Allen Edmonds @ AAFES

they are not factory seconds. you can special order shit and they get it direct from allen edmonds

 

They are firsts. And I have a lot of experience ordering through them. Right now the Jeffersonville Oh. outlet has shell on sale for seconds until the 30th. for $360, I picked up a pair of brown shell Patriots and you can't tell they are seconds which is my normal experience. Just something to keep in mind. Most of my AE's have come from the milexchange however. Copy and pasted from my normal PM response on how to do it:

For shoes that AAFES carries in stock there is always at least a 10% discount available for mail orders and they will email you the code on a regular basis if you sign up for the emails. A couple of times a year the 10% discount will increase for one day to any where from 15-20%. Special Order items are exempt however. If you get the Military Star card they also have additional discounts a couple of times a year especially before Christmas. 2 years ago it was 25% off including Special Order items.

To get a quote and then place an order for shoes not on the AAFES website-

Log into the all services exchange web site
https://shop.milexch.com/shop/Default.aspx
To the left of the search box you will see a heading Special Services/Programs. Put your mouse over that and a drop down will appear, select special order program. When that page loads in the search by vendor I just type allen. When the results page displays click on the link for ALLEN EDMONDS FOOTWEAR. A form will show up which you have to fill the information out for what you want a quote on. After you submit it you get a reply back in a few days with the price and a phone number to call to place your order.

You can also special order from Hickey Freeman. AAFES just recently started carrying Filson however you are limited to what they carry, they are not in the special order program.

 

That's a good start. FYI the special order program discounts aren't what they used to be.

 

What kind of discounts are they offering on shoes? I haven't seen AFFES offer a "real" discount in a loooong time.

 

Granted the deals aren't what they used to be but still decent. The PA retails for $345 but through the exchange with 10% discount code it is $225 which is 40% off. And no tax and free shipping. Shell through the exchange runs about $100 off list now, a far cry from the $200 off a few years ago, but it is almost impossible to get discounts on shell firsts any place anymore.

When you get your PA's first inspect them then if everything is fine put the laces in, I feel the PA is best with bar lacing. Wear them around the house in the evenings a few times before hitting the pavement with them to make sure they fit correctly. You also want to make sure that they don't bow or flare out on the sides around the ankles where you put your foot in. If they do or you find any defects return them and get another pair. Once you are sure they fit correctly and your happy with them condition and polish them then hit the streets.

I would add black edge dressing
http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonline/producti_SF524_1_40000000001_-1

and Conditioner Cleaner to the cart.
http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonline/producti_SF570_1_40000000001_-1

There is an AE video on shoe care on you tube:


The premium polish you selected does a good job but the PA is the type of shoe that I personally like a mirror shine on so would use paste wax over the premium polish. The premium polish is a combination cream and polish. I like AE shoe care products but not a fan of the straight AE cream, I use Saphir products for most of my shoe care now. But if you use the premium polish first you can get a pretty good shine by putting paste wax over the top.
http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonline/producti_SF652_1_40000000001_-1

Or even Kiwi polish for that matter. Enjoy your new shoes.

 

From now through 10 April the coupon for 10% off is x3019enews (case sensitive). Good luck!