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

[Mghart]

Am I crazy for believing it's totally reasonable to nitpick a 900 dollar pair of boots, especially QC and construction stuff? Like, it's fine to love the silhouette and pattern of an Indy boot and decide that you're fine paying what Alden's asking for that. But when you're paying big bucks, part of what you're paying for is details. So I think it's fine to criticize those details.

I think it is. I also think given the rising costs of everything, Alden is reaching a point where you really have to know going in what you're getting (or not getting) for the price. For $900, there is a lot of top tier players out there to choose and buy from. I think for most people (myself included) its the lasts/fit that make up for QC issues that can and do happen. I've been lucky that I've only had one pair out of several purchases that had any real issue over the years. But certain lasts fit so damn well that I could do 20k+ steps a day in and feel ok at the end of the day.

As far as that youtuber is concerned though, the guy isn't a boot maker and everything he does is gimmicky and click-bait for views and I'd imagine the majority of his audience isn't buying boots in these price ranges anyway.

 

[Shawnc]

Olde Bronze Sunday.
View attachment 1861313

Nice TC. Maiden Voyage?

 

[Thrift Couture]

Nice TC. Maiden Voyage?

Actually I wore them earlier this year. With my work schedule, I rarely get a chance to wear anything. Lbvs!

 

[smfdoc]

Happy Sunday forum pals. I feel like a country gentleman when I wear these.

 

[DG123]

Don’t understand how this guy gets the traffic he does other than the gimmick of cutting something in half or being controversial. So hard to listen to for that long. But 99% of his critiques wouldn’t be there if he got a better fit. He bought way too big. Way. Too big. Foot sliding around, facings overlapping?? C’mon, be professional. Of course they’re going to wear badly being that big. It’s like he’s new to shoes. I feel his reviews are biased and unfair, and maybe he’s got an axe to grind.

Evaluating the fit is tough because the video did not provide enough information. I did not see any images of his boot eyelet stays touching or overlapping, and it was hard to tell from his walking shots whether the balls of his feet fit snugly within the boot. You may be right that a B width would have been a better fit.
The commando sole looks good and is suitable for occasional wear, but not the 250 miles of walking he did. For his next Alden Indy boots he should buy a pair with the Neocork outsole.

 

[sterlingindigo]

Evaluating the fit is tough because the video did not provide enough information. I did not see any images of his boot eyelet stays touching or overlapping, and it was hard to tell from his walking shots whether the balls of his feet fit snugly within the boot. You may be right that a B width would have been a better fit.
The commando sole looks good and is suitable for occasional wear, but not the 250 miles of walking he did. For his next Alden Indy boots he should buy a pair with the Neocork outsole.

What? Lol. Not tough at all. He admitted his foot was sliding left to right and admitted and and showed pictures of facings touching. I never said anything about B width. I noticed how clownishly big they were just by watching him walk in them for a few steps. If the shoes fit, they wouldn’t have worn like that. Is this an appreciation thread or a shill platform for some uninformed YouTuber?

 

[smmrfld]

Is this an appreciation thread or a shill platform for some uninformed YouTuber?

Neither. It's a venue to discuss Alden, good and bad.

 

[mdubs]

Leisure Sunday. Alden Color #2 Shell Cordovan Unlined LHS.

-Mike

 

[carterneeld]

Leisure Sunday. Alden Color #2 Shell Cordovan Unlined LHS.
yhese
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-Mike

These shoes are always too pristine. I will pay $100 for a video of Mike walking down the street in these shoes.

 

[mdubs]

anybody watch this? I own the exact same boot and although I do agree with a few things he says, I feel most of them are just way too much nitpicking.

Overall, I thought that the video was kind of interesting. Definitely interesting to hear the feedback from someone who really has limited information, as he learned all he knows about the boot by watching another YouTube video. I find it interesting that he said that he was disappointed that Alden calls it the Indy Boot, but it doesn't live up to that image. What is interesting to me about that is if you go to Alden directly (aldenshoe.com), they call it a workbook. It is retailers and culture that have renamed it because Harrison Ford wanted to wear this boot, not Alden soliciting it. I agree that he probably got the wrong fit based upon what he described his experience, but it is just hard to say and the Trubalance Last is designed to run large. However, he does point out a lot of very valid issues/complaints about Alden, such as spurs on their eyelets, the Commando sole wearing quick, and QC issues. Hopefully, feedback will just enable Alden to make better products for us!

-Mike

 

[mdubs]

These shoes are always too pristine. I will pay $100 for a video of Mike walking down the street in these shoes.

HaHa, does SF even allow for video uploads? I have worn these out and about many times... I believe that I wore these to Alden SF once before and walked around all day in them.

-Mike

 

[Thrift Couture]

I gotta get organized. Lol!

 

[DG123]

However, he does point out a lot of very valid issues/complaints about Alden, such as spurs on their eyelets, the Commando sole wearing quick, and QC issues. Hopefully, feedback will just enable Alden to make better products for us!

-Mike

Considering the demand for Alden footwear , it's admirable that the company's solution is to lengthen lead times (rather than expand production capacity using lesser skilled employees).
Alden quality may not be perfect, but it is excellent.

 

[Hisheirness23]

I gotta get organized. Lol!
View attachment 1861385

Are the white boxes F2's?

 

[Thrift Couture]

Are the white boxes F2's?

Yes, from The Shoe Mart.