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

[stook1]

Certainly! I'm typically 11D US, and a 10UK (sometimes 9.5 UK as European makers tend to have higher volume).

AE sizing (11D unless noted):

• 65 last: very good fit, with moderate v-gap (more than Simpson)
• 511: reasonable fit, a bit more volume than I'd like, and a bit on the short side
• 333: my favorite. More length than I need, but great fit. Now discontinue.
• 1943: I take 11.5D, and that is similar to 11D in the 333, but slightly tighter in the toes
• 1757: usually great in 11D (Higgins Mill). Strangely, I needed 11.5D in lace-to-toe boots (which may impact fit), and that made the model fit well.
• 2622: 11D is very good (Landon)
• 201: 11D is great in a boot, or in shoes with poron. Oxfords without poron had too much volume for me.
• 79 (Randolph): 10.5D is very very good. Any shorter would be a problem.
• 606 (Patriot): 11D is good in suede, but too sloppy in shell
• 2042 (Acheson, Palm Beach): 10.5D is good, but slightly short in the toes. Not quite short enough to be an issue, but more toe crunch than with the Randolph.
• I'm sure I am missing a couple, but that should account for most.
• Neo1's AE sizing guide is the definitive reference here: https://www.styleforum.net/ams/allen-edmonds-fit-sizing-help.124455/

Carmina (10UK in all, so far):

• Simpson: my best last of any maker I've tried.
• Alcudia: similar to Simpson, but just a touch too much volume at the throat. Not the instep, it's at the very top of the instep.
• Uetam: heel is a bit large for me, but an OK fit (especially considering loafer).
• Inca: only works for me with a thin pad to remove volume. A bit tight on the big toe.
• Oscar: great fit, especially in a boot.
• Robert: I love the toe shape, good fit but only with open lacing.
• Rain and Llubi don't work for me.
• Soller is way too big for me, but I suspect it might be really really good in 9.5UK. Haven't had the opportunity to try that yet.
• Typically custom orders for me are Oscar, Simpson, or Alcudia - I vote with my wallet.
• I went waaaaay into my views of Carmina fit in this post: https://www.styleforum.net/threads/...eviews-advice-sizing-etc.241469/post-10128537

Hope this helps!

Interesting. Suffice it to say that we probably should not ever use each other for sizing references. I suspect our feet are very different.

Let me see if I can match up against portions of your list and will add in some other makers too. Brannock 10D/E

AE
65: Not too much preference between 9.5EE, 9.5EEE, 9EEE -- between fit variation and socks they are very similar.
511: 10D is ever so slightly snug at the pinkies. 10E is too big. A wider 9.5 would probably be too short.
333: I have a 9.5D somewhere but haven't worn in ages. Can't remember.
201: Had a 9.5E boot but the volume was a bit too high. I think I need a 9.5D from a more recent fitting.
606: 10E is a good fit.
79: Had a 10E but too big. Haven't tried since.
97: 9.5E too short and a bit tight at the pinkies. Have a 9.5EE that's decent. 10D or E is probably best.
I have a few others here but need to look up the lasts and sizes since they are defunct lasts and I cannot recall the sizes without checking my rack.

Carmina
Soller: Really like this last quite a bit. One of my favorites across makers. UK9
Oscar: These are more snug than Soller. UK9 is best. If they are very tightly lasted they can be too snug.
Detroit: I feel this last runs a bit long heel to ball and the heel is a bit wide but works pretty well in a UK9. Tried an 8.5EE and EEE and didn't work.
Simpson: Had two pairs in UK9.5. Both pretty tight at the upper instep. Width is good and comfort was decent. Probably will avoid going forward.
Rain: Never owned but have been fitted a few times so pretty confident in my sizing and seemed to like the UK9EEE
Forest: Same as Rain, although I have a UK9.5EE inbound to try so we shall see.
Have tried a few other lasts on that I didn't seem to work out for me.

EG
606: UK9.5/10E - Great fit
82: UK9.5/10E - Great fit but more snug
202: UK9.5/10E - Not quite as confident in fit since I have one pair that are unstructured and unlined but almost certainly still same size.

