As if we need another review of Aldens... ;)

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 6:12 pm

Okay, my Indy-On-A Budget status is officially gone.

Alabama Jones offered a pair of his Aldens at half price, barely worn at all, w/ a treatment of Meltonian brick polish, and I caved. Excuse me, I meant to say, I 'rationalized'.

First, a kind word about Alabama (the guy, not the state) - he was as good as his word, and he represented these perfectly. He also kept them in beautiful shape and did a great job w/ the polish. I am stunned at my good fortune on this one, and I hope he's my size when he doesn't want some of his other gear anymore...

Alabama, thanks for being the kind of a stand-up guy that makes COW a great place to be a member of! Big Kudos!

As for the Aldens themselves, I stepped out of my Red Wings and into these, and they are far more comfortable than the Red Wings. Those feel like work boots, these feel like custom shoes. (Kind of like the difference btwn a minivan built on a truck frame or built on a car frame...you guys w/ kids should know what I mean.

)

No amount of pictures - even the POV pics looking down at the toes - can convey the experience of actually wearing them. Now I know what ya'll were going on about.

Thanks for your generosity, Alabama, I greatly appreciate you giving me a chance to get one of the last things I said I'd never buy.

J

P.S. I'd had myself professionally sized for my Red Wings, and these were the same size, so I bit the bullet. As for what size would I recommend to you based on my experience...? Well, it's a bit of a trade secret, so listen real close, I'm only going to whisper this...GO GET YOURSELF MEASURED!

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 7:15 pm

Brilliant Pal, congratulations on your new boots. I'm looking forward to seeing them the next time I am out there.
Regards,
HJ

J_Weaver · Post by **J_Weaver** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 7:17 pm

Man, you got lucky on that deal! Congrats!

Alabama Jones · Post by **Alabama Jones** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 7:49 pm

Well ... I would just like to say, for the record, that Indiana Jerry is a real piece of work; a conceited ape, a cad ... a scoundrel. :evil: He carelessly robbed me blind and tonight my little girl goes without supper because of him.

Pay no attention to the happy, fun-loving facade he fronts in his avatar, Jerry is no good.

Ha ha , kidding of course.

I needed to get rid of these quick so I could secure some airfare for a trip this summer and they were basically a spare pair I was saving in my closet. I'm thrilled they went to a COW member who will respect and appreciate them as opposed to having to go to that auction site on the other side of the tracks.

Jerry was a pleasure to deal with and is, as I'm sure most of you already know, also a great guy ... too good to be walking around in an AB and a Wested with a pair of close-enoughs on his feet.

As they say, wear 'em in good health. Look forward to pics!

( I am already missing them

)

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 7:56 pm

We'll have to arrange for visitation rights...

I'll take care of them!

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 8:59 pm

Alabama Jones wrote:Jerry was a pleasure to deal with and is, as I'm sure most of you already know, also a great guy ... too good to be walking around in an AB and a Wested with a pair of close-enoughs on his feet.

Are you sure you're talking about Indiana Jerry?

Jerry, glad you have some good shoes on your feet. It's also interesting to hear your review from the perspective of wearing the Red Wings before ever trying on a pair of Aldens. But what was that trade secret again?

bink

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 2:05 am

Alabama Jones wrote:Look forward to pics!

hahaha...you got me. I WAS going to just link you back to your OWN 'For Sale' post, but it was cleaned out already.

Just for you - my new "Happy Feet", possibly in an 'Aldens in action' pose not posted before?

binkmeisterRick wrote:It's also interesting to hear your review from the perspective of wearing the Red Wings before ever trying on a pair of Aldens.

Gee, thanks Bink. I think that's our FIRST exchange without mocking each other.

Oh, wait...

binkmeisterRick wrote:But what was that trade secret again?

Socks first, then shoes. It's a world of improvement.

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 8:55 am

Gee, thanks Bink. I think that's our FIRST exchange without mocking each other.[quote][/quote]

Oh, you know I couldn't let that happen.

They look good, though I don't think you're supposed to wear your sweater over your pants.

Post by **Michaelson** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 10:22 am

What, photos from Jerry that weren't taken in his bathroom!?

My goodness, times HAVE changed!

