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

[wdahab]

Grabbed a pair of the Natural CXL modified Indy boots over the weekend. They are actually my first Indy's, and after doing some research it was clear that modified was the way I needed to go. Went in to the Moulded Shoe (btw, if you haven't been in there in person, its a trip, floor to ceiling boxes upon boxes of shoes in a super-narrow shop) and they were low on stock. The sales guy was pleasantly surprised that they had anything in my size (9.5E), let alone the natural CXL that I wanted.

Personally I like the Trubalance moc-stitching better, it's just a bit broader and less pointed. Maybe it's just preference of the default, but there you go. But of course, the heel-cup on the modified last is so much slimmer, perfect for my foot which needs a true combination last. The Trubalance heels are so unbelievably wide, its not even funny.

Also, I don't see the clown-foot aspect that a lot of people accuse this of having. Well, maybe if you just look at the bottom, the sole/heel shape looks like it should be clown foot shaped, but from the top it looks perfectly normal. From the side they look nice and sleek, not bulbous at all.

 

[BootSpell]

Grabbed a pair of the Natural CXL modified Indy boots over the weekend. They are actually my first Indy's, and after doing some research it was clear that modified was the way I needed to go. Went in to the Moulded Shoe (btw, if you haven't been in there in person, its a trip, floor to ceiling boxes upon boxes of shoes in a super-narrow shop) and they were low on stock. The sales guy was pleasantly surprised that they had anything in my size (9.5E), let alone the natural CXL that I wanted.

Personally I like the Trubalance moc-stitching better, it's just a bit broader and less pointed. Maybe it's just preference of the default, but there you go. But of course, the heel-cup on the modified last is so much slimmer, perfect for my foot which needs a true combination last. The Trubalance heels are so unbelievably wide, its not even funny.

Also, I don't see the clown-foot aspect that a lot of people accuse this of having. Well, maybe if you just look at the bottom, the sole/heel shape looks like it should be clown foot shaped, but from the top it looks perfectly normal. From the side they look nice and sleek, not bulbous at all.

Great score, wdahab! I've had mine for about a year now and they are super comfortable. My only complaint is that they are really heavy; the heaviest boots I own. Not sure what I'll go for when they need to be resoled --- waterlock (sp?), Vibram or Dainite.

You will love the patina that develops as these age. Enjoy.

 

[wdahab]

Thanks. They are heavy, but I'm used to it, with other boots that were heavy but didn't fit properly. Yeah, really the only detraction on these is the different moc-toe stitching, it just doesn't *look* like an Indy boot. But it's a aspect of the extra room in front of the big toe, which is another reason I couldn't have a normal Indy, because my big toe would hit the front, like they do in my (mistake fit) OSB trench boots.

I actually really wanted the neo-cork sole, otherwise I'd have gone with the shoe mart PT boot on the modified last. Neo-cork is the perfect sole for where I am in the suburbs, with some snow, some mud, lots of grass, and walking in the city and in puddles.

I was going to post these pics in the main Alden thread, but then it occurred to me that if anyone told me to wear them in good health, or called me nephew, I'd have to burn them.

 

[BootSpell]

^ Ha! Glad I didn't do that then. But I don't mind that. To me, it's just an amusing and dare I say charming quirk of that thread. The knowledge of Aldens on that thread is incredible.

 

[BootSpell]

Sad to say but I finally dropped out of the Kudu Indy boot MTO with Moulded. Just got frustrated with Alden's lack of response and wanted something for my money sooner rather than later. Rafael was extremely understanding and willing to send me back my deposit. After many exchanges of email with him where he sent me lists of what's in stock in my size and what's on the list of "Closed Orders" (confirmed by Alden and on their production schedule), I couldn't quite decide what to do with my deposit. Rafael was really quite awesome and helpful.

