Help me choose my first pair of Allen Edmonds

[araziza]

I've always bought relatively cheap shoes in the past and just thrown them away after a year or two, but in the past year or two I've made a concerted effort to do research and buy good quality items that will last.
A pair of good shoes have been on my to do list, and as per everything I've read, Allen edmonds is the way to go for genuinely well made long lasting shoes at an entry level (price wise).
As per dappered, the best value in shoes today is the AE Factory 2nds sale, which is running now. I've found a few in my price range to consider, most notably the 3 following:

1) Dundee- I love the look of chukkas, and affordable AE chukkas are definitely up there. My only worry with these is that anything I buy must be summer appropriate (Not like hiking in the midday heat summer, just not having sweaty feet in the office summer, which apparently my timberland boots could not fulfill). Also slightly worried that the poron soles won't mold to my feet like regular soles would.

2) Boone- not as nice a shape as chukkas, but a very attractive plain shoe that should be good for summer and any other time of year as long as it's not out in the elements (true of all the shoes on this list). Trying to decide between the more practical brown or the nicer-but-easily-ruined sand color.

3) Strandmok- Not quite as attracted to these as the previous two, but people seem to really like them and the patterning seems a bit funkier. Not sure if they're my style, but they look nice.

Help and insight appreciated, especially from people with any of the above models.

 

[ThomGault]

Where do you plan to wear them, and what do you plan to wear with them?

 

[araziza]

Pretty much everywhere, except formal events. Likely wear dark jeans and a polo or t shirt

 

[ThomGault]

'Everywhere' doesn't explain much. Work? Social events? Church? Bars? Outdoor activities?

Will you literally always wear them with dark jeans? That affects the choice, too.

The only realistic solution is to buy a few pairs to compliment different activities and outfits, not to mention the fact that you shouldn't wear the same pair of shoes every day, either.

 

[araziza]

Work, bars, social events, taking kids to the park. Basically daily drivers that don't do formal events or sports.

 

[facet]

Well, that's a pretty wide variety of activities. I guess if I had to choose one, it'd be the Boone; but I also wouldn't make it my only shoe

 

[GBR]

It amounts to what you like the look of and also fits your feet - the latter being most important.

If they fit properly, buy the chukkas, you do not say where you live - Alaska is somewhat different to California, but if you work in an air conditioned office nine out ten people would not experience any problem.

 

[Caustic Man]

Don't forget to look on eBay. Used AEs can go for remarkably cheap prices, especially considering how long they last. Even if you get them redrafted you're often coming out of it spending less than even factory seconds.

 

[araziza]

Thanks to all who posted, I had to jump on a pair before the end of the sale, and I went for the blue Dundee 2.0 (got them for $137US, a relative steal). Now for the waiting game.