Styleforum › Forums › Men's Style › Streetwear and Denim › Oak Street Bootmakers - Official Affiliate Thread
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Oak Street Bootmakers - Official Affiliate Thread - Page 9

post #121 of 1167
4/30/12 at 8:20am
Goodyear sole

233
Reply
Reply

Featured Stories on Styleforum

Marketplace: Classic menswear, shoes, and accessories
What is Styleforum Wearing: 5.21.2013
Join the discussions now - Join Styleforum
post #122 of 1167
4/30/12 at 9:04am
Thread Starter 
Alright men - well I just spent the better part of the morning trying to track down that sole! Looks like goodyear does not manufacture in the USA anymore. These are made "in the orient" is what I was told. Production in the USA stopped in the 90s. Not sure how you guys feel about this. Vibram does make a similar sole - one that you see in Free&Easy quite a bit - and the Vibram is made in the USA

With that said, the goodyear branded sole can be had. They told me that the factory is on Holiday and so they'll get back to me in a few days on minimums for the sole and if we can get the 'goodyear' branded version rather than 'alden' =)

He did say that ship times are usually 6 weeks by boat. Due to the weight of ordering cases of these soles (you have to buy cases for each of the block sizes) they only ship by boat. In addition to that, production time.

My gut says - go with Vibram who makes them here!
Edited by OakStreetBootmakers - 4/30/12 at 9:27am
Reply
Reply
post #123 of 1167
4/30/12 at 9:24am
tumblr_llkehwJ3Yj1qbahqt.gif

totally agree though ... lets stick with vibram
Reply
Reply
post #124 of 1167
4/30/12 at 10:45am

For some reason I thought OSB prided itself as a "made in the USA" company. Not that I have anything against foreign goods...it's a world economy after all. But, having the perception (right or wrong) that you're products are 100% made in the USA, thinking about a chinese made sole on one of your shoes doesn't sound right. I think Vibram is the way to go...my $0.02.

Reply
Reply
post #125 of 1167
4/30/12 at 11:11am
Thread Starter 
^We most certainly pride ourselves with the fact that we manufacture in the USA - just like Alden does. However, you're right - if the option exists - seems like a no brainer - Vibram nod[1].gif
Reply
Reply
post #126 of 1167
4/30/12 at 11:44am
^ once you have a pic handy of the Vibram sole, I'll be interested to see.
Reply
Reply
post #127 of 1167
4/30/12 at 1:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Amused View Post

For some reason I thought OSB prided itself as a "made in the USA" company. Not that I have anything against foreign goods...it's a world economy after all. But, having the perception (right or wrong) that you're products are 100% made in the USA, thinking about a chinese made sole on one of your shoes doesn't sound right. I think Vibram is the way to go...my $0.02.

FYI Vibram is an Italian company.
Reply
Reply
post #128 of 1167
4/30/12 at 1:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tedbearz View Post

FYI Vibram is an Italian company.

Yo, forgetaboutit..... we just as American as Irish.....
Reply
Reply
post #129 of 1167
4/30/12 at 4:58pm

So can these be ordered in wider sizes?  Some of the posts in the thread seem to suggest that fits for wide feet have been worked out.

 

I wear a 10EE in red wing (modern work boots, not the vintage fashion stuff), and I am particularly interested in the penny loafers.  Dunno what size I would try first.  If sizes fit I would also be interested in the oxfords eventually but there are so many nice color/sole combos it would be hard to choose just one!

 

I take it that nobody sells these in either downstate Illinois or the Indianapolis area?  (I am in Champaign)

Reply
Reply
post #130 of 1167
4/30/12 at 5:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tedbearz View Post


FYI Vibram is an Italian company.

 

Ah yes, you're right...bad oversight by me.

For some reason I kept equating them as a US company, since Quabaug up here in MA has been manufacturing them for the US for 50 some years.

Reply
Reply
post #131 of 1167
4/30/12 at 6:35pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by tedbearz View Post

FYI Vibram is an Italian company.

haha - that's true! However, they're manufactured in the USA by Quabaug! They actually bought a pair of our Vibram trail oxfords - one shoe is in the US showroom and other in the Italian showroom
Reply
Reply
post #132 of 1167
4/30/12 at 6:41pm
Either way always Italy > china
Reply
Reply
post #133 of 1167
4/30/12 at 6:44pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bullswin View Post

^ once you have a pic handy of the Vibram sole, I'll be interested to see.

Great news guys! I spoke with Vibram - at length today. They were pretty shocked to see the Goodyear Alden wedge. Their exact words, "well...hmmm, that's our sole, except, we didn't make this one"....they got a chuckle out of it. They've been making the Vibram version of it for years, and I guess they see this type of thing all the time - someone taking the design and getting it made overseas for cheaper.

They're mailing us out a sample so I can check it out - will post photos as soon as it comes in!

Super excited that we got this discussion going - the sole is great. Gotta hand it to you guys - this sole might become my new Cristy haha =)
Reply
Reply
post #134 of 1167
5/1/12 at 12:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by randomkoreandude View Post

Either way always Italy > china

Backed foo.gif
Reply
Reply
post #135 of 1167
5/1/12 at 12:47pm
Thread Starter 
What do you guys think about a two tone? Here is a shoe we did for Japan. Maybe we don't do navy/brown two tone, but do something else. This one's a brown boat with navy collar - the back stay is also navy in the way back - can't see it. With that, lets go with the new sole that we've been talking about (the Vibram original version of the goodyear wedge)
261
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Streetwear and Denim

Featured Stories on Styleforum

Marketplace: Classic menswear, shoes, and accessories
What is Styleforum Wearing: 5.21.2013
Join the discussions now - Join Styleforum
Styleforum › Forums › Men's Style › Streetwear and Denim › Oak Street Bootmakers - Official Affiliate Thread