The Official Alden Indy Appreciation Thread

[ecworks]

After 14 days of quarantine I finally tested negative (PCR test) and was able to fly out of Botswana via Johannasburg back to Los Angeles. My new Indy 405's had a 6 week break-in full of adventures and came thru with flying colors. In our hotel in Joburg I wiped them down with a damp towel to get the Botswana dust cleaned off. They have scratches, scrapes, and some sort of asphalt/tar on the leather I'll need to take a look at when I get home. But I have to say they performed very well, super comfortable, stable and I'm sure will cleanup nicely with some TLC with Bick 4.

And the reddish color actually grew on me. I think they'll age nicely.

 

[ecworks]

Back home after a 32-hour flight (with transfers) from Botswana. Wearing my trusty safari/field tested Indy's the entire time.
Very, very comfortable. After unpacking I spent some time cleaning up the 405's with some Bick 4 and then addressed the scuffing. Didn't want to hide them as they represent 6 weeks of tramping around Africa but I dug around and found some Saphir that matched the 405's almost perfectly, see pics below. This product might not match older Indy's that have more of an orange hue.

 

[audog]

Back home after a 32-hour flight (with transfers) from Botswana. Wearing my trusty safari/field tested Indy's the entire time.
Very, very comfortable. After unpacking I spent some time cleaning up the 405's with some Bick 4 and then addressed the scuffing. Didn't want to hide them as they represent 6 weeks of tramping around Africa but I dug around and found some Saphir that matched the 405's almost perfectly, see pics below. This product might not match older Indy's that have more of an orange hue.

There is also a Saphir product that is a pretty close match to the old pumpkin color. Welcome home!

 

[DG123]

On April 21st , 2021 I ordered a special size (12.5B) model 401 Indy boot, and it arrived this week, so nearly seven months , but worth the wait. My thinking was that I know I like wearing the 405 pattern, sole, fit etc....and if the black color Indy boot is not a good selling model the company might discontinue it, so I went ahead and ordered a pair. So now my Indy boot collection is a 9 year old pair of 405's and one year old pair of 405's, and a brand new pair of 401's. My first impression of the 401 leather is that it's softer than the 405 leather.

 

[DG123]

I sent in a near 9 year old pair of 405 boots to Alden for restoration. The pair came back with new neocork sole and rubber heel cap, new leather heel insole, and new laces. Also, the original interior heel counter of both the left and right boots has worn a hole through the leather lining.
* my pair was originally produced with an overlay of leather at the interior backstay and heel counter. Alden did replace that piece, however rather than stitch it as the original was done, the repair department installed the piece with adhesive, and the piece did not adhere well to the interior lining. I will probably use rubber cement or other adhesive to try and better attach the piece of leather.
In addition to the above repairs Alden includes a pair of cedar shoe trees with their restoration service.
Also, I am glad to learn that the fit of the boot did not change due to the resole job.

 

[audog]

401's on a really rainy cold day

 

[barutanseijin]

I sent in a near 9 year old pair of 405 boots to Alden for restoration. The pair came back with new neocork sole and rubber heel cap, new leather heel insole, and new laces. Also, the original interior heel counter of both the left and right boots has worn a hole through the leather lining.
* my pair was originally produced with an overlay of leather at the interior backstay and heel counter. Alden did replace that piece, however rather than stitch it as the original was done, the repair department installed the piece with adhesive, and the piece did not adhere well to the interior lining. I will probably use rubber cement or other adhesive to try and better attach the piece of leather.
In addition to the above repairs Alden includes a pair of cedar shoe trees with their restoration service.
Also, I am glad to learn that the fit of the boot did not change due to the resole job.
View attachment 1691568

Yeesh. That’s shoddy work.

 

[DG123]

Yeesh. That’s shoddy work.

Here are photos of the 2012-era model 405 production prior to me sending the pair in for restoration. Notice the leather overlay piece stitched to the interior of the backstay and heel counter has a wear hole. My newer pair of 405's, purchased in 2019 , does not include this piece of leather. So, I assume somewhere in between 2012 and 2019 Alden made a running change to delete this piece, presumably to save costs.
It would have been ideal had Alden restoration service stitched a new piece, but the glued version is better than nothing. Considering I received that, plus the new leather heel pad, neorcok sole , pair of new shoe trees, and shipping both ways, I believe the $189 restoration charge was worthwhile.

 

[scurvyfreedman]

Here are photos of the 2012-era model 405 production prior to me sending the pair in for restoration. Notice the leather overlay piece stitched to the interior of the backstay and heel counter has a wear hole. My newer pair of 405's, purchased in 2019 , does not include this piece of leather. So, I assume somewhere in between 2012 and 2019 Alden made a running change to delete this piece, presumably to save costs.
It would have been ideal had Alden restoration service stitched a new piece, but the glued version is better than nothing. Considering I received that, plus the new leather heel pad, neorcok sole , pair of new shoe trees, and shipping both ways, I believe the $189 restoration charge was worthwhile.
View attachment 1691718 View attachment 1691719

Based on watching Steve at Bedo's, I think in order to sew it to the lining, the boots would have to be completely disassembled, separating the upper from the lining. That's the right way to do it, but obviously the more costly and time consuming way to do it. Glue may hold without stitching, but in an area of high friction like the inside heel, I think glue is probably never enough.

 

[DG123]

Based on watching Steve at Bedo's, I think in order to sew it to the lining, the boots would have to be completely disassembled, separating the upper from the lining. That's the right way to do it, but obviously the more costly and time consuming way to do it. Glue may hold without stitching, but in an area of high friction like the inside heel, I think glue is probably never enough.

I understand and agree that stitching a new overlay piece is an unreasonable expectation for a restoration job. Whether I can get the new piece to adhere using rubber cement remains to be known, as I have not yet tried it.
But I am disappointed if in fact Alden deleted the interior overlay as part of a running change to the model 405 production. If anyone with a 2012 or earlier model 405 wants to look and see if their pair has the overlay piece and respond here to this thread, that would be appreciated.

 

[barutanseijin]

I understand and agree that stitching a new overlay piece is an unreasonable expectation for a restoration job. Whether I can get the new piece to adhere using rubber cement remains to be known, as I have not yet tried it.
But I am disappointed if in fact Alden deleted the interior overlay as part of a running change to the model 405 production. If anyone with a 2012 or earlier model 405 wants to look and see if their pair has the overlay piece and respond here to this thread, that would be appreciated.

Mine are from 2011. They have the overlay.

 

[audog]

403C

 

[DG123]

Mine are from 2011. They have the overlay.

Thanks. So my best guess is that the interior backstay/heel counter leather overlay piece was deleted from Alden's Indy boot production specs sometime between 2012 and 2019. I am not sure is this running change to the Indy's specs was done to save production costs or if was done for some other reason.

 

[DG123]

After nearly 8 months my special order size (12..5B) pair of model 404 Kudu Indy boots have arrived. It was worth the wait !
This model seems to be of a thicker/heavier leather than my 405 or 401 Indy boots. Also, I was surprised to find that when I am walking the heavy weight lug sole flexes quite a bit more than Alden's Neocork sole.

 

[audog]

After nearly 8 months my special order size (12..5B) pair of model 404 Kudu Indy boots have arrived. It was worth the wait !
This model seems to be of a thicker/heavier leather than my 405 or 401 Indy boots. Also, I was surprised to find that when I am walking the heavy weight lug sole flexes quite a bit more than Alden's Neocork sole.

View attachment 1711031 View attachment 1711033 View attachment 1711035

The lug sole is a monster in winter, hard to clean if you tramp in mud though....