Clarks review: Sole & heel disintegration 48

I found my Clark's to have chunks missing from the soles. They look like a dog had been chewing on them, but they had been kept safe in the box in my closet.

I thought it was just me. I have a herniated disc and switch to only buying Clark shoes about 10 years ago. No problem with the older shoes but the shoes I’ve purchased in the last couple of years have continued to disintegrate with the heel material exploding at the worst times. Last night I had I had a work function and couldn’t figure out why my gait seem to be off and why there was black material on the floor under my desk. when I picked up the shoes, I saw that on one side, the heel and the bottom were gone, and the right shoe was not far behind. Looks like I’ll have to find a more comfortable shoe made by a different manufacture. Clark shoes are not cheap and this is ridiculous!

I had the same thing happen to my clarks shoes. I've only worn maybe a dozen times and as I was walking through a store the right heel felt different. When I looked down is lost the heel.

I have a pair of Clark boots that the sole has come off. Please help me!

I am now at 4 pairs of Clark shoes with heels falling apart. I have a lot of old shoes that look new and none have done this. So strange and a pain when it happens no where close to home! Bummer because they are my favorite for comfort. Going in to a store with only socks to get a pair for 5he rest of the day may have been my last Clark purchase.

Over the past 10 years I have had problems with the heels of my Clark shoes completely fall apart and not on just one pair, but probably a dozen pairs. I have never expected this problem with any other brand of shoe before. I have continued to purchase this brand because I love the styles, but unless the company changes how there product is made I will need to buy a brand that I can trust to not fall apart on me. At my age I can not afford to fall because of faulty shoes.

Has Clarks provided resolution for this issue? My mules are hardly worn and otherwise look almost brand new. I only discovered what was happening because of the trail of rubber pieces on my carpet. Is there a way to fix this?

I wore these Clarks once in spring of 2022. I wore them again today November 1, 2022 to a doctor appointment. I noticed that the shoes felt very spongy. After I'd been home for a bit I wondered who had left a trail of dirt in every room!

Was greatly surprised to find my twice worn shoes were disintegrating under my feet.

It isn't just Clarks. Hotters and Kays have done the same. I love my shoes and some that are 25 years old are still going strong. Luckily I haven't fallen. It is obviously cheap nasty materials.

The very thing happened to me this morning. I normally wear my slides during the summertime they're kept in the closet (not in the box) so they should have plenty of circulation air. I was able to walk down a flight of stairs this morning, out the front door to the driveway in minutes I started to feel unbalanced. When I looked down the hills of my slide crumbled.

I am disabled and have a knee and hip replacement with spinal issues. I put on my shoes this morning to attend a family funeral and took a step and the soles of my shoes (which had only been worn a very few times) completely disintegrated! It could have caused a bad fall but fortunately I grabbed onto the bed post. I have bought many pairs of Clarks and this is the second pair that has done this. Why?

Same thing ,wore my Clark's to teach and kept seeing black on carpet ,then later shoe felt funny, half the sole had crumbled away the left is too disappointing.

I bought 2 pairs of Clarks Shoes. Identical style, different color. I thought they would be perfect for work. I put on my brown pair. Drove to the bank, then to the Gas station. My shoes felt awkward, I looked down next to the gas pump and saw a whole chunk of my she soles had fallen off. Disintegrated. My fist time wearing them, only walking for about 15 minutes total. The entire soles of each shoe completely disintgrated! I'm shocked

I too have a pair of mules that I've worn several times. I wore them out shopping and the heels just fell apart, leaving a metal shank exposed! Plus my ankle was turned in this experience.
I see others complaints here, but nothing resolved.
This seems to he a common problem?

My Clark's did the same thing. I've bought Clark's for years for the quality and comfort. I'm so disappointed. I'm out of town, was ready to attend an event, and I look down to see a trail of black. Both pair disintegrated as if I'd stepped in a bed of hot coals.

Same here! Top leather straps perfect, bottom soles sticky black goo. And try to get that stuff off 🤨😩😩 this is horrible!

Same here, also leaving a trail of black blobs behind - one pair after another as I had been purchasing the same 3-strap sandals for years. It was most embarrassing when my black trail was left behind at a luncheon. Need it be said that none of my senior group will be purchasing Clark's again for our weary feet.

