How do the Aldens perform in wet weather?

[TomK]

Hi. First post and I'd like to start by saying how enjoyable and informative I find this board.

I'm thinking of buying a pair of Aldens for general everyday wear but as I live in Scotland, where the climate is fairly damp, I'm wondering how the boots will cope with being wet on a regular basis. Most of the photos I've seen show them looking pretty cool but always dry and dusty.

Thanks.

[Gater]

well, they are a flat-sole and have no tread whatsoever, so on wet, they'd be pretty slippy!

[Holt]

Hi.welcome man..you have come to the right place...

yeah I was thinking the excact same thing..I too am about to order some aldens


High regards
Holt

[Strider]

Your socks will get wet and you will be playing slip 'n slide.

[Michaelson]

With a good, heavy treatment of Pecards around all seams and base, unless you're in a frog strangling rain storm, I've found they do about as good as any other leather shoe.

Anything heavy rain wise, though, you can't expect them to be used for wading streams or the like.

Regards! Michaelson

[Indiana Max]

I worn them through heavy rain in Ireland, my Aldens survived

[Flash Gordon]

I almost killed myself slipping on those slick-as-oil soles in the rain enough times that I won't wear them in wet weather anymore.



But for regular, non-rainy wear, they're great.

[Sergei]

When my original soles wore out from my Aldens, I experimented with my local cobbler and had him put on some non-skid Vibram soles. I have vibram soles on my big mountaineering boots with the big lugs. The non-skid version is a lot less intrusive and does not detract from the original Alden's look. I believe the name of the non-skid version is called, "Sport" - closely grooved lugs. I used the regular Alden's heel.

I too suffered from slipping and sliding with slick soles from Alden's. It doesn't take me much to loose my traction. This was a great fix.

BTW, as Michaelson mentioned. Pecards on the seams and the welt construction should effectively seal out rain. But if you are wading - SOL.

[TomK]

Thanks for the replies. I suspect the standard Aldens may not be best suited to a damp climate. However does anybody have these?

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

[Tron7960]

I've only owned my Aldens since Christmas but they have seen their fair share of ice and snow,(seems to be an annual thing in Canada). Walking on wet or icy surfaces is like driving on wet or icy surfaces. You may have to be more aware of your traction but it should not be a problem for everyday activities. At least it hasn't been for me.
Tron

[Ken]

My view on Aldens:

3 years in Scotland alone did not damage to my Aldens, howver some of the activities I put them through did.

After 3 years my Aldens were destroyed - I have gone off Aldens as they just dont seem to be durable enough for me. I find the problem is in the soles - the soles always come away from the leather welt of the boot for me and when that happens its irreprable.

I like th elook of these new Aldens but I am not sure if they wouldn't suffer from the exact same problem.

Ken

[Holt]

sorry for beieng behind here...but 'the new look on the aldens'?

I was about to get some aldens soon but when you(ken) said the new look on them I stopped for a bit...are there a new version of the aldens?

high regards
Holt

[Sergei]

My view on Aldens:

3 years in Scotland alone did not damage to my Aldens, howver some of the activities I put them through did.

After 3 years my Aldens were destroyed - I have gone off Aldens as they just dont seem to be durable enough for me. I find the problem is in the soles - the soles always come away from the leather welt of the boot for me and when that happens its irreprable.

I like th elook of these new Aldens but I am not sure if they wouldn't suffer from the exact same problem.

Ken

This falls into the category of the Clint Eastwood line: "Every man must know his limitations! " That goes for boots... If your in the mountains, in snow, rain, mud, these are not the boots for you. You need reliable boots for the backcountry - no failures are allowed when your feet are concerned. The 405's are good, working man boots. They are not built at all for the rigors of what you can throw a boot when you need to slap on the crampons, slog through a creek, etc... I think you get the picture. The right tool, for the right project.

While we are at it... a leather jacket on a camping trip. No way... it rains, you lost all the warmth and hypothermia sets in, you die.... Here in the local mountains of San Diego, I have seen people die from hypothermia in the summer nights. A party got lost, their cotton shirts were dripping in sweat during the day. When the sun went down, their cotton tees stayed soaking wet in the 50 degree temperatures. Their core body temperature went down and they died. Cotton kills, and the high tech fabrics keep you dry and alive. So the right tool is, no cotton socks, no cotton tees, good mountaineering boots and high-tech microfiber fabric when wet, you wring it out, it still retains all the warmth properties required for survival.

[Kittlemeier]

I don't really get the whole slip-slidin' thing. I've worn Alden's for the last seven years and have had less trouble on slick surfaces than with a rubber sole(tennis shoe, vibram, etc). The neoprene seems to tack up on slick surfaces in my experience. I replaced the soles with leather and they're now about like a pair of cowboy boots.

As far as weather-proof, I use them in all kinds of weather and the only time they leak is if I step in water more than a couple of inches deep and just stand there. Now if you're running through the rain, one foot can splash water up and into the tounge of the other shoe but that's the only issue I've had and I wear them riding a motorcycle in the rain.

They're pretty much my every day, all weather shoe. Granted, we don't get much ice in south Georgia.

[Ken]

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

Sorry these were the 'new look of the Aldens' I meant. I should have said the rugged lace Aldens.

Walt

You speak the truth. There is of course nothing wrong with the Aldens, they are just not enough for me in my course of usage of boots.

Like most of Indygear I think for warm weather its fine, but when it starts getting cold its just not good enough - the shirt is too thin, the leather jackets needs traded in for a heavy coat or down jacket, etc. Through winter in China the only item I have consistently been able to wear is the hat - and even then thats at the price of having cold ears

Ken

[Zach R.]

Let's just say that you may want to look for alternative footwear if you plan on walking on any sort of bricked sidewalks...brick may look nice, but it isn't fun to fall into...trust me.

[TheFedoraGuy]

Regarding AF64:

viewtopic.php?t=24135

[TomK]

FedoraGuy,
Thanks very much. This is the info I was looking for. The original Aldens are, sadly, probably not what I'm after.

I searched, but obviously not carefully enough. I'm a newbie after all.

These look like the boots I'm after.

Cheers.

Tom K.

[Chevalier Krak]

high-tech microfiber fabric when wet, you wring it out, it still retains all the warmth properties required for survival

Wool will do you as well or better, if you don't mind the weight.
I agree about the boots, though. I never thought of the Aldens as a real adventure boot. Fine in many instances, perhaps, but I wouldn;t take them on our New England trails (rocks and mud, mostly).