Tongue on Alden boot going sideways?

TonyRush · Post by **TonyRush** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 6:36 pm

I've had my Aldens less than a month and am enjoying them. For some reason, though, the tongue of the right boot seems to want to slide to the right instead of staying on top of the foot.

It doesn't cause any discomfort.....but it's bringing out my ultra-tiny OCD to know that, somewhere under my pantleg, my sock is exposed under the laces of my boots. LOL

The left boot is perfect.

What's up with that?

Tony

Indiana G · Post by **Indiana G** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 6:53 pm

alden 405's are notorious for that. many folks tack it to the side of the boot with a couple of stitches.....if it bugs you that much.

schmidty612 · Post by **schmidty612** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 6:59 pm

Hey Tony,

It could be a number of things, it may be the way the tongue lays across your instep (the top of your foot) or the tongue could be attached a little askew. You could do 2 things. 1. Take them to a shoe repair and have them attach a tongue stay (the little flap that laces go through on gym shoes) but that wouldn't be SA. 2. You can take them to a shoe repair and have them stich the tongue to one side of the laces. They can do it right in line with the stitching that runs down the boot just outside of the eyelets, and it wouldn't be noticeable at all.

Schmidty

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 7:02 pm

They have ALWAYS done that.

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 7:06 pm

I had the tongue of my Aldens stitched by a cobbler. He put a few stitches in (and on top of existing stitches so it wouldn't be noticeable) and I haven't had a problem since.

(I wanted to say: I had myh thung sthiched thoo myh Aldenth and haven'th had a problem thinse.)

rebelgtp · Post by **rebelgtp** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 7:09 pm

mine use to do that but they don't anymore guess I got them trained

IndianaChris711 · Post by **IndianaChris711** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 7:39 pm

Mine do this too, I put on a glazing layer of Pecards on the tongues and it softened them enough that I thought tying them hard enough would keep them in place. I guess not. It kind of bothers me, but not really so much. Maybe I need to check out an Alden dealer