Official Alden Shoes & Boots Thread

[M4TM]

^^ you two have the same picture... confusing!

[epauletshop]

superbeveridge, great job on resoling those Roy Boots! Always nice to see a fine pair of boots given new life. +Rep

[triumph.man]

superbev, did they take out all of the crepe sole?

forefoot and heel?

[superbeveridge]

Yeah they removed the entire crepe sole. They had some random crepe soles in stock but considering the first sole only lasted a year I thought I would go with something tougher. They had to build a heel from scratch too. I would love to add some waxed laces. Might even try waxing some myself withe fjallraven wax I have and see how they turn out. The original alden laces lasted about a month. Mind you I am pretty hard on my boots as I work in a motorcycle and clothing shop. Kick starting bikes wears everything out pretty quickly. The high sheen polish is actually growing on me too.

[Obbigood]

Joining the club! with Pitt Boots.

added vibram sole

[poly800rock]

Yeah they removed the entire crepe sole. They had some random crepe soles in stock but considering the first sole only lasted a year I thought I would go with something tougher. They had to build a heel from scratch too. I would love to add some waxed laces. Might even try waxing some myself withe fjallraven wax I have and see how they turn out. The original alden laces lasted about a month. Mind you I am pretty hard on my boots as I work in a motorcycle and clothing shop. Kick starting bikes wears everything out pretty quickly. The high sheen polish is actually growing on me too.

thanks for this, i have a pair of roy's on pre-order and was wondering how a new sole would look.

[Manx]

Does anyone know anything about the Cape Cod collection? I want a nice pair of casual-ish loafers that I can dress up and down and I really love Alden's cape cod. They're cheaper so I'm wondering what corners are cut if any. Thanks.

[poly800rock]

here are my 405's after 4 years, resoled last winter with a honey vibram idea stolen from chicken

[Ambivalence]

How do you size for the alden indy? from rw upsize half a size or downsize?

[LandoCal126]

How do you size for the alden indy? from rw upsize half a size or downsize?

Down half size typically.

[poly800rock]

well, i got these at alden in sf so i actually was able to try them on. I went down a full size ee.

[ericdw]

any idea where i can get a pair of brown longwings? striking out in my size (7).

[chunisstuntastic]

I recently purchased some used 975s. I noticed on my right pair on the outer side where the shoe flexes that there is a slight tear beginning. Can this be fixed and should I be concerned.

[edmond]

super glue baby

and wax em

[edmond]

[edmond]

you talking to me son?

[chunisstuntastic]

Ravello Longwings

[ericdw]

Exactly what I'm lookin for. Where'd you kop?

[chunisstuntastic]

the shoe mart in conneticut. Great folks that work there.

[Manx]

How often do you gents actually wear your Alden dress shoes? I kind of baby mine and only wear them when I clean up. I want to wear them daily but I also want to keep them around for as long as possible.

[djarrow]

There is no need to baby these Alden bad boys. It is advantageous to actually wear them as often as you can (wear for 3 days then rotate). It'll give the shoe the chance to mold to your feet and show off it's natural beauty with wear and tear. I've worn my dress shoes and suede even in the rain with no adverse effects.

[djarrow]

Picked up an Oxford Suede (flex welt) at Alden SF today... really versatile with Khaki or Denim.

Super comfortable and with more ankle support than the suede chukka model.

[youonlyliveonce]

considering a pair of aldens....this or that?

natural chromexecel

or brown

[MiniW]

^ you can't go wrong with either, some versions of the natural CXL Indy have all around welt stitching which may be a factor, also the natural CXL will be harder to find in your size so there may be a 3-9 month wait. the 405's are readily available

[lak]

how much did these run you at alden. looking to get them but tres bien's price seems stupid.

[djarrow]

Agree... Tres Bien is priced way higher. For that amount, Cordovan would be a viable option.

I got it for hundred bucks less. Call Alden SF and see if they still have your size. The shop only got 20 pairs allocated to them.

[superbeveridge]

I've noticed that pretty much all Euro stores that stock Alden have them at a much higher price than North America. Probably due to customs, duties and shipping. Sucks for people in Europe but I guess it is unavoidable if you want to carry them.

[denimdestroyedmylife]

[youonlyliveonce]

^ you can't go wrong with either, some versions of the natural CXL Indy have all around welt stitching which may be a factor, also the natural CXL will be harder to find in your size so there may be a 3-9 month wait. the 405's are readily available

i've never considered welt stitching to be a crux factor when considering a pair of anything, so i might as well ask: what are the pros and cons of welt stitching? thanks for all the help.

[MiniW]

^^ I'm not an expert on shoe construction, but I'm sure that for Aldens, all models are Goodyear welt and will have the same durability in terms of water resistance and ability to be resoled, the only difference is looks. Different types of welts have been discussed before I am sure, but if you are only looking at Aldens, just pick the welt you like the look of the best and don't worry about anything else.