Same here, the soles of my Clark's sandals disintegrated - one pair after another leaving black blobs behind. I had worn the same style for years with no problem.

Please help I’ve worn my New Clark’s sandals twice
They have fell Apart All black pieces In the Restaurant
In my car in my Home what on earth is going on
I’m so disappointed
Does Anybody have idea who to complain to please
Uk Thank you

My gift to an elderly woman was a pair of Clark sandals. I had them shipped from Florida to New York. She wore both shoes that Sunday and immediately both heels disintegrated. She sent me a picture of the broken, fall apart heels. I was embarrassed by the whole thing. SHAME ON CLARK.

I also have a pair of Clark sandals. the leather on top is fine, and the soles have totally disintegrated! black all over my house because I didn't notice what was happening. then when I walked out the door the sole just fell apart.

I just got a pair of Clarks, perfect fit and so comfortable. I walked out to my car in the driveway, Went to an appointment, back to may car and to the driveway and into the house. The soles are crumbling, pieces falling off. I can see more cracks developing. What a huge disappointment! The leather is in perfect condition.

My heel fell apart on a pair of nice leather clark clogs. Left heel broke and leaked black rubbery sponge all over before I noticed the problem. I inspected the right clog and noticed it had a huge crack and was broken as well. I believe it’s a manufacturing problem where China is using substandard material because a new pair of leather Born sandals did the same thing this summer. The heel components crack and then the sponge material starts leaking out and the shoes are shot. It’s sad because the leather uppers are brand new .

I had the exact same problem. My shoes were older so I wrote to Clark's explaining that I wasn't seeking compensation but I wanted to understand what had happened because I have other Clark's shoes and didn't feel confident that they, too, wouldn't fall apart while I was wearing them. They explained that they were aware of a problem with the material that was used in that and several other models of their shoes and that stopped using that material. They also insisted I select a pair from their website and they're sending them to me! I was quite impressed.

I have been a fan of Clark sandals as they fit my feet so well and are quite attractive. I have six pairs as I like them in many colors. A year ago the oldest pair had the sole completely disintegrate on one shoe. I decided it could be age and threw them away. The top sandal portion was still perfect. Today I wore another pair which are much newer and I have worn about 6 times. I noticed black pieces on the carpet. Turns out this shoe sole is completely rotted. Such a shame to have such a fine sandal with such an inferior sole. Will not purchase again.

Pulled out a pair of the most comfortable Clark shoes I ever had. Hadn't worn them for several months. Picked them both up and on both shoes the top had completely separated from the bottom and the soles were all gooey and cracking in half. Couldn't help but laugh but disappointed after reading all these other complaints. Asked my sister if she had ever had anything like that happen to her ...and what do you know...a pair of Clark shoes! I dont store my shoes in boxes so that excuse is a bunch of marlarkey!

I have had a pair of Clark's leather mules for several years. I have worn them maybe 10 times (I have a lot of shoes). They were stored in a box. I wore them yesterday and the sole disintegrated as I was walking into work. Luckily I keep a spare pair of shoes at work! I called Clark's customer service and they said they were too old and it's a problem called hydrolysis that happens when shoes are stored in a box and rarely worn - so in other words "tough toenails" to me. I advised I saw a lot of complaints on-line regarding shoes that weren't "too old", but it didn't matter. I will not be buying any more Clark's shoes.

Well, I was hoping to find out how to get replacement for the two pairs that had the same thing happen. Guess from what I see here there's no hope that will happen. I love Clark's but can't buy anymore unless I hear they have solved the problem.

Same problem here... I have a pair of Clark mules, with about a 2 inch heel. Hardly ever worn them, and had them stored in a plastic sweater container under my bed. The leather is pristine, and the soles showed very little signs of wear. Pulled them out, just the other day, to run errands. First stop was to get my bloodwork done. As I was walking out of LabCorp, my footing felt strange on my left foot. I was too embarrassed to stop, as I walked out of the lobby, to inspect what was going on. I basically hobbled out to my car. As I returned to my car, and looked down at the shoe, I saw the whole heel had crumbled apart. All that was left was the hint of some sort of spring mechanism for heel support. I thought "WTH!"... Returned home because I surely wasn't getting anything else done with those shoes. Shameful too, because they are the cutest pair of shoes.

