I bought a pair of Clarks leather shoes for around 120 euros last year and wear them regularly. Now I'm wondering if they'll last another 2-3 years or if I should get new ones before the sole wears out completely. Are there any rough guidelines on this?
Don't throw them away just because the sole gets thin - that's the most common mistake. Clarks shoes hold up pretty well with regular use for about 4-5 years if you're not wearing them every day. After a year they're nowhere near done, even if they look a bit worn out visually.
The key thing is how you treat them. Clean them regularly, put some leather care on them every now and then, and don't store them in the sun - then they'll definitely last another 2-3 years without any problems. If the sole eventually really wears through, you can often get good leather shoes resoled instead of replacing them completely. Costs less than buying new ones.
With good leather shoes, durability typically falls somewhere between 3 and 5 years with regular use - but it really depends on how often you wear them and how well you take care of them! Clarks are actually pretty solidly made, so your 120 euros weren't a bad investment. If you're wearing the shoes every day, they'll definitely be pretty worn after a year. The good news: a worn-out sole is no reason to throw them away! A cobbler can resole them for you - it usually costs 40-60 euros and your shoes will easily have another 2-3 years of life left in them.
What really matters is more about what the inside looks like and whether the upper leather is still in good condition. If the insole padding is falling apart and the shoes get uncomfortable, a new sole won't help much. But if the leather still looks nice and the sole is just worn thin, I'd definitely go to the cobbler! Personally, I'm a big fan of repairing stuff like that instead of just buying new right away. Plus, broken-in shoes just fit better than new ones!
Clarks are known for their soles wearing down relatively quickly, even though the upper material lasts much longer - that's just their standard. With regular use (let's say 3-4 times a week), I'd expect noticeable wear after 2-3 years. The good news is that with quality leather shoes you can usually get the sole replaced instead of throwing them out - that costs way less than a new pair and significantly extends their lifespan. Take a look at the sole: if it still looks good and only the heel is worn down, a repair is definitely worth it.
The good news: After a year, your Clarks are definitely not done for yet, even if the sole is already a bit worn down. But the most common mistake people make is that they only look at the sole and ignore the upper material - with leather shoes, you can often have the sole replaced, which is way cheaper than new shoes, while the leather itself might last for years. If you wear them regularly but not every day, they should easily last another 2-3 years, as long as you take care of the leather now and then (just wipe it down with a damp cloth and occasionally treat it with leather conditioner). I definitely wouldn't throw them out just yet.
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