***The official Alden thread *** Share enthusiasm, reviews, sizing, advice, and photos.

[Man with Apple]

Originally Posted by eightdouble

not usually an NST guy, but damn these look good.

I agree. I was on the fence with the Context Tankers, but Leather Soul really knocked it out of the park with these boots. The natty cxl's are great looking.

 

[Man with Apple]

I need some quick advice. How does the grant last fit compared to the Barrie and trubalance lasts? Please advises asap. Thanks.

 

[eightdouble]

this is going off of what i read:

it fits true to size, so you would likely be 1/2 a size larger than you wear in barrie/true balance.

it is supposedly much narrower in the toe box, and i have read that it isn't a very good fitting last... i think tom from LS said that somewhere in this thread.

 

[Dexter_]

^ I'm a 9D on the Grant and 8.5D on Barrie.

Actually, my Grant boot fits me better than my other Barrie/TruBalance boots. I have C width feet on the Brannock so the 9D fit is perfect.

 

[eightdouble]

i have wide toes. most shoes i'd be an E width in, but the barrie/true balance with the wide toe box fit me perfectly in D

i guess it depends a lot on your foot whether the grant would be good for you.

 

[LeatherSOUL]

If it were me, I would size down like the Barrie but go up a width.

 

[Man with Apple]

^ Thank you guys for the helpful info. Very much appreciated.

 

[MiniW]

I was talking with a shoe sales guy the other day and heard this advice - the widest part of your foot should be at the widest part of the shoe. He told me that a few people he knew changed the size of the shoes they wore to a larger size and even though there was more space in front of the toes, the shoes were much more comfortable. I think that for the most part my shoes fit this bill but this could be another way to look at sizing instead of the standard size down 0.5 on certain Alden lasts.

 

[PeterParker]

^^^ Yes, this is the proper way to size shoes, according to the Brannock device: http://www.brannock.com/cgi-bin/star...tructions.html

Compare the arch length to the heel-to-toe length. Generally you'll use the larger of the two measurements as the correct shoe size. If the arch length and heel-to-toe length are the same, this will be the shoe size. If the heel-to-toe length is larger than the arch length, then fit to the heel-to-toe size. If arch length is larger than heel-to-toe, then fit to arch length.

 

[ennui]

My order for #8 shortwings was delayed by Sherman Brothers until April(!). I'm wondering if I should just switch to cigar longwings instead which I can get right now, but for around $160 more. Any opinions? I'd be looking to wear these with suits and casually.

 

[rick]

Originally Posted by ennui

My order for #8 shortwings was delayed by Sherman Brothers until April(!). I'm wondering if I should just switch to cigar longwings instead which I can get right now, but for around $160 more. Any opinions? I'd be looking to wear these with suits and casually.


go for the cigar i have them there great.

 

[cimabue]

Originally Posted by ennui

My order for #8 shortwings was delayed by Sherman Brothers until April(!). I'm wondering if I should just switch to cigar longwings instead which I can get right now, but for around $160 more. Any opinions? I'd be looking to wear these with suits and casually.

Omg cigar longwings handsdown.

 

[cimabue]

Originally Posted by Roguls

Thread is lacking pictures lately, so I will contribute some:

Pitt Boot and Snuff Suede Boot.

Nice drape, mang.

 

[Man with Apple]

Tom, in years past the cigar shell seemed very hard to come by, but now it seems to be much more prevalent. Would this be a correct assumption?

 

[enigma77]

Originally Posted by ennui

My order for #8 shortwings was delayed by Sherman Brothers until April(!). I'm wondering if I should just switch to cigar longwings instead which I can get right now, but for around $160 more. Any opinions? I'd be looking to wear these with suits and casually.
Shortwings are better than longwings, and I think you might have trouble wearing cigar longwings with a suit without looking flashy. But if that's what you're looking for then go for it. Also, spend zero money between now and April, or whatever, and keep on those shortwings. Or look elsehwere for shortwings when the autumn deliveries come in.