Questions about C&J Monks on Ben Silver website

[teddieriley]

Does anyone know what last these C&J Monkstraps are on the bensilver website?

http://bensilver.com/fs_storefront.a...y=1655&group=1

I'm not a fan of monkstraps at all, but couldn't help to want to buy these, and just might. $495 for handgrade shoes aren't that much more than PLAL (granted no free shipping unless someone knows of a code they wouldn't mind sharing).

I've only been fitted for the 337 last in bals, and wear a UK 9.5E. These monkstraps are a D, and I wear a US 11D. Is the sizing on Ben Silver for C&Js U.S. sizing? If so, are there any special sizing/fit issues when it comes to monkstraps that I should know about (whether they fit a bit wider, or may/may not be snugger than bals).

Otherwise I think I"ll be ordering size 11. Thanks for the help.

 

[rdawson808]

According to Pediwear it is the 324 last. They have it priced at 255 Pounds. Available in an E fitting 6-12 UK including half-sizes. Not sure where you are to tell if that is a better deal.

For what it's worth, I've been drooling over these shoes for ages. But they are just beyond my budget right now. I LOVE them.

bob

 

[teddieriley]

324 last huh? Could be the way the shoes are positioned on the BS website, but they looked a bit more chiseled, so I was hoping they were on the 337 last. I guess I can e-mail to verify.

But if the pediwear Chalfont's are E fitting, would that be equivalent to BS's D fitting, or are the shoes made for a different market, and therefore narrower than an UK E?

Edit: Other question, are these monks "handgrade" to the same level as Weymouths or Audleys? I noticed the $100 difference in pricing.

 

[aportnoy]

Definitley benchgrade C&Js, though Silver seems to price all levels of C&J equally.

 

[Roger]

As usual, Aportnoy is right. These are benchgrade C&Js--definitely on the C&J 324 last, by the way (they're in the C&J catalog)--that you can get from PLal for $326 US, and thus a long way from Ben Silver's price. My experience with the latter seller is that there are really only two circumstances under which it makes sense to buy from him: (a) he's the only source with the color you want (and thus I bought a pair of C&J Downings--Handgrade full brogues--in burgundy once from him, since they were not available from any other source in that color; also he seems to be only source for Weymouths in tan) or (b) he has them on sale (for this reason, I bought a pair of C&J Mortimer Handgrade monks from him for $262 last summer). Other than these two sets of circumstances, Ben Silver prices are very high. For ordinary C&J purchases, I don't think it's possible to beat PLal.

Edit: I just went on to the Ben Silver website and noted that the Mortimers in tan are still on sale--although now for $297 (still a good deal) and only in size 9.5. These are on the C&J 330 last, not the 337.

 

[Christofuh]

C&J benchgrades aren't all that, and to price them @ or over $500 is a tad optimistic. Frankly, if forced to shell out nearly $500 I'd rather opt for Aldens. Hey, @ least you know you're buying a tank

.
BTW, Pediwear route isn't terribly cheap if you add the $400-plus price to shipping cost to possible late day suprises from the friendly folks of US Customs.
And every seller displays Chalfonts in a different hue. This one is from P.Lal.

 

[dirk diggler]

silly question, I know, but who is "PLal"?

 

[edmorel]

Originally Posted by dirk diggler

silly question, I know, but who is "PLal"?

silly rabbit.

www.plal.com

Malaysian seller of English shoes at great prices. Post here on occasion, "shyam".

 

[dirk diggler]

freakin excellent. how is the quality and service?

 

[zjpj83]

Originally Posted by dirk diggler

freakin excellent. how is the quality and service?
Excellent. I've ordered two pairs of C&J from Plal.com, and it was a first rate experience.

 

[sho'nuff]

I've only been fitted for the 337 last in bals, and wear a UK 9.5E. These monkstraps are a D, and I wear a US 11D. Is the sizing on Ben Silver for C&Js U.S. sizing? If so, are there any special sizing/fit issues when it comes to monkstraps that I should know about (whether they fit a bit wider, or may/may not be snugger than bals).

Otherwise I think I"ll be ordering size 11. Thanks for the help.

are you sure you are a 9.5E if you regularly wear 11D in US?

i would think that that would translate to 10 or 10.5 E in UK for your size?

 

[lalakis]

if you compare the models on plal and ben silver you will not find all the models n plal i.e the lawrence monk. Some of the models ben silver has are not even in the cataloque of c&j.