What's the advantages/disadvantages in having a leather sole vs a rubber sole? I notice most of the higher end shoes come with leather soles, so there must be some good reason for it.

I have found that the leather soles tend last longer for most people and provide stronger foundation for the clown shoe.

While the crêpe soles on clown shoes tend to be more comfortable but wear out faster.

Crêpe vs Leather Soles

Crêpe rubber is a crude form of natural rubber. One of the most common applications of crêpe rubber is in the manufacture of soles for footwear.

Many manufacturers of rubber soles will offer different types of soles, each with a different amount of thickness. The cost for the crêpe rubber soles will vary, depending on the exact ingredients used to create the crêpe rubber.

In most cases, crêpe rubber tends to stand up to a great deal of wear and tear, as well as providing comfort and protection for the individual wearing the clown shoes.