Allen Edmonds Appreciation Thread - reviews, pictures, sizing, etc...

[random-adam]



I picked up a pair of the Brown Shell Strands in my exact size 9.5C from Shoebuy via Amazon for about $335, first quality...

I've got obscenely long and narrow feet. I'd already resigned myself to buying nothing but Allen Edmonds shoes for pretty much the rest of my life, aside from the odd vintage pickup on eBay.

Since the office is business casual and I have the basics in calf (black PA, brown Byron, and a clunky Wilbert for weekend use), thanks to all of you goons on this thread it looks like I'll be perpetually saving up for the next pair of AE shell. It's just so hypnotic...

Nice-looking Strands, sir!

 

[hohneokc]



Your thoughts on the "wrinkles" on the front quarters of these Dark Brown Burnished Strands that just came in today? AE customer service didnt really think anything of them. Would you return them?

Personally, I wouldn't send them back. I figure there are going to be a few wrinkles after I wear them once. But they are your shoes and you need to be happy with them. BTW - great looking shoes. I think the brown Strands are way under rated. I know the walnut Strands are pretty, but I don't think enough people give credit to the brown Strands. Chris

 

[triumphman]

Thank you 7foldtieman!

So I presume your Alden Barrie last size is in 9 D as well, same size as AE 8 Last?

I have at least a dozen pairs on Alden's Barrie Last. I have 3 models on AE's 8 Last. I take 9D in each. Hope this helps.

 

[PhiPsi32]

Personally, I wouldn't send them back. I figure there are going to be a few wrinkles after I wear them once. But they are your shoes and you need to be happy with them.
BTW - great looking shoes. I think the brown Strands are way under rated. I know the walnut Strands are pretty, but I don't think enough people give credit to the brown Strands.
Chris

Agreed

 

[reidrothchild]



Is the AE recrafting service worth not having cheaper work done by local cobblers?
http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonline/RecraftingView?storeId=1&langId=-1&catalogId=40000000001
I believe the standard service charge when I first got my strands was 100 dollars...now it's 125? Heel replacements for 50 dollars? Seems like most cobblers charge between 20-30 for that. Full heel and sole replacements are usually around 65-80 dollars as well compared to the 125 AE asks.
Going local seems like the much better option except you won't get the uppers refinished and you void the chance to get recrafting in the future if the sole is worked on. I'm assuming AE still allows recrafting if local cobblers do heel replacements? Thoughts and opinions?

I've been on the fence about this myself. It's tough to justify $125 to recraft when many of AE's 2nds go on sale for around that price one or twice per year. My Strawfuts will probably need a recraft in another summer or two, and I don't like the idea of paying $125 to recraft shoes I only paid $130 for in the first place. That being said, I've seen what a $50 resole gets you from my local cobbler, and I was not at all impressed with the results. So my opinion would be that you need to do your homework on the cobblers in your area. All resoles are not created equal. As for me, I'll be forking over the extra cash.

 

[sevenfoldtieguy]



Thank you 7foldtieman!
So I presume your Alden Barrie last size is in 9 D as well, same size as AE 8 Last?

Perhaps I could have been more clear. That is what I meant by "each", i.e., I take 9D in each last: Alden's Barrie and AE's 8 last.

 

[sevenfoldtieguy]



I've been on the fence about this myself. It's tough to justify $125 to recraft when many of AE's 2nds go on sale for around that price one or twice per year. My Strawfuts will probably need a recraft in another summer or two, and I don't like the idea of paying $125 to recraft shoes I only paid $130 for in the first place. That being said, I've seen what a $50 resole gets you from my local cobbler, and I was not at all impressed with the results. So my opinion would be that you need to do your homework on the cobblers in your area. All resoles are not created equal. As for me, I'll be forking over the extra cash.

Use BNelson Shoes in NYC. The owner, Nick Valenti, is wonderful to work with. For $90 (standard resole and restoration) you will get as good a resole as AE (perhaps better) and the turnaround time is only 2 to 3 weeks. For $125 you will get the best resole and restoration on the market - with the same turnaround time. Free shipping both ways for either package. For all intents and purposes, BNelson is the go-to cobbler on the Alden Thread, regardless of where one lives in the US. I have used BNelson many times, for Aldens and AEs.

 

[msulinski]

If you get a re-sole from a local cobbler, are they attaching the sole the same way they would at the AE factory? Does it involve using the Goodyear welting machine?

 

[Winston S.]



If you get a re-sole from a local cobbler, are they attaching the sole the same way they would at the AE factory? Does it involve using the Goodyear welting machine?

If they do it right, then yes it should still be goodyear welted when it returns to you.

 

[acousticfoodie]



Use BNelson Shoes in NYC. The owner, Nick Valenti, is wonderful to work with. For $90 (standard resole and restoration) you will get as good a resole as AE (perhaps better) and the turnaround time is only 2 to 3 weeks. For $125 you will get the best resole and restoration on the market - with the same turnaround time. Free shipping both ways for either package. For all intents and purposes, BNelson is the go-to cobbler on the Alden Thread, regardless of where one lives in the US. I have used BNelson many times, for Aldens and AEs.

Wow BNelson seems like a much better deal...and if ppl trust them with their aldens....hmmm...

 

[random-adam]



Use BNelson Shoes in NYC. The owner, Nick Valenti, is wonderful to work with. For $90 (standard resole and restoration) you will get as good a resole as AE (perhaps better) and the turnaround time is only 2 to 3 weeks. For $125 you will get the best resole and restoration on the market - with the same turnaround time. Free shipping both ways for either package. For all intents and purposes, BNelson is the go-to cobbler on the Alden Thread, regardless of where one lives in the US. I have used BNelson many times, for Aldens and AEs.

The office doorbell just ringed -- it was USPS dropping off a box for me from B. Nelson. They took a pair of casual AE Wilberts whose rubber soles were completely blown out and got 'em back to me with more durable rubber soles (the $60 treatment) and uppers looking fantastic. I hadn't had occasion to have a pair of shoes resoled before, and I'd like to give my local bootmakers a chance (they have a huge assortment of lasts and presumably the skills and knowledge to do the job right), but B. Nelson did a superb job.

To keep this vaguely on-topic, the Wilberts have been a solid weekend/business-casual shoe for me for the last few years; just wish they didn't have contrast-color stitching.

 

[sevenfoldtieguy]



Wow BNelson seems like a much better deal...and if ppl trust them with their aldens....hmmm...

$125 gets you the JR package. For those of you not familiar with JR leather, here is a blurb from BNelson's website:

Joh. Rendenbach (J.R.) leather:

Established in 1871, the J.R. process takes 9 to 12 months to complete. Thereby making it the most superior leather available today.

J.R. leather is tanned using the "oak bark" method. The final product is lightweight, hardwearing, tough, flexible, solid, and comfortable. As a result of this extensive tanning process, it has a warm woody color through and through.

A unique gold stamp to ensure its authenticity identifies Rendenbach leather.

I just received back a pair of shell cordovan Aldens restored with the JR package - wonderful ...

 

[charliebrown2]

^ 9 - 12 months? good lawrd

 

[SuitedDx]



Wow BNelson seems like a much better deal...and if ppl trust them with their aldens....hmmm...

Nick took care of not only my Aldens, but also my EGs and JLPs. That's trust.

 

[Winston S.]



A unique gold stamp to ensure its authenticity identifies Rendenbach leather.

I don;t think I have ever seen this gold stamp. Is it visible on the sole somewhere? I have 3 pairs of shoes with JR soles.