Double Monks AS Ramsey vs Carmina

[luk-cha]

i prefer the carmina's the best better balance in the design

 

[aj_del]

Why does no one like the AS ??

 

[jbuffone]

I was wondering the same thing. Is all the Carmina love based purely on aesthetics?

 

[tim_horton]

Originally Posted by jbuffone

I was wondering the same thing. Is all the Carmina love based purely on aesthetics?

Granted I am a shoe noob - either I like something or I don't. But I've noticed a big difference between the leather on my C&J benchgrades and handgrades, and I think the leather on my Carmina shoes is comparable to the C&J handgrades.

Also, fit. The Simpson last fits me very, very well. That may be the deciding facot because both of these are nice.

 

[Trompe le Monde]

i like the a&s more

 

[GuidoWongolini]

L - R: "Lowndes" C&J 348 Last Benchgrade, Carmina on Inca last & 2010 St Crepin JL 7000 Last

* No surprises the C&J are now relegated to gardening..

 

[brescd01]

Unfortunately I don't have experience with the Ramsey but I do with the Carmina. And I own the Lobb William.

My Carmina had beautiful leather and I was in love with it at first. Then one shoe developed a squeak, everyone had suggestions about how to fix it no one could. I even had my parents bring them into the mother ship in Paris and the shoes were returned untouched for unclear reasons. I had to throw them away (the squeak was loud, noticeable, and no, it was not the sound of "fine leather"). I tried talc, amongst the many useless suggestions I received.

Alfred Sargent has evolved. I think they have certain models no one does better. The finishes I have seen are inferior to Carmina's, but the shoes are more durable. In general, Carmina's lasts are more elegant. AS now appears to have the best made-to-measure program of all the English brands in terms of price/quality ratio, by far.

All this said, I paid $1250 for my Lobbs with steel heel strikes. And that was the best value for me. I don't collect Lobbs but the model is a classic and they are wonderful shoes. Everything else seems ersatz to me. Just my experience, and I am not in any way slamming anyone else'[s choice.

 

[sellahi22]

the square toe on the Alfred Sargents is hideous. I hate square toes on any shoes, but on an already-flashy double monk you might as well go sockless and roll your trousers up mid-calf like a full-fledged Sartorialist victim.

 

[w.o.e.is.me.]

Originally Posted by Phat Guido

L - R: "Lowndes" C&J 348 Last Benchgrade, Carmina on Inca last & 2010 St Crepin JL 7000 Last

* No surprises the C&J are now relegated to gardening..

Aesthetically, I actually like the C&J best out of those 3.

 

[JohnsNotHere]

Originally Posted by sellahi22

the square toe on the Alfred Sargents is hideous. I hate square toes on any shoes, but on an already-flashy double monk you might as well go sockless and roll your trousers up mid-calf like a full-fledged Sartorialist victim.

AS get my vote

 

[Newcomer]

Originally Posted by w.o.e.is.me.

Aesthetically, I actually like the C&J best out of those 3.

I was surprised that I felt the same way about that double-monk triumvirate. For me it is the Lowndes, Carmina, then Crepin. The buckles don't buckle down far enough in my opinion. Feels a bit off balance. And it is strange for me to say this, as from other angles I absolutely loved this model.

 

[HarleyBob]

Originally Posted by Flartchy

if you gonna wear monks please don't have a huge pot belly. For some reason when I see chubby dudes in monks it makes me feel nervous.

If you're gonna wear monks please don't be a skinny little runt with tight pants showing your tiny little manhood. For some reason when I see skinny little dudes in monks it makes me feel nervous.

 

[edmorel]

Am I the only person on this forum that does not like double monks

Of the two in the OP, the A&S would get my vote although I think any monk would benefit from not having any decoration on the toe.

 

[emptym]

I don't like double monks either. I used to hate them, but now I just dislike them. I love AS, but my dislike for dm's has kept me out of this thread till now. The 99 last is probably my favorite AS last, but the "Northhampton bump" does look a little pronounced in that pic. IRL, at least on my shoes, it's very subtle and nice. Of the three PG posted, I like the C&J's best too, although I appreciate the craftsmanship in the Lobbs.

If I were the OP, I'd try to try them on and get whichever fits best. If you do want any level of customization (change of sole type, leather color, etc), as someone mentioned earlier, AS is the way to go.

 

[jbuffone]

It's interesting that some of you guys like the C&J Lowndes as much as you do. I think they look great in pictures. However, I have a pair Drummonds on the 348 last and I can't say I really like them. I find the last to be way to long and narrow. They almost never look right regardless of what I'm wearing with them. I will concede that the look improves with trousers that are particularly slim, but overall they don't really do it for me.

I'm not so sure why so curious about the differences in material and construction quality. I expect the monks to be in light rotation so even a poorly built pair ought to last me a good long while. And yet...I just want to know.

For what it's worth, I'll likely go with the Carminas.