The Official Alden Thread for 2022 - Share Reviews, Sizing, Advice, and Photos.

[Crizzlelovesyou]

Can someone educate me on all the rare shells? Relatively new and enjoying my color 8 Indy.

Anything not black or color 8 is an Alden "rare"

Ravello and Cigar are exclusive to Alden.

The other colors are uncommon shell, but not Alden exclusive.

 

[audog]

I've decided color 8 and I'm ok, anything else, they (Alden) charge more than I want to pay....

 

[Adhazem]

Anything not black or color 8 is an Alden "rare"

Ravello and Cigar are exclusive to Alden.

The other colors are uncommon shell, but not Alden exclusive.

Thanks for the explanation. I’ve seen all kinds of color shells. I know AE does blue and green. I got a pair on order from Midas in Shinki Olive. They seem to have a good variety and same price for whichever color.

I heard Nick Horween explain the cost of “rare shell” on the stitchdown podcast that the lighter colors demand a more…perfect hide because it’s harder to conceal the imperfections. I’m sure the margins grow every step of the way since they’ve created this exclusivity factor due to limited production.

 

[Crizzlelovesyou]

Thanks for the explanation. I’ve seen all kinds of color shells. I know AE does blue and green. I got a pair on order from Midas in Shinki Olive. They seem to have a good variety and same price for whichever color.

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I heard Nick Horween explain the cost of “rare shell” on the stitchdown podcast that the lighter colors demand a more…perfect hide because it’s harder to conceal the imperfections. I’m sure the margins grow every step of the way since they’ve created this exclusivity factor due to limited production.

The Alden rare shell is designed more around a stockist reward. Typically its something the stockists can offer to more loyal customers to help boost customer frequency. The Shoe Mart just has an email list you can sign up and wait for though. Every stockist is different. Having met Nick in person and toured the tannery I would say its more an issue of supply and demand. Rare shell direct from the stockist when you get called for a list is only slightly more expensive. If you were to place an order through Tannery Row (horween's retail arm), the price is only 25$ more per shell anyways and its pretty in-line with Alden's pricing.

I've only had underwhelming experience with Shinki shell, more so because they're so good at horsehide and horsebutt that their shell offerings are a bit underwhelming in comparison. The main thing with Shinki and Ogawa is too avoid louder colors as the dyes wear away really quickly and you're just left with a neutral brown color very fast.

 

[barutanseijin]

Alden crossed my threshold of "NO *****N WAY" am I going to pay that much, no matter how much I like them, or want them about a year ago....At my age, I just can't justify paying more than 7-800 for a pair of boots, no matter how rare...Alden has priced me out of the game.

For me, pursuing Alden rare shell is not worth it. I’d rather just spend the money on EGs.

 

[sazon]

Pricing is definitely becoming an issue...and of course the laws of marginal utility

 

[smfdoc]

Happy Saturday forum pals. I need some black shell today, which is easy to obtain and does not carry a premium.

 

[mdubs]

Good Morning, can the fine gents here please assist in determining if these shoes are in fact genuine pebble grain shell cordovan leather? Full disclosure, I am the seller and an interested party insists that this model, "2169", is not shell cordovan. Thank you all in advance. View attachment 1865903 View attachment 1865904 View attachment 1865905 View attachment 1865906 View attachment 1865907 View attachment 1865908 View attachment 1865909 View attachment 1865910

I would just email alden and ask. Their email is on their site.

-Mike

 

[audog]

Pricing is definitely becoming an issue...and of course the laws of marginal utility

At almost age 70, marginal utility is, as you say, getting to be a pretty hard rule.

 

[audog]

B&M CXL today

 

[Vincent George]

403s.

 

[smmrfld]

Pricing is definitely becoming an issue...and of course the laws of marginal utility

…as well as the increasing number of quality issues.

 

[Shawnc]

Easily one of my favorites, yet nowadays, least worn pairs of footwear. Unlined Splits from AoC with eyelets added by Aram…….

 

[GGMac]

Easily one of my favorites, yet nowadays, least worn pairs of footwear. Unlined Splits from AoC with eyelets added by Aram…….

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Very nice. Is Adam winding down his shop? I noticed Yenni and Mack have taken some of his inventory and his current stock is very limited. Sad if so, but he paved the way for many.

 

[audog]

Very nice. Is Adam winding down his shop? I noticed Yenni and Mack have taken some of his inventory and his current stock is very limited. Sad if so, but he paved the way for many.

He has been doing Alden for 25 yrs or so, maybe he is retiring and going to enjoy life