Carmina Shoes - Definitive Thread (reviews, advice, sizing, etc...) - official thread.

[Patrick1053]

Balmoral oxfords, Simpson last.

Slimmer waist than Rain last, arch support feels bery nice

How does Simpson compare to Inca fit wise?

 

[miamidoc]

New addition to my Carmina fleet! MTO 80179 Detroit last Jumper in black box calf. Was planning on a solid everyday almost all occasion boot.

 

[Betelgeuse]

Very nice. IS Simpson slightly wider at the ball? Also did you follow conventional advice of sizing up by .5 size?

Thanks! Yeap, I went with 0.5 up, although my feet are more like a 9UK narrow, so I went with my usual size. I usually downsize cause not a lot make narrow lasts as stock. I do feel that the instep is slightly big for me, wish that the V was bigger so when it breaks in, it closes just a bit, I'm feeling that when they are broken-in, I would be able to close the eyelets completely.

How does Simpson compare to Inca fit wise?

I would say, go 0.5 down from Simpson to Inca, just bear in mind that Inca has a lower instep, that's what I feel.

 

[Beto88keys]

@Carmina sent you a message with some additional questions... Thanks!

 

[Beto88keys]

Good afternoon gentlemen,

As promised, our NEW STYLEFORUM GMTO is now live!

We have various options, please read carefully and make as many questions as you need.

Firstly, the much-awaited Cordovan Chelsea boot is back for a limited amount of time.

We suggest four Chelsea models with various boot shat heights. Simply use the comment box if you’d like a different Chelsea model.
For your reference, these are the different Chelsea models side by side. More details below.

View attachment 1452667

You’ll be able to place orders for the cordovan Chelsea boots online here, (customisation fee already waived).
https://www.carminashoemaker.com/styleforum

Secondly, preorders on rare Shell Cordovan colours.

We are opening preorders for colour 4 and amaretto Horween Shell Cordovan only while the GMTO is open. Orders for these particular leathers will have extended delivery times (1-2 months + 45 days, our usual manufacturing lead time).

You can select any model in these rare colours.

Please send us a DM via styleforum with a screenshot of the make you’d like in these leathers and we will prepare a code for you which will waive the customisation fee.

GMTO closing the 30th September.

Have fun!

@Carmina sent you a DM...

 

[ArtlessScut]

Anyone have pictures of any chelsea model on Detroit EEE? I've been interested in getting a chelsea boot but the lack of extra wide widths, or if available were unaesthetic, has kept me from doing so. TIA.

 

[elsalvatrucha]

No, it’s quite a bit different to dark brown. The closest thing to dark brown in the Horween x Carmina Cordovan world would be Armagnac. Here’s the Jumper boot in Armagnac (L) and Colour #4 (R):
View attachment 1458623
Hope this helps.

This was very helpful! Thank you

 

[stook1]

Gentlemen, I did some non-scientific shoe science. See the bellow imgur gallery for comparisons between Soller, Detroit, Oscar, Simpson, 341, Plaza, 2030, 511, and 202 lasts. These photos were taken against the raised edge of a sliding glass door in an effort to align the shoes for accurate-ish length measurements.

Unfortunately, I screwed up a couple of them as noted in the comments on the affected images. Width measurements are inherently imprecise and frankly somewhat useless but I made an effort to align the shoe on the right with the 1" marker and the shoe on the left with the 6" marker (the first couple were a bit off here as well).

Make if it what you will, I'm not sure it is all that useful. I hoped to include a few more lasts in this but ran out of time... if I take more I will add to the gallery and repost.

 

[stook1]

 

[mykii2704]

Gentlemen, I did some non-scientific shoe science. See the bellow imgur gallery for comparisons between Soller, Detroit, Oscar, Simpson, 341, Plaza, 2030, 511, and 202 lasts. These photos were taken against the raised edge of a sliding glass door in an effort to align the shoes for accurate-ish length measurements.

Unfortunately, I screwed up a couple of them as noted in the comments on the affected images. Width measurements are inherently imprecise and frankly somewhat useless but I made an effort to align the shoe on the right with the 1" marker and the shoe on the left with the 6" marker (the first couple were a bit off here as well).

Make if it what you will, I'm not sure it is all that useful. I hoped to include a few more lasts in this but ran out of time... if I take more I will add to the gallery and repost.

My conclusion: Soller is a good looking, do-it-all, last. Seeing it next to all the other lasts make them all seem not as versatile as Soller.

 

[laufer]

Thank you for this @stook1 So you take Viberg 2030 in 9.5 and Soller in 9. How is the fit on Viberg 2030 in 9.5

 

[stook1]

My conclusion: Soller is a good looking, do-it-all, last. Seeing it next to all the other lasts make them all seem not as versatile as Soller.

No argument here... Soller is a really nice last and seems to be under used. I mainly posted the discussion about Carmina's sizing diagrams from a few days ago which mainly concerned Soller and Detroit. There were also some questions about 341 last --- err, actually 325, which I forgot to take pictures of come to think of it. But at the time I'd mentioned that Soller was much more like 341 than 325, which the photos seem to show.

 

[jischwar]

No argument here... Soller is a really nice last and seems to be under used. I mainly posted the discussion about Carmina's sizing diagrams from a few days ago which mainly concerned Soller and Detroit. There were also some questions about 341 last --- err, actually 325, which I forgot to take pictures of come to think of it. But at the time I'd mentioned that Soller was much more like 341 than 325, which the photos seem to show.

Does seem like Soller was the longest of all the other lasts. Wonder if you could size down 0.5 on it

 

[stook1]

Thank you for this @stook1 So you take Viberg 2030 in 9.5 and Soller in 9. How is the fit on Viberg 2030 in 9.5

2030 has a just slightly more width for me but is not loose. That's the case pretty much everywhere except the instep. In my view the Soller cone is a little higher than 2030. The 2030 also has more arch support than any of my Carmina shoes. I'd wear the 2030 and soller generally with the same thickness mid or heavier weight dress socks (ie. not boot socks or athletic thickness socks). Overall, I'd say that Soller marked size should generally be a half size down from 2030.

 

[stook1]

Does seem like Soller was the longest of all the other lasts. Wonder if you could size down 0.5 on it

The toe is elongated but the flex points match in my experience. I mentioned this the other day but in my view the Detroit fits longer and wider and, in my estimation, is visually around the same length. I feel like the heel to ball is a little longer on the Detroit and you can see that I have rolls in the vamp that are pretty close to the cap. I neglected to take pics of them but my Soller jumpers roll a bit more in the center of the vamp. Soller really reminds me a lot of the C&J 341 last in a lot of ways. I think the 341 is slightly less tapered at the inner toe. I think the Soller has a slightly tighter heel. But overall fit, dimensions, and aesthetics are pretty similar for my feet in the same size.