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

[baromatic]

Recon someone was interested in comparing the Modified last and 379x.
I think it shows the differences in shape quite well.

 

[NickCarraway]

Recon someone was interested in comparing the Modified last and 379x.
I think it shows the differences in shape quite well.

I refuse to believe that any man in real life has the grapefruit-sized heel the Barrie is built to accommodate.

 

[baromatic]



I refuse to believe that any man in real life has the grapefruit-sized heel the Barrie is built to accommodate.

Well Alden does offer different heel sizes... But I get what you mean ~

 

[Mike147]



Well Alden does offer different heel sizes... But I get what you mean ~

But can you actually have a combination heel size custom made by Alden on the Barrie? Answer is certainly no. They do very little in the way of customization for clients these days...

 

[McBear]

I sometimes feel that my "square" feet makes me to choose too wide shoes to get necessary width across the toes.
Is there anyone out there who takes an E width in Barrie and Truebalance but a D width in the Modified last?

 

[Mike147]



I sometimes feel that my "square" feet makes me to choose too wide shoes to get necessary width across the toes.
Is there anyone out there who takes an E width in Barrie and Truebalance but a D width in the Modified last?

You should try on both but I think the bottom line here is that an E in the Barrie will be very close to an E in the Modified Last across the toes. The rest of the Modified Last shoe will be very different than the Barrie. The heel cup is much narrower and fit is much snugger across the instep. An E in the Modified will appear sleeker/narrower than an E in the Barrie but should provide you with similar 'volume' in the front of the shoe. I think you should try on an E in the Modified Last if an E width fits you in the Barrie.

The fit on the ML is a bit more art than science - A 10 E in the Barrie might equate a 9.5 E in the Modified... Bottom line, you need to try it on. Moulded shoe in NYC is the best place to do this as they are experts in the last and should have a good # of shoes for you to try on.

 

[McBear]

You should try on both but I think the bottom line here is that an E in the Barrie will be very close to an E in the Modified Last across the toes. The rest of the Modified Last shoe will be very different than the Barrie. The heel cup is much narrower and fit is much snugger across the instep. An E in the Modified will appear sleeker/narrower than an E in the Barrie but should provide you with similar 'volume' in the front of the shoe. I think you should try on an E in the Modified Last if an E width fits you in the Barrie.

The fit on the ML is a bit more art than science - A 10 E in the Barrie might equate a 9.5 E in the Modified... Bottom line, you need to try it on. Moulded shoe in NYC is the best place to do this as they are experts in the last and should have a good # of shoes for you to try on.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Ennius]

You should try on both but I think the bottom line here is that an E in the Barrie will be very close to an E in the Modified Last across the toes. The rest of the Modified Last shoe will be very different than the Barrie. The heel cup is much narrower and fit is much snugger across the instep. An E in the Modified will appear sleeker/narrower than an E in the Barrie but should provide you with similar 'volume' in the front of the shoe. I think you should try on an E in the Modified Last if an E width fits you in the Barrie.

The fit on the ML is a bit more art than science - A 10 E in the Barrie might equate a 9.5 E in the Modified... Bottom line, you need to try it on. Moulded shoe in NYC is the best place to do this as they are experts in the last and should have a good # of shoes for you to try on.

Wow - you know the fittings well on the Alden lasts.

I wear a 9.5EEE in the Modified Last. I havent put much effort into other Alden lasts - they Moulded Shoe folks told me the other lasts wont fit well and I tend to trust their judgment. Any guidance on looking at other Lasts?

 

[Wes Bourne]

A couple ML shell shoes available for $515 here:

http://www.brownsfashion.com/product/020Q52Z10008/206/cordovan-lace-up-shoes

http://www.brownsfashion.com/product/020Q52Z10013/027/cordovan-blucher-oxford-shoes

 

[Mike147]



Wow - you know the fittings well on the Alden lasts.

I wear a 9.5EEE in the Modified Last.  I haven't put much effort into other Alden lasts - they Moulded Shoe folks told me the other lasts wont fit well and I tend to trust their judgment.  Any guidance on looking at other Lasts?

