Shoes that look better with age...

[Mich]

^ Same question here.

Tom, thanks for hearing the sufu call for a unique dream boot, i am wondering how your view on orders from Europe is for these boots.

I already mentioned before i'd prefer the plaza last, but if the majority of you guys want the leydon last i won't be a party-pooper.

If were going with the trubalance though, i will not be participating, as i'm defenitely wanting a sleeker boot.

The majority seems to agree on double leather/plain toe/close welt so these don't seem to be a point of argument anymore.

Blind eyelets would sure look nice and a bit dressier, but if we want this boot to stand out as the sufu boot, imo the metal eyelets with speedhooks are the better option.

By now it's pretty clear that cigar shell is not gonna happen so #8 shell will be the next best thing i guess.

I can always sun-tan the boots for a while, i recall someone on here having done that with #8's, and the color came out pretty close to cigar shell with some great patina.

It would surely take less time than the 5-year waiting period for the cigar shell

Please show us some ideas for a heel pad design ?M and RB, it sounds like a very cool idea!

[indigo_junkie]

Picked up some Trickers off Retricker.

Trickers Belgrave in black calf. UK 9.5 Fitting 5 (E - US equiv. D)

Trickers Kensington in Beechnut calf. UK 9.5 Fitting 5 (E)

I took David's advice and sized up another 1/2 on the E fit on the slimmer lasts and the shoes fit like a dream. It's really opened my eyes to what size I should be wearing. they fit better than a pair of UK 9 F (US E) shoes I bought earlier. I've always worn boots in a US 9E (Alden 405, Whites SD, Russell Mocs, Redwings) and thought I had to do the same with dress shoes. Guess not. Makes me wonder if I could fit into a 9.5 or 10D for some of the Alden high boots (now all I need is for the AUD to fight back. It's staying level with the GBP atm, which is where I'm currently getting all of my stuff).

[vegetaray123]

Guys if your iffy with the Plaza last because you have wide feet just up a size from your normal and go with the E width...So if you usually take an 8.5 E then up it to a 9 E and you should be alright with the Plaza...I've never expierence the Leydon though so I have no idea how they would fit...Though "?" did state earlier in the thread that they were a bit more roomy than the Plaza with a shallower toe...

[edmond]

fit pics of the tony lamas with fh 3001

[?uestionmark]

gah!^ .

[tripleterror]

I am seriously interested in a pair of the forum boots.

I live in the UK and have never worn Alden before so would have to be guided about size and fit.

My vote would be for a sleek looking boot so Plaza looks good.

It would have to be a double leather sole, plain toe, speed hooks, I don't mind eyelet style.

A really special colour would be nice to make the boots even more special. It seems Cigar is out of the question but the UK stockist for Horween have Whiskey in stock. How does everyone feel about that.

I have spoken to them and they are checking to see how much they have, the grades and the cost.

I don't know how many boots have to be ordered from Alden or even if Leather Sole would deal with the UK stockist to buy the shells and supply them to Alden, this is all new to me.

I dare say everyone will tell me what they think.

I don't mind #8 but a special colour would be really nice.

Simon

[Mich]

^ Real pimp Ed!

[illumin8em]

am I crazy for wanting a pair of Stacy Adams Madison?

I know that they are not thought of very highly on this forum, nor on others, but I really like the low heel and slim profile of the boot. All the pictures that I have seen have certainly left more to be desired in the leather. It seems to get very fine creases from wear. I would love a pair R.M Williams, forum/special but cannot afford something like that. I know that they are a completely different boot, I was just stating it. A pair of jodpurhs may be nice, but i really like laces.

[tmadd]

Can people who don't know the first thing about Alden please stop trying to turn what was looking to be a boot appropriate to this forum into a bastardized version of the Leather Soul x Style Forum boot. A majority of the Alden Special Make Up boots in shell to be available in the states in the last year have been on the Plaza Last (Cap Toe, Plain Toe Medallion, Wingtip) many of which are still available or will be available again. If this boot is going to be done as a Superfuture boot, my wish would be that it catered to those members of this forum that were aware of those boots when they became available, and passed on them for aesthetic reasons...hopefully this boot will fill a gap in whats been available from Alden as opposed to a slight variation on something they have been doing recently.

