Does anyone stick suede onto their Blochs?

[Astro]

I have spent all afternoon trying on flat dance shoes in Covent Garden, but non fullfilled all my criteria.

I read on another thread that some dancers ask cobblers to stick suede soles onto the bottom of their trainers.

Has anyone tried it with the Bloch dance trainers?

Please help, I want to go faster.

[Yliander]

I have spent all afternoon trying on flat dance shoes in Covent Garden, but non fullfilled all my criteria.

I read on another thread that some dancers ask cobblers to stick suede soles onto the bottom of their trainers.

Has anyone tried it with the Bloch dance trainers?

Please help, I want to go faster.

Can't say I've ever felt the need to have suede put onto my bloch dance sneakers - the spin spot is generally fast enough for me.

What sort of flat dance shoes where you looking at? what criteria are you trying to fill?

[rubyred]

Can't say I've ever felt the need to have suede put onto my bloch dance sneakers - the spin spot is generally fast enough for me.

I have found the same as the above the spin spot works really well. I have two pairs of jazz shoes they have a split sole and the underneath is suede, they are so comfy and really good as practise pumps. Also found them such a relief to have when at a weekender your feet just can't take anymore and are throbbing and sore. Not very sexy with a dress but comfortable, I will wear my little white ones with a dress.

[Andy McGregor]

I love my Bloch Stealth trainers as much as I hate my other Bloch trainers. The Stealths are light and comfy - those other ones look like bricks, especially in red, are too hot and are difficult to spin in - although they are very comfy.

[Whitebeard]

I love my Bloch Stealth trainers as much as I hate my other Bloch trainers. The Stealths are light and comfy - those other ones look like bricks, especially in red, are too hot and are difficult to spin in - although they are very comfy.

I have those (Stealths) too, and am generally happy with them. I don't spin but am sometimes inspired to slide around a little bit. However I sometimes see others with feet wide apart which, it would seem, they then slide effortlessly together; usually this is from lindy hoppers, which I'd love to emulate, clad in Bleyers. But I'm sorely frit as it brings tears to my eyes as I contemplate groin damage and rupture.

Can anyone comment on the relative slipability or slideabilty of Stealths versus those lovely two tone Bleyers. Not black and white, so very retro and passee; no, red and white is soon to be much more seasonable and adventurous.

[clevedonboy]

I've not put suede on dance trainers but I have on bog standard Green Flash trainers (I have a pair in white & another in black) - they're the most comforable thing to dance in I have (including hand made dance shoes) - The key thing with converting those trainers is that the sole if flat so the suede sticks well, I don't think it would stick as well on standard Bloch trainers (stealths are a bit flatter with less "tread" so it might).

One thing to be aware of is that the cobbler will roughen up the sole big time before sticking on the soles so if the new sole doesn't take, then it's pretty much curtains for that pair of shoes.

WB - Julia has just done the same with her Boogie Woogies as they aren't very slidey at all (and red & white is a tad passe now)

[fletch]

The best tip I have been given by Mick Venger, was Gaffa tape

it works

[MartinHarper]

Comfy + slidy is why bowling shoes are mass-produced.

Though I should get a new pair of Blochs for dancing on fast dance floors.

[jojiver]

I don't find blochs are slippery enough for me either and I have had suede soles fitted on them with no problem. They work great but my old favourites are just a regular pair of cheap hi tech trainers that I stuck soles on. The flatter the better. I would love to be able to dance in heels but I can't!

[Astro]

I love my Bloch Stealth trainers as much as I hate my other Bloch trainers. The Stealths are light and comfy - those other ones look like bricks, especially in red, are too hot and are difficult to spin in - although they are very comfy.

Stealths? Do they go like a bomb?

Must check them out.

I don't have the red ones anymore Lovey.

Got blue now.

The best tip I have been given by Mick Venger, was Gaffa tape

it works

Do you mean that silvery grey type. Have you tried it?

I don't find blochs are slippery enough for me either and I have had suede soles fitted on them with no problem. They work great but my old favourites are just a regular pair of cheap hi tech trainers that I stuck soles on. The flatter the better.

Great post Joanne. Thanks. See you live in Sheffield so I can't use your cobbler.

I would love to be able to dance in heels but I can't!

Me too, I have some Freeds with a suede sole. The heels are only 2 inches, but I can no longer keep my balance in them. Used to be able to.

[MartinHarper]

Me too, I have some Freeds with a suede sole. The heels are only 2 inches, but I can no longer keep my balance in them. Used to be able to.

Soles need brushing?

[Almost an Angel]

I have spent all afternoon trying on flat dance shoes in Covent Garden, but non fullfilled all my criteria.

I read on another thread that some dancers ask cobblers to stick suede soles onto the bottom of their trainers.

