- Full grain leather uppers
- XL EXTRALIGHT® rubber soles for added traction
- Fine shearling lining to keep your toes toasty
- Triple-density removable PORON® insoles
- Kevlar® shank for stability
- Designed in Mill Valley, CA. Handcrafted in Portugal.
Samuel Hubbard strives to produce shoes that are true to size.
Many people ask us why shoes from different brands fit differently.
To begin with, many shoe manufacturers rush to market every season with new styles and don't take the time to perfect the fit. Generally at Hubbard we lean towards a roomy, generous fit. We use tall toe boxes to allow wiggle room for the toes and allow better air circulation around the feet. The greater comfort of our shoes is in part created by building on 'relaxed fit' lasts (the form on which the shoes are shaped).
If you are not sure what size you wear, we recommend that you print out and use our Foot Measuring Tool.
Print out the measuring tool and piece the two pages together using the alignment arrows. You can also carefully trace your foot on paper and look up your size on the same chart in either inches or centimeters. Make sure you are standing, wearing the socks you will wear with your new shoes. Finding your size is explained on the tool itself.
This is useful to do because then you will know what size you really should wear. Because many shoe stores don't carry wide widths they encourage people to buy a longer shoe to make room for what is a wider foot and not a longer foot. When these people measure their feet and then order one of our wide width shoes they find out that they fit correctly for the first time.
Samuel Hubbard shoes are made using the American size scale. Some companies have begun to use the European size scale, but there are fewer sizes in that scale. By using the American size scale, we can achieve a more accurate fit. If your current footwear is are marked in European sizes, you can use our size conversion chart below to find your American size. Or, use the Foot Measuring Tool.
Print at 100% ACTUAL SIZE. Do not use "Fit to Page".
People often ask us about the white and the silver Vibram soles. These are easily cleaned with either a facecloth or a sponge with a bit of dish soap and water. Stubborn stains can be cleaned with a lightly abrasive sponge pad such as you might use on a frying pan. The soles are made from a non-porous material so dirt sits on the surface.
Samuel Hubbard shoes are constructed so that they can be nicely resoled. To find out more about resoling, go to Resole Program.
Hubbard uses the finest full grain soft leathers in our uppers. These can be kept like new using any premium wax paste shoe polish. Saddle soap is also handy for cleaning the leather occasionally. Small scuffs can be treated with liquid polishes. Some people like the weathered look of some of our leathers, like the tan waxhide, just as they like the look of an old, favorite pair of blue jeans. This is a matter of personal choice.
The difference between suede and nubuck is in the manufacturing process. Nubuck is created by a process of brushing/sanding the outside of leather to roughen the surface; suede on the other hand, is where the inside of the leather is brushed/sanded. The result is that nubuck is tougher and more resilient to stains and scuffs.
We recommend that you spray your new shoes with ScotchguardTM to boost the stain repellants that we apply in the factory. This will help to keep stains off the leather in the first place. Spraying your shoes every three to four months is recommended.
Everyday dirt can be removed with a small brush, either a natural gum latex or a fine wire brush. Another approach is to use simple hand soap and water on a facecloth or sponge and wash the upper leather. After washing it is best to allow the shoes to dry in the air. It is not ever recommended to use heat to dry leather as it tends to stiffen the leather. Oil stains on nubuck and suede are stubborn and are difficult to remove.
If you happen to get a stain on your shoes (especially oil or grease), try to blot with whatever absorbent material is handy. Sooner is better as the stain may sink in. DO NOT use water as it may cause the stain to set.
Sprinkle the stain with baby powder or any kind of talcum or chalk. DO NOT rub it in, but simply let it sit on the surface. Let it sit overnight and then lightly brush it off in the morning. Then you can use a nubuck/suede brush, or any stiff brush such as a nail brush will do.
If there is still a stain, you can try using a commercial degreaser. If this leaves the stained area lighter, you might consider applying the baby powder and degreaser across the entire shoe.
Another technique is to use an abrasive cleaning eraser, just as you would use a gum eraser on paper. It is a good idea to finish the cleaning with the nubuck/suede stiff brush.
The navy nubuck leather used in your Hubbard shoes is an unusual type of leather. It is a doubly tanned leather that is first drum-dyed as a yellow leather and then has a blue tanning dye applied to the surface. It is this special tanning that gives your shoes the unique look with the yellow edges where the leather has been cut.
The navy blue can become somewhat faded and we have sourced a blue spray dye that can restore the color of the leather. We will be happy to send this dye to you with our compliments if you will email weborders@samuelhubbard.com with your mailing address. Please allow two to three weeks for delivery.
The leather in these shoes is called oil-tanned, pull-up leather. The leather is impregnated with oils when it is tanned, producing a leather that is extremely strong and has certain waterproof characteristics, although it is not technically waterproof.
Over time the oil in the leather will work its way to the surface and you will notice that the shoes tend to get darker in color, except in the creases caused by flexing. Also, a scratch on the surface will leave a lighter area. Some people call this a "distressed look", others think of it as rugged and real looking. If you prefer to smooth out the coloration of the shoe to a more uniform appearance, we suggest that a brush will work.
When we introduced the Camplight, you used words like: "comfortable," "versatile," "springy," and "like butta." What could we possibly do to improve them? We added fur. Kid-glove leather cradling the grade of shearling usually reserved for fine coats, plus rubber sole for traction and stability. We call them Early Winter. They'll feel like you're wearing your coziest, comfiest, warm slippers as you trek through winter.