G&G MH71: UK9.5 - Great fit, among my best fitting lasts.
Viberg 2030: 9.5

Alden
TB: 9.5D but don't own any.
Barrie: Shoes 9.5E. Boots 9.5E or 10D.
Plaza: 10D but can probably do a 10E as well. Oxfords don't work in a 10D.
Grant: 10D is a great fit. Favorite Alden last along with Plaza.
Van: Wonky. Have tried 9.5D and 10D and neither were great. Maybe need a 9.5E.

 

[Blastwice]

An outlet pair (Loden shell, Rain Last, JR leather sole):

A classic GMTO (natural shell, carmina rubber sole and steel toe tap... Forest last?):

And bonus Frankenstitch detail:

 

[H. E. Pennypacker]

Maiden voyage for the burgundy cordovan penny loafers.

Did you email Carmina prior to placing your order or just notate it in the text box? Regarding the purple soles.

 

[Betelgeuse]

Did you email Carmina prior to placing your order or just notate it in the text box? Regarding the purple soles.

Nope, it's an option available in their custom 3D tool.

 

[jet-stream]

Interesting. Suffice it to say that we probably should not ever use each other for sizing references. I suspect our feet are very different.

Let me see if I can match up against portions of your list and will add in some other makers too. Brannock 10D/E

AE
65: Not too much preference between 9.5EE, 9.5EEE, 9EEE -- between fit variation and socks they are very similar.
511: 10D is ever so slightly snug at the pinkies. 10E is too big. A wider 9.5 would probably be too short.
333: I have a 9.5D somewhere but haven't worn in ages. Can't remember.
201: Had a 9.5E boot but the volume was a bit too high. I think I need a 9.5D from a more recent fitting.
606: 10E is a good fit.
79: Had a 10E but too big. Haven't tried since.
97: 9.5E too short and a bit tight at the pinkies. Have a 9.5EE that's decent. 10D or E is probably best.
I have a few others here but need to look up the lasts and sizes since they are defunct lasts and I cannot recall the sizes without checking my rack.

Carmina
Soller: Really like this last quite a bit. One of my favorites across makers. UK9
Oscar: These are more snug than Soller. UK9 is best. If they are very tightly lasted they can be too snug.
Detroit: I feel this last runs a bit long heel to ball and the heel is a bit wide but works pretty well in a UK9. Tried an 8.5EE and EEE and didn't work.
Simpson: Had two pairs in UK9.5. Both pretty tight at the upper instep. Width is good and comfort was decent. Probably will avoid going forward.
Rain: Never owned but have been fitted a few times so pretty confident in my sizing and seemed to like the UK9EEE
Forest: Same as Rain, although I have a UK9.5EE inbound to try so we shall see.
Have tried a few other lasts on that I didn't seem to work out for me.

EG
606: UK9.5/10E - Great fit
82: UK9.5/10E - Great fit but more snug
202: UK9.5/10E - Not quite as confident in fit since I have one pair that are unstructured and unlined but almost certainly still same size.

G&G MH71: UK9.5 - Great fit, among my best fitting lasts.
Viberg 2030: 9.5

Alden
TB: 9.5D but don't own any.
Barrie: Shoes 9.5E. Boots 9.5E or 10D.
Plaza: 10D but can probably do a 10E as well. Oxfords don't work in a 10D.
Grant: 10D is a great fit. Favorite Alden last along with Plaza.
Van: Wonky. Have tried 9.5D and 10D and neither were great. Maybe need a 9.5E.

Agree - sounds like our feet are very different. @madhat may be a reasonable reference for you. I'm guessing you are reasonably high volume (or maybe medium volume/high arch), and that toebox width isn't often a problem?
The Soller comment is telling - for me, Soller is quite long and high-volume. I'm not surprised Simpson doesn't work given that; they are very different (Alcudia in 9.5 might work, but it's similar enough stylistically to Soller that there isn't a compelling reason to do so). Actually, the Soller comments make me think the AE 201 in 10D could potentially work well. I would think the 9.5D might be too short. Forest 9EEE might be worth looking into as well.