I had a pair or two on the Barrie last before I started to wear ML. I don't think you'll get a good fit on another Alden last now that your are used to wearing the ML.

If you live near NY, you can always check out the Alden Shop on Madison - they have a good selection and you can at least try on different lasts. Ive heard from one retailer that the Van last is closer to the ML than other lasts but I doubt it will feel the same. The ML also gives you a Thomas Heel which you won't get on any of the standard Alden of NE lasts.

Moulded shoe will have other lasts but just doesn't carry a deep inventory in EEE of non-ML shoes. They should have some styles for you in calf ML 9.5EEE but Shell cordovan selection is extremely limited and i'm sure they are charging $700+ for the always ugly V-Tip that I own in suede and brown calf. Still unhappy with the general selection of ML in the States... The plain toe in EEE is just plain ugly and i've already given my opinion of the V-Tip. Anatomica has some pretty ML shoes but doesn't stock EEE - not sure if they will special order in EEE.

If you're looking for a boot - you know already that you can't get a ML in EEE width... Trubalance, Barrie, etc are an option but you need to dial in the fit. Just going to be a very expensive experiment if you wind up dropping $750+ for a pair of Shell Cordovan boots on Barrie or Trubalance and they don't feel good on your feet two weeks later. If you want a boot - consider bespoke Maftei from Vienna. You should be able to easily achieve a better fit than ML (in shoes and boots) and will wind up paying about $1100 a pair, delivered. If you need to fit adjusted, they will do that for you - something you just can't get with RTW

I still have a pair of slightly used ML Shell #8 PCT in 9.5EEE waiting for you.

 

[zzdocxx]

Thanks for the education.

BTW I saw a pair of lightly used Alden boots on ebay claiming to be ML, but to my eye seemed clearly not.

I just checked and Moulded has no open orders at this time. That's the first time I have seen that.

Too bad mine is not a popular size that is part of the regular production runs.

 

[GarleyCavidson]

I dropped by Moulded Shoe and tried on ML shoes and boots. I'm a 9.5 EEE but even the 10E for boots fit me better than any other shoe I've ever tried on.

I'm dying to find a Plain Toe Boot in black Cordovan. Of the places I've emailed only Anatomica France says it's possible but they're currently out of stock. Alden of SF stated that they can't do specific orders and stated that shell ML is exclusive to the Japanese market.

What's the current status on petitioning Alden for shell ML in the US?

 

[Skelnik]

I dropped by Moulded Shoe and tried on ML shoes and boots. I'm a 9.5 EEE but even the 10E for boots fit me better than any other shoe I've ever tried on.

I'm dying to find a Plain Toe Boot in black Cordovan. Of the places I've emailed only Anatomica France says it's possible but they're currently out of stock. Alden of SF stated that they can't do specific orders and stated that shell ML is exclusive to the Japanese market.

What's the current status on petitioning Alden for shell ML in the US?

Not sure how you'd get in touch with them. I've called the number listed on their website several times and only got through to a real person once and she was not very helpful at answering any questions. She made me feel like I was bothering her. Maybe she was jus having a bad day who knows.

 

[NickCarraway]

shell ML is exclusive to the Japanese market.

What's the current status on petitioning Alden for shell ML in the US?

To me the status is giving Alden the finger for being such jerks about making their product available in their home country.

 

[Mike147]



I dropped by Moulded Shoe and tried on ML shoes and boots. I'm a 9.5 EEE but even the 10E for boots fit me better than any other shoe I've ever tried on.

I'm dying to find a Plain Toe Boot in black Cordovan. Of the places I've emailed only Anatomica France says it's possible but they're currently out of stock. Alden of SF stated that they can't do specific orders and stated that shell ML is exclusive to the Japanese market.

What's the current status on petitioning Alden for shell ML in the US?

The Shell petition is dead... Alden is protecting their Japanese market - i don't see them changing their tune