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

[zag73]

All this info is available on the website, but this is still totally worth seeing.

A lot of shoe for the money. What’s TLB’s quality control like. Hopefully better than Carmina’s?

 

[Patrick1053]

A lot of shoe for the money. What’s TLB’s quality control like. Hopefully better than Carmina’s?

I have not seen anyone post a defect in this whole thread. I think Carmina's problem is that it is getting too big for itself. TLB is much smaller, and you communicate with the owner, Toni, directly. He is also very active in the factory, reviewing the shoes. I know this cause he has sent me pictures of shoes I have ordered while they were in production. He also told me he inspects them before shipping. If their lasts fit your foot well, then you really can't get a better $ to shoe quality ratio.

 

[zag73]

I have not seen anyone post a defect in this whole thread. I think Carmina's problem is that it is getting too big for itself. TLB is much smaller, and you communicate with the owner, Toni, directly. He is also very active in the factory, reviewing the shoes. I know this cause he has sent me pictures of shoes I have ordered while they were in production. He also told me he inspects them before shipping. If their lasts fit your foot well, then you really can't get a better $ to shoe quality ratio.

Cool. Thanks for your help. I usually wear a Sineu lasted Carmina shoe. Any TLB lasts that are similar?

 

[Patrick1053]

Cool. Thanks for your help. I usually wear a Sineu lasted Carmina shoe. Any TLB lasts that are similar?

I have not tried Sineu. Maybe others can chip in. Also, I would email TLB, and tell them about your sizing. People have said Toni is quite helpful with that. He accurately advised me on sizing for my first pair via email.

 

[zag73]

I have not tried Sineu. Maybe others can chip in. Also, I would email TLB, and tell them about your sizing. People have said Toni is quite helpful with that. He accurately advised me on sizing for my first pair via email.

cheers ?

 

[gld edmond]

Is everyone going with half size down on their TLB ML and AL loafers?

Also, opinions needed -- Old England Medium Brown vs. Burgundy for a) versatility and b) appearance?

I wear an 8 in Carmina Rain, and had to go down to 7.5 on the TLB Goya, perfect fit!

 

[apd90700]

Double Leathers, JR Leather or Dainite [Inca] for durability?

 

[Emil S]

Double Leathers, JR Leather or Dainite [Inca] for durability?

Would go for Vibram/Inca.

 

[apd90700]

Another question.

No brainer or all brainer?

Option to buy a new pair of TLB Mallorca Main Collection, Two Tone Balmoral in Brown Suede/Old England Brown Calf, with toe medallion AND JR outsole for... $290 USD shipped...

Update* Mispoke, minus VAT it's actually $270.

Literally just stumbled on this one as I was looking to finish up a purchase of an Adelaide ML for $320, and was like, damn, now I have to figure out which to buy.

 

[JohnMRobie]

Another question.

No brainer or all brainer?

Option to buy a new pair of TLB Mallorca Main Collection, Two Tone Balmoral in Brown Suede/Old England Brown Calf, with toe medallion AND JR outsole for... $290 USD shipped...

Literally just stumbled on this one as I was looking to finish up a purchase of an Adelaide ML for $320, and was like, damn, now I have to figure out which to buy.

If it's the style and size you wanted then I'm not sure why you wouldn't grab it? If it's not what you're looking for though and you're jamming a square peg into a round hole to check the box because of the price then I'd pass.

If the extra 30 would get you what you wanted to buy then I'd spend the extra $30 and get the adelaide or just buy exactly what you want from TLB directly and not hunt for the deal if neither is exactly what you wanted. In the long run the 30, 50, 100 is a pretty small cost compared to the cost of getting something you don't want and selling at a loss or never wearing it.

 

[Patrick1053]

Another question.

No brainer or all brainer?

Option to buy a new pair of TLB Mallorca Main Collection, Two Tone Balmoral in Brown Suede/Old England Brown Calf, with toe medallion AND JR outsole for... $290 USD shipped...

Update* Mispoke, minus VAT it's actually $270.

Literally just stumbled on this one as I was looking to finish up a purchase of an Adelaide ML for $320, and was like, damn, now I have to figure out which to buy.

I think that is a great deal. I'd buy them, and if it does not work out then you can resell them at little to no loss (maybe even a small profit)

 

[apd90700]

So, found two TLB ML for less than $300 with the JR soles. While they're not necessarily a style I was looking at getting, I'm making my first nice shoe purchases, so I have exactly 0 pairs in rotation right now. Probably buy all three in a shade of brown to get my brown rotation started off right.

 

[Patrick1053]

So, found two TLB ML for less than $300 with the JR soles. While they're not necessarily a style I was looking at getting, I'm making my first nice shoe purchases, so I have exactly 0 pairs in rotation right now. Probably buy all three in a shade of brown to get my brown rotation started off right.

Yeah at that price, you can't go wrong. If you don't like it they can easily be sold.

 

[JohnMRobie]

So, found two TLB ML for less than $300 with the JR soles. While they're not necessarily a style I was looking at getting, I'm making my first nice shoe purchases, so I have exactly 0 pairs in rotation right now. Probably buy all three in a shade of brown to get my brown rotation started off right.

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.

 

[apd90700]

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.

Yeah, for this reason I held off buying my first pair of nice shoes as a Black Captoe Oxford from Vass for $440 USD [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.