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

[Betelgeuse]

Chelseas on the Simpson.

 

[thefoobar]

Chelseas on the Simpson.

I think this is my favorite pair from all your many pictures. ?

 

[stook1]

The eagle has landed. More pics to come on a less overcast day.

 

[jischwar]

The eagle has landed. More pics to come on a less overcast day.

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Is this marbled cordovan or burnished Armagnac?

 

[Crafty Cumbrian]

The eagle has landed. More pics to come on a less overcast day.

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Sweet baby Jesus they’re nice mate...

 

[stook1]

Is this marbled cordovan or burnished Armagnac?

Marbled #8

 

[jischwar]

Marbled #8

Right on

 

[zag73]

The eagle has landed. More pics to come on a less overcast day.

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These look amazing! They may have just swayed me to make my next purchase a cordovan pair.

 

[oskrusa]

The eagle has landed. More pics to come on a less overcast day.

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Damn my-man.... Those are sweet. What last did you end up going with?

 

[Devis4u]

The eagle has landed. More pics to come on a less overcast day.

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Dang those are sweet. I'll need to keep an eye out here next time the marbled shell is offered

 

[stook1]

Damn my-man.... Those are sweet. What last did you end up going with?

Thank you, sir! These are on the Oscar last.

 

[Betelgeuse]

The eagle has landed. More pics to come on a less overcast day.

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Beauties! I need to try the Oscar last!

 

[upr_crust]

x-post WAYWRN - Carmina on the Uetam last, Punto socks, Phineas Cole suit trews . . .

 

[serbarristan]

 

[007Bond]

I have something to say about the Quality of Carmina shoes.

My original post from May 16 2018 for some history and original pics.

OK the loafers finally showed up.

Anyways these were ordered to be house shoes. I am hoping that these Carmina house shoes last longer then past Allen Edmonds. Really I use to be very much into AE but I had several shoes fail, so I started looking elsewhere and landed on Carmina. I wear house shoes a few hours a day, just indoors, and not everyday. So they get limited use I would say the equivalent of 1 full day a week of wear. In the past I have had Allen Edmonds last average 6 months and then they have to be trashed due to falling apart. I have had AE house shoes last as little as 3 months. Again only wearing on hardwood, carpet, and tile indoors so should last a long time. In fact I would say the average Wal Mart slipper outlast the AE of late. Before someone asks why I wear house shoes it's because if I don't after a few weeks I start to get pain in both my feet that last the whole day. So the support of a shoe as opposed to bare feet helps and eliminates the pain.

My goal is a good shoe with support, rubber sole for the house, that last a reasonable amount of time given the cost. That's why even though the Wal Mart shoes seem to last as long or even longer then the AE's they don't have good support.

Initially I can say the Carmina loafers are way more supportive and comfortable then anything in the past. The overall construction thought not Goodyear welted (seems to be Blake) is top notch. Only time will tell how they stack up for house shoes against AE but my initial thought is they will last longer. At least I am reasonably sure they will not be busted out at the seams like the previous AE's.

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Ok fast fwd and the reason for my post.

By Sept of 2018 I switched jobs and was now working from home. At this point these Carmina slip on loafers went into full time service being used everyday all day. Unfortunately all my other shoes stayed in storage as I was not going out of the house very much.

Note my Gate is Underpronation: Also called supination, this gait causes your foot to roll outward with each step, putting more pressure on the outside edge of your foot and small toes. So I wear the outside many times faster where the inside will still look almost new but the outside is gone.

By mid 2019 the heel had worn down in the back outside edge to the point my foot was really rolling and something had to be done.

Remember these are Are Not Goodyear welted they are mostly from what I see glued.

I took them to the local cobber to see what he could do and he said he could cut off the heel and glue on a new one for $25. I picked them up the next week and he did a really good job and the shoes were back in action everyday.

Now move up to the beginning of 2020 and the replacement heel was now worn down to the point of needing replacement and also the sole of the shoe was now also worn down all the way. I was going to take them back to the cobber but covid hit and everything is closed. I was working on airport projects so yup I got laid off too.

Now I am still stuck at home and wearing the worn out Carmina's that are in dire need of repair. I take a good look at them and decided that I think I can peel off the original rubber sole and replace it. So I decided to play cobbler I order up some full size replacement replacement rubber soles from Amazon $12. I buy some 100 year old cobbler tools off ebay and setup in my garage. Note my wife thinks I have gone crazy and wonders if I am now taking up a new profession.

Ok I manage to get the old sole peeled off and I am left with what looks like a flat leather sole. I clean up everything get out the rubber cement and managed to get everything back together. The replacement full soles were crazy big so I used a small saw to cut off most of the excess and then my belt sander to finish them off.

Being my first time they came out good and the Carmina's are back into full time service.

Keep in mind these are glue together shoes so more or less one time use most people would just throw them out after they worn down the first time. I really like the shoe and the body was still in great shape so I knew they had more service left. This is really the second resole so they are really going above and beyond.

Well here we are in 2021 and yet again those soles are worn down and my foot is rolling to the side so again they are in need of a resole. Yes by now these Carmina's are showing their age but I can't retire them yet and still unemployed so I need to save money. I order up another full rubber replacement this time from eBay another $12.

Now the replacement soles have arrived and below you have pics of the rebuilt for the 3rd time Carmina's

I don't want to get to close with the pics as the shoes are really tired, yes some loose stitching, the suade just cannot be brought back anymore and my cobber work is well not the best.

I wear these everyday, I do everything around the house in them at this point, so yes they are tired looking.

But my post was to show that Carmina shoes no matter what type are serious quality and built to last many many years.

Remember these have worn threw the original soles and two replacements and are now going into service with the third resole so this is the beginning of number four!!!

Looking back these have started out as after work shoes but have been in everyday use since Sept of 2018, over 2 years of constant everyday abuse not to mentions the previous occasional use before.

They are really by definition abused by me but still standing strong. I am wearing them everyday giving them no rest since these are my only house shoes and well no job so no money to buy another pair at this point.

Again Carmina is quality!

Hope this post finds everyone well.