Cold Iron
Distinguished Member
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2011
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Do you get a pair of insoles for each shoe? Also, will they affect the breaking in of the sole? Should you break them in first and then insert the insole?
It may be that the 8 last does not work for your foot due to its narrowness. I have come to this conclusion with regard to my own feet. I would do two things: (i) go to AE to get sized; and (ii) if this is your correct size, have Nordstrom exchange them for a non-defective pair. If they are the right size, then something is wrong with the shoes because it looks like they are bowing excessively while you are simply standing still and not flexing. I can only imagine how severe the bowing will be when you walk and the shoe flexes. I get some bowing in all my 5 last shoes when I walk, but not when I am just standing still.
To me, at least, much of the point of buying Allen Edmonds shoes is that they're available in upwards of an astonishing NINE different widths for each size. Much as some folks here might praise Nordstrom, I'm inclined to believe many salesmen would much rather sell what they have than gamble on ordering what they don't normally stock. Sure, D width is right there in the middle of the bell curve, but you might be something different.
The shoe might be quite comfortable... but a different width/length combination might be even more so, while eliminating the bowing. If it were me I'd take them back.
I strongly agree with Adam and New Shoes and return them and make that trip to an AE store. I used to think that bowing was strictly a manufacturing flaw however too many people have sent me PM's and I have read enough posts on here that some lasts just will not work for them without bowing. Only by trying on different lasted shoes in different sizes will you really know what the problem is. Some AE SA's will claim the superfeet inserts help with bowing and that may be why they sell them, but I have found for MY feet they do not help. And every Doctor that has seen my feet has told me I have some of the flattest feet they ever seen. At $20 a pair they seem to provide better support than my custom orthotics that I paid $400 for, grhhh. I put them in as soon as I purchase a shoe and they have worked great for me. I never did find a pair of Cliftons that fit me and 1 of the pair that was sent to me exhibited bowing also.I may have to make the 70 mile trek to South Coast Plaza.
I've returned about 5-6 pairs of shoes in the last 5 months due to defects and improper sizing....they've never questioned me. One pair was a pair of Strands that I wore about 10 times as well. The worst they can say is NO.