Fellow Alden owners, please help with YOUR size

[Marc]

Hi gang,

I'm about to order a new pair of Aldens, after my first pair gave up after being dragged all over the globe for 3.5 years. They ALMOST look as good as the famous pair from Indy Magnoli on the mainpages, however the sole on one boot broke.

Anyway, I'm having a TERRIBLE hard time getting the perfect fit. My current pair a 8.5EE and when I put my foot on the sole, I wonder how I could actually wear something as off as these for several years. Though they're perfect in width, they seem to be over an inch too long. I've contacte Alden and even send them mea

So, anyone with a wide foot PLEASE help me out. If you could post a scan of the sole of one of your Aldens incl. measurements, it would be a GREAT help.

Thanks,

Marc

[IndianaChris711]

Marc, you may just want to talk to Aldens about your measurements, you may want to have your foot measured again just to make sure. I called the Aldens in San Francisco and they were very helpful. If your foot is still the same from several years ago, maybe a 8EE is better, I don't know, I don't have a very wide foot, mine is more narrow than wide. Aldens asked me what shoe size I wear in Nike or Addidas, I told them what size I wore in that and the Aldens fit great, no problems. They are great people to deal with for shoe/boots and I would gladly do business with them again. Hope this helps some Marc.

IndianaChris

[feathers73]

The best practice is to go to an alden store and be fitted. If you do order them over the internet, go to a reputable shoe store and have them use a Brannock device for fitting and get what ever size the device says. A little roomy is not such a bad thing either. Alden 405's have a wide toe box but not a tall toe box. You'll hear some folks say get a half size smaller. For me that didn't work and I would advise against it.

Make sure you are fitted with the same type of socks you plan to wear with the 405's.

Lastly, when you do get them, wear them around the house for awhile before you go outside. If they begin to hurt your feet you'll still be able to return or exchange them.

Keep in mind that 405's do have orthopedic inserts. It is possible that your arches may not line up properly if your arch is for example unusually long. That generally is not a problem. However, the fact they are orthopedic makes proper sizing that much more important.

[Marc]

And that's the problem to be honest. The closest Alden retailer first of all doesn't have any 405 at all, and they don't carry wider widths then D neither

Would you kindly post a scan of your Alden soles incl. measurements, NO MATTER what size you wear? Then I could start working on an excel sheet with the different widths and lengths, which again would help other gearheads.

Thanks,

Marc

[Dalexs]

The Alden 405s are based on the Trubalance Last, which a few of their other shoes are built on as well.
http://www.aldenshoe.com/cat_ortho_trub.htm

You should be able to get them to give you a correct measurement for those shoes and then order them elsewhere.

This is what my local Alden dealer did because he didn't stock the 405.
He measured me for a different model, then ordered the 405 in that size.
And mine fit great.

Alden also makes their shoes in split widths, not just of the rack sizes.

That would be a much better way to a more exact fit.
It may not be perfect, but would be better then guessing.

[Sitting Rabbit]

I went to an Alden dealer, had him measure my feet, tried on a pair of dress Aldens, then ordered my 405's. I wore them for a week, and then my problem started.

I wear "Foot Levelers" inserts inside most of my shoes. These are professional Chiropractic inserts designed exclusively for my feet. They scan them, make measurements, then mail them to me. I even use the expensive ones (they cost the same as the 405s!!!).

I was told to get a size 10 1/2 Indyboot (my feet are 9 1/2), and after a week is when my problem started with the top of the right boot. Because of the insert (I'm guessing on this), the height was reduced inside of the boot. And when the natural creases started forming on top of the boot (where my toes go), it started digging really bad into my big toe. I tried using pads inside and different things to no avail. Now I don't know what to do. I'm going to a different dealer to see what he thinks later this weekend. I may end up getting another pair and wearing them in the house for a month. Anyone else have a problem like this?

