***The official Alden thread *** Share enthusiasm, reviews, sizing, advice, and photos.

[ninja07]

arrived few days ago. loving the comfort of that crepe sole

yesterday with the cigar lwb

 

[NewYorkIslander]



have been wearing my leffot NST boots for a few weeks. I have a few issues which have been bothering me since the beginning.

1.     5 or so of the speed lacing hooks are very loose. to the point i think if i tugged a bit hard on them they would fall out. they havent yet so should i leave it? I dont want to ship them back to the USA just for those however. If this is common and wont get any worse then i can live with it.

2.     a really strange thing occurs on the right boot. everytime i wear it, no matter what i do, the tongue eventually slides to the left side? ive tried lacing it all the way up and tight but there is nothing which can stop the tongue sliding. I dont notice any discomfort but its just annoying.


there are also minor issues of unclean stitching and blotches of edge polish on the leather. I find myself making excuses for all the imperfections  because the look and feel of the boots overall is fantastic. 

The tongue things happens all the time, don't think its a big deal. I prefer eyelets, so I won't buy a boot without all eyelets anymore. Maybe go to a local cobbler to fix the eyelets to avoid shipping and wait, or go back to Steven at Leffot. He has always seemed pretty standup with returns due to defects in the past. I have three shoes from him, thankfully no need for returns, but guys who have have been taken care of.

considering my pair of NST boots has 5 loose speedhooks which i need to eventually replace puts me in the all eyelets camp.

I also find the speed hooks can make lacing up slower rather than faster. but that might be my inexperience with them/

+1

 

[HorseHide]



is there a specific bone on the deer to use? my dad hunts deer. i have access to an abundance of deer bones

Deer bone without the Voodoo Priest? Worthless

 

[seer]

Deer bone without the Voodoo Priest? Worthless

LOL....

 

[abam]

What boot is that? And love the Cigar LWB -- almost makes me regret going with Whiskey.

 

[ninja07]



What boot is that? And love the Cigar LWB -- almost makes me regret going with Whiskey.

thanks, its the alden x context roy boots

 

[NotClever]

Just got my #974 longwings in the mail today! Was so excited I tore open the package and wore them out to dinner with the family disregarding my denim/ocbd outfit. Pics to come!



(These are pics from the Ebay listing I won)

Don't see balmoral shells very often. Very nice.

Also, those aren't longwings, Just FYI

 

[mcbrown]



considering my pair of NST boots has 5 loose speedhooks which i need to eventually replace puts me in the all eyelets camp.

I also find the speed hooks can make lacing up slower rather than faster. but that might be my inexperience with them/

I'm personally a fan of speed hooks. I think it probably comes down to whether you have to unlace your all-eyelet boots to get your feet into them. If you don't, then there is no advantage to speed hooks over eyelets. I on the other hand find myself unlacing at least the top two eyelets anyway in order to get my feet in comfortably, and lacing/unlacing 4 speed hooks takes me less time than doing the same for 2+ eyelets.

 

[mediahound]

Just a heads up, currently Orvis has the 975 in size 8 on sale for $399.-

http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=5C45

The site shows $499 but when checking out it rings up as $399.!



Go through FatWallet.com and get an additional 3% cash back (plus whatever your cash back credit card gives you. You do use one, right?):

http://www.fatwallet.com/search/index.php?query=orvis

 

[mediahound]

Update, now they only have size 13 left. Sorry, they must have just had one of each size or something. I grabbed an 8.

 

[applky]

I prefer eyelets, so I won't buy a boot without all eyelets anymore.

Neither will I. The all-eyelets look is much cleaner and nicer, and the boots fit better I find.

Also, Alden's speed hooks will pull out hems on dress trousers.

 

[Beatlegeuse]

Chiming in on the eyelet vs. speed hooks debate - does anyone know the typical cost for converting a boot with speed hooks to all eyelets? I know some here have had it done and I was wondering how much it usually runs at a reputable shop.

 

[Pastor]



I'd just like to ask you guys your opinion of Indy boots with hooks and eyelets, versus all eyelets. Also, standard welt, versus reverse welt.

I have a pair of Ravello captoe boots with speedhooks and I really wish they were all eyelets. I have a pair of Cigar Indys with all eyelets and really wish they were speedhooks. With casual boots I like the speedhooks but with dress boots I think all eyelets work best when wearing dress pants.

 

[applky]

Chiming in on the eyelet vs. speed hooks debate - does anyone know the typical cost for converting a boot with speed hooks to all eyelets? I know some here have had it done and I was wondering how much it usually runs at a reputable shop.

No experience at other shops, but I believe B Nelson will do it for $12 per eyelet (not per pair). A standard Alden boot with 4 pairs of speed hooks would therefore run $96. That being said, you might find that the top four eyelets would be off-centered with the bottom five, which is often done to compensate for the oblong size of the speed hooks.

If you do this, I would be interested to see before and after pics.

 

[zippyh]



Chiming in on the eyelet vs. speed hooks debate - does anyone know the typical cost for converting a boot with speed hooks to all eyelets? I know some here have had it done and I was wondering how much it usually runs at a reputable shop.

Personally, I think it looks like ass. I don't know that I could live with the misalignment. But then I also don't mind speed hooks.
http://www.styleforum.net/t/85589/the-official-alden-thread/18000#post_4958968