Where do Herring shoes stand quality wise?

[CharlesAlexander]

Just checked out there website for the first time from a previous thread.

They have some really nice shoes at great prices it seems. Has anyone ever owned a pair? Where are they made? I am thinking about pulling the trigger on these monks.

Tried doing a search but nothing came up.

 

[whiteslashasian]

I believe the Herring shoes are supposed to be up there with the Loake 1880 line. Also many of the Herring's are made by Loake...

 

[anon]

Originally Posted by whiteslashasian

I believe the Herring shoes are supposed to be up there with the Loake 1880 line. Also many of the Herring's are made by Loake...
would you put them roughly on par with AE then, or are they of a lesser quality?

 

[CharlesAlexander]

If they are on par with AE quality wise, then I'm gonna pick up one or two pairs. Prices are better than brand new AE's and they are much mroe stylish IMO. The fact they are made my Loake only sweeten the deal.

 

[whiteslashasian]

Originally Posted by anon

would you put them roughly on par with AE then, or are they of a lesser quality?

I personally do not own any Herring or Loake 1880 shoes. There was a pretty extensive thread about Loake 1880 vs Allen Edmonds:

http://www.styleforum.net/showthread...ighlight=Loake

Some firmly believe that Loake 1880 line exceeds the quality and style of AE, while others tout that Loake uses lesser quality leathers and workmanship. I personally love the quality of my AE's but prefer the styling of many Loakes.

 

[anon]

Originally Posted by whiteslashasian

I personally do not own any Herring or Loake 1880 shoes. There was a pretty extensive thread about Loake 1880 vs Allen Edmonds: http://www.styleforum.net/showthread...ighlight=Loake Some firmly believe that Loake 1880 line exceeds the quality and style of AE, while others tout that Loake uses lesser quality leathers and workmanship. I personally love the quality of my AE's but prefer the styling of many Loakes.
I remember that thread. I had a question about the Loake Comfort line that no one seems to have an answer for. It seems worth it to take a chance on Loake. I wonder if the quality of Loake leather is all the way down with the standard Clarks/Bostonian/Kenneth Coles that you can pick up at the average American shoe store. check these out: only ~$130 shipped to the US http://www.herringshoes.co.uk/produc...ID=2&seconds=1

 

[whiteslashasian]

Originally Posted by CharlesAlexander

If they are on par with AE quality wise, then I'm gonna pick up one or two pairs. Prices are better than brand new AE's and they are much mroe stylish IMO. The fact they are made my Loake only sweeten the deal.

Which line of Herring shoes are you looking at? Also you can check out the Sales and Seconds section for good prices on seconds and discontinued models (however it's hard to tell which line the shoes are in, just get anything that's "polished" because I believe that's Correct Grain).

 

[CharlesAlexander]

Originally Posted by whiteslashasian

Which line of Herring shoes are you looking at? Also you can check out the Sales and Seconds section for good prices on seconds and discontinued models (however it's hard to tell which line the shoes are in, just get anything that's "polished" because I believe that's Correct Grain).

I was looking at the classic collection, specificallythese monks. There are also a few other styles I like as well.

I am going to read through that thread, the low quality leather thing sort of scares me a little. I guess there HAS to be a trade off for such a low price.

 

[anon]

Originally Posted by CharlesAlexander

I was looking at the classic collection, specificallythese monks. There are also a few other styles I like as well.

I am going to read through that thread, the low quality leather thing sort of scares me a little. I guess there HAS to be a trade off for such a low price.
I also wonder how low the quality is. I mean some guys around here find C&J benchgrade too subpar to grace their feet. Are we talking unwearable junk, or just not AS nice as the others?

 

[rdawson808]

I returned the only pair of Herring (by Loake) shoes that I've bought. For starters, they run HUGE. I wear a 8.5/9 US and probably needed a 7.5UK. So that annoyed me.

Second, these things just felt like the stiffest corrected gain leather to me. Not comfortable. The overall design of the full brogue monkstrap I liked very much. But otherwise, they were horrible.

I would not put that pair on par with my pairs of AEs at all.


b

 

[whiteslashasian]

Originally Posted by rdawson808

I returned the only pair of Herring (by Loake) shoes that I've bought. For starters, they run HUGE. I wear a 8.5/9 US and probably needed a 7.5UK. So that annoyed me.

Second, these things just felt like the stiffest corrected gain leather to me. Not comfortable. The overall design of the full brogue monkstrap I liked very much. But otherwise, they were horrible.

I would not put that pair on par with my pairs of AEs at all.


b

oooooo snap! There goes our dreams of inexpensive good quality shoes...

Do you think that massive amounts of leather conditioner would help reduce the stiffness in the leather? They usually state when they use "Polished" (corrected grain) and Calf....

 

[CharlesAlexander]

Originally Posted by whiteslashasian

oooooo snap! There goes our dreams of inexpensive good quality shoes...

Bang, bang

 

[Sebastian]

Some shoes of the Herring house brand are made by Loake, others are made by Chaney these days, if I remember correctly.

I think they are nice for the price, but surely not high end.
If you find them on discount they should make a good deal.

They discontinued their Alfred Sargent for Herrings line two years or so ago. I was lucky to get a black Oxford at a sale-price. Great quality, on par with the AS Premier line IMO.

 

[Tarmac]

The linked monks look like Loake made.

Loake construction is good, the iffy part is the leather. If you get them and the leather is good, you are set.

 

[Ich_Dien]

I have a pair of Cheaney for Herring Shoes Brogues, and they are not corrected grain leather and have lasted me a good two years, however, they are in need of reheeling mainly due to getting caught in an unexpected monsoon in them. Bottom right:

Actually, now that I look at that image, the suede tassled loafers are also Herring Shoes, made by Alfred Sargent I believe. They certainly took the longest to wear in of all my shoes and were quite painful to begin with.