I have worn Clarks shoes for many years. I have one pair of sandals that is brown. Since I don't have to much to match I seldom wear them. Today I wore them while shopping. While in a store, I noticed my balance was off. Looking down, I found large clumps on the floor. The heel had broken in many pieces. I had to cancel the rest of my shopping when the other one also started to come apart and my walking became difficult. I thought this was a one time incident until I Googled Clarks Shoes and found so many people having the same problem. Since I am 88 years old, I am lucky that I was able to get home without any further incident. I am so disappointed in a product I thought was the best.

I have a pair of Clarks shoes that have had the same problem- the heel of one shoe is crumbling. The model is #38231. The shoes were purchased some time ago, but only worn once or twice (they weren't comfortable.) I was going to give them away, because they look brand new.

Has Clarks addressed this problem? I will spread the word.

the reason I purchased the clark shoes is the rounded toes and no seems on top of my foot, I lost a big chunk of my left shoe I would gladly pay for repairs, cannot discard a pair of perfectly good shoes, I just need the left shoe resoled, any suggestions ? I am poor and cannot afford to replace faulty shoes. I will not get in touch with Clark after reading the comments from customer dissatisfaction with the company, of course I will never buy clarks again, cannot afford their poor quality, I the mean time I am minus a pair of shoes, thanks a lot clarks !

I see about the same complaint that I have. Wore my shoes Saturday shopping, they have not been worn that much, I have seven other pair of Clark's besides other shoes. I am retired, just wear them to church and shopping. Well, the rubber on the right heel completely came apart disintergrated spontaneougly on both, leather pulled apart, the same on the left. I tried to send a e-mail, no response, tried calling, put on hold three different times for 30 minutes, who has the time to stand around waiting. I will not buy another pair of Clark's, so disappointed, was so angry, with my shoes falling apart while shopping, nearly barefoot. I went to the store where I had bought them they said that wasn't the first ones, to contact Clark's company. Well no such luck.

Same problem. Shoes disintegrated at a Cambridge College garden party; fortunately the porter's office came to the rescue & loaned me a pair of trainers from lost property. Talk about embarrassing. Same thing happened three years ago. I returned the shoes to Clarks. MD replied essentially saying 'tough' & sent a £15 goodwill voucher which I sent back as insulting. I've heard nothing since. I found this site because a third pair has developed 'sticky' soles which I suspect is a prelude to another collapse. I think the two latest pairs happened because they hadn't been worn for a while (black shoes not worn since I retired). Appalling service & I'm never going back to Clarks.

Like others, I had a pair of Clarks shoes which I hardly wore and the soles disintegrated. I took them back to the shop and was told that I had been storing them incorrectly - in a cupboard - and the Clarks head office had instructed them to offer a £10 "goodwill" payment in such cases. I declined. I shall now take it up with the MD, referring to this site, and ask Trading Standards to investigate. These shoes are obviously not fit for purpose. Under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 customers are entitled to ask for a replacement or a refund for faulty goods.

The same thing just happened to me! I was wearing a pair of Clark's sandals in my kitchen. The heels felt mushy and funny. I looked down and huge chunks had fallen out of the heels that looked like chunks of chocolate cake on my floor It was such a singular thing to happen that I thought it could not be an isolated incident so I found these comments! I have had good luck with other pairs of this brand but then this...!

I too had two sets (Pairs) of Clarks shoes where both soles disintegrated spontaneously. It was very embarrassing and inconvenient.. Once at a meeting and the next at a funeral. It made a major mess and I had to immediately find some where to buy new shoes. I don't buy their (Clarks) shoes anymore.

Heels disintegrated on my Indigo sandals after wearing a short time exactly like the picture of the Clarks. I cannot find a site to report Indigo but ran across this one. I suspect the shoes are made the same as the shoe heels look the same inside and out. Buyer beware..

I have suffered what will be my last failure of a Clarks shoe. My first experience was in June 2013 when on holiday in France the soles of my shoes literally disintegrated. The four year old shoes had hardly been worn but Clarks (non)customer service
dismissed my complaint on the grounds of the shoes age. Yesterday the heel fell off a Clarks shoe with a Goodyear welted sole. I do not intend wasting time obtaining another not our fault excuse. The future sourcing of shoes by my family will not be from Clarks and I would council anyone else to look elsewhere.