alden of carmel, AF64 rugged terrain 405's

Indiana G · Post by **Indiana G** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:23 pm

just got these and thought i would share. the scene in raiders where indy is in the peruvian temple was burnt into my memory since 81....the part where it shows a close up of his boots and their deep brown colour. ever since i got my brick colored alden's last year, there was something missing......the SA colour. now i have nothing to complain about....except the sole not being SA. but i think i'll keep them for the upcoming winter

i think the colour is quite bang on to these:

http://www.theraider.net/showimage.php? ... ots_02.jpg

Post by **Michaelson** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:25 pm

You WON'T regret having those soles when you hit a slick sidewalk this winter, I personally guarantee it!!

I'd re-tell some of my 405 slippage stories, but since they'd be repeats, I'm afraid I'd have VP point out he's 'heard those bedtime stories before'.

Regards! Michaelson

rebelgtp · Post by **rebelgtp** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:28 pm

argh i wish people would stop showing pics of these rugged aldens it is making me REALLY want a pair but there is no way I could afford to cough up the dough for them right now....hmmm maybe if i stop eating....who needs food anyway right?

love the color and the soles....hmm suppose i could redye my current aldens

Indiana G · Post by **Indiana G** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:44 pm

rebel....use the credit card....it's free! isn't that in the indygear 10 commandments?

adam at carmel was extremely helpful....typical customer service with that shop.

cheers,

G

rebelgtp · Post by **rebelgtp** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:56 pm

Indiana G wrote:rebel....use the credit card....it's free! isn't that in the indygear 10 commandments?

don't tempt me i'm trying to keep that thing paid down. heck another $700 or and i won't have any debt what so ever. i'll get a pair eventually, they might end up being something i save up for from the earnings from my leather work.

Labbas · Post by **Labbas** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 6:55 am

Very nice boots!! Where did you get those? Can't see them on www.aldenshop.com.
I usually use Dr. Marten's Getta Grip boots everyday so I think the sole on those Aldens will be perfect for me and I like the dark brown color. It looks like the sole on the original Alden 405 can be a bit slipery when it's wet or snowy outside.

// Labbas

:EDIT:

Just found http://www.alden-of-carmel.com after some digging in other threads.

Strider · Post by **Strider** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 5:24 pm

Michaelson wrote:You WON'T regret having those soles when you hit a slick sidewalk this winter, I personally guarantee it!!

I'd re-tell some of my 405 slippage stories, but since they'd be repeats, I'm afraid I'd have VP point out he's 'heard those bedtime stories before'.

Regards! Michaelson

Michaelson said what I was going to say. I'd rather have the vibrams, after owning Aldens without them *rubs behind*.

Gater · Post by **Gater** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 5:50 pm

yeah yeah...funny how the guys from Tennessee and Southern Cali are the ones complaining about winter conditions

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 5:55 pm

Smile when you say that, Gater.... :evil:

The events I refer to took place in Ohio, thank you very much.....

Regards! Michaelson

Indiana G · Post by **Indiana G** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 6:18 pm

walking around in ice is normal for us canucks

we run on it, turn on it, stop on it....er....after a while that is......you learn pretty quick when you show up to pond hockey and you've forgetten your skates

i did request if adam could put the normal soles on but he couldn't do that out of his shop....so i got them anyways knowing i could resole them in a couple of years.

i made it through the canadian winter last year....the only difficulties i had with them was trying to climby up a snowy hill....had to stay quite low to the ground but i managed. i haven't fell on my caboose just yet....knock on wood

jeremy3178 · Post by **jeremy3178** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 12:40 am

The Aldens work great in a tropical climate....maybe Indy wore snow boots in Nepal.

TheFedoraGuy · Post by **TheFedoraGuy** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 1:38 am

got myself a pair of AF64 ! Great shoes, and best customer service ever.

For those who want to see the difference to the 405s:

AF64 and 405 frontview:
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id ... 609&size=o

..sideview:
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id ... 623&size=o

..sole, the actual difference besides the color:
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id ... 649&size=o

JulianK · Post by **JulianK** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:02 am

I think I would prefer the Vibram soles in just about any conditions other than just strolling around in the city. I always travel with my Timberland hiking boots and the chunky soles have taken me from the Sahara to the jungle. The only time I hated them was when my wife has me walking for miles in Paris (shopping of course). That's the only time I'd want a smooth sole.

