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Made in Spain Footwear, including TLB Mallorca, Cobbler Union, Yanko, Norman Vilalta, etc

thuhoan

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Would strongly caution you on this. If I could go back in time and tell myself some things about getting into shoes it would be to slow down, try one thing from a brand and verify the fit and that I enjoy the shoe, it’s make and style in real life, not just in pictures or because someone told me I should like it. Almost as important as the fit and seeing it I would tell myself to make sure that every purchase was exactly what I wanted and not filling someone else’s idea of what my collection should have or thinking I’d eventually want something like it.
Doing exactly that is how I ended up selling off half my collection to either buy things that fit better or that I enjoyed more and losing thousands of dollars in the process.

Well said, same happened to me, luckily I lost only a couple of hundreds. But still I think it is part of one's journey: learn and evolve.
 

JohnMRobie

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Yeah, for this reason I held off buying my first pair of nice shoes as a Black Captoe Oxford from Vass for $440 [330 eu + 40 eu shipping]. I didn't like the looks of the P2 last nor the fact that the soles appeared to be so so finishing wise [even with JR soles], even if it's only something I'd be looking at. Lot of talk on how handwelting is superior, but by that same point if it was always true then Meermin LM would be better than all Goodyear Welted shoes, which I believe to be false.
I don’t think anyone’s made that claim regarding automatically being a better shoe and they’d be silly to make that argument as there are many components that go into a shoe. It would however be accurate to say they have a better construction method but shoes can’t automatically be boiled down to just their construction just as they can’t be boiled down to its leather quality or just it’s components. You need to have a holistic view of the entirety of the product, not just with regards to the product but how you plan to use it. But beyond that it needs to fit your needs and fit your foot.

What I would say is that Meermin LM would be superior than a Goodyear welted shoe with identical components, leather quality and finishing elsewhere. Just like not all GYW shoes are comparable, all HW shoes aren’t comparable. I wouldn’t compare Meermin’s GYW shoe to TLB or even more extreme to Edward Green or Gaziano Girling.

To bring it back to this thread - that’s a big part of why TLB’s Artista line provides so much value is the other components involved beyond the Goodyear welting. From the styling to the components to the finishing it checks a lot of boxes, particularly for the money.

I enjoy my Goodyear welted shoes, my hand welted shoes and hell, even my glued driving shoes and sneakers. They all serve a purpose. My advice is more about making sure you’re 1) certain of a good fit 2) certain you like how the shoe looks (preferably in person) and 3) that the shoe is what you want and that you don’t just buy to buy because it’s a “deal”
 

Patrick1053

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Definitely don't order multiple pairs before you confirm fit. I burned through probably 15 pairs of Allen Edmonds trying to find the right fit, before I realized how big of a difference a last makes as far as fit goes, and TBH just how weird and abnormal my feet are.
 

apd90700

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Yeah, I'm asking the site to confirm the shoe width since it doesn't say on the two pairs, and I'm not buying until I know for sure. That said, most people on here appear to find TLB true to fit from what I've read [exluding loafer lasts like Jones].

My feet are 9D US, with low instep in the 24-25cm range -- believe around 26-27cm is normal instep. Standard arches, so not too out of the ordinary. Instep issues could maybe be altered with a tongue pad from what I've seen.

As for where I've seen people discuss handwelting as better, youtube reviewers. I found the same conclusion as you're saying Jmr, in that there's much more to the shoe than HW vs GYW vs Blake, and that you do have to like the uppers, they have to fit, etc. Everything you're saying I agree with and have considered; not overly excited to pull the trigger on the first pairs of shoes, but also, the value of TLB and what you get for the price is what's drawn me to TLB over others. With the value of these shoe deals I've found being even greater than TLB's already distinguished value proposition, it really is cranking things to 11, and like, why wouldn't I buy them. To me it's down to the retailer confirming the width, and I can return them if they don't fit, albeit seems less likely with what I've read on fit for the lasts.

Update* All three pairs are different lasts on the ML -- Alan, Oliver and Bryan. Just bought the ML Oliver Adelaide w/o Medallion in Vegano Burgundy Calf, since I was already looking to purchase that one.
 
