The sole leather looks amazing, nice and compact with a tight small grain. They remind me of the great looking Cleverley soles, but i'm sure these are probably better quality. Sources tell me the Cleverley bespoke soles are as tough as it gets...they wear noticably better than G&G bespoke soles. You see many leather soles and they look really grainy and soft (Church's, Trickers, C&J etc), nothing on these French shoos of Isshy's.