Meermin Mallorca Shoes

[svf]

Oh **** my bad. .5 size down.

@H. E. Pennypacker Thanks, this is helpful. I'm thinking of diving into the GMTO with 1 (museum blue) or even 2 (+green waxed suede) orders, but I'm also a bit leery of sizing. I have a pair of Meccariello Chisel 2 chukkas, UK 9 which are a hair roomy and another AM Aeris U-cap derby, UK 9, that fits well. (Some UK 9 Cheaney Shackletons are a tad roomy.)

Your experience would seem to suggest sizing down to UK 8.5. Sound about right? Any others with similar experiences?

 

[aabbcc]

Oh **** my bad. .5 size down.

Thanks, pulled the triggger on the longwings on the rui last yesterday, size 7 instead of usual 7.5, hopefully will fit and not murder my heels in the process

 

[AltNameTK]

Does anyone know if there are MTO events coming up soon? I have an idea for a pair of split-toe bluchers in my head that I really want to make a reality.

 

[H. E. Pennypacker]

@H. E. Pennypacker Thanks, this is helpful. I'm thinking of diving into the GMTO with 1 (museum blue) or even 2 (+green waxed suede) orders, but I'm also a bit leery of sizing. I have a pair of Meccariello Chisel 2 chukkas, UK 9 which are a hair roomy and another AM Aeris U-cap derby, UK 9, that fits well. (Some UK 9 Cheaney Shackletons are a tad roomy.)

Your experience would seem to suggest sizing down to UK 8.5. Sound about right? Any others with similar experiences?

Unfortunately, I don't have experience with any of the makers you mentioned. Also, I don't have experience with the Rod last nor the ultraflex system, from what I'm aware of; Meermin sends out thin cushiony optional insoles for their ultraflex pairs. I have a pair of Hok boots that arrived with the inserts, but aren't on the ultra flex??? I'm not sure, a lot of things from Meermin are confusing to me as of recently. I digress, I went a .5 size down and they're for sure in my top 3 best fitting last, BUT with the inserts, they're definitely snug to wear. In order to use the inserts, I should've gone my usual size, but I have a strong presumption the boots would've been too long for me to wear comfortably.

I spoke with Meermin about their Rod last and explained to them the aforementioned, and they said for the Rod last go my usual size for a comfortable fit. If the Rod last isn't as long as the Hok last, I wouldn't hesitate taking my usual size for the Rod.

I have no actual experience, but maybe this can be some insight for you. With these new lasts and them usually being only used for GMTO a lot of us that buy Meermin hesitate and also struggle with sizing.

 

[Mercurio]

Does anyone know if there are MTO events coming up soon? I have an idea for a pair of split-toe bluchers in my head that I really want to make a reality.

They certainly will but I’m afraid that the next ones would be boots, as we are just getting into “boots season”.

 

[lfzhao5]

i'm totally down for another custom boot event! Make it happen @Meermin

 

[Neo1]

About a couple times a month on avg I look through the Meermin MTOs and have come close to pulling the trigger but so far it hasn't happened. This typically goes through my mind:

The Good.
1. Some of the makeups are really dazzling - notably the marbled gold & plum on the current one.

2. Even when it's not shell, they always seem to capture all the elements I want - waxy suede/kudu, tough lug soles or danite, Chelseas, unlined loafers among other things.

3. They opened the ny store, and I could drive to it if necessary.

4. My understanding is that the lasts run narrow and the cone heights aren't particularly high, both of which are good for me. I have a very hard time with AEs high cone lasts and literally couldn't fit into anything from Loake due to excess vertical volume.

5. I'm a 7.5C and based upon everything I read I'm probably going to be ok with a 6UK on the Hiro or 5.5 on the Hok.

6. The prices are pretty cheap.

7. Some posts on here demonstrate great QC examples.

The Bad.
1. I've seen Italian shell up close and didn't like what I saw / felt compared to Horween.

2. I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 130 or so pairs. Mainly AE. Some Grant Stone. A handful of Quoddy, some Alden, 1 Red Wing and 2 western boots. Do the MTOs really add anything, are they really necessary.

3. In perfect conditions, assuming I had time off from work and away from family stuff and they were even open, it would take about 3.5 hours to reach the store.

4. I have heard horror stories of leather stiffness and break-in trouble.

5. Whatever info there is, at the end of the day it's still a risk to blind buy something new. I know most of the AE lasts like the back of my hand. I'm pretty familiar with Alden, GS, Quoddy & Rancourt also. Why take the chance. Best case is I buy a non-MTO and am out shipping costs. Worst case is I'm out the whole thing. Gf would be pissed.

