***The official Alden thread *** Share enthusiasm, reviews, sizing, advice, and photos.

[irishcafe]



I have #8 Ranger Mocs (from the Madison Avenue shop) and they are by far the most worn pair of Alden that I have. I love them. If I could round out the shell rainbow in any style of shoe or boot, that would be the one.

Sounds like I'll give it a try when I travel to NY this summer. Maybe I'll buy one to switch with my Rancourt ranger moc #8 cxl.

 

[Bakes11771]

The one hard metric, eBay resale value, seems to indicate new cordovan Alden shoes and boots are probably worth their retail price

I like the way you are thinking. However, I wonder if the resale value isn't largely influenced by the retail value. A bit of the chicken or the egg conundrum. My suspicion is that it all comes down to supply/demand in both markets. That is, demand more than supports the current prices.

The importance of buying American is a largely sentimental/emotional notion isn't it? If products are of equal quality, I'll support American, but I won't compromise on quality just to support American.

If e-bay resale value is what you're going by, Nike Jordans might be some of the best "value" shoes. Are we saying that the construction and materials etc. are worth hundreds (sometimes thousands) of dollars? This particular market is driven largely by the emotional attachment to the brand IMO. There's nothing wrong with that: people should just be more honest with themselves about it.

I love your willingness to go against the grain. Keep it up. I have to agree that confirmation bias seems to run rampant in this thread. Personally, due to increased prices and decreased quality, I am less eager to buy aldens than I otherwise would be. Not saying I'll never buy another pair, but I'm not as gung-ho as I once was. Also, probably a bit of diminishing marginal benefit as my collection grows.

I don't think the rare colors are "rare" due to issues finding enough quality shells to make flawless product suitable for whiskey, Ravello etc. I think it is simply that, away from this forum, most of the target market that owns 1 to 3 pairs prefer color 8. Stated another way, I think history has proven to the Alden Company (again before the rare color craze maybe created by this forum) that if they put color 8 and all the rare colors on the shelf at the same time, the average buyer will choose king 8 and it would historically far outsell the others.

I could believe that. Sound Logic

As was pointed out earlier, if you look at a pair of Aldens long enough, you'll probably find some imperfection(s). Questions you might ask yourself when you inevitably notice them are:

1. Is this a functional issue (upper pulling apart from welt, etc.), or just aesthetic (dye issues, etc.)?
2. Where is it on the shoe? On the toe or vamp for everyone to see, or on the side, back, tongue, …, where it is not as visible?
3. How difficult will it be to get a replacement pair (stock model or exclusive makeup/rare shell color), and how likely is it that that pair will have fewer imperfections?
4. Is this something that will bug you every time you wear them?

Everyone has their own tolerance of QC issues, and method of determining whether to keep a shoe. It is presumably this Alden veteran wisdom that posts like yours (and mine at times in the past) seek.* My $0.02: the tongue is the best place to have dye issues if you're going to have them, and you can probably put some black edge dressing on the welt if you're careful. If they fit well, you like the style, and if your answer to my last question above is "no," then I would probably keep them if I were you.

*Why people who have tried out Aldens and decided they aren't for them (not Alden veterans like Alcibiades, MrDV, SFTG, mcarthur, NAMOR, RTP, etc., as I'm calling them) -- whether due to QC issues or other reasons -- come into the Alden thread and say "This is why you're all crazy. I can get perfect C&J, AS, Vass, etc., for the same price as your crappy Aldens. Aldens are not worth $XXX." when a post like yours is made, is confusing. There is a reason this thread is the fourth most popular thread all time on SF, and the most popular shoe thread of all time on SF. /endrant
I completely understand. Determining worth is a difficult question though, and one you will have to figure out for yourself. Unfortunately, if you were to part with these, you would either have to ship them back to FB in the Netherlands, or sell them here on on eBay, likely at a loss. Ease of return is also something to consider in the future.

Good points

 

[gastarbeider]

one year, three continents, and a fair amount of wear.

 

[Michigan Planner]



Sounds like I'll give it a try when I travel to NY this summer. Maybe I'll buy one to switch with my Rancourt ranger moc #8 cxl.

I also have a pair of CXL Ranger Mocs from Rancourt (well, two pair really), and the Alden ones I have (also have a snuff suede pair and a tobacco chamois pair) are definitely a bit more refined and work a bit better with my dressier wool trousers than the Rancourt version. Even on comparable soles, I think the Alden ones are a bit lower profile and the stitching on the toe seems considerably tighter. Both are great shoes though, just very different uses in my wardrobe.

 

[MrDV]

9 to the 7 to the 5. Simple and sweet. What denim?

thanks doc and others for your kind words.
the jeans are armoury for epaulet. that was their first wear, im happy with them.

Can anyone else say Whiskey Wednesday?



-Mike

beautiful mike.

LS ravello shortwings for me today.

holly crap!!
epic photo.

This discussion about Alden quality never ends. Same points every single time.

Clearing up space on my computer and found these. Some posted before but redited them now. Back during happier times when I only had these shoes plus 2 Indy boots (403, 404). Way too many shoes now. Also passed up on a Cigar Brixton and Ravello Shortwing during this time too. Those are two out of five that I probably regret passing the most on, along with day dripper, Ravello plaza Indy and color 4 captoe preorder.

nice, nice, nice, nice.
I remember this photo, still a classic.

More longwing love today. 975 is killer!

FYI, these are 3 years old and worn frequently; not much in the way of creasing and rolls.

well played rtp. sweet boats.

 

[irishcafe]



I also have a pair of CXL Ranger Mocs from Rancourt (well, two pair really), and the Alden ones I have (also have a snuff suede pair and a tobacco chamois pair) are definitely a bit more refined and work a bit better with my dressier wool trousers than the Rancourt version. Even on comparable soles, I think the Alden ones are a bit lower profile and the stitching on the toe seems considerably tighter. Both are great shoes though, just very different uses in my wardrobe.

Thanks! I guess I'll wear my ranger moc when I visit Alden NYC to compare. I'd like the idea of lower profile!

 

[mtc2000]

#8 Tanker

 

[tampatravel]

I really hope that Ranger Moc doesn't have the Crepe Sole.

Has anyone called Unionmade yet to inquire about the price?

I'm thinking I might pull the trigger as those are a grail shoe for me. They might be almost as versatile as the LHS in #8.

....Rancourt could make me a Ranger Moc in Navy Shell though... ($615)

 

[sazon]



Both, my new Ravello PTB and Chukkas are much darker shade than I see here posted. Nowhere close to Mr DV's. Do they always fade as much? I like the lighter, reddish tone I see more often. The ones I got are closer to acigar and color 8 mutt.

As we have seen, different batches of production have different shades. Seems like the old reddish Ravello of yesteryear isn't the flavor this year. You will definitely see some fading in your Ravello over time but I don’t think it will fade to that reddish tint. Probably more along the lighter brown family.

 

[irishcafe]

the Rancourt version does not look as dressier/versatile as the Alden ones.

 

[tifosi]



Maiden voyage of my Leffot lwb's. Thanks to RTP for encouraging me to keep!

Spoiler

Good idea keeping them! I adore mine. I'm wearing the sister boot, today.

 

[MickCollins1916]

First time out with blue suede tassels


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Kwaker]

With those in hand, I can see why you are parting with the #8 Indy.

Good idea keeping them! I adore mine. I'm wearing the sister boot, today.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 

[tifosi]



With those in hand, I can see why you are parting with the #8 Indy.
[/SPOILER]

Haha! So I'm not crazy??!!?? LOL

 

[FENWAY]

At TSM...might pull the trigger on these. Calf with a color 4 look