Shoe Repair

We had a collective moan about modern rubber shoes, how quickly they fall apart.  I have just retired two pairs of old shoes into gardening department.  Maybe I need to start buying shoes that are of traditional construction, aka repairable.  On the other hand, the cobbler said if you like the upper, they could glue on the new sole, even if they are not traditional construction.  Maybe I should ask about the ones I like before I have to dispose them...