6. I have also seen plenty of examples of bad QC.

7. The customer service has a reputation that ranges from good to terrible to nonexistent - all over the map.

The Ugly.
A huge pet peeve or red flag for me or whatever is the term, I HATE when someone advertises something is a good deal. I was looking for a while before getting my 2nd pair of western boots - I looked at Tecovas but hated all the bullshit price comparisons. I wound up getting a pair of Los Altos in Caiman belly which I would argue are better constructed than Tecovas and cost less. Meermin sometimes uses Shinki but uses a lot of Rocado or Argentinian shells. They build the shoes in China. The one MTO that used Horween was pretty expensive, close to AE. Dont go telling me these are a bargain. The only judge of that is ME. They made production decisions that saved costs and the discounts are passed along to the consumer. A pair of Indy 2nds from shoemart were about $275 labor day 2020 - that's a bargain. In the past, AE shell 2nds sometimes went for $275 - that's a bargain. Quoddy ran a tent sale not long ago where everything was $85. I could go on and on. Meermin rocado shell, on a boot platform with a somewhat unfamiliar last for 450 is what I would call fairly priced but not a smoking hot deal.

So...somebody convince me already. Jump on the bandwagon or get the hell out of dodge. Thank you for your time

 

[AltNameTK]

You have 130 pairs of shoes?

 

[Crizzlelovesyou]

About a couple times a month on avg I look through the Meermin MTOs and have come close to pulling the trigger but so far it hasn't happened. This typically goes through my mind:

The Good.
1. Some of the makeups are really dazzling - notably the marbled gold & plum on the current one.

2. Even when it's not shell, they always seem to capture all the elements I want - waxy suede/kudu, tough lug soles or danite, Chelseas, unlined loafers among other things.

3. They opened the ny store, and I could drive to it if necessary.

4. My understanding is that the lasts run narrow and the cone heights aren't particularly high, both of which are good for me. I have a very hard time with AEs high cone lasts and literally couldn't fit into anything from Loake due to excess vertical volume.

5. I'm a 7.5C and based upon everything I read I'm probably going to be ok with a 6UK on the Hiro or 5.5 on the Hok.

6. The prices are pretty cheap.

7. Some posts on here demonstrate great QC examples.

The Bad.
1. I've seen Italian shell up close and didn't like what I saw / felt compared to Horween.

2. I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 130 or so pairs. Mainly AE. Some Grant Stone. A handful of Quoddy, some Alden, 1 Red Wing and 2 western boots. Do the MTOs really add anything, are they really necessary.

3. In perfect conditions, assuming I had time off from work and away from family stuff and they were even open, it would take about 3.5 hours to reach the store.

4. I have heard horror stories of leather stiffness and break-in trouble.

5. Whatever info there is, at the end of the day it's still a risk to blind buy something new. I know most of the AE lasts like the back of my hand. I'm pretty familiar with Alden, GS, Quoddy & Rancourt also. Why take the chance. Best case is I buy a non-MTO and am out shipping costs. Worst case is I'm out the whole thing. Gf would be pissed.

6. I have also seen plenty of examples of bad QC.

7. The customer service has a reputation that ranges from good to terrible to nonexistent - all over the map.

The Ugly.
A huge pet peeve or red flag for me or whatever is the term, I HATE when someone advertises something is a good deal. I was looking for a while before getting my 2nd pair of western boots - I looked at Tecovas but hated all the bullshit price comparisons. I wound up getting a pair of Los Altos in Caiman belly which I would argue are better constructed than Tecovas and cost less. Meermin sometimes uses Shinki but uses a lot of Rocado or Argentinian shells. They build the shoes in China. The one MTO that used Horween was pretty expensive, close to AE. Dont go telling me these are a bargain. The only judge of that is ME. They made production decisions that saved costs and the discounts are passed along to the consumer. A pair of Indy 2nds from shoemart were about $275 labor day 2020 - that's a bargain. In the past, AE shell 2nds sometimes went for $275 - that's a bargain. Quoddy ran a tent sale not long ago where everything was $85. I could go on and on. Meermin rocado shell, on a boot platform with a somewhat unfamiliar last for 450 is what I would call fairly priced but not a smoking hot deal.

So...somebody convince me already. Jump on the bandwagon or get the hell out of dodge. Thank you for your time

Buddy if you have 130 pairs maybe you shouldn't buy anymore. As someone nearing 40, let me tell you 130 is too much.

 

[lfzhao5]

Buddy if you have 130 pairs maybe you shouldn't buy anymore. As someone nearing 40, let me tell you 130 is too much.

as someone with 7 pairs, 40 is too much

 

[stephenaf2003]

About a couple times a month on avg I look through the Meermin MTOs and have come close to pulling the trigger but so far it hasn't happened. This typically goes through my mind:

The Good.
1. Some of the makeups are really dazzling - notably the marbled gold & plum on the current one.

2. Even when it's not shell, they always seem to capture all the elements I want - waxy suede/kudu, tough lug soles or danite, Chelseas, unlined loafers among other things.

3. They opened the ny store, and I could drive to it if necessary.

4. My understanding is that the lasts run narrow and the cone heights aren't particularly high, both of which are good for me. I have a very hard time with AEs high cone lasts and literally couldn't fit into anything from Loake due to excess vertical volume.