[bigrex]

My feet are rather short and quite wide. My length is really about a 10.5 but the width would pass for a medium 11.5-12. So, I've had some luck ordering 11.5 size shoes in EE width (Wide) that is when the width runs a little wide on something like a good hiking boot. Of course, if you can get one, your actual length or a half size larger and an EEE may be the way to go. I would hope they could order something that would fit if you have actually sent them your measurements.

[afrayedknot]

I just received my Aldens in the mail today. I had my feet measured at an Alden dealer. He doesn't carry the 405's at his location but he was able to order them and have them shipped to my home. He suggested that I get them a little wider (because Aldens run a little narrow), but in my regular size. When I tried them on, they were a bit long and a bit wide. I'm going to return to the dealer with the boots so he can check the fit and order a pair with the proper measurements.

[Sitting Rabbit]

This Saturday, I'm going to an orthopedic dealer of Alden, and have him look at my boots. I'll see what he has to say about sizing and I'll post on here what he says. These Alden dealers should be stocking 405's to try on, especially since IndyIV is coming out soon.

[afrayedknot]

Okay, I went back to the dealer with my Aldens. I put them on and after he watched me walk around in them, he took them aside and brought them back a few moments later. He had me try them on again and . . . they fit perfectly!

He had inserted an orthopedic cushion and some tongue pads and explained to me that my feet are two slightly different sizes and he measured for the larger-sized foot. He also explained that shoes are measured to fit at the widest part of your foot, not necessarily the length.

So, if you go for a smaller size, the widest part of your foot would not rest at the widest part of the shoe. Which might explain the discomfort some people have had with their Aldens.

I have to say, these are the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn. They didn't even need a breaking in period.

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to make a plug here, but if any of you live in the Indianapolis area, please visit Foot Solutions and ask for Kevin. He's a nice guy and, although he's not a gearhead, he was wearing a pair of 405's and loves the Indiana Jones movies.

[Sitting Rabbit]

afrayedknot is right. I went to an orthopedic alden dealer and told him of my dilemma. He took my boot to the back room and stretched the crease out that was cutting into my foot. When I put them back on, there was TONS of room where it had been cutting my foot. They still aren't the most comfy shoes I've ever worn, but I'm sure the more I wear them, the better they'll feel.

After I wore them for a few hours, I'm pretty sure that the reason it had creased goofy was because my right foot is a size 9 and my left foot is a size 9 1/2. So, my right foot was moving around in the boot more than the left, creasing it differently. I should probably even go back and tell him about my thoughts concerning the different sizes, and maybe have them altered a bit to match my foot sizes better like afrayedknot did.

At least they are wearable now!

[Indiana MarkVII]

It would be wise to keep in mind that the Brannock device is a guide only, but it is a good guide. Different models, called lasts (the form that the shoe or boot is made on), are shaped differently. Therefore, the width, or the toe box, maybe different on one line of footwear than another, even from the same manufacturer.

While the Brannock device is a good guide, only trying on the shoe or boot based on that measurement will be the true test of fit.

I know this as one who has worn orthopeadic shoes for most of my childhood and have a hard time finding shoes in my size due to the width issue I have. I fall half way between two narrow width measurments on the Brannock device, so I have to try a shoe on to see if it fits my foot. Buying by mail order based on a last that I have not tried yet is risky. Unfortunately, I don't trust the local Alden dealer. He measured my foot on the Brannock device and came up with a width that is two or three times wider than what I normally wear. I went back to my local Allen Edmonds dealer and had him check my width. That was more consistent with the dress shoes that I've been wearing for the last 20 years.

Since Aldens offers a return or exchange, wear your new boots on carpeted indoor surfaces only for a few days or a week. I'm impressed with the width offerings that Alden makes for the 405 Indy boot. AAA to EEE is the largest range of widths I've ever seen.

Here is an interesting article. Maybe it was posted long ago.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articl ... _survivor/

and
http://www.aldenshop.com/

Get measured and order your size, not wider or longer, just your size. Try it out on a carpet floor. It will fit right the first time, or it won't. You can exchange it if it hasn't been worn on a hard surface.