Repair & Maintenance

Gluing a boot sole or rand

Boot with a loosened sole, ready for gluing.

When the toe, heel or rubber rand of a mountain boot comes loose, you can fix it easily at home with the right adhesive. How to choose the adhesive, how to do the job, and what you have to wait for.

If the toe, heel or rubber rand comes loose from a mountain boot, you can easily glue it back in place at home. What matters is that the adhesive is flexible once cured and that it bonds to rubber.

What kind of adhesive

Three types work:

  • Urethane rubber — a blend of plastic and rubber that stays flexible. McNett (Aquasure SR), Gear Aid.
  • Neoprene adhesive (cement) — actually meant for wetsuits, but works very well on rubber. McNett, Black Witch.
  • Silicone-based adhesive — flexible and adheres to several types of surface. McNett Sil-Net.

Ordinary superglue or wood glue will not do — they go stiff and let go the moment the boot bends.

How to do it

  1. Clean the surfaces thoroughly. Sand with fine sandpaper, brush away dust. Adhesive does not adhere to grease, dirt or loose rubber.
  2. Warm the gluing surface with a hairdryer for about 30 seconds. Warm rubber takes the adhesive better.
  3. Apply adhesive to both sides — both the boot and the sole. Wear gloves (skin grease stops the adhesive bonding where you touch it).
  4. Press the surfaces together and hold with a strong rubber band, strap or tape around the boot.
  5. Wait 1-2 days before use. The adhesive needs its full cure time to become strong enough.

Practical details

  • Room temperature — adhesive cures best at 20-25 °C. In a cellar or garage: bring it indoors first.
  • Pressure holds while it cures — the rubber band must be tight, not just laid on.
  • Dry surface — even a little moisture ruins the bond.

The repair will often last several seasons if done properly. For valuable mountain boots (Lundhags, Hanwag, Meindl) it is common to repair them several times over the boot’s lifetime.

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Text: Snuitide (2022), revised 2026.

Video resource: Gear Aid — gluing boots