That's to bad, Jerry. I was getting excited for you when I read Alabama's first pargraph, and thought to myself, 'Jerry has earned his Doctorate!'....then I read the rest of his post, and my spirits fell.

Congratulations! FINE looking pair of boots, and proof with old Alabama that we have good folks roaming these 'halls' (just don't step on the scoundrels as you pass the dark doorways....right bink?

)

High regards! Michaelson

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 1:40 pm

Yeah, we scoundrels like to "roll" around these parts from time to time.

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 4:34 pm

Michaelson wrote:What, photos from Jerry that weren't taken in his bathroom!? My goodness, times HAVE changed!

hahaha...funny you mentioned that, I had to crop the bathroom out (easy, Bink, I said CROP), it was on the left in that pic...

Michaelson wrote:That's to bad, Jerry. I was getting excited for you when I read Alabama's first pargraph, and thought to myself, 'Jerry has earned his Doctorate!'....then I read the rest of his post, and my spirits fell.

hahaha...I'm a softie when it comes to robbing babies. Go figure.

I'll have to work on that...

binkmeisterRick wrote:Yeah, we scoundrels like to "roll" around these parts from time to time.

Just like lost marbles...wait a minute, you guys are tag-teaming me without Jess?

Gosh, hope he's feeling well...

binkmeisterRick wrote:They look good, though I don't think you're supposed to wear your sweater over your pants.

That would explain a few things...thanks! (Those are WWII vintage USAAF A-11-A flight trousers, you goob! I like to wear them w/ a smoking jacket... 8-[ )

J

Canyon · Post by **Canyon** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 8:41 pm

Jerry, CONGRATULATIONS on your new Aldens! I'm really pleased for you!

Quick, we need new gear shots of you!

Post by **Michaelson** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 10:04 pm

Indiana Jerry wrote: I like to wear them w/ a smoking jacket... 8-[ )[/size]

J

Really? So, how often do you set yourself on fire in any given week?

Oh, THAT kind of smoking jacket!

Regards! Michaelson

J_Weaver · Post by **J_Weaver** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 10:28 pm

HAHA! Good one Michealson!

I was thinking of posting something along those lines, but I just couldn't think of a joke that worked.

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 11:48 pm

J_Weaver wrote:HAHA! Good one Michealson! I was thinking of posting something along those lines, but I just couldn't think of a joke that worked.

Don't worry, neither could he.

Cheers, Michaelson.

J

P.S. Really, I just needed an excuse to post again to add something I'd forgotten to mention - 'Bama was kind enough to let me have the whole 'I just got Aldens' feeling, and then some. How? He sent these to me in the original Aldens shoebox (9 1/2 D stamped on the end), inside the original Aldens shipping box (do not accept package if this seal has been broken!), tucked in with an extra pair of original laces (whoa!) - and the coup de grace? A free jar of Meltonian Brick polish! Wow! Now is that a package deal or what???

(It was the Brick he used to change the color of them...excellent job, too!)

Okay, I think that's finally exhausted the long list of things I meant to thank Alabama for...oh, yes, I am also thankful for grits. 8-[

Alabama Jones · Post by **Alabama Jones** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 1:31 am

Indiana Jerry wrote:
Alabama Jones wrote:Look forward to pics!
hahaha...you got me. I WAS going to just link you back to your OWN 'For Sale' post, but it was cleaned out already.

Just for you - my new "Happy Feet", possibly in an 'Aldens in action' pose not posted before?

Now that would have been "gettin' nasty".

Lookin good my friend, but do ya gotta look so relaxed, like you are enjoying them? Why don't you just rub it in my face. :evil:

Heh, glad they are in good han ... err ... on good feet.

Michaelson wrote: Congratulations! FINE looking pair of boots, and proof with old Alabama that we have good folks roaming these 'halls'

High regards! Michaelson

Sssshhhh, Michaelson, I don't want to get a "rep".

Regards!

Indiana Jerry wrote:
...oh, yes, I am also thankful for grits. 8-[

Arrgggh, now you see why we consider Californians "yankees". Probably have to have seen Days of Thunder to get that .