 

[stook1]

Agree - sounds like our feet are very different. @madhat may be a reasonable reference for you. I'm guessing you are reasonably high volume (or maybe medium volume/high arch), and that toebox width isn't often a problem?
The Soller comment is telling - for me, Soller is quite long and high-volume. I'm not surprised Simpson doesn't work given that; they are very different (Alcudia in 9.5 might work, but it's similar enough stylistically to Soller that there isn't a compelling reason to do so). Actually, the Soller comments make me think the AE 201 in 10D could potentially work well. I would think the 9.5D might be too short. Forest 9EEE might be worth looking into as well.

Thanks man... Yah, my feet are borderline D/E width and higher instep. I think I may have forgotten to mention that 9EEE on Forest is good (perhaps great, actually) for me, although I don't own a pair yet. The 201 last is actually a bit too high volume for me but seemed decent in 9.5D -- again don't own any and not really adding much in the way of AE these days.

As far as soller, I actually don't find it to be all that high volume. I think in the same size it has less volume than detroit and runs shorter than detroit as well.

 

[thefoobar]

So I got these for an exceptional price with the intention of selling them, as they're half a nominal size too small (7.5UK Rain). However, they arrived and actually fit very well as alligator is a lot more supple than shell and they're long enough as Rain's toebox is pretty generous. And now the dilemma: am I the sort of person who wears chestnut alligator wholecuts?

Ugh. Can't decide. I never throught I'd actually own a pair of aligator shoes. Gator's sooo nice though, buttery soft and smooth yet strong at the same time...

 

[hollandn]

View attachment 1741677 View attachment 1741681

So I got these for an exceptional price with the intention of selling them, as they're half a nominal size too small (7.5UK Rain). However, they arrived and actually fit very well as alligator is a lot more supple than shell and they're long enough as Rain's toebox is pretty generous. And now the dilemma: am I the sort of person who wears chestnut alligator wholecuts?

Ugh. Can't decide. I never throught I'd actually own a pair of aligator shoes. Gator's sooo nice though, buttery soft and smooth yet strong at the same time...

How did you get them cheap? Was it a Carmina outlet sale ?

 

[thefoobar]

How did you get them cheap? Was it a Carmina outlet sale ?

2nd hand and sold as if they were calf.

 

[jet-stream]

Beater CXL chukkas yesterday:

 

[Crafty Cumbrian]

View attachment 1741677 View attachment 1741681

So I got these for an exceptional price with the intention of selling them, as they're half a nominal size too small (7.5UK Rain). However, they arrived and actually fit very well as alligator is a lot more supple than shell and they're long enough as Rain's toebox is pretty generous. And now the dilemma: am I the sort of person who wears chestnut alligator wholecuts?

Ugh. Can't decide. I never throught I'd actually own a pair of aligator shoes. Gator's sooo nice though, buttery soft and smooth yet strong at the same time...

Those are sexual. I was tempted by something gator or croc but did fear I’d be accused of being a seventies pimp but those I think I could swing without being a swinger…

 

[saurabh]

Bakers Russian calf today!!

 

[SirThopas]

I'm looking at Carmina's current cordovan boots MTO. Some of the colours are unfamiliar to me. I've drunk amaretto, bourbon and armagnac, not necessarily in equal proportions, but I'd be grateful if anyone could illustrate what these shades of shell look like in the flesh, so to speak.

 

[thefoobar]

I'm looking at Carmina's current cordovan boots MTO. Some of the colours are unfamiliar to me. I've drunk amaretto, bourbon and armagnac, not necessarily in equal proportions, but I'd be grateful if anyone could illustrate what these shades of shell look like in the flesh, so to speak.

Just do an image search of "Carmina" + the name of the cordovan color you wish to see. There are plenty of photos around. Add "site:styleforum.net" to the search string to see members' photos.

 

[SirThopas]

Just do an image search of "Carmina" + the name of the cordovan color you wish to see. There are plenty of photos around. Add "site:styleforum.net" to the search string to see members' photos.

Ah yes, I'm usually the person who says "JFGI", and sure enough this yields useful results. Thank you.