Cheaney vs Loake style/fit question

[MasterMark]

Hello all.

Decided to take the plunge and go for a good pair of goodyear welted shoes. Looking for something a little more sleek/modern, and found the Loake Mayfair last and Cheaney 11028 fit the bill. (The latter is a bit above my price range, but happy to wait until discounts/seconds come on sale).

I tried the Mayfair, and it seems to fit pretty well through the heel and the toebox, but it's slightly wide through the midfoot, not at the base of the foot, but as you come up, halfway towards the laces, if that makes sense. Looking through the forums most have said that Loake tends to run a little wide, so I contacted Herring Shoes, but they said the 11028 last from Cheaney is probably a fraction wider, which I found surprising.

Does anyone have experience/knowledge of both? Or perhaps could recommend me an alternative in a similar, (more pointy than traditional) style? The Mayfair is probably ok, but if I'm going to spend that much on a pair of shoes, I'd like to get as good a fit as I can.

Thanks to all, as usual!

 

[Blackhood]

My Cheaney shoes are generally a fraction wider than my Loake ones.

I would whole heartedly recommend saving up and getting the Cheaney. The construction and build makes for a much more comfortable shoe. For a start Loake almost always use a leather-board footbed which is very hard, whereas Cheaney use cork which I find to be much more comfortable long term.

 

[Pliny]

I can't comment on the lasts, but the build quality of the Cheaney bench-grades is superior. And they're still an authentic Northampton product

 

[add911_11]

I would suggest to buy the Cheaney one, just dismiss the 'shiny' calfskin models because those are the corrected grain range, approved by the shop assistance.

I had shoes from both company

 

[MasterMark]

Thanks for the quick replies, very helpful. Cheaney obviously gets the vote (unsurprising given I can get the Loakes for £170 but the Cheaney, or Herring with Cheaney last, cost £255), but if the fit is wider than Loake, may well be a non-starter for me.

Very much agree with Blackhood re footbed - the Loake leather one is pretty hard on the ball of the foot, so I was factoring in getting a thin leather/cork insole for extra comfort.

Any recommendations re alternatives?

 

[tonmas]

Try Barkers, I find them a very good alternative to Loakes, you can usually find them on special offer in various places. in fact I am wearing a pair now which I bought lasy week and after the usual wearing them for a couple of evenings around the house, they were comfotable for a whole day straight away. Charles Clinkard sell them online and have a great returns policy if you have ordered the wrong size. If you live close to Northampton you can visit thier factory shop in Earls Barton, which is a pleasure to visit even if you do not actually buy anything!!

Beware, I was looking at a pair of Loakes today, they were for sale in a Clarks shop, only £80 for Oxfords, but they just did not feel right, I have other Loakes which have felt great from the moment you put them on, but these just did not. As I was putting them back on the shelf I noticed inside the tongue there was a label about half way down so in normal viewing would never be noticed and it said made in India, so looks as if one of the last bastions of English shoe making has gone over to cheap importing, but keeping the price high as the full retail price of these ones was apparently £145.00!!!!

 

[Nikias]

You could wait for the Cheaney shoes to go on sale in the summer (unless you are looking for a very popular model). I got a pair of Cheaneys on sale at the Bow Lane shop for £139 in January, reduced about £100.

If you need them now, then you could try the likes of Loakes, Barker, Grenson et al. as discussed above, but I don't think any of their more affordable offerings are made in this country for a start. I have a pair of Grensons and a pair of Barkers and the leather quality is a bit crap compared to the Cheaneys.

 

[Stirling]

Interestingly Barker & Cheaney use exactly the same skins for the majority of their offerings.

Barkers usually run a little wider than most other Northampton makers (dependent on last of course).

 

[andrew1958]

Just for the record, Loake only uses leather for its insoles (no board) and it uses natural cork as a bottom filler.

 

[Snedley]

Hello all.
Decided to take the plunge and go for a good pair of goodyear welted shoes. Looking for something a little more sleek/modern, and found the Loake Mayfair last and Cheaney 11028 fit the bill. (The latter is a bit above my price range, but happy to wait until discounts/seconds come on sale).
I tried the Mayfair, and it seems to fit pretty well through the heel and the toebox, but it's slightly wide through the midfoot, not at the base of the foot, but as you come up, halfway towards the laces, if that makes sense. Looking through the forums most have said that Loake tends to run a little wide, so I contacted Herring Shoes, but they said the 11028 last from Cheaney is probably a fraction wider, which I found surprising.
Does anyone have experience/knowledge of both? Or perhaps could recommend me an alternative in a similar, (more pointy than traditional) style? The Mayfair is probably ok, but if I'm going to spend that much on a pair of shoes, I'd like to get as good a fit as I can.
Thanks to all, as usual!

How can you say a shoe is wide? Even hear of widths?