JL 8000 vs EG 888

[pkincy]

My JL 8000 lasted Prestige collection Suttons in Chestnut Museum calf arrived today. To die for. I would happily post pictures if I knew how.

Let me try a link to them.....

http://www.johnlobb.com/us/swf/index.php

Well that only gets you part way there. Go to rtw and the oxford and than the prestige collection and you have them.

But the point of my post is the comparison of the 888 and the 8000 last.

Lots more room vertically across the ball of the foot in the 8000. Looking at the last correct shoe trees is most interesting. Although I love the 888 and it breaks in nicely once the leather stretches the 8000 fits me snugly everywhere but not so snug as I feel that the leather must be deformed to fit me. And that is apparently a volume issue over the instep and across the ball fo the foot. Not a width issue as I initially expected. There is probably 30% more room by volume with the 8000 last over the 888 last although the ht and width of the last are very similar. (again I am referring to the front of the last over the ball of the foot.)

It also allows the shoe to lace completely closed with the 8000 last. Whereas the 888 has a V that is about 3/4 inch wide at the top of the laces and my AEs have a pretty pronounced V at the top of the laces.

I will keep you posted after breakin but I have to wear the EG 888 for several days before I dare take them outside; yet the JLs feel like slippers already.

Perry

 

[thinman]

Thanks for the info. I find the EG 888 a tad too snug near my big toe joints (the balls of my feet), so the JL 8000 may be a better fit. I know the JL 8695 is a nice fit.

 

[toniok]

the V you mentioned on the 888 actually is how the shoe is supposed to look like according to Tony G. and I think looks much better. Also, if you look down to the shoes while wearing them you won't see much of the sole as opposed to the Lobb.

This makes the 888 much more elegant in my opinion.

 

[thinman]

Originally Posted by toniok

the V you mentioned on the 888 actually is how the shoe is supposed to look like according to Tony G. and I think looks much better.

Hilary Freeman told me the same thing when critiquing a pair of Grensons from the Bennies sale that I wore to my EG fitting. I mentioned that I thought the 'V' should be closed, but she responded that the 'V' should be there and the shoe was actually an excellent overall fit.

 

[pkincy]

I suppose the V being closed on one person could be open on another. And if a normal fit has a closed V a person with a shorter instep might not be able to wear the shoe at all.

I have a very high instep so the 8000 last is the only laced shoe I have ever been able to close the V on. I guess that means that the last could actually be too roomy across the top for some people. Apparently that is why some people size down in the JLs.

Perry