***The official Alden thread *** - Page 2134

Those cigar captoes are indeed very nice ... what last are they on and what kind of sole? Any collabs going on now or soon that will have this makeup?

thank you

Yeah, things seemed to have quieted down recently...

thank you

thank you
they are on the plaza last
they were custom order

 

 

 

Ron, at Moulded, assures me this will work itself out after a few wears else he will fix it.  We'll find out shortly.

I am a 9 1/2 D.  I sized down 1/2 for a perfect moccasin fit 9D.

Down 1/2 BB LHS is what I did and love the fit now.  I seem to remember a little struggle with them in the break in ... but now, very glad I went down 1/2.

nephew,
there is a moratorium on custom orders

My Alden lined LHS are 9 EE. That width is not standard for the LHS but I was able to get them from ShoeMart (both #8 and cigar). I'm normally an E width but when I started out with that in the LHS, the vamp was impossibly tight. I have no slippage problems with the EE, in case you are wondering. When I decided I wanted the BB unlined, I took a chance on my true size, 9.5 E, and they are perfect. I do wear them with socks, though. The thing about these two pairs of shoes and their fit, regarding the length, is that the widest part of my foot is at the widest part of the shoe in each case, and it makes me wonder if there is something different about the BB last. If I put the two pairs sole-to-sole, they line up pretty evenly except for width.

You're going to get many different stories on this comparison as it's come up in the past and that's what I've seen in replies. The combination of the differences between these two shoes along with the differences between different people's feet and fit preferences is going to make it hard for you to take someone else's experience and make it work for you. As hard as it may be to arrange, you may need to just try them on.

As for my personal preference between them, the unlined are more comfortable, like wearing slippers, and I love the pure cordovan experience along with the visible Horween stamp in one of them, but I like the two versions equally.

It has perplexed me as well.  My unlined BB was my first pair, and when I subsequently bought the lined version, I mistakenly ordered my true size.  I had to exchange 2 pairs before I got an appropriate fit.

 

Edit:  My 9.5D unlined and 9C lined also match up just about perfectly sole-to-sole, as mentioned above.

Many thanks to all who have posted regarding sizing for the shell LHS.

I recently bought a pair of cordovan Florsheim x Duckie Brown longwings, but they are a bit too tight at the bottom of the instep. I know that cordovan doesn't really stretch, and it's just too uncomfortable. I think I'm going to try a pair of Alden longwings, so I'm wondering if an equivalent-sized Barrie-lasted longwing (8.5) will have more room in the instep? I guess I have a higher instep than the Florsheim x Duckie Brown is built for.

I think NAMOR has said the Florsheim x Duckie Browns fit similar to the Alden Grant last, but I could be wrong.

Any suggestions? For comparison, 9D on the Allen Edmonds Strand fits great, as well as 8E UK in the 337-lasted C&J Audley.

Sounds like you're either an 8D or an 8.5D on the Barrie. Can you go anywhere to get fitted? If not, try ordering a range of options from Shoe Mart - they have a very generous returns policy.

Hi seven',

 

My standard size is 9d but I take 8.5D with these "two cousins".

In the beginning, the 986-987 fit much more tighter than the BB and, the first time, I thought I had no choice but sending them back.

I was right to keep them since they do stretch a little. On the other hand, the BB are immediately extremely comfortable.

 

I couldn't agree more with Bakes: the 986/987 really fit like wooden clogs!

 

For 7 to 9 months a year (depending where you live), take the BB - except if you really want rare shells, they'll do the job.

Don't know whether other guys feel that the Alden are not appropriate for summer (heat...).

 

Hope this helps.