Shoe Scan Lab · A Solestice Labs research program

How do running shoes actually wear?

Shoe Scan Lab collects real-world photos of running-shoe outsoles from runners across the country. Every pair tells a story about durability, mileage, and lifespan — and we're building the dataset to read it.

01 · What we do

Read the wear

Shoe Scan Lab is the running-shoe wear research program of Solestice Labs, the trade name of Tubman Technologies LLC. We study outsole wear on real shoes, worn by real runners, on real roads and trails.

The Wear Survey

Runners photograph the outsoles of their running shoes and answer a few short questions — model, estimated mileage, typical surfaces. Each submission adds a data point to our wear dataset.

The Tester Program

A group of committed runners photographs their shoes on a regular schedule, letting us track how the same pair wears over hundreds of miles. Testers can opt in to text-message scan reminders.

Research & findings

We analyze submissions in aggregate to understand wear patterns, durability differences between models, and how wear relates to mileage. Participants get first access to what we learn.

02 · How it works

Two minutes per pair

Contributing takes about two minutes. No account required.

Photograph your outsoles

Snap clear photos of the bottom of your running shoes in good light — a phone camera is all you need.

Tell us about the pair

Shoe model, rough mileage, and where you mostly run.

Repeat as they wear

Submitting the same pair again over time is the most valuable data of all — it shows wear as it happens.

Text reminders for testers. Participants in the Tester Program can opt in to receive recurring SMS reminders to scan their shoes. Consent is not a condition of participating in the survey. Message frequency varies; message & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to cancel or HELP for help at any time. Details in our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.