Skip to main content
SoleFeedSF
Buyer's Guide

Rick Owens Mega Bumper Review & Sizing Guide

Published Updated

Buy Mega Bumper if you want the chunky hollow sole as your Rick statement and you are willing to install heel taps or budget a Vibram resole from day one; skip it if you want a long-lasting outsole at retail price, since the hollow construction has documented heel-wear and separation issues soles wearing down a lot quicker than my old pairs... reach the hollow parts quicker. You wear through that flat pad in the heel and there's a hole.

Shop all

Key facts

Sole
Chunky hollow rubber sole with grid pockets; much taller stack than classic Rick.
Quality issue
Hollow heel wears through within months on heavy-wear pairs; sole separation is a documented adhesive problem.
Standard mod
Heel taps or Vibram resole at unboxing; the community treats this as required, not optional.
Pairings
Mega Bumper Ramones, Geobaskets, Bolans (mega crust), and runway-edition exclusives.
Retail
$1,100-$1,600; rarely sale-priced; Concordians and special leathers carry premium.
Drkshdw alternative
Drkshdw Rick Owens sub-brand has more durable soles; consider for outdoor wear.

Full breakdown

Rick Owens Mega Bumper is the brand's chunky-sole system applied across Ramones, Geobasket, and other silhouettes — a hollow rubber outsole with visible grid pockets, a much taller stack than the classic Rick sole, and a known quality problem: the hollow construction wears through at the heel within months on heavy-wear pairs, and the sole-to-upper adhesive is openly criticized in the community this is bad shoemaking. i'm assuming this broke along one of the grid lines they use in soles to cut down on material costs. Owners install heel taps or Vibram resoles immediately to extend life Resole with a Vibram and call it a day bud, Rick ain't doing anything about it. Buy it for the chunky-sole statement; budget the resole as part of the purchase.

FAQ

Should I worry about Mega Bumper sole quality?

Yes — sole quality is the single biggest pre-purchase caveat on the Mega Bumper line, and the community is unanimously aware of it. The most-discussed thread on the model documents soles wearing through to the hollow grid in months on a pair from February, with the user noting they had only ever owned older pairs that lasted years soles wearing down a lot quicker than my old pairs. Also feels like there's a lot less rubber in the heel area so you reach the hollow parts quicker. Buy it knowing you will install heel taps or pay for a Vibram resole within the first year; treat the resole as part of the purchase cost.

Are heel taps or a Vibram resole worth installing immediately?

Buy heel taps or budget a Vibram resole on day one — the community openly advocates for both as a fix to the Mega Bumper's hollow construction. Heel taps cost under $10, install in a minute, and dramatically extend the rear-strike life of the sole Heel taps are less than $10 on Amazon, take 1 minute to install, and greatly increase the life of the part of the sole that gets heel dragged the most. A thin Vibram outsole is the more durable answer for buyers who care more about lifespan than original silhouette i'd bring it to a cobbler and put heel taps on, or go even further and get a thin vibram outsole on each of them, just to extend the sole life. Choose heel taps for minimal visual change; choose Vibram for maximum sole life.

How long do Mega Bumpers last with regular wear?

Without modifications, Mega Bumpers can show heel-wear holes within a few months of heavy daily wear, and the upper-to-sole separation is a known adhesive issue. Multiple owners document the separation problem and trace it to weak factory adhesive The separation at the heels is a known issue because the adhesive Rick uses is about as useful as an Elmers glue stick. Plan to retire unmodified pairs at 1-2 years of regular wear and choose heel taps or a Vibram resole from the start if you want 4-5 years of usable life; the caveat is real, and skipping it is the most common buyer-regret pattern on the model.

Should I cross-shop the Mega Bumper against the Drkshdw line?

Drkshdw soles are more durable than mainline Rick Mega Bumpers and worth the cross-shop if you want a chunky-sole Rick at a lower price with better long-term outsole life. A long-time Rick Owens collector flagged the durability difference explicitly when comparing old Drkshdw Ramones to newer mainline pairs If your older pairs were Drkshdw, that could explain the sole wearing down slower; drkshdw soles are more durable and stiffer than mainline. Choose Drkshdw if outsole life is a priority; choose mainline Mega Bumper if you want the runway construction and accept the resole budget.

Is the Mega Bumper sole worth the retail price?

Mega Bumper retail value depends entirely on whether you accept the heel-tap or Vibram resole as part of the purchase cost. Without modifications, retail value is poor — the community openly calls the sole 'bad shoemaking' this is bad shoemaking. i'm assuming this broke along one of the grid lines they use in soles to cut down on material costs. With heel taps and a Vibram resole on the back end, the construction holds up and the chunky silhouette is a buyer signal worth the spend. Choose Mega Bumper if the chunky-sole statement is the point; skip it if you want durable outsole rubber at full retail.