I just received my Loake Pimlico dark brown suede boots and I want to provide you with an early review on them.
Aesthetics:
To me the Capital last provides enough narrowness towards the toe to make these boots stand out as being somewhat stylish and sophisticated relative to the many chukka/desert boot styles out there.
The sourced suede is really nice... very smooth and evenly done throughout the boot.
External stitching support is minimal.
The Goodyear Welted Dainite Rubber heal & sole look sharp and fit the boot well. The heel seems to be at a proper height.
The calf lining look & feel is extremely nice... very buttery smooth.
Quality:
I was pleasantly surprised by the high quality materials and workmanship on these boots. If the other Loake 1880's are made in a similar fashion, I will have to take a closer look.
Fit:
This is such a challenging issue especially for us buyers in North America. I do try and get as many measurements from the seller and their advice in making the right choice. And even after making an informed size decision the shoes can still not feel right (even with the right size).
I figured I would have to go down at least 1/2 to a whole size... I even considered going down 1.5 size. My left foot is a size US 11 and my right foot is a size US 10.5. So depending on the Last (for my USA made shoes) I could fit an US 11 or US 10.5. Thus I feel I could fit into a UK 10 or UK 9.5. I chose the UK 10 as I felt it was my best bet for a decent fit (versus spending $40 to send them back).
So the UK size 10's actually fit pretty well (shoe fit is like marriage... no fit is perfect). The width was spot on (4.6 inches / 11.7 cm's). The length also seemed a good fit (12.8 inches / 32.4), my big toe stops about 1 inch from the end of the boot which is due to the shape of the Capital last.
But for some reason they felt a bit roomy above my feet when I walk. Though my foot is stable in the boot, i.e. the heel is not moving up and down nor is the foot sliding. I just feel a bit of extra space between the tongue and my foot. Having never owned a pair of chukkas/desert boots I wasn't sure if the excess room is typical. I then put a pair of Sole shoe inserts (which are fairly thin) and then the fit was perfect. Though I would rather not use the inserts. Perhaps I just have to get use to having a little extra space in that area. Perhaps it will be a good thing as I walk throughout the day and my feet heat up and swell up a bit. I briefly considered sending them back for a UK size 9.5 but then I believe the areas that fit correctly now would all tighten up. So, a long story short, I would advise ordering 1 whole size down from your current US size.
One other comment on fit. Again, I have never owned chukka/desert boots before so I don't know if this is common, but I find the inside soles to feel quite flat, i.e. there doesn't seem to be any slight contour for the sole, etc... perhaps it is the Dainite sole that contributes to this feeling or even this is the reason behind the feeling of extra space between the tongue and foot.
Final remarks:
I believe Loakes have a reputation of being a more affordable option for people who want English made shoes, but I feel the quality of their 1880 (based on these Pimlicos) shoes are right up there with my more expensive UK models.
Aesthetics:
To me the Capital last provides enough narrowness towards the toe to make these boots stand out as being somewhat stylish and sophisticated relative to the many chukka/desert boot styles out there.
The sourced suede is really nice... very smooth and evenly done throughout the boot.
External stitching support is minimal.
The Goodyear Welted Dainite Rubber heal & sole look sharp and fit the boot well. The heel seems to be at a proper height.
The calf lining look & feel is extremely nice... very buttery smooth.
Quality:
I was pleasantly surprised by the high quality materials and workmanship on these boots. If the other Loake 1880's are made in a similar fashion, I will have to take a closer look.
Fit:
This is such a challenging issue especially for us buyers in North America. I do try and get as many measurements from the seller and their advice in making the right choice. And even after making an informed size decision the shoes can still not feel right (even with the right size).
I figured I would have to go down at least 1/2 to a whole size... I even considered going down 1.5 size. My left foot is a size US 11 and my right foot is a size US 10.5. So depending on the Last (for my USA made shoes) I could fit an US 11 or US 10.5. Thus I feel I could fit into a UK 10 or UK 9.5. I chose the UK 10 as I felt it was my best bet for a decent fit (versus spending $40 to send them back).
So the UK size 10's actually fit pretty well (shoe fit is like marriage... no fit is perfect). The width was spot on (4.6 inches / 11.7 cm's). The length also seemed a good fit (12.8 inches / 32.4), my big toe stops about 1 inch from the end of the boot which is due to the shape of the Capital last.
But for some reason they felt a bit roomy above my feet when I walk. Though my foot is stable in the boot, i.e. the heel is not moving up and down nor is the foot sliding. I just feel a bit of extra space between the tongue and my foot. Having never owned a pair of chukkas/desert boots I wasn't sure if the excess room is typical. I then put a pair of Sole shoe inserts (which are fairly thin) and then the fit was perfect. Though I would rather not use the inserts. Perhaps I just have to get use to having a little extra space in that area. Perhaps it will be a good thing as I walk throughout the day and my feet heat up and swell up a bit. I briefly considered sending them back for a UK size 9.5 but then I believe the areas that fit correctly now would all tighten up. So, a long story short, I would advise ordering 1 whole size down from your current US size.
One other comment on fit. Again, I have never owned chukka/desert boots before so I don't know if this is common, but I find the inside soles to feel quite flat, i.e. there doesn't seem to be any slight contour for the sole, etc... perhaps it is the Dainite sole that contributes to this feeling or even this is the reason behind the feeling of extra space between the tongue and foot.
Final remarks:
I believe Loakes have a reputation of being a more affordable option for people who want English made shoes, but I feel the quality of their 1880 (based on these Pimlicos) shoes are right up there with my more expensive UK models.