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Jazzthief

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What is the functional difference between the Senior and Incas sole? Which one has better grip? I am interested in the context of dress shoes for winter (ice and snow).
 

MacGuffen

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Pros and cons on Senior vs Incas sole? Is the exposed waist of any consequence with regard to durability? What about in the rain?
1618329538045.png

1618329545012.png


Edit: That's funny, @Jazzthief, we posted at the exact same time.
 

apd90700

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What is the functional difference between the Senior and Incas sole? Which one has better grip? I am interested in the context of dress shoes for winter (ice and snow).

Pros and cons on Senior vs Incas sole? Is the exposed waist of any consequence with regard to durability? What about in the rain?
View attachment 1592330
View attachment 1592331

Edit: That's funny, @Jazzthief, we posted at the exact same time.


Believe it's mostly aesthetic, but the INCA being one piece is more durable perhaps than the SENIOR.

Below is from Patine, I'd venture to say they're listing the soles in descending order by Aesthetics and Durability and Fitness [bad weather]. So the higher in the list the more aesthetic, but less durable and bad-weather appropriate.

  • Leather Sole - perfect leather soles that will always impress
  • City Sole - thin and most elegant rubber soles
  • Senior Sole - very attractive, durable and comfortable rubber soles with leather accents in the midfoot area
  • Incas Sole - wear-resistant, classic rubber soles preferred for casual models and the Boots category
 

Jazzthief

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Believe it's mostly aesthetic, but the INCA being one piece is more durable perhaps than the SENIOR.

Below is from Patine, I'd venture to say they're listing the soles in descending order by Aesthetics and Durability and Fitness [bad weather]. So the higher in the list the more aesthetic, but less durable and bad-weather appropriate.

  • Leather Sole - perfect leather soles that will always impress
  • City Sole - thin and most elegant rubber soles
  • Senior Sole - very attractive, durable and comfortable rubber soles with leather accents in the midfoot area
  • Incas Sole - wear-resistant, classic rubber soles preferred for casual models and the Boots category

Thank you! However, my problem does not lie with durability, but with grip. Does anyone have any insight in this regard?
 

JohnMRobie

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Believe it's mostly aesthetic, but the INCA being one piece is more durable perhaps than the SENIOR.

Below is from Patine, I'd venture to say they're listing the soles in descending order by Aesthetics and Durability. So the higher in the list the more aesthetic, but less durable.

  • Leather Sole - perfect leather soles that will always impress
  • City Sole - thin and most elegant rubber soles
  • Senior Sole - very attractive, durable and comfortable rubber soles with leather accents in the midfoot area
  • Incas Sole - wear-resistant, classic rubber soles preferred for casual models and the Boots category
+1 although I doubt the durability hit is that much based on some other shoes I have with a haf sole as the waist typically doesn't get too get much hard wear compared to say the where the ball of my foot is. My main concern with leather soles getting wet during the winter is when I continue to wear them in a slightly weakened state (there's a reason soles get soaked when they need to get them cut open for stitching or molding them to the last or shaping them) and my foot getting damp with it soaking the moisture in and holding it - With the waist, that's closer to the heel and not making direct contact with pavement or whatever I'm walking on so it may age over time. Here's an example of a pair of Carmina's I mainly wear in winter/spring with a half rubber sole that's due for a resole and re-heel but you can see the waist I just realized I never even bothered to take the sticker off and is still there because it gets such little direct wear but has aged and discolored from the water/salt/etc.
Screen Shot 2021-04-13 at 12.02.08 PM.png
 

Patrick1053

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Thank you! However, my problem does not lie with durability, but with grip. Does anyone have any insight in this regard?
Commando lug sole is the only way to go for grip. Inca, york, senior, leather, city rubber, etc. aren't gonna do much in ice.
 

MacGuffen

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Commando lug sole is the only way to go for grip. Inca, york, senior, leather, city rubber, etc. aren't gonna do much in ice.
That has been my experience as well. Only negative about commando soles is how pebbles get stuck in the lugs.
 

Shetterd

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Do you guys have experience with TLB shipping times? How long does it usually take for them to ship and what carrier do they use? Thanks!
 

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