***The official Alden thread *** - Page 2826

Quote:

Originally Posted by chipshot 

So is the sole on the Alden shell cordovan shoes.... well cordovan?  Seems I've seen them stamped that way on the soles.  If so, are the calf shoes soled with calf?  Odd question I know but these Alden soles are harder than say C & J.  Why?...

No, they are not made of cordovan.  Leather soles come from the "bend" of a cow, which is part of the back.  The sole bend runs along the length of the cow's back from head to tail.  The sole has the be the hardest, longest lasting part of the shoe, so it is rolled very dense to compress the fibers.  It is oak bark tanned, which is the hardiest method of tanning for leather to make it optimum for use in shoe soles because it has the best combination of hardness for durability while remaining bendable for walking purposes.  Bends come in varying degrees of thickness and quality, so there will be variance between companies.  JR Redenbach is considered the best by many, but not all. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by BootSpell 

You made two apologies that were definitely not needed.  Firstly, calf is a great way to "gradually" work your way to shell.  That's how I did it.  Guys who buy shell as their first foray into higher-end footwear amaze me.  Going from $100-150 shoes to $700 shoes in one leap is incredible.

Secondly, the picture may not be as good as say, CTYGGG's, but it's good enough to show that's a great pair of boots there.  I don't wear much black and only have a few pair but that pair or something similar is now on my list.

Thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by mcarthur 


nephew,
noy trying to being argumentative but i do not agree with your point. would you feel the same from going from a honda to a Bentley

Uncle, I likewise am not being argumentative.  Plus, who am I to argue with someone who has your collection of shoes/boots?  However, if your analogy is equating Honda = calf and Bentley = shell, then we will likely have to agree to disagree.  I own a number of shell boots whilst also owning a number of calf (and CXL) boots.  And I love them all.  I also enjoyed the recent discussion of shell vs calf.  I appreciate the unique individual attributes of both shell and calf.  And I certainly don't feel like I'm going from a Bentley to a Honda when I switch out a pair of my shell boots for a pair of my calf boots. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaunw 

Torture but in a good way.

 

Over the last year and a half I have stocked up heavily on Alden, primarily cordovan boots. At this point I'm basically set with footwear for September through May timeframe (cooler months = boot weather for me).  Living in the mid-atlantic shoes are pretty mandatory for summer considering the heat and humidity, I have cigar ptb, and a suede pair of ranger shoes for the warm months but I really want a darker pair of shell cordovan shoes to work into the warm period rotation. I just sold off a few things and my paypal account is fully stocked. The alden 990 and the alden for brooks brothers PTB #8 would fit the bill perfectly and are readily available BUT technically I'm still in boot mode for a solid three more months and there is really no need to jump on a purchase that won't be worn for several months and is generally readily available.

 

The smart thing to do is hold out for:

• killer deal on theshoemart seconds list
• hope for something nice on alden of carmel irregulars
• hope for a sale at jcrew or brooks brothers
• wait to see what unique offerings come out of LS, Unionmade, Epaulet, and other retailers
• keep tabs on the SF classifieds section

 

Money buring a hole in your pocket is torture, but I guess it's better than wanting something and not having the means.

I mentioned this before, but it quickly got lost... Hunt club clothiers in downtown cincinnati has 20% off Alden's through tomorrow.  They quoted me $500 plus tax for a pair of 990s, a good deal, i think.  They are listed on aldenshoe.com and I bet they would ship to you if you call them.  I bought my pair elsewhere, but might have them order me another pair or a LWB tomorrow.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Papa Doble 


Does anyone know the extent of their inventory? Black and #8 for shell, I assume?

They only sell stuff from the stock catalog.  They have calf business dress stuff in stock, but can order the others.

Does Alden DC have a website or is it a phone only affair?  I am interested in these boots.  Is this something they normally stock?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don L 

Alden DC Cigar Cap's