How To Fix My Snapped Huarache Strap

Nike Air Huarache are a great pair of trainers. They are classics. If some of you reading this are too young to remember and think that Nike Huarache's are new to the trainer world, they were first introduced to the world in the 1990's. The sock designed upper was something new at the time, and when people layed eyes on how trendy they looked they were hooked. Add to that when people tried Huarache's on for the first time and realised how comfortable this new sock design was, and sales really took off at a lightening pace. They were an instant success, everyone wanted a pair. A bit like now!. They are all the rage.

But it wasn't always like this. Yes, they came out in the early 90's and had huge success. But after a number of years they became just another pair of trainers in the super competitive, and ever growing footwear market place. Other brands were there right along side with the Huarache's, and some were just as popular. Trainers like Adidas Torsion, Puma Disc, and Reebok Pump were all rivals to Huarache's at the time. They were / are all trainers that were considered as "Breakthroughs" technology wise at the time. And the hype was off the hook.

But now fast forward to 2014 - 2015 and you will see that all the pairs mentioned above have made a big comeback. But all of them did go through a stage where there popularity dropped for a number of years. But now with retro trainers so in demand, all of them are enjoying a revival. And none of them are more popular right now than the Nike Air Huararche.

Is the snapped Huarache ankle strap a new thing..

No it isn't. Anyone who remembers when they first came out in the 1990's will probably recall there being complaints about the strap ending up broken after a few months. Having owned several pairs when they first came out I can tell you first hand that mine did break at the back. And on more than one pair.

This is what gets me annoyed about Nike in general. You would think after all these years and after what must be a lot of complaints that Nike would have fixed this problem by now. I mean they've had over twenty years. You would expect them to have learnt from their mistake, and now on the new pairs that are being made in 2015 should be made using either a stronger material like an extra reinforced, flexible plastic, or even adding another material inside the strap itself to help strengthen it when pressure is applied like a durable, but flexible metal of some sort (hardened aluminium).

But no, the Huarache's of today still suffer from the same problem. And it's not as if they are cheap to buy either. Genuine Nike Air Huarache's start at around £100 and go up to some silly prices. So you would have thought a problem like this would have been addressed by Nike, but no, they made the new Huarache's a little too much like the originals, with faults and all. In fact I would say that from what I have seen, the Huarache's of today are being made using even more cheaper materials than they were using back in the day when they first came out.


How Can I Fix Them

It depends on where the break location is. On the majority of pairs, the construction of the back ankle strap on Nike Air Huarache's has several attaching joins that are connected by joints that have simply been sewn together using cotton. If your Nike Huarache have broken at any of these points then its actually quite an easy fix. You could take the trainers to a cobbler (Shoe repairer) and they will be able to easily repair the strap by just re-sewing the joints back together. Got a needle and some cotton? You could even do it yourself for free. Saying that, looking at the pairs made in 2015 a lot of them (not all) are more cheaply made, and the back strap is just one complete piece. So if you have an up to date (cheaper made) pair you will need to try the fix below.

Now for the more complicated fix. If your Huarache have totally snapped, like broken not at a joint, but the plastic has just snapped at some random location, then it's harder to sort out. You could show them to a Cobbler (Shoe Repairer) and see what he can do. Ask him if he has a method where he can melt / soften the strap and re-mould it back together intact. Its worth a try. However, I have never heard of anyone getting there strap fixed this way.

The other method is repairing it yourself by using a self-setting rubber solution to re-attach the strap back into one piece. There are many products to choose from. Some though are much better than others. You could try using something like Polymorph Thermoplastic or even a product like Milliput. But, the problem with those types of moulding applications is that a shoe is something that is going to be worn. The shoe will be constantly under pressure, moving continuously so really needs a more flexible solution. After all, we're not trying to seal a hole in something like a bath tub that's going to remain still for the next 10 years.

One solution that fits the bill is a product called Sugru (UK). It's basically a soft rubber moulding glue that self-sets in about 12 hours to 1 day after it has been applied. The good thing about Sugru is that once set it is very strong but still remains flexible. Sugru is one of the best options if you are planning on fixing the back strap by using a self adhesive product. It's waterproof and weather resistant.

If you're looking for Sugru in the USA, you can find it here. Located in Canada? Find it here. This product can be used to fix electrical products and many household items. But it is one of the few products of this type that actually lists shoes as one of the items it specialises in repairing. With this method the quality and visibility of the repair really depends on you and your workmanship. If you are good with your hands and can do a nice clean, precise job of moulding the glue into place, the repair won't look too bad, or be that noticeable.

What about the colour of the Sugru glue being different to the colour of the strap?

Sugru is available in many different colours. You can buy a single colour like Black or White. Or you can buy a multi-colour pack which contains red, yellow, blue, black and white. There's even an 8 colour multi pack which consists of red, brown, orange, green, blue, yellow, grey, and even pink. Surely, with so many Sugru colours available you should be able to find one that matches your Huarache strap close enough to blend in nicely and not be too noticeable. Sugru is a great product that is well worth a try considering how cheap it is to buy compared to how much a new pair of Huarache's will set you back. If you have another problem with your Huarache's, or any other trainers or shoes, like the sole is coming off at the side or at the heel, there are many other strong glue products out there in the market place. But be careful as some of them are seriously strong and can be toxic if breathed in or swallowed.