Installing Sole Protector Plus+ With Heat

In this video, we are going to focus on the appropriate use of heat for “tricky” installs and as our test bed we chose the new Air Jordan 1 “Gotta Shine.” This model is an excellent example with a highly detailed icy sole that’s worth protecting and the dominant star pattern at the top of the toe box that can make installation a real challenge. Additionally, it has deep grooves and patterns unlike less complex soles like those found Jordan 5 models.

“Tricky” installs include Air Jordan 1, Air Jordan 3, Air Jordan 4, and Air Force 1s and any other complex sole that has deep patterns and grooves.

Working With Heat

-With SP+ most soles do not require an external heat source but in reality, all SP units are heat activated. What that means is: with SP+ the heat from your hands pressing against your shoe’s sole is enough for simple soles but for soles with more complex designs external heat sources like hair driers and heat guns provide the best results

A Few Things To Remember….

-Safety first – avoid heat sensitive surfaces – like carpet

-keep in mind that both heat guns and driers can get very hot – so handle with care

-keep in mind more heat is not better – you are looking for just enough to make the material flexible, soft and sticky…

Prep

For prep you simply want to do a few things:

  1. clean the sole with warm water and soap or you can use a shoe cleaner that you trust – we of course recommend our green clean but there are others that do an excellent job as well
  2. Wipe the sole dry – the cleaner and drier the surface the better SP will stick and hold
  3. Have your heat gun or hair drier handy – we like heat guns for consistency and time saving – we do A lot of testing on all types of models so a household hair drier isn’t our best option but as a heat source it can get the job done – it will just require a bit more patience…
  4. Have your SP ready
  5. Find a good place to do the install avoid heat sensitive areas – carpet for example
  6. Set the shoe firmly in place to minimize unnecessary movements

Install

The secret here is in knowing what to look for and that’s 2 things

  1. Gloss
  2. Material Curl Or Material Morphing (Original SP)

Once the material is glossy you know the adhesive is sticky and once the material curls, you know the material is nice and loose which will make it easy to work with

  1. Take your time and pick up the material from both ends  and place it on the shoe
  2. It will be sticky but don’t be afraid to reposition it to your liking…
  3. There’s no need to rush – worse case just start over, the glue isn’t going anywhere
  4. Once you have it set – press firmly and mold the material into the grooves and sides

Sealing

Once everything is secure, it’s time to seal by “wanding” over the sole – typically the edges of the material have the least amount of adhesive so sealing helps to loosen the edges for a better stick. Do not focus heat on one portion of the sole – keep your heat source moving. Once you are satisfied that the install is complete, press firmly and check out your results.

Testing

-We like to let units sit over night to get the best seal

-We also like to test at home or at the office to make sure nothing was missed or loose after install.. if you find loose material simply re-seal and let it sit.