Indiana G · Post by **Indiana G** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 1:23 pm

TFG, they are nice boots aren't they?

for me, the big deal was the colour. i've looked through a tonne of raiders pics both from the movie and the production and his shoes were dark brown....which complimented his hat....and then you have a darker brown jacket between the two as a 'buffer'.

for the longest time, my gear just didn't feel right with these brick coloured shoes.....now i don't have that issue

......well actually i do as my veg tanne wested matches the colour of my old 405's....i'm waiting on my new SA coloured jacket to come in before i slap these babies on. i blame you all for this new branch of my OC disorder

ANZAC_1915 · Post by **ANZAC_1915** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 2:48 pm

Excellent boots! What color name is that and I assume it was a special order? How much?

(And why Carmel and not SF - oh never mind I see they are an exclusive)

I have to confess I am sick of looking at those rugged terrain soles; I really wish I had got them on my 405s.

Indiana G · Post by **Indiana G** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 2:53 pm

anzac,

alden of carmel is the only shop that makes these as i believe they were speced by an indy fan....they elude to the fact that the AF in AF64 refers to "alden fan model 64". i could be wrong but alden makes this boot specifically for the carmel store.

they only come in the one colour. these are off the shelf at carmel my friend:

http://www.alden-of-carmel.com/index.cf ... ot_174.htm

happy shopping glenn!

TheFedoraGuy · Post by **TheFedoraGuy** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 1:12 am

IndianaG, absolutely nice boots indeed! For me the reason to get them was rather the vibram sole. Though the color really is pretty much screen accurate. Why don't they offer a AF405 model made from the AF64 leather and the 405 neopren soles

About the costs, they are $380 plus $45 international shipping, but the fact that 1 Euro is currently about 1.45 US$ helped a lot. So, for european customers the AF64 are not more expensive than let's say similiar Redwing boots (e.g. RW 8146).

ANZAC_1915 · Post by **ANZAC_1915** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 10:52 am

Anyone want to buy a pair of smooth sole 405's in size 14?

riothamus · Post by **riothamus** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 9:51 am

I'd be interested except I wear 13's normally

Excelsior!
Riothamus

djd · Post by **djd** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:19 am

They're lovely boots! I think when I come to replace my current Aldens I might go for some of Magnolis - as he can put chunky soles on his and they're about $100 less than these.... Meanwhile I'll keep cleaning my Aldens using a dark brown leather balm. They're not looking quite so red now!

Ark Hunter · Post by **Ark Hunter** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 1:30 pm

I like that color!

Not to derail this, but check out the wingtip boots! Dress Indy!

Post by **Michaelson** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 1:35 pm

Now those are odd looking Aldens!

Wingtip boots with lug soles?

Regards! Michaelson

Ark Hunter · Post by **Ark Hunter** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:21 pm

Yeah, I guess that is odd. Maybe they are winter boots. Actually, I don't think I've seen wing tip boots of any kind before.

Indiana G · Post by **Indiana G** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 12:33 pm

so i finally started wearing these bad boys and i've noticed that they are a tadd bigger than the standard 405's from san fran.....TFG, did you notice this? both are in the same size but the ruggeds are looser around my foot.

btw, i experienced no break-in time whatsoever. gotta love the 405's!!!!

TheFedoraGuy · Post by **TheFedoraGuy** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:01 am

IndianaG, yes, the toes have more space compared to my 405s (I wear size 10.5 in both models). But I suppose the AF64s are meant to be worn with thick wool socks so this won't be a problem.

indy89 · Post by **indy89** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:23 am

Nice boots, G!

davyjones007 · Post by **davyjones007** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 8:08 pm

so the difference between the two is color and sole? other than that they are basically the same boot?