[Turntabloid]

damn,

do not like where this is developing.

was more hoping on something totally clean and "boot"-like.

not another dress shoe ...

e.g. similar to AF43

nevermind, will probably just need to order exactly that shoe and wait for 6 month.

keep up the good work! i am really interested in what this will end up in!

[amlai]

I have spoken to them and they are checking to see how much they have, the grades and the cost.

Don't think this is going to work. It seems that the way Alden works is that they want a sizable quantity of material or they won't do it. I can also imagine that it would be problematic for them to get material from the UK distributor. I'm sure that would cause all sorts of ruckus regarding allocations, etc. Alden already seems like they pick over all of the material at Horween first before the other makers and distributors get access to it. Not to mention that how would it seem if Alden did something special like this for one of their dealers. Then every dealer would want something special like this. I think we need to keep this to the regular processes and LeatherSoul has been more than accommodating. The fact that we have access to anyone who is willing to try to put in a special makeup order for us is pretty unheard of.

[amlai]

I'm with tmadd here. Normally, I'd probably be all for a plain toe plaza boot, but I already have a pair of captoe plaza and plain toe medallion on plaza, so it'd be pretty close to what I already have. If that's where this goes, it's fine with me. Just happy to help get the ball rolling.

[?uestionmark]

here here. agreed

Can people who don't know the first thing about Alden please stop trying to turn what was looking to be a boot appropriate to this forum into a bastardized version of the Leather Soul x Style Forum boot. A majority of the Alden Special Make Up boots in shell to be available in the states in the last year have been on the Plaza Last (Cap Toe, Plain Toe Medallion, Wingtip) many of which are still available or will be available again. If this boot is going to be done as a Superfuture boot, my wish would be that it catered to those members of this forum that were aware of those boots when they became available, and passed on them for aesthetic reasons...hopefully this boot will fill a gap in whats been available from Alden as opposed to a slight variation on something they have been doing recently.

[tripleterror]

I'm sorry if I've pissed anyone off over this.

I'm new to the forum and just wanted to get involved in the debate.

Just because someone wasn't involved in the last forum boot surely they shouldn't be excluded from this one.

After all, we all have opinions and this is what makes this forum, and inparticular this thread so interesting.

I will keep watching how this develops and be guided by the more knowledgable about Alden boots.

Simon

[?uestionmark]

^what tmadd is just trying to say is, how many plaza boots are we gonna need? is it really worth using this opportunity to do the same exact boot from the SF forum without the medallions? do you know how lame this is?

[emmitbrown]

gah!^ .

Exactly what came out of my mouth.^^^

Edmond, you truly are a rube.

[moykky]

New Alden boots on the Leather Soul website. Flex welt, barrie last, plain toe boot in cognac calf:

http://www.leathersoulhawaii.com/2008/11/13/alden-shoes-plain-toe-flex-boot/

Wow, how did I miss these. I actually like the fact that these are without the close-heel welt so they look a bit more rugged. Double leather sole (or some extra thickness in form of some rubber sole?) and those might be my new boots (if I had the $$ and the $ / € rates wouldn't be so @¤!!).

And...ahem... They're not the Plaza last...

[Turntabloid]

if i have a 12C in the trubalance last, how do i have to size the barrie last?

according to alden of carmel's fitting page, it should be a 12 too. but, how about the width?

[amlai]

I've always heard that Trubalance and Barrie are sized the same.

[tmadd]

^what tmadd is just trying to say is, how many plaza boots are we gonna need? is it really worth using this opportunity to do the same exact boot from the SF forum without the medallions? do you know how lame this is?

