In more recent times, chamois leather has been used for soles, and the uppers have been made of thicker stronger leather. Ankle loops are now standard on nearly all brands of soft shoes. Most shoes these days do not have pleats, but rather have a full sole, stitched right at the toe and the heel to the upper. These shoes will, by nature of their construction, tend to outlast pleated shoes.
Thicker plain leather is also sometimes used on the soles of softies, and helps make the shoe more durable and comfortable.
All of our manufacturers are adding a padding between the inner and outer soles, to help protect against impact shock. Some padding tends to collapse after a period, some is thicker than others, some more comfortable than others. Keeping in mind that many dancers start at maybe age 6 and go through into their 20's or further, the importance of protecting feet against jarring is obvious. Dancers MUST protect their feet during their dancing years, when bones and soft tissue are still growing and are liable to permanent damage!
Don't be too disappointed if your pumps wear out within 12 months! They get a lot of punishment, tend to be a bit neglected, and are not really designed to last much more than 12 months, though many seem to keep on going for years!
So the choice of a
soft shoe type basically depends from personal requirements. E.g. how often and how long as well as what you will be dancing (learner, hobby dancer, championship or principal dancer etc.). Simply use our information guide below, to choose a matching
Irish pump:
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Dance Pumps & Boys Reel
Appropriate to Beginners, Amateurs and Children:
Appropriate to advanced Irish dancers:
Appropriate to Championship dancers and Show dancers:
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