Indiana G · Post by **Indiana G** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:47 pm

....and the dark ones are a tadd larger....feel's like you lent them to your dad to wear for a while, him having larger feet.....and i've been there, trust me

JJonesy · Post by **JJonesy** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 1:55 am

Hello
Just been looking through the site again and came across the pics of the very nice rugged Aldens. From a practical point of view the ruggeds look like a more user friendly option my only reservation is soles(for me) look too different.I wonder if it would be possible to have a sole with a more stepped heel grafted on similar to the commando type soles on the wingtip boot shown in this thread.I think with a sole with a steeper more pronounced heel like the wingtips commando sole would look more like the original but would provide the benifit of a grippy sole.
Still awaiting the dilivery of my standard 405s hope they come before i go abroad, if they come in time ill ask the local cobbler if its an easy fix to put on the soles.
The soles on the ruggeds are outstanding by the way i had a pair of Danner boots with that sole unit and couldnt fault it, lasted forever and provided fantastic grip.

Jjonesy

ShanghaiJack · Post by **ShanghaiJack** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 4:09 am

From looking at TheFedoraGuy's comparison photos it looks like the AF64s have a different lining than the 405s. The 405s have a cotton lining with leather trim, but from what I saw in the photo it lookslike the AF64s have a solid leather lining. Is that right? Can anyone, TFG or Indiana G, take some shots of the insides of the boots to show the linings?

TheFedoraGuy · Post by **TheFedoraGuy** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 1:02 am

SJ, it is leather indeed:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2205/201 ... 44a9_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2356/201 ... b422_o.jpg

ShanghaiJack · Post by **ShanghaiJack** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 2:42 am

I thought so. Thanks for the confirmation TFG. Wow, those look even better in those photos. I think I need to start saving for a new pair of Aldens.

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 8:53 am

Just to jump off topic for a second...Jack, who's that little one you're holding in your avatar now? I don't recall seeing them before now.

HIGH regards! Michaelson

ShanghaiJack · Post by **ShanghaiJack** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:57 pm

That would be my eldest son, Ken. He just turned two last month. His brother Sam is now eight months old. I was too busy looking for a job when he was born to post anything, but I was sure that I posted some photos after Ken was born, but perhaps I didn't in the excitement and chaos of everything. I'm going to have to start looking for a fedora for the oldest soon because he's already trying to take my AB!

High Regards,

SJ

Bogie1943 · Post by **Bogie1943** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 1:11 am

Michaelson wrote:You WON'T regret having those soles when you hit a slick sidewalk this winter, I personally guarantee it!!

I'd re-tell some of my 405 slippage stories, but since they'd be repeats, I'm afraid I'd have VP point out he's 'heard those bedtime stories before'.

Regards! Michaelson

You speak the truth yet again sir. Odd story is, the last time I was in Portsmouth

last winter, I had my Aldens (standard Aldens) and other Indy Gear on, I stepped on ice getting out of my car, fell right on my rear end. Rugged soles are good in winter my friends, lol.

The Pilot · Post by **The Pilot** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:45 am

Bogie1943 wrote:I stepped on ice getting out of my car, fell right on my rear end. Rugged soles are good in winter my friends, lol.

A little story this reminded me of.

I blew out an ACL skiing in high school. Exactly a year later I took out both knees in a car wreck. Thirteen years later I decided it was time to get back on skis, in spite of permanently damaged knees. My g/f and I signed up for a beginner's package. On the bunny slope a bunch of us lined up to make a run of a few metres and then snowplow to a stop. I elected to do a 'hockey stop'. I could still do it. We spent the rest of the day on the slopes, and I never fell once! After 13 years.

Well, it's getting dark. Time to go home. I put on my Sorel pack boots and started walking. I stepped on a manhole cover that had about a half inch of ice on it and went down. SNAP! went my ankle. The sprain was so bad it took three weeks for the swelling to go down enough for me to get my foot back into a ski boot so I could ski some more. (Ski boots support the ankle, so it's OK to ski with a sprained ankle.)

The lug soles on those Sorels didn't do a think to keep me from slipping on the ice.

Post by **Michaelson** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:51 am

Well, my friend, it was just that you chose poorly!

Ski? Yes. Walking on icey manhole covers? No.

Regard! Michaelson

The Pilot · Post by **The Pilot** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:57 am

I just didn't see the bloody thing until I stepped on it!

Post by **Michaelson** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:57 am

No one ever does....

Regards! Michaelson

Ark Hunter · Post by **Ark Hunter** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 10:53 pm

That's right. Nothing short of metal spikes will keep you from slipping on pure, hard ice.