You hit the nail on the head. Especially now since its looking like Cigar is off the table, theres nothing very Sufuesque about a standard boot that closely resembles many other boots that are available.

Also, at the risk of offending a number of respected members of this discussion, I consider Plaza-lasted dress boots in shell from Alden to be a compromise of sorts and a bit of an aesthetic conundrum. To me, on a non-split toe shoe especially, the Plaza last seems to be an attempt to replicate the Edward Green/John Lobb Elongated Chisel Toe look. While it does certainly inhabit the same ballpark, the Plaza last, and quite frankly Alden shoes in general lack the refinement and design flourishes that elevate EG and JL shoes to manufactured work of art status. When you add Shell Cordovan to the equation, not only do you increase the price of the shoes by 50% but you add a material that some would argue lacks the necessary qualities (namely to be brought to a military shine, and in general, not being "formal" enough) to be the choice for a dress boot that is pursuing sleek elegance. You end up paying a premium for a shoe that is not Alden's bread and butter and you are getting reasonably close in price to beautiful shoe which is similar a style and a more "pure" manifestation of the desired style from Weston, Lobb, Green, G&G etc.

I just think that if there is going to be a Sufu inspired boot, or collaboration or whatever you would like to call it, it should be something a little more special than just the result of a half-assed democratic debate. The coolest LS Exclusive is still the Indy in #8 because it synthesized Alden's best selling/cult following boot with a material that is beautiful and happens to be another Alden signature. The potential of using cigar shell met this requirement because of the rarity and the potential of ending up with a boot distinctively unique from anything recently available outside of Japan. I don't know if its feasible, but I think it would be cool to attempt something like trying to get Alden to reissue a long out of production boot, or the first production boot they made with shell....something along those lines...I haven't found a good enough source of Alden history for me to know exactly what that would mean, but I do like the otakuness of that or a similar idea. My apologies for the rant.

[vegetaray123]

So if most of the people on this forum is fed up with the Plaza how about a look at some other last's then? The Leydon has already been brought up in recent pages but what about a Barrie Last or a Aberdeen Last? How many boots do you see on those Last's...Since we all love the "Indy" 405 model why not do this thing on a Trubalance Last then?

Tom has already said that the Mod Last and the Cigar Shell is basically out of the question...What does that leave us then?

I think we can all agree that the plain toe is a good idea for the boot we are looking for as the Wingtips / Cap Toe's / Medallion have already been done and as some have siad are still fairly easy to obtain if you know where to look...Insted of nit picking each other let's get this focused down to what we can all agree on...

**EDIT** What about something like the 86 Boot only in #8 and with blind eyelets and double leather soles? That would be very boot ish with it's full last and heel tab no? Plus it shares the favored last of the 405...Just a thought... **EDIT**

[Curious_George]

I took David's advice and sized up another 1/2 on the E fit on the slimmer lasts and the shoes fit like a dream. It's really opened my eyes to what size I should be wearing. they fit better than a pair of UK 9 F (US E) shoes I bought earlier. I've always worn boots in a US 9E (Alden 405, Whites SD, Russell Mocs, Redwings) and thought I had to do the same with dress shoes. Guess not. Makes me wonder if I could fit into a 9.5 or 10D for some of the Alden high boots (now all I need is for the AUD to fight back. It's staying level with the GBP atm, which is where I'm currently getting all of my stuff).

What US size would you say these Trickers fit like? Do you have any experience with Tricker's boots? I'm set on ordering some Stows soon from Pediwear and I've basically heard everything from Trickers running one whole size large compared to US to people buying them true to their US size or now larger than US size. I saw David at the factory shop tell someone to size down 1/2 from their US size and that the boots are about 1/2 size larger than that, but I also contacted Trickers directly and they only told me 1/2 size down from US size for the boots. Trying to figure out Trickers sizing has been a mess because there isn't half as much sizing information as say AE, Alden, C&J, etc.

