rubber gaskets by minimizing contact with unwanted chemicals (sunscreen, perfume or after-shave), ozone, and ultraviolet light (sunlight).

For long term storage, store your dry suit, top, or bibs rolled up in a large plastic bag (zip-lock type). To minimize the air flow around the gaskets, try and push all the excess air out of the bag and then zip it closed. Roll or fold the suit up so that the gaskets are all folded into the suit and not exposed to air or sunlight. It is best to store this package at room temperature avoiding hot or cold temperature swings throughout the year. Always store you suit with the waterproof zippers un-zipped and consider lubricating your zipper teeth with Zip Tech or Zip Care.

Need your gaskets replaced? Please plan ahead. We can get rather backed up during the rainy season. Happy Boating!