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 2:05 am

Alabama Jones wrote:Arrgggh, now you see why we consider Californians "yankees". Probably have to have seen Days of Thunder to get that .

hahaha...it's a fair cop, I'm actually from NY originally. I like being called a 'yankee'...I've dated a fair number of southern belles in my travels...married one, too. From 'Bama, no less. She claims to have been born in Huntsville, but I've seen her birth certificate, and according to that she was born in the Redstone Arsenal!

Strider · Post by **Strider** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 3:47 am

J,

Keep us posted on how fast the heels wear down, will you please?

Post by **Michaelson** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 8:46 am

Indiana Jerry wrote: She claims to have been born in Huntsville, but I've seen her birth certificate, and according to that she was born in the Redstone Arsenal!

Just down the road from me! If she WAS born at Redstone, you SHOULD be nervous!

Regards! Michaelson

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 2:40 pm

Strider wrote:J,

Keep us posted on how fast the heels wear down, will you please?

Just an update, then...after two months of daily wear, they really haven't taken a toll. The heels are still solid and I can still read 'Foot Balance' and see the logo on the bottom of the heel pad. Worn a bit around the edges, and only lost maybe a millimeter on the back edge - just beveled it a bit, mind you, not a milli off the the entire face of the heel.

So, no, Strider, they aren't wearing down incredibly fast. And this is LA, everything is pavement here.

As for the rest, much of the brick meltonian is scuffed off, so I might shine em up again...next month. I like them looking a little scruffy. No stitch damage or anything - even the bit of stitching that went a bit dark w the meltonian creme lightened back to white when I got caught in the rain enough to get kind soaked. They did feel like they conformed to my feet just that much better after that, so I believe the military adage 'wear em dry' - I see the difference. But they are such a comfortable fit to begin with, it really isn't necessary. Just a bonus.

(The only casualty so far was a shoe lace - so Bama, thanks again for the extras! I sometimes move too fast w/ the speed lace hooks, and they are sharp enough to spear right through the side of a lace...and then they break down over time.)

But the big deal - really, the big big deal - is how much they've done for my feet. I've beaten up my feet over time, with a lot of other boots, many of them broken-down cowboy boots, so sometimes I get aches that last for weeks. I was living through some of them w/ my Red Wings when I switched over to these. The difference is incredible - at most some minor ache just before bed. During the day my feel feel great...I think they actually feel better IN the boot than out.

This week I helped my first-grader's class w/ a field trip to the Zoo...we pounded up and down that zoo, and I never felt a thing. Seriously, I thought about it on the way back, because a few were complaining that they wanted to put up their feet now, and that's when I realized I didn't hurt AT ALL. And just a few months back, at that same zoo, I really did feel it - when I was wearing my Red Wings. The Aldens really are made that well - now I fully understand what a lot of earlier members have been saying - these boots are worth the full price, and I plan to keep them for a LONG time.

Tangent: It was a sunny day, but with a possibility of rain...so I wore the AB, Wested, a khaki shirt, and the MKVII, of course. Being real familiar w/ the LA Zoo, I led the only group that got to see pretty much everything. The mom chaperoning our group was bragging about that to the other groups, and they said it wasn't fair, they wanted an Indiana Jones on their next zoo trip, too!

This all made my daughter very happy, so it was a good day.

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 2:51 pm

Indiana Jerry wrote: This week I helped my first-grader's class w/ a field trip to the Zoo...we pounded up and down that zoo, and I never felt a thing.

You know, Jerry, you shouldn't be sporting your drinking problem in front of the kids like that.

Alabama Jones · Post by **Alabama Jones** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 4:01 pm

Thanks for the update Jerry! So glad they have worked out well for you.

*reads closer* what ... YOU GOT THEM WET?

:faint:

Just recently I got to polish one pair and dirty up another (naturally of course) all in the same weekend.

[/url]

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:42 pm

No offense, 'Bama, but I wouldn't wear them that way. I'd wear the two on the right together, they look like a better match.

(Sorry, it's one of those days.

)

Serial Hero · Post by **Serial Hero** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:46 pm

maybe he's just put a lot more miles on his right foot.

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 7:00 pm

Serial Hero wrote:maybe he's just put a lot more miles on his right foot.

A champion Indy-Three-Legged-Racer? Sounds like a Monty Python skit...