• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Alden Modified Last: If You Wear, or are Interested, Please Read

Empty Set

New Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2022
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Still finding the arch support to be a little bit much on these new boots. I have been traveling and have barely worn them. I have moderate to high arches and hoped the modified would be a great fit, but I haven't experienced that out-of-the- box nirvana I've read about.

Again, they're not painful, they just cradle the arch with a little more than I'm used to. Given that these are chromexel, will the break in even that out?
 

rdstour

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2009
Messages
471
Reaction score
44
Still finding the arch support to be a little bit much on these new boots. I have been traveling and have barely worn them. I have moderate to high arches and hoped the modified would be a great fit, but I haven't experienced that out-of-the- box nirvana I've read about.

Again, they're not painful, they just cradle the arch with a little more than I'm used to. Given that these are chromexel, will the break in even that out?
Unfortunately, I think you'll have to call this pair a loss. The break-in might soften the footbed somewhat, but it wouldn't change how the last fundamentally fits on your foot. It sounds like perhaps your Brannock arch length might not be a great fit for the 8.5 Modified (and you may have to either go down a half-size and up a width or just move on :/)

If it makes you feel better, I wear a TB 9D just fine, got sized at Moulded Shoe for a 9E, received the Indy boot, and now feel like the shoe might be too big in the vamp. I didn't quite experience the Nirvana either, but it does feel like a better fit than most boots I've tried on (minus the vamp looseness). Am now wondering if 9D would have been better, but whatever...

Given how much I've spent on them, I'm willing to just accept it and maybe try a light insert at best.

YMMV at the end of the day.
 

knucks

Distinguished Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2006
Messages
3,013
Reaction score
421
I purchased a 8.5 D https://www.mouldedshoeny.com/shop/d9828h and as stated, removed the insole to gain 2 widths. This boots fit me better than my 8.5 EE Barrie last (Alden 947- All Weather Walker) as I have more room for my big toe and pinky, and the boot actually provides more support for my heel and arch.

I've called and emailed Moulded Shoe to get an answer to this, but have not had a response- I am not sure what this means for me as no other shoes on their site are sold in an EE. How much of a width loss would I have by going with an E? How much more spacious would an EEE be?

Also another interesting point- as someone with relatively flat feet, I find the last works well for me! I guess flat doesn't meant not flexible.
 

knucks

Distinguished Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2006
Messages
3,013
Reaction score
421
OK as just a follow up.. 8.5EE is not bad, but I got sized for a 8EEE and it is *perfect*.
 

Astronaut888

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2009
Messages
352
Reaction score
12
Gentlemen - I thank y'all in advance for your consideration of my admittedly novice questions ....

I do own several Alden boots - Trubalance, Barrie, and closest to my heart.... the lovely Modified

As someone who doesn't have ready access to any decent men's shops that employee anyone with any true shoe knowledge - all have almost exclusively been online purchases with the resulting sizing nightmares that entails

Picking representatives from the big three.. I currently posses:

Trubalance Indy 405 6.5D
Trubalance PTB #8 6.5D

Barrie BlkShell NST 6.5D
Barrie #8 Jumper 6.0E
Barrie Nubuck chukkas 6.0E

Modified chamois Indy 6.0D
The Barrie 6.5D is a bit large and the 6.0E's are decent w thin sock

The Barrie last confuses me -
when I've tried the Barrie in 6.0D - I can't even get on

Trubalance 6.5D is pretty good overall

Modified 6.0D is just perfect

QUESTION IS -

Shoe vs Boot sizing (?)

I'm hitting on some nice Shoe Mart shoe seconds in my size range and have no Alden or other high end shoe experience at all

If the Modified Chamois Indy 6.0D fits like a dream - should I expect a 6.0D modified shoe or chukka offering to fit the same ?

Many Modified 6.5 shoes are also available presently- and - while I guess I could pull off a 6.5D in Modified Boot - the shoe may not be as forgiving

Does anyone have any advice or insight to share with respect to their "shoe vs boot" sizing ? Is it simply the same in most cases ?

I'm also looking at several rad 379x offerings in the SM seconds which confuses me even more lol
 

somatoform

Distinguished Member
Joined
May 7, 2007
Messages
2,315
Reaction score
169
I'm a 12D in the modified (dreamiest fit ever) and I personally sense no discrepancy between boot and shoe. Mind you, I've only ever tried one model of shoe and two models of boots.
 

Astronaut888

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2009
Messages
352
Reaction score
12
Thanks for response - I really don't get how the 6D modified is just perfect, but the 6D Barrie is impossible to even get on my foot
 

knucks

Distinguished Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2006
Messages
3,013
Reaction score
421
Well.. I'll say that after getting three pairs of Modified last, I got rid of my Barrie (8.5EE). It does not work for my foot at all. Modified is perfect. Moulded Shoe NY fitted me for a 8EEE. I bought a pair of boots from them prior to my trip to NYC in a 8.5EE. They fit well, but the boots and shoes in 8EEE is even better.
 

knucks

Distinguished Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2006
Messages
3,013
Reaction score
421
It's the same. I wish my 8.5EE was a 8EEE but alas.
 

BoydsShoes

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2018
Messages
169
Reaction score
442
Well.. I'll say that after getting three pairs of Modified last, I got rid of my Barrie (8.5EE). It does not work for my foot at all. Modified is perfect. Moulded Shoe NY fitted me for a 8EEE. I bought a pair of boots from them prior to my trip to NYC in a 8.5EE. They fit well, but the boots and shoes in 8EEE is even better.
 

BoydsShoes

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2018
Messages
169
Reaction score
442
Interesting. There is no size or width of Barrie that fits my foot. My go-to pairs are all TB or ML lasts.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.0%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 61 38.9%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 10.8%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.2%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 29 18.5%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,224
Messages
10,579,588
Members
223,897
Latest member
Hyacith
Top