I considered these two which were in stock in my size (read --- immediate gratification):




I liked the burnished tan and don't have anything like it but I just didn't "love" it. I have a few natty CXL boots but nothing in brown CXL and the pics I've seen of the patina that develops on these (just awesome) made me lean towards the PCT boots. But I'm not fond of small caps and was kind of leery that the caps on these would bother me. So I passed.

Long story short (I know, it's long already), I ended up putting my deposit towards a pair of brown CXL wingtip boots on the "closed order" list. Rafael assures me I should see them soon. The wait and anticipation begins again. But I'm quite excited by my decision.

 

[PhiPsi32]

Burnished tan all the way . . .

 

[kwhitelaw]

^^

agreed..

I talked with Raphael today. was going to initially get a refund on my kudu preorder, but he admitted that he'd like to let it run its course (couple more months til it's been a year) He's happily offering refunds for those invested in the kudu, but if anything, I'll slide to another shoe/boot. Will look at their confirmed list from alden to see if anything catches my fancy

 

[Mike147]

Not surprised to see Moulded quickly making good on the deposits. They know everyone that dropped a depo is either an existing customer or a potential future customer and they 'get it' in relation to the frustration in waiting on Alden to confirm special orders.

I'd be willing to bet a large majority of those who dropped Depo's will buy something else from Moulded rather than take the cash back. Rafael doesn't want to sell you one pair of shoes - he wants you to be a customer for life and get your shoes / boots resoled with him, etc... Customer service at MS is excellent - they don't forget you once you've made a purchase.

I've been working to move away from the ML and add some variety to my rotation but I'll always buy shoes from them, albeit less frequently than I have in the past.

 

[Cornellian]



Not surprised to see Moulded quickly making good on the deposits. They know everyone that dropped a depo is either an existing customer or a potential future customer and they 'get it' in relation to the frustration in waiting on Alden to confirm special orders.

I'd be willing to bet a large majority of those who dropped Depo's will buy something else from Moulded rather than take the cash back. Rafael doesn't want to sell you one pair of shoes - he wants you to be a customer for life and get your shoes / boots resoled with him, etc... Customer service at MS is excellent - they don't forget you once you've made a purchase.

I've been working to move away from the ML and add some variety to my rotation but I'll always buy shoes from them, albeit less frequently than I have in the past.

+1

 

[linafelt]

So, are Modified Last Indy boots available anywhere besides Molded Shoe, does anyone know? I checked with them, but they are temporarily out...

 

[wdahab]



So, are Modified Last Indy boots available anywhere besides Molded Shoe, does anyone know?  I checked with them, but they are temporarily out...

Modified Indy's are not available anywhere else in the US. The guy at Moulded Shoe once told me that if I ever found a pair for sale in the US, he'd give me a pair for free. That said, the shoe mart has a plain toe, leather soled natural CXL boot on the modified last, with a pretty decent selection of D-widths available, as well as some bluchers. They're the only other US sellers of Modified Last that I know.

 

[linafelt]

Modified Indy's are not available anywhere else in the US. The guy at Moulded Shoe once told me that if I ever found a pair for sale in the US, he'd give me a pair for free. That said, the shoe mart has a plain toe, leather soled natural CXL boot on the modified last, with a pretty decent selection of D-widths available, as well as some bluchers. They're the only other US sellers of Modified Last that I know.

Hm, so... I guess you got a free pair from Moulded..

Thanks for the info...

 

[wdahab]

Haha, no, I think he was pretty confident I couldn't find it anywhere else. The Shoe Mart isn't an Indy, but if they had it in E widths and/or with neocork soles, I might have gone with that instead. Despite the absolutely awful photo, which makes it look much more bulbous in the heal than it actually is.

 

[dopey]

Alden doesn't make their All Weather Walker in shell or on the modified last. So I did. Whiskey shell, crêpe soles with leather tip.

 

[BootSpell]

Alden doesn't make their All Weather Walker in shell or on the modified last. So I did. Whiskey shell, crêpe soles with leather tip.

Very creative! They look really dark for whiskey, probably just the lighting. Did B. Nelson do the work?