The Official Alden Thread for 2024 - Share Reviews, Sizing, Advice, and Photos.

[coolarrow]

These are great #8 captoe booties. They also never welt when encountering rain. Perfect for today:

 

[slows2k]

These are great #8 captoe booties. They also never welt when encountering rain. Perfect for today:

I’ll say that none of my Alden color 8 shells from the last couple years, about 4 pair or so, have welted with rain or any water. Ones I bought years ago, like my first shell LWBs welted immediately. Wonder what is different now.

 

[mdubs]

12 year old natural cxl Brixtons.
View attachment 2150711

Wow Zippy. Those have aged so nicely!!!

-Mike

 

[mdubs]

Happy Thursday forum gang. Sub 30 weather calling for them Indies
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There just is something truly special about a nice pair of Selvedge with Color #8, especially on the Indy Pattern.

-Mike

 

[coolarrow]

I’ll say that none of my Alden color 8 shells from the last couple years, about 4 pair or so, have welted with rain or any water. Ones I bought years ago, like my first shell LWBs welted immediately. Wonder what is different now.

Lucky dog. These are actually 6 years old or so. It must have been a good year.

 

[JTMD]

I’ll say that none of my Alden color 8 shells from the last couple years, about 4 pair or so, have welted with rain or any water. Ones I bought years ago, like my first shell LWBs welted immediately. Wonder what is different now.

Not sure what you mean by "years ago" but I have 6 alden shells over 10 years old and I'd say half of them welt up whereas the others I could put through the trenches and a simple wipe off will do. I find my shell from other manufacturers quicker to welt than a few of my Aldens. Heck, my Reiter shells break out in welts if they sense a whispy little cirrus cloud 20 miles south and 50'000 feet up. 🙄

 

[JTMD]

A bit rainy today so broke out the George Boots in good ole #8. These things have been tanks that have gone through it all the past 12 year or so. And unlike some of my shells..they never get the ever annoying rain welts..

Quick wipe down. Toss the tress in. No rain welts

 

[slows2k]

Not sure what you mean by "years ago" but I have 6 alden shells over 10 years old and I'd say half of them welt up whereas the others I could put through the trenches and a simple wipe off will do. I find my shell from other manufacturers quicker to welt than a few of my Aldens. Heck, my Reiter shells break out in welts if they sense a whispy little cirrus cloud 20 miles south and 50'000 feet up. 🙄

First pair of LWBs I bought in 2014 from leffot while visiting NYC, welted that day in a summer shower and never went away. Bought a pair of J.Crew PCTs in 2015 that welted when exposed to water as well. Nothing I have bought in the last four years: Villager boot from Leffot, Indy from Madison ave, Morgan boot from Ealdwine, 986 from Alden SF, and Uptown boot from B&M, have welted at all in the rain. Indys are my bad weather boots and they never welt at all, even when soaked.

Note: I don't have every one of these anymore, only a small selection. But I do wonder what causes the welting to vary from shoe to shoe.

 

[DG123]

A bit rainy today so broke out the George Boots in good ole #8. These things have been tanks that have gone through it all the past 12 year or so. And unlike some of my shells..they never get the ever annoying rain welts..

View attachment 2157123


View attachment 2157125


Quick wipe down. Toss the tress in. No rain welts
View attachment 2157119

What is a "rain welt"?

 

[JTMD]

L

What is a "rain welt"?

All those little dots on the leather in the photos...those are caused by rain on shell cordovan..they're called rain/water welts..though there are probably other terms as well. They're unsightly and a pain in the rear to brush out. Usually a bit of saphir cordovan creme helps quite a bit..but with shell, the less products the better supposedly. Thing is that it doesn't happen with all shell..some I can take out without worry, some I know better than to wear when there's a chance anything wet might be falling from the sky.

Not my photos..

 

[Hisheirness23]

On the topic of water spotting, wondering if anyone has used renomat to try to remove them?

 

[zippyh]

Ravello on Leydon.

 

[JTMD]

Has anybody had Alden do their re-soles/restoration recently? I see that they're cheaper than my local guy..but with the hassle of having to ship them off from Europe. My cobbler does it for around $250 but that's with taps and toppies put on at the same time. I'm guessing Alden might do taps (does anyone know?) but most likely not toppies..so I'd probably have pay out an extra $50 to my guy here anyways or so if I wanted toppies. Is having Alden do them on the last really all that big of an advantage? The included trees and bags seem to be an advantage..but I'm pretty sure they're not lasted trees..and I have plenty of regular trees and shoe bags at home anyways (to include the original shoe bags).

Alden offers free shipping..but I'm guessing that's US only.

Back in the day..like over a decade ago..I heard Alden didn't accept shoes that had been worked on elsewhere? Has anyone else heard this? And also they were apt to refuse shoes that weren't well cared for?

Of course I'll contact Alden themselves with the questions as well. Just wondering from the client perspective.

Either which way. I'd appreciate hearing of anyone's recent experience with Alden restoration.

Thanks in advance.

 

[sterlingindigo]

On the topic of water spotting, wondering if anyone has used renomat to try to remove them?

Yeah, it’s a pain. The welts pop up like quills or pimples and they can feel raspy. Best bet is to remove all layers of product and rewet the entire shell, let dry, recolor if necessary, then reapply conditioner and any wax product if preferred. A bone really helps level it out short of reglassing it at the tannery. I now use Alden’s leather water proofer fresh out of the box before I condition in order to seal it in. Stuff works. Renomat is good for stripping it down but it removes color.

 

[JTMD]

Yeah, it’s a pain. The welts pop up like quills or pimples and they can feel raspy. Best bet is to remove all layers of product and rewet the entire shell, let dry, recolor if necessary, then reapply conditioner and any wax product if preferred. A bone really helps level it out short of reglassing it at the tannery. I now use Alden’s leather water proofer fresh out of the box before I condition in order to seal it in. Stuff works. Renomat is good for stripping it down but it removes color.

You use all that on your shells and strip them for welts? I've only ever used a brush and saphir cordovan creme on all of mine. And I've never stripped or recolored them for any reason..nor have I used waterproofing. Could I ask you to post some photos of your results? Perhaps I've been doing it wrong but your method seems rather extreme. I've always thought products were best avoided when it comes to shell cordovan versus a brush and elbow grease. Most of the time I find welts can just be brushed out with effort (empasis on effort). If needed a bit of creme takes them right out..at least that's my experience with my shells. Perhaps there has been recent developments in products for shell that I'm unaware of? I also thought shell was pretty much a naturally highly water resistant leather..so no need for waterproofing..and that waterproofing shell wasn't generally recommended. But again. Times change..and perhaps I'm just behind the times?