Has anyone tried it with the Bloch dance trainers?

Please help, I want to go faster.

I'm a convert to trainers with suede soles when I'm not in my WCS shoes.
Buy normal trainers (v comfy ones help) stick suede soles on - or get cobbler to do it. v easy and feels great. It was a tip I picked up from the lovely Gary and Sara Boon.

An alternative is a shoes used by some of my lindy friends. They look like retro running trainers but have a suede sole. They are made by Aris Allen
Try searching for Aris Allen shoes on the web. I think Swing Dance shoes sell them and they should only be about £40.

Angel xx

[tsh]

Can't see the point of buying blochs and then trying to fix them. I've got a pair of suede soled shoes which were only slightly more expensive, look better, and are far more comfortable. They've also outlasted 2 pairs of blochs, which makes them about 1/2 the price! If I'm outdoors, I'll use a pair of leather shoes.

Tape or suede stuck on trainers seems to be what the pros use for practice.

Sean

[straycat]

An alternative is a shoes used by some of my lindy friends. They look like retro running trainers but have a suede sole. They are made by Aris Allen
Try searching for Aris Allen shoes on the web. I think Swing Dance shoes sell them and they should only be about £40.

Aris Allens are wonderful shoes. I used to be a complete fanatic of the retro trainers, but I've more recently started wearing the Captoes - they'll happily survive surfaces that would murder suede, are supremely comfortable, and they slide like an absolute dream. Plus they have an extra-wide version

[pjfrad]

In Amy's an my Freestyler routine we both wear trainers with suede put on. The suede is great but can start to fray around the edges. Mine are a pair of Adidas shoes that the suede has stuck really well to.

Amy's were some dance sneakers that the suede has come off a bit and needed to be fixed occasionally. We have also used black gaffa tape around the edges of Amy's shoes to cover the rubber and make them slipperier and hold the edges of the suede together.

Peter

[Terpsichorea]

In Amy's an my Freestyler routine we both wear trainers with suede put on. The suede is great but can start to fray around the edges. Mine are a pair of Adidas shoes that the suede has stuck really well to.

Amy's were some dance sneakers that the suede has come off a bit and needed to be fixed occasionally. We have also used black gaffa tape around the edges of Amy's shoes to cover the rubber and make them slipperier and hold the edges of the suede together.

Peter

Can you stick suede to a standard trainer sole? I must admit, I find my normal trainers more comfy than dance shoes, but I thought the ripply underside of a trainer wouldn't take well to being resoled? Or would the cobbler have to smooth the sole down before sticking suede onto it? Have you had the whole of sole recovered in suede or just the ball of the foot for spinning?

[pjfrad]

Can you stick suede to a standard trainer sole? I must admit, I find my normal trainers more comfy than dance shoes, but I thought the ripply underside of a trainer wouldn't take well to being resoled? Or would the cobbler have to smooth the sole down before sticking suede onto it? Have you had the whole of sole recovered in suede or just the ball of the foot for spinning?

My Adidas shoes are move like 'fashion shoes' for walking around in than runners or trainers and they have a ripply sole, and I also at first thought that suede wouldn't stick well at all. The cobbler seemed to just stick the suede over the sole with their 'glue' or contact cement.

They just traced around the whole sole of the shoe and cut the suede out and stuck it straight on so the whole sole is covered. I was considering just doing the ball and heel areas but because of the thickness of the suede (no really that much). I was worries about potentially catching it or catching the rubber part of the sole while doing something silly.

Peter

[Terpsichorea]

My Adidas shoes are move like 'fashion shoes' for walking around in than runners or trainers and they have a ripply sole, and I also at first thought that suede wouldn't stick well at all. The cobbler seemed to just stick the suede over the sole with their 'glue' or contact cement.

They just traced around the whole sole of the shoe and cut the suede out and stuck it straight on so the whole sole is covered. I was considering just doing the ball and heel areas but because of the thickness of the suede (no really that much). I was worries about potentially catching it or catching the rubber part of the sole while doing something silly.

Peter

Cool, I'll give it a go with my Adidas shell-toes! (and thanks for the foot/body positioning tips on Saturday btw)

[pjfrad]

No worries, any time.

[Astro]

Soles need brushing?

Good point Martin. I think they are overbrushed.

Possible that they were totally ruined at the Infamous Hippodrome Party.

The suede is beige, and when I took them off the suede was totally black with bits of glass in.

Got them clean with sandpaper, they are totally beige now, but they may be ruined.

They are very comfy, attractive gold sandals, but when I wore then at ISH a couple of weeks ago, I found myself avoiding the good dancers and the fast tracks.

Bluey said his suede soles were ruined on HMS President and he needed to re sole them.

I don't know much about shoes. Does it sound as if they need a re sole?