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Shoes that look better with age...

mizanation

By mizanation
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GregNYC

GregNYC

Posted
Posted
I have a pair of the desert boot from the first Iraq war from 1990 and really like them. They don't make that style anymore though and they're tough to find. They're really kind of light weight compaired to the current boot.

I remember something like what you describe - I was in the National Guard in 1990, and some of our units were deploying to Iraq. We were still wearing black boots, but what I remember was something of the same general weight of the Vietnam-era jungle boot, with lots of cordura. They were lighter and sleeker (and I'm sure many will say less sturdy) than the current ones. Kind of like these.

1222_1%20164.jpg

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Chicken
Chicken

been going cheep: 1/4/10 1/4/10 purchased these clarks desert boots a while back. after moving to sunny california, i kind of got tired of hauling around in heavy duty boots, so i thought these

coleslawyum
coleslawyum

Minor update on my Toys McCoy Railman boots. 4 years. Vegetable tanned cowhide. Built like tanks.

riff
riff

I posted these on my tumblr a while back & realized I forgot to post here - my current workboot rotation:

Happy Hooligan

Happy Hooligan

Posted
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Greg,

Those are exactly the ones. They're really comfortable. A later version had a padded collar and then the new version looks totally different. You're right, they're just roughout jungle boots.

Blake:

Which Wescos did you get. I remember when I got mine that the company told me to remove the supplied insole till they stretched out a bit, as they were very tight on me when I first go mine too. They've since loosed up a bit but do take a bit of muscle to remove...

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blake

blake

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Greg,

Those are exactly the ones. They're really comfortable. A later version had a padded collar and then the new version looks totally different. You're right, they're just roughout jungle boots.

Blake:

Which Wescos did you get. I remember when I got mine that the company told me to remove the supplied insole till they stretched out a bit, as they were very tight on me when I first go mine too. They've since loosed up a bit but do take a bit of muscle to remove...

the jobmasters. I did take their dr scholls insoles out and that made it a little better, but they were still left short in length and tight above the toes.the guy there even felt them and agreed they were short and too tight. they had been custom fit around a orthotic that I own and he felt that may have had something to do with it.

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GregNYC

GregNYC

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that's why i was asking about being in Europe. it says it's made just for J. Crew, but aren't those redwings just the 8146's that are sold on Redwing International?

I'll see if the J. Crew store has them in stock, and compare with my own 8146s. But the lighter color looks like the international 1907 uppers but with a Vibram instead of crepe.

RW seems to be mixing and matching from their templates. Choose from column A and B and C:

A:

Black polished upper

Black "chrome" upper

Brown oil-tan upper

Irish setter/875 oil-tanned upper

Irish setter/875 oil-tanned upper (vintage/distressed)

Plaid upper

Suede/roughout upper

(I'm sure there's more)

B:

Moc-toe construction

Plain-toe construction

C:

Leather sole w/ RW lug half-soles

Vibram full sole

RW white crepe

Fused non-Goodyear welt w/ rubber sole

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tmadd

tmadd

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Alden of Carmel AF57, ala Cigar Shell Chukka

img0247te3.th.jpg

img0250lm1.th.jpg

Those are so great. Everytime I almost pull the trigger on a pair of non-suede desert boots, I remind myself that what I really want is every color chukka Alden makes with shell, on as many lasts as they make them on.

Congrats on a great purchase.

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fre-co

fre-co

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Beautiful chukkas.... exactly what I was fiending for. The only thing that concerns me is the overly rounded toe. I'm not sure if I prefer the C&J last shape for their chukkas, the name of which escapes me. The Aldens I'm sure will look great with denim but if you try to dress them up will they look ok?

I'm thinking in terms of my wedding day in May. Although it's not going to be a very formal day so I don't need black dress shoes, I still want something fairly elegant but that I can still dress up or down a little.

by the way Greg, you missed out the black cherry leather in your column A.

Edit: congratulations mkyy, I made you green

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GregNYC

GregNYC

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Beautiful chukkas.... exactly what I was fiending for. The only thing that concerns me is the overly rounded toe. I'm not sure if I prefer the C&J last shape for their chukkas, the name of which escapes me. The Aldens I'm sure will look great with denim but if you try to dress them up will they look ok?

My father wore some really great chukka boots back in the day, and they looked more like these than anything else I can find. But I agree on that Alden last. It doesn't feel that good on my feet, or I would have had this model years ago. Looking down at it from above, it reminds me of a light bulb. Sometimes they call it "blobby" on Styleforum. But the color and view from the profile are fantastic. I could very well wear it to the office or on the weekends. You could totally have a nice wedding in those. I wore RMW Craftsman at my wedding.

Maybe the C&J last you are thinking of is the 224. That comes on the Chiltern and the Chertsey. Other lasts alsio look good, 325 (Chepstow), and 200 ("Chukka"). But C&J has no shell cordovan. I wish they used more hand-grade-quality leather uppers for their chukka-style boots. But they use suede, Scotch grain, and waxed leather for them.

by the way Greg, you missed out the black cherry leather in your column A.

And I have that boot too!

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GregNYC

GregNYC

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my redwings. ... They seem kinda orange to me?

This year's 875s are darker, and if you treat them with oil or beeswax they'll shift towards brown. And they do lighten up if you wash them down. I've done it twice, with soap and water, trying to get the denim stains out. The denim comes out a bit, and the entire surface lightens up as well. You can also get the sole clean, to start getting it blue all over again!

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mkyy

mkyy

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@ tmadd

Save up and get yourself a pair of #8 Chukka before price goes up. The Alden will no doubt be more versatile than the desert boots. Not much Cigar Chukka left in Alden of Carmel, get them before they extinct.

@ fre$co

I don't find the toe overly rounded, for my taste. Well, I dress casual to work and it goes fine with denim, so it's all good for me. I think it'll be fine for a semi-formal occasion but I'll look for something more dressy if I am in a more formal event.

@ GregNYC

Maybe you guys should check with Tom @ Leathersoul to see if you can do special run shell chukka on something other than the barrie last.

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tmadd

tmadd

Posted
Posted
@ tmadd

Save up and get yourself a pair of #8 Chukka before price goes up. The Alden will no doubt be more versatile than the desert boots. Not much Cigar Chukka left in Alden of Carmel, get them before they extinct.

Already done. Thats why I know just how much more I want the Alden's than the desert boots. Other colors/other lasts are hopefully on their way. What I really want to pick up is the Black Monkstrap Chukka on the Plaza that Alden of Carmel has, but I am not sure that the strap will be capable of getting the boots tight enough around my tiny ankles. Also, would murder for Whiskey or Ravello in any configuration. I will definitely pick up the Cigars as soon as I find them in 6.5.

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amlai

amlai

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Maybe you guys should check with Tom @ Leathersoul to see if you can do special run shell chukka on something other than the barrie last.

Well, I'd have to guess he might be interested in doing a run, but apparently even #8 and black are very constrained at Alden at the moment... so getting an order confirmed would be difficult.

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GregNYC

GregNYC

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Well, I'd have to guess he might be interested in doing a run, but apparently even #8 and black are very constrained at Alden at the moment... so getting an order confirmed would be difficult.

This is sort of what I heard from salesman at the NYC Alden shop when I checked for fre$co a few days ago. Shortage on shell cordovan he said.

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mkyy

mkyy

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Posted
Sorry mkky I didn't mean to dis your shoes, I think they are wonderful but just not elegant enough for my occasion. I'd like to see them in person.

No offense taken. Different strokes for different folks.

Fit pic:

img0253pq5.th.jpg

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