Stitched or Glued?
Formerly, we said that stitched-on soles were the best. However, the newer bonding(glueing)methods used by manufacturers prove just as sturdy as stitching.
There are pros and cons to both stitched soles and glued soles. A stitched sole usually wears out quicker than a glued one. Even though stitched soles look thicker. This is because stitched soles are really only as thick as the leather between the floor and the stitching. Once you wear the leather down to the stitching the sole comes loose.
Glued soles have the benefit of being thinner and more flexible and they give you the entire thikness of the sole before needing to be replaced.
If by chance a glued sole comes unglued it is easy to re-glue. Loose stitched soles must be replaced entirely.
The down-side to glued soles is that they may wear out just as quickly as stitched soles because they are often made from suede or soft leather.
When it comes to soles neither glued nor stitched is better than the other. So, forget about the bonding method. Consider your needs first. Do you need the support of a thick sole or the flexibility of a thin sole?
