Carmina Shoes - Definitive Thread (reviews, advice, sizing, etc...) - official thread.

[stook1]

I wear rubber soled shoes/boots when I do not want my leather soled shoes to get wet.

No need for this Tramuntana sole when Carmina has a full rubber sole available.

Yes, I do as well. But again, if you could elaborate on your specific concerns with the half sole, please. It's true that the leather portion of the sole may get wet but the exposure is minimal, I don't believe there is a legit concern for wear or for water permeating into the inside of the boot.

So what specifically is the concern, please? Not trying to pester you about it but it would be good to understand better since it sounds like you may have had problems in the past and I would like to know what those problems were.

 

[Jazzmenco]

Wearing the lizards today.

 

[Blastwice]

Eyelets vs. Speedhooks - Juice is probably not worth the squeeze, and you'll wish you had eyelets speedhooks down the line when you're no longer posing for photos every day.

Rubber soles with leather components are fine. Even leather soles in rain are generally fine. For this boot specifically I think Tramuntana is a bit... dainty? If you wanted something 'rugged' but also "lightweight" Tramuntana is good, but I'd probably go with Victoria > Silver > Tramuntana myself for a black shell hatch boot, doubly so for a frankenstitch.

No horse in the race here, just my thoughts.

 

[TheLawBeard]

I will say- worrying about speed hooks “messing with the aesthetic” of a boot with a lug sole is a bit odd to me. I think you’ll find more people prefer speedhooks to all eyelets. If this were a leather sole or even the tomir I could see the all-eyelet look helping this boot fit in with more stylistic choices. But as you pointed out- people won’t see the speedhooks under pants anyways.

 

[Montecristo905]

Arguably the full rubber sole options still have a leather midsole

No, there is a sole which is all rubber, one piece. Carmina refers to it as the commando sole:

 

[Montecristo905]

Yes, I do as well. But again, if you could elaborate on your specific concerns with the half sole, please. It's true that the leather portion of the sole may get wet but the exposure is minimal, I don't believe there is a legit concern for wear or for water permeating into the inside of the boot.

So what specifically is the concern, please? Not trying to pester you about it but it would be good to understand better since it sounds like you may have had problems in the past and I would like to know what those problems were.

Concern? I don't have concern. The all rubber commando sole is a better sole, functionally and aesthetically.

 

[jcreadeur]

Can you elaborate on your concern, please?

To the best of my recollection, the tramuntana is *not* like Alden's commando sole. Alden commando is more akin to a very low profile lugged topy. Tramuntana is somewhat more luggy and it's also not topy-like, even though it is a half sole. To the best of my recollection, it's more like a lugged version of the York sole as far as construction goes --- if that makes sense to you.

Can someone post a real photo of a tramuntana sole? I no longer have my pair and can't find old photos.

The rationale for the 360 degree flat welt with the double midsole and tramuntana sole was to get a boot that rides the line between refined and chunky. The 360 welt will be a little less closely trimmed than 270 but not as chunky as a storm welt. The double midsole with the tramuntana half sole will slim out the sole edge look in the arch area while looking more chunky at both the heel and forefoot. This is what I had in mind and it was purposeful.


I also wanted to comment on the topic of speed hooks vs. eyelets that came up yesterday. My original design called for all eyelets. This is an exceedingly minor change from Carmina's standard design and I am 100% confident that it would be a non-issue to make this change. @Carmina can confirm, if necessary, but I and others have made these types of requests routinely for years.

Why all eyelets? I think it's a cleaner look to the finished product. Having said that, I am cognizant of the fact that this is a relatively high boot and it may be somewhat of a lacing hassle going with all eyelets. At least in my opinion, it will look better and I'd encourage folks to not be lazy and accept this hassle in the interest of small aesthetic details that nobody will ever see under your pants cuffs but will be important for your IG and SF photos showing off your new cool boots. Trust me, this is the way.

I'm not necessarily opposed to adjustments and feedback is welcomed but it would be helpful if you could further elaborate on your preferences when you do so since it may be helpful for others to think about each idea and their own preferences for the makeup.

ETA: There WERE some options that I had mentioned in my own proposal that may be worth revisiting.

1. Preference between the frankenstitch model vs. standard model high jumper with regular stitching. I am open to either. I'd originally thought the standard model might be better with hatch grain but I believe someone posted a photo of a frankenstitch with hatch grain earlier in the thread and it looked good. Both good options, in my estimation.

2. I'd mentioned the possibility of a very simple brogue trim on the cap toe. This would not be possible with frankenstitch. It is also probably not as ideal for the hatch grain shell, which seems to be drawing the most interest. My thought was to remove the tiny perforations and just do a row of the large hole perforations along the cap with no pinking.

Here is the hatch on the frankenstitch with the tramuntana sole and brogue

I’m in on the black hatch but with the way Carmina boots fit me I’ll need speed hooks. They won’t fit me right without them.

 

[Jeddie]

You know what i would love! Something like this. With black Cordovan and black hatch cordovan

 

[jcreadeur]

Concern? I don't have concern. The all rubber commando sole is a better sole, functionally and aesthetically.

It depends on the look you are wanting. I have both the commando sole and tramuntana and the commando is way more chunky and heavy. The tramuntana sole works very well with this boot! If you are wanting a boot that can be used to dress up in as well as casual with full rubber then I would suggest the Victoria sole.

 

[Montecristo905]

It depends on the look you are wanting. I have both the commando sole and tramuntana and the commando is way more chunky and heavy. The tramuntana sole works very well with this boot! If you are wanting a boot that can be used to dress up in as well as casual with full rubber then I would suggest the Victoria sole.

I guess to each their own, but this is my preference.

I've got one boot with the tramuntana style sole from Alden. Most of my other boots are commando soles. I just don't see any aesthetic or functional case for not having all rubber/commando (or all rubber ridgeway sole) on a boot.

 

[jischwar]

No, there is a sole which is all rubber, one piece. Carmina refers to it as the commando sole:

View attachment 1918945

This commando sole still has a leather midsole.

 

[Montecristo905]

This commando sole still has a leather midsole.

yes, but I'm referring to the actual sole not the midsole, as pictured (below) from the Carmina site.

so for me, only interested if commando sole.

 

[Ziqianzhu]

Could we vote again for the second round? If so, still 16 (LWB 532)!

 

[HRoi]

I also wanted to comment on the topic of speed hooks vs. eyelets that came up yesterday. My original design called for all eyelets. This is an exceedingly minor change from Carmina's standard design and I am 100% confident that it would be a non-issue to make this change. @Carmina can confirm, if necessary, but I and others have made these types of requests routinely for years.

Why all eyelets? I think it's a cleaner look to the finished product. Having said that, I am cognizant of the fact that this is a relatively high boot and it may be somewhat of a lacing hassle going with all eyelets. At least in my opinion, it will look better and I'd encourage folks to not be lazy and accept this hassle in the interest of small aesthetic details that nobody will ever see under your pants cuffs but will be important for your IG and SF photos showing off your new cool boots. Trust me, this is the way.

I'm not necessarily opposed to adjustments and feedback is welcomed but it would be helpful if you could further elaborate on your preferences when you do so since it may be helpful for others to think about each idea and their own preferences for the makeup.

Thanks - i remember your now-buried OP for this design mentioned all eyelets, which is why i made the request to shift to speed hooks. My preference for speed hooks is 100% for convenience.

 

[LA Guy]

This commando sole still has a leather midsole.

If I'm not mistaken, I think that @Montecristo905 is referring to the leather being exposed at the waist on the sole we having in the current proposal.