For reference I wear 405s in 11E and RWs in 11 1/2D but Grenson Country boots in 10 1/2G. I've been torn between getting Stows in 10 1/2 and hoping they aren't too narrow or getting 11s and hoping they aren't too long (I really wish the Stows came in the 6 fitting).

[Tarmac]

I will echo some of the other comments, if you guys don't have at least a somewhat clear idea of what you want, something which is not otherwise available, then this project is almost pointless. The Styleforum boot came about because someone wanted a plain toe boot with a medallion - this was not something you could get. I have no desire to get a meaningless, more expensive Alden shoe where the main difference is blind lace holes and a printed logo.

Every permutation that I would want is pretty much available, including this:

http://riderboot.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/21-aug-08-017.jpg?w=509&h=580

[LeatherSOUL]

I think you guys are all on the right track. Thanks to TMadd for keeping it real and to amlai for understanding my side.

I'll tell you guys, all these Plaza boots and Barrie boots will always be in the works with me. Expect to see a Plaza plain toe boot or a Barrie plain toe boot w/Crepe sole etc in the future from Leather Soul.

SuFu is not like other boards. You guys know that. So, why not do something different? Of course, Alden is very conservative with new models, especially boots in shell cordovan. So, we can't go all out crazy. But, within reason, why not make something you wouldn't normally see elsewhere.

Again, I wish I could get cigar or whiskey but it's not gonna happen. Trust me. The idea about buying whiskey from the European distributor and then giving it to Alden...c'mon, seriously, think about it. Why would Alden do that. They already have hundreds of customers waiting for 24 pair runs of whiskey. Why would they screw all of them?

Vintage sounds cool and I think this crowd appreciates it so why don't we start looking that way?

What do you think?

[moykky]

What US size would you say these Trickers fit like? Do you have any experience with Tricker's boots? I'm set on ordering some Stows soon from Pediwear and I've basically heard everything from Trickers running one whole size large compared to US to people buying them true to their US size or now larger than US size. I saw David at the factory shop tell someone to size down 1/2 from their US size and that the boots are about 1/2 size larger than that, but I also contacted Trickers directly and they only told me 1/2 size down from US size for the boots. Trying to figure out Trickers sizing has been a mess because there isn't half as much sizing information as say AE, Alden, C&J, etc.

For reference I wear 405s in 11E and RWs in 11 1/2D but Grenson Country boots in 10 1/2G. I've been torn between getting Stows in 10 1/2 and hoping they aren't too narrow or getting 11s and hoping they aren't too long (I really wish the Stows came in the 6 fitting).

I don't have Alden boots (unfortunately) but I do have Redwing and Trickers. English boots are a bit on the wider side in my knowlege. Trickers G/6 width is something like EEE maybe even one more E. I wear size 9US in Redwing and 8UK in Trickers. I'd get Alden 405's in US8.5EEE. Seems like your reasoning is on the same line as mine!

[Mich]

Vintage inspired or even a remake of a really old Alden boot sounds good, never really thought about that possibility so thanks for bringing it up Tmadd.

I'll follow developements from the side and see where it leads.

[SLAB]

Vintage sounds cool and I think this crowd appreciates it so why don't we start looking that way?

What do you think?

and the train is back on track ; vintage boots (preferably working style ot not too refined at least)

[tmadd]

If there is traction with the vintage idea, I would be more than happy to conduct some research on old Alden boot styles. I have been doing some preliminary googling, and not come up with much that would be of interest so far. I'll happily take hints from Tom, GregNYC, Amlai, or anyone else who knows where or how I might be able to find out more about older Aldens.

[Akilae]

When I think of Aldens on this thread, I think of Chicken rappelling in his 405s and whoever it was who went riding in their Cordovan 405s, then got them stomped on by the horse... somehow it just seems fitting if we can come up with something that embraces those ideals.

[SLAB]

in case someone is interested; someone on ebay is offering the Alden tanker boots for sale that featured on the lightning boots magazine. price is pretty hefty though (895$)