I found that it helps if you want to use them in foul weather - not so much in terms of protecting them, but to avoid slipping. I once hat a near-fatal accident in Tajrish due to C&Js Audleys.

Ha ha ha, I've debated this so many times on here and TI. I live in a country with a challenging climate (the UK), I walk a hell of lot, I often wear the same pair of shoes 3 or even 4 times a week - and I have never had a problem with leather soles. I don't even use galoshes, although in extreme weather I will switch to Red Wings (fortunately my jobs are sufficiently informal to get away with that). The trick is never to wear them 2 days running (as I'm sure none of us would ever do), dry with newspaper if extremely wet and tree at all other times (except when being worn).

I have a similar long-running discrepancy with my cobbler over heels. He says I should have rubber heels or at best combination leather/rubber, whereas for some time I was insisting on leather heels with segs. However combination heels do last longer so I'm starting to use them.

Ha ha ha, have you really debated this so many times on here and TI?

There is no objection, as long as we are talking about covering only the first half of the front part of the sole, not the sole entirely.

Tajrish is a northern suburb of Tehran.