Alden Modified Last: If You Wear, or are Interested, Please Read

[mtc2000]

Beside the obvious, i.e. taking a trip to Japan, you may try an online buyer service such as Tenso.

Alden #54321 is readily available online in Japan. But the merchants may not be willing to ship overseas.

 

[Mike147]



I'd love to know how to buy these, too! I know Moulded has my size in #549 (calf v-tip), but I've heard they rarely get shell Modified.

What size do you wear?

Call the Alden store on Madison avenue.

 

[daniele6]



I'd love to know how to buy these, too! I know Moulded has my size in #549 (calf v-tip), but I've heard they rarely get shell Modified.

Upper Shoes has the shell modified in stock. They ship from France.
www.upper-shoes.com

 

[Mike147]



Upper Shoes has the shell modified in stock. They ship from France.
www.upper-shoes.com

If you are in the USA - you will pay far less for these shoes in NY - 720 Euro will run you about $1000 + shipping from europe. Alden shoe will be about $660

 

[BootSpell]

If you are in the USA - you will pay far less for these shoes in NY - 720 Euro will run you about $1000 + shipping from europe. Alden shoe will be about $660

You will rarely if ever find shell in the modified last in the US. Something to do with Alden's agreement with the Alden retailers in Japan and Europe. There's lots of modified last calf around, especially at Moulded Shoe in Manhattan.

 

[seasquirrel]

Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[Mike147]



I'll be honest, while the Modified last is the best for boots, for bluchers/balmorals I think that Allen Edmonds has a lot of lasts that might satisfy Modified lovers. The 5 last, in particular is really similar, has the same wide flare front, and narrow heel. Yeah, it's not Alden quality, but it's available, it works better for my feet than the Barrie or TruBalance lasts, and you can actually get it in shell (and custom, MTO shell orders) in it, which you can't on the Modified. For boots, though, AE doesn't have anything that works for my foot, unfortunately.

I can't find the 5 Last on their website.

 

[zippyh]

I'll be honest, while the Modified last is the best for boots, for bluchers/balmorals I think that Allen Edmonds has a lot of lasts that might satisfy Modified lovers. The 5 last, in particular is really similar, has the same wide flare front, and narrow heel. Yeah, it's not Alden quality, but it's available, it works better for my feet than the Barrie or TruBalance lasts, and you can actually get it in shell (and custom, MTO shell orders) in it, which you can't on the Modified. For boots, though, AE doesn't have anything that works for my foot, unfortunately.

I can't find the 5 Last on their website.

http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonline/AllAboutLastsView?catalogId=40000000001&langId=-1&storeId=1

 

[sclls]

I would post this here first before putting it up for sale in the B/S forum. Would anybody be interested in a pair of Natural Chromexcel Wingtip shoes

 

[wdahab]

Yeah. The 5 last is what the 65 last is called (you call it by the last digit). It's not identical mind you, it's just a very acceptable alternative for people needing a wide forefoot and narrow heel if you order the EEE sizes. And it's much easier to get in EEE sizes in shell and calf with AE than Alden.

 

[Mike147]



Yeah. The 5 last is what the 65 last is called (you call it by the last digit). It's not identical mind you, it's just a very acceptable alternative for people needing a wide forefoot and narrow heel if you order the EEE sizes. And it's much easier to get in EEE sizes in shell and calf with AE than Alden.

I've had trouble getting a good fit with AE in the past with my orthotics to be honest. Just never enough room in the forefoot in EEE - some of the business casual shoes with removable inserts came close to working. The stiffness of the Alden sheel shank + ML high arch + ML thomas heel have been very good for me.. I'll stop by an AE corp store by my home to try on the '5' or '65' in EEE and see if it works but I am not hopeful

 

[Roguls]



I'll be honest, while the Modified last is the best for boots, for bluchers/balmorals I think that Allen Edmonds has a lot of lasts that might satisfy Modified lovers. The 5 last, in particular is really similar, has the same wide flare front, and narrow heel. Yeah, it's not Alden quality, but it's available, it works better for my feet than the Barrie or TruBalance lasts, and you can actually get it in shell (and custom, MTO shell orders) in it, which you can't on the Modified. For boots, though, AE doesn't have anything that works for my foot, unfortunately.

AE 5 last does not fit anything like the modified. It does not have a raised arch, has a cramped toebox and does not have a raised and supportive heel cup. The modified is an orthotic "banana" last.

 

[Mike147]



AE 5 last does not fit anything like the modified. It does not have a raised arch, has a cramped toebox and does not have a raised and supportive heel cup. The modified is an orthotic "banana" last.

Have you been able to find a Vass banana last that fits you?

 

[wdahab]



AE 5 last does not fit anything like the modified. It does not have a raised arch, has a cramped toebox and does not have a raised and supportive heel cup. The modified is an orthotic "banana" last.

Shrug, I disagree. Well, I agree about the lack of an arch, but the modified really doesn't have much of an arch either in my experience. I find the heel cup quite supportive and that it has a similar flare, with a straight inner line. Of course anyone here is going to have a very particular foot. For some of you it won't work, but I suspect that there are many people here who will fin that it does. When I compare their profile with my modified Alden's, they are very similar. I will post pictures later when I get the chance

 

[Mike147]



Shrug, I disagree. Well, I agree about the lack of an arch, but the modified really doesn't have much of an arch either in my experience. I find the heel cup quite supportive and that it has a similar flare, with a straight inner line. Of course anyone here is going to have a very particular foot. For some of you it won't work, but I suspect that there are many people here who will fin that it does. When I compare their profile with my modified Alden's, they are very similar. I will post pictures later when I get the chance

The arch support we refer to is built into the last - it's driven by the shape of the shoe as well as the type of heel installed. The very narrow waist is meant to accommodate a person with a high arch. The best way to see this is to look at the shoe from the sole side.

While you can always add padding, etc under your arch, the ML Last design has arch support built into the shape. In additional, the Thomas heel adds to the arch support as the heel extends further forward in the shoes, under the arch.

I'm not a shoe-builder so it's tough for me to explain in technical terms. Bottom line for me is that AE has nothing like the ML in it's last and construction. This isn't a good or bad thing for AE - simple fact that Alden traditionally had an orthopedic 'footbalance' line in additional to their traditional dress shoes. We are simply a bunch of guys who want Alden to built a fancier, more styled dress shoe and / or boot on a last that they originally designed for people with problem feet...