Cork Soles
 

Have seen suggestions about wearing shoes or sandals with cork soles in Spain in summer to prevent soles from sticking to hot pavement. Would appreciate more info on brands or descriptions since I'm unsure of what is meant. Will be in Costa del Sol in July!!! TIA, as always

susanh, cork soles are made of cork(like wine cork) You see cork soles mostly in wedgies. Put in cork soles in your google and you will see alot at places such as Nordstrum(sp?)

That's a new one, although I guess with so many synthetic or rubber soles nowadays, they are saying they might melt into the sidewalk? It wouldn't be just cork, of course, no leather sole would stick, either. And I don't think a lot of those synthetic compounds have that low a melting point.

Anyway, I have some nice Ecco walking sandals that have cork soles, check them out. I'm not positive if the absolute bottom of the sandal is just cork, though, because that may not wear very well.

here's a variety of styles.

http://tinyurl.com/obu8d

I grew up walking over some of the hottest pavement in the world, and my soles never stuck to anything. Regular rubber and synthetic soles have no problem with hot pavement. I suppose if you put a lot of weight on them and left them sitting on one spot of extremely hot pavement for a while, they might soften, but this never happens while simply standing or walking.

What you want is a pair of Birkenstock sandals. They have hard rubber soles, a half inch of cork, and a thin layer of leather. Birkenstocks are the most comfortable things you will ever put on your feet, and you can wear them on any surface for an 18 hour day in comfort. I'm wearing out my third pair. They cost about $115 in the USA but are half that in Germany where they are made.

I admit that I've posted several times recommending Cork-soled Sandals for Sevilla in July & August. The pavement can be so hot that the soles of one's feet can get burned thru thin leather soles. I have never written anything about soles (cork, rubber, leather or synthetics) sticking to the pavement; but if you're planning to walk much in Sevilla, you'll find that cork-soles on sandals provide better insulation than most synthetic materials.

You'll also find that walking on the SHADY side of the street in Seville is helpful, too!!!

oh, so it's the insulation issue? That makes a lot more sense. I looked at my Ecco sandals and, as I suspected, there is a synthetic layer under the cork which is the real sole in contact with the ground. I didn't think a cork sole in contact with the pavement would hold up that well. They are comfortable, though, and the cork is a good shock absorber, I think that was the idea of the design.

Many thanks to all. Now I know what to look for.

Whe it's so hot the road is melting there are 2 issues with women's shoes.

The first is any show with a heel - which will sink completely into the soft macadam - which can be very uncomfortable if it's a sandal - as well as ruin the shoe.

The other is a shoe that is so flat it doesn;t lift the foot off the melting macadam - which is likely to result in toasted or burned feet.

So wear something that raises the foot a little above the street (hence cork soles which are usually found in wedgies of some variety - even low ones) and doesn't expose bare flesh to the melting macadam.