5. I'm a 7.5C and based upon everything I read I'm probably going to be ok with a 6UK on the Hiro or 5.5 on the Hok.

6. The prices are pretty cheap.

7. Some posts on here demonstrate great QC examples.

The Bad.
1. I've seen Italian shell up close and didn't like what I saw / felt compared to Horween.

2. I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 130 or so pairs. Mainly AE. Some Grant Stone. A handful of Quoddy, some Alden, 1 Red Wing and 2 western boots. Do the MTOs really add anything, are they really necessary.

3. In perfect conditions, assuming I had time off from work and away from family stuff and they were even open, it would take about 3.5 hours to reach the store.

4. I have heard horror stories of leather stiffness and break-in trouble.

5. Whatever info there is, at the end of the day it's still a risk to blind buy something new. I know most of the AE lasts like the back of my hand. I'm pretty familiar with Alden, GS, Quoddy & Rancourt also. Why take the chance. Best case is I buy a non-MTO and am out shipping costs. Worst case is I'm out the whole thing. Gf would be pissed.

6. I have also seen plenty of examples of bad QC.

7. The customer service has a reputation that ranges from good to terrible to nonexistent - all over the map.

The Ugly.
A huge pet peeve or red flag for me or whatever is the term, I HATE when someone advertises something is a good deal. I was looking for a while before getting my 2nd pair of western boots - I looked at Tecovas but hated all the bullshit price comparisons. I wound up getting a pair of Los Altos in Caiman belly which I would argue are better constructed than Tecovas and cost less. Meermin sometimes uses Shinki but uses a lot of Rocado or Argentinian shells. They build the shoes in China. The one MTO that used Horween was pretty expensive, close to AE. Dont go telling me these are a bargain. The only judge of that is ME. They made production decisions that saved costs and the discounts are passed along to the consumer. A pair of Indy 2nds from shoemart were about $275 labor day 2020 - that's a bargain. In the past, AE shell 2nds sometimes went for $275 - that's a bargain. Quoddy ran a tent sale not long ago where everything was $85. I could go on and on. Meermin rocado shell, on a boot platform with a somewhat unfamiliar last for 450 is what I would call fairly priced but not a smoking hot deal.

So...somebody convince me already. Jump on the bandwagon or get the hell out of dodge. Thank you for your time

All of your points are mostly reasonable, like you I’ve got too many shoes, although in my case it’s quite a bit worse. My love of shell and different makeups, like waxed leather, unusual sueded leather colors, and construction techniques provoke me to still continue to reach for my wallet.

I say mostly reasonable, because to me Meermins appeal is the quality you get for the price you pay. I agree that the Horween is pricey from them, but think that’s more a function of minimum profit margins, from a very pricey hide.
Personally, their MTO prices for other shell makers is just insanely reasonable, and the value to cost ratio is just not matched by anyone.
The most important thing for me is can I find a last that fits. I have a room full of some of the best shoes, and includes also the Meermins of the world. I’m kinda over chasing unicorns and having the next big thing in shoes. For me buying shoes is a hobby, and therefore fun. Meermin makes it possible for me to keep having fun and trying new styles and leathers, with good enough quality for the price I pay.

 

[lfzhao5]

We need meermin to bless us with rare horween shell colors and enrage the Alden folks.

Color 4 when ??

 

[phzanella]

Bought a pair of meermin captoes on the hiro last. What the hell is wrong with these shoes? They keep digging into my ankle. Wore them in the hospital for 12 hours, thought I was going to have to admit myself for a soft tissue laceration at risk for soft tissue skin infection, the way these meermins treated me.

 

[Sinbios]

Bought a pair of meermin captoes on the hiro last. What the hell is wrong with these shoes? They keep digging into my ankle. Wore them in the hospital for 12 hours, thought I was going to have to admit myself for a soft tissue laceration at risk for soft tissue skin infection, the way these meermins treated me.

From what I've seen, the issue is they use a very thick and stiff thermoplastic material for the heel counter - so stiff that pieces can break off into plastic pellets.

I think that material is fine for the toe counter but too hard for the heel counter, it can and often does cause irritation to the ankles as evidenced by the frequent complaints from Meermin owners.

In comparison, most other shoemakers use celastic (plastic-infused fabric) or leatherboard (reconstituted scrap leather) for counters, which tend to be softer and can break in over time.

 

[phzanella]

From what I've seen, the issue is they use a very thick and stiff thermoplastic material for the heel counter - so stiff that pieces can break off into plastic pellets.

View attachment 1686113

I think that material is fine for the toe counter but too hard for the heel counter, it can and often does cause irritation to the ankles as evidenced by the frequent complaints from Meermin owners.

In comparison, most other shoemakers use celastic (plastic-infused fabric) or leatherboard (reconstituted scrap leather) for counters, which tend to be softer and can break in over time.

The shoe tore through my sock, and caused an abrasion on my left ankle. What the ****.