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

[sterlingindigo]

Interesting dissection of the Indy boot, not looking good on those boots!..

Came off as a biased, gimmicky and money motivated video “review” channel. No mention of steel shank, weight or looks. I’d like to see full leather mid soles, counters and insoles. Wish Skip and BAK to weigh in. Chromexcel is used on the other brands. There’s no comparison for me why I choose the Alden Indy over those Victorian looking heavy ass logger boots or the top heavy foam soled options. Not my style lol.

 

[audog]

Interesting dissection of the Indy boot, not looking good on those boots!..

I remember once, when I was much younger, my son coming in to the bedroom (I was a single Dad) and he threw a baseball bat onto the bed while I was sleeping (he wanted to go play ball, he was 6 yrs old) Bat hit me square in the nuts....I feel the same after watching this video on the Indy boot...But the thing is I LIKE THE INDY BOOT...having an issue with sizing right now, but it is perhaps the BEST AMERICAN WORK BOOT OUT THERE..

 

[audog]

Plaza last, brown, good boots...I've had these listed for sale for....like a year or so...but damn a good boot and if no one wants to buy them...I will wear the fu**ers.....

 

[Mghart]

Eh…..to be honest I don’t care. These “heritage” guys go on and on about build quality and buy it for life, blah blah blah. Meanwhile, most of us are working at a desk all day and not really working a boot that hard. Is the build quality the same as redwings? Maybe. But what about lasts, patterning and general aesthetics? Aldens look great and I’ll pay up to not have to wear some ugly redwings.

I’ve never understood this guys schtick of cutting boots in half or that people would take him seriously since he’s not a shoemaker/cobbler either.. yet still seems to have an audience. Such is YouTube I suppose.

 

[scurvyfreedman]

I’ve never understood this guys schtick of cutting boots in half or that people would take him seriously since he’s not a shoemaker/cobbler either.. yet still seems to have an audience. Such is YouTube I suppose.

Agreed. I'd much rather listen to Steve at Bedos open up a boot and rebuild it from the bottom up, explaining the original material and what he's replacing it with and which is more robust, generally better, or requires more finesse in the making. He knows what he's talking about.

This guy clearly doesn't know a lot. He definitely doesn't know about CXL and that it's a pull-up leather. He's comparing it to vegtanned leather, which isn't fair at all. He also doesn't mention the metal shank as a structural arch support.

 

[zissou]

Has anyone ever tried removing black edge dressing from a pair of Aldens? I’d love to have my J Crew color 8 boots…

…look a little more like this.

 

[Shawnc]

Has anyone ever tried removing black edge dressing from a pair of Aldens? I’d love to have my J Crew color 8 boots…
View attachment 1838824

…look a little more like this.
View attachment 1838825

Yup. Took about 30 minutes of prep and less than 10 minutes into the job I realized it couldn’t be done. And this from a guy whose mantra is never say never.

 

[Louishere]

Hi all! I just received a BNIB pair of 403's, but one of the boots has huge lines/creases in the leather. The lines seem slightly raised, so I don't think it's something that would come out with brushing. Is this normal for a pair of Factory 1sts? I think I'm going to return them and try to get a new pair, but just wondering if this is a common/natural occurrence. Thanks for any input!

Thanks for all the feedback everyone - much appreciated getting all of your perspectives. I ended up ordering a pair of seconds from Shoe Mart for $400 instead, hoping those look better! (or at the very least they'll be cheaper)

 

[ojaw]

Bedo clearly loves his Indys and has multiple pairs of them, and I’ve no idea where he stands on the value for money question, yet he and Rose Anvil seem to agree on a few aspects of the quality of their construction. Having watched a couple of vids with Bedo working on his own boots he’s commented on the excessive use of leatherboard, staples, he’s changed the neocork soles on his boots to mini lugs, he also opted to reinforce the leather when he upgraded the eyelets and speed hooks.
He mentions the celastic they used for the heel and toe counters (he replaced the one in the toe) as a basic ‘production’ shoe component and would have used leather if he felt confident enough.
I think Bedo and most other lovers of the Indy boot admire its fit and how it looks, and aren’t too worried about the details of its construction. Rose Anvil guy clearly does, and that’s okay too.

 

[k3nnyw]

Anyone have cheap size 7-7.5 shell cordovan shoes they would like to sell?

 

[Shawnc]

Bedo clearly loves his Indys and has multiple pairs of them, and I’ve no idea where he stands on the value for money question, yet he and Rose Anvil seem to agree on a few aspects of the quality of their construction. Having watched a couple of vids with Bedo working on his own boots he’s commented on the excessive use of leatherboard, staples, he’s changed the neocork soles on his boots to mini lugs, he also opted to reinforce the leather when he upgraded the eyelets and speed hooks.
He mentions the celastic they used for the heel and toe counters (he replaced the one in the toe) as a basic ‘production’ shoe component and would have used leather if he felt confident enough.
I think Bedo and most other lovers of the Indy boot admire its fit and how it looks, and aren’t too worried about the details of its construction. Rose Anvil guy clearly does, and that’s okay too.

With Bedo, I don't think it's just an Indy thing. I picked up a pair of Longwings that he essentially rebuilt and did a video on. He made quite a few disparaging comments about the materials that would not be visible that Alden uses. I don't really know him but he seemed to me to be pretty good at self-promotion and I took most of his comments with a grain of salt as someone who had a self-interest in advertising that he uses better materials than OEM so send your shoes to him for repair. The current topic is a little harder for me to dismiss. As a guy who was a single parent for most of my two boy's pre-teen years, I found @audog description hilarious, cringeworthy, appropriate and yet, completely on-point. That's what this felt like. I admittingly don't know much about shoe construction but I always assumed with Alden I was getting the best, or close to the best, value. Which obviously includes materials. And this just doesn't feel right and I don't believe I've read anything to dispute the findings. More along the lines of not caring for the messenger. Someone pointed out that the reviewer didn't mention the use of the steel shank and that's a really good point. But we all know Alden uses a steel shank as they make sure of it. Maybe most people knew that they use some of the materials the reviewer pointed out but I certainly did not.

Given that I am closer to the end of my shoe buying experience than the middle, this won't likely impact me much. And both of my Indy's are shell so that may also mitigate the issue. But I'll do some research now that it has been brought to my attention and go from there. I love the aesthetics of Alden and I like buying American if the value is comparable. Strangely enough, I have a pair incoming next week and given that I have been chasing this pair for a while, I doubt that this would have changed that decision. But it certainly would have been something I would have considered.

 

[James1051]

Stopped by Brogue today for their Trunk Show and met Steve Reinhart. Some very cool new materials and laces shown.
View attachment 1838737

He also had found some very old (1970) Indy boots in the factory that I regret I didn't get a profile photo of, but took pics of the canvas tongue lining.
View attachment 1838738
View attachment 1838739

Mack had some very interesting shoes in a display case. I was most intrigued by the top row, middle boot!
View attachment 1838742
View attachment 1838743

Table of refreshments including some scotch View attachment 1838746

Took the opportunity to try on their Jumper Boot in Snuff Suede. These will be coming home with me!
View attachment 1838748

More photos of the newest pick-up will be taken later today once I get home.

Nice photos. What are the new materials?

For a lot of those neckbeard boot types, ugly is better. Proves they’re serious urban loggers or something.

I didn't watch the YouTube, but larfed at this!

 

[sazon]

I would recommend that the Rose Anvil guy actually wear the Indys for a few months before doing that review. For me personally, having very flay feet, the comfort that the Indy boot provides makes the price/value relationship well worth it.

 

[barutanseijin]

With Bedo, I don't think it's just an Indy thing. I picked up a pair of Longwings that he essentially rebuilt and did a video on. He made quite a few disparaging comments about the materials that would not be visible that Alden uses. I don't really know him but he seemed to me to be pretty good at self-promotion and I took most of his comments with a grain of salt as someone who had a self-interest in advertising that he uses better materials than OEM so send your shoes to him for repair. The current topic is a little harder for me to dismiss. As a guy who was a single parent for most of my two boy's pre-teen years, I found @audog description hilarious, cringeworthy, appropriate and yet, completely on-point. That's what this felt like. I admittingly don't know much about shoe construction but I always assumed with Alden I was getting the best, or close to the best, value. Which obviously includes materials. And this just doesn't feel right and I don't believe I've read anything to dispute the findings. More along the lines of not caring for the messenger. Someone pointed out that the reviewer didn't mention the use of the steel shank and that's a really good point. But we all know Alden uses a steel shank as they make sure of it. Maybe most people knew that they use some of the materials the reviewer pointed out but I certainly did not.

Given that I am closer to the end of my shoe buying experience than the middle, this won't likely impact me much. And both of my Indy's are shell so that may also mitigate the issue. But I'll do some research now that it has been brought to my attention and go from there. I love the aesthetics of Alden and I like buying American if the value is comparable. Strangely enough, I have a pair incoming next week and given that I have been chasing this pair for a while, I doubt that this would have changed that decision. But it certainly would have been something I would have considered.

If you go to White’s Boots, there’s a collaboration with Rose Anvil right at the top. Make no mistake, there’s a self-promotion/business angle with this too. (That’s in addition to the typical Ü-tuber click whoring. )

As for the economics of the situation, the typical responses to rising production costs are : squeezing workers for more productivity and/or lower wages, automation, substitution of cheaper materials, & overseas production. You can also squeeze consumers by raising prices. Mix-n-match or go for broke with one strategy.

I’ve never cared enough about PNW footwear to know how they shake out when it comes to all that. I did find a job listing for an entry level job with White’s parent company that paid 17.50/hr but with union benefits. I’m not sure what Alden pays either but 17.50 wouldn’t get you far around here, even with benefits.

I was in one of the old Massachusetts shoe factories years ago as part of the union’s legal team in an arbitration case over a wrongful dismissal. Absolutely dismal place. I think i would have been secretly happy to have been fired.

Anyway, this hasn’t hit me like a baseball bat to the nuts. Looking at Rose Anvil’s collaboration with White’s, it’s safe to say people here value overall aesthetics more than he. I want a shoe i can wear, not something that gets me likes, clicks & upvotes.

 

[smfdoc]

Happy Sunday morning forum pals.