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

[DorianGreen]

Sure, here are some pics from when I first got them. Lighting not the best but you'll get the idea.

The suede won't be a problem in rain -- they are mostly covered by pants leg and I spray them with invulner/water repellant. However I typically don't wear these if rain is in the forecast as the shell sometimes develops water spots.
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They look great. What last is it?

 

[Giant ground sloth]

Gentlemen,

I recently bought two pairs of Carmina Oxfords built on the Rain last and in boxcalf. I shined them and have worn them several times. Here is my review.

In summary, Carmina Oxfords are tip-top in terms of shape, detail, and appearance. But they are stiff to walk in and have subpar calfskin quality.

Since the Carmina Custom Weekend is here, I'm inclining to order MTO Carmina footwear made of Chromexcel or shell cordovan, and hoping the leather quality would be better.

Sizing

I find the Rain last to be very accurate to the given UK size.

My feet are 10F UK (10.5D US) on the Brannock device. I have high arches, high insteps, more cupped heels, and typical masculine inside and outside lines.

These Rain Oxfords in 10EE UK (EE=Carmina's average width=F fitting UK) fit me well. The toe box is comfortable, has no pinching, and yet causes no longitudinal slippage. The heel slippage is also minimal.

Fit

The Rain is a shallow, slightly wider, average-length, and high-instep last. I cannot add a pair of insole toppings and they are not needed. With my high-instep feet, there is only a small v gap between the quarters. Therefore, if you have low insteps, you might want to try a different last.

The last definition is excellent, fitting snugly throughout the shape of my feet.

Comfort - single leather sole

Carmina's (non-John-Rendenbach) single leather sole is the stiffest Goodyear welt sole I have ever encountered. Oxfords with this sole take forever to break in. If Nikita Krushchev asks me for a shoe to bang the desk at the UN, these Carmina Oxfords are my choice to lend him.

To avoid hurting my feet, I followed Nordstrom's break in advice: First day 30 minutes indoors. Second day 60 minutes indoors and outside. Third day and afterwards 2 hours indoors or outside. It took about a week to break in.

Even after breaking in, these Oxfords with the single leather soles lack comfort for a day of walking in a museum.

However, the Carmina Oxfords come with excellent insole cushioning, which makes sitting at a desk all day with them comfortable.

What's more, the Rain last has a remarkable tubular shape around the heels, allowing my heels to roll transversely, improving blood recirculation. This works similarly to Dr. Scholl's stimulating nodes, further enhancing comfort while sitting.

Comfort - York rubber Sole

While still not the most comfortable, Carmina's York sole is a true rubber outsole that goes from heel to toe. The leather patch is only for decoration. Right out of the box, the York sole feels like a leather sole that has been worn for years.

The remaining discomfort doesn't come from the York sole, but from the stiff upper leather.

The York sole Oxfords also come with excellent cushioning. And with the Rain last's tubular shape around the heels, they are comfortable for sitting long hours.

Comfort ranking

In terms of comfort, here is how I rank my shoes from 10 (most comfortable) to 1 (least comfortable)

• [10] Santoni Salem Oxfords (rubber sole)
• [10] Allen Edmonds Fifth Avenue Oxfords (Dainite sole)
• [7] Tricker's Stow derby boots (Lightweight single leather sole)
• [7] Carmina cap-toe Oxfords (York rubber sole)
• [6] Carmina semi brogue cap-toe Oxfords (single leather sole)
• [6] TBNY Aidan Oxfords (single leather sole)
• [5] Magnanni Santiago Oxfords (single leather sole)

Appearance

I find these Goodyear welt Carminas to be skillfully made. Each pair is symmetrical to the eyes. The broguing and details are right on the money. The stitch density is impressive, with the upper having 14 stitches per inch, and the welt having 8 stitches per inch. This is toe to toe with the top tier shoemakers.

In comparison, comfort-focused Goodyear welt shoemakers may have 8.5~12 stitches per inch on the upper, and 3.5~6.5 stitches per inch on the welt.

Combined with the modern chisel toe as well as the sleek and elongated lasting, with these I don't feel underdressed for serious events.

Leather quality

Carmina's boxcalf (Tannerie D'Annonay or Weinheimer) quality is noticeably worse than the Northampton brands like C&J's. The leather is also burdensome to shine, developing all sorts of roughness and irregularity.

I find that the Saphir shoe cream with matched color dye to be a necessary baselayer (after Crème Universelle and before Pâte de Luxe), evening out a lot of the leather's inherent imperfection.

The Carmina Oxfords with no broguing have smooth calfskin only on the toe cap. The rest of the shoe is made of rough calfskin, which cannot be shined with a cotton chamois and need to be shined with a bristle brush.

Belt

I also bought a matching belt with these Oxfords. The Carmina belt is 1 centimeter shorter than what would be true to size. From the buckle to middle hole, the 100-UK-sized belt has an actual length of 99 cm or 39 inches.

I wear 35-inch waist Adriano Goldschmied pants, and have a measured waist circumference at 37 inches. Carmina's belt at 100 UK (39 inch) fits me the best, and I most frequently use the hole one inch shorter (38 inches) than the middle hole.

Laces

Carmina thoughtfully included 2 pairs of 29-inch laces for each pair of Oxfords. They are good-quality 2mm laces. The 29-inch length is perfect for 5-eyelet Oxfords.

Customer service

I received prompt and courteous customer service when it comes to size exchange. Carmina charges for return shipping, but is otherwise pleasant to deal with.

Conclusion

Overall, I find Carmina to be a budget-friendly choice for those who want Goodyear welt shoes with tip-top appearance. The comfort and calfskin quality are lacking when compared to other mid-tier shoemakers, but I hope Carmina's Chromexcel and shell cordovan products will be more satisfying when I buy them in the future.

 

[KarlHungus]

They look great. What last is it?

Thanks, these are on Oscar

 

[smoothguyto]

I wanted to customize the 80282 plain toe Oxford shoes for this weekend's custom weekend but there doesn't seem to be an option for that. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[KarlHungus]

I wanted to customize the 80282 plain toe Oxford shoes for this weekend's custom weekend but there doesn't seem to be an option for that. Anyone have any ideas?

You could try to contact Carmina CS via email, though responsiveness sometimes hit or miss.

You could also try putting in an order for the closet model (perhaps cap toe oxford 80267) and in the notes request that they make it plain toe rather than cap toe. They will usually follow exactly what you tell them to do, and reach out if they have any clarifying questions.

 

[KarlHungus]

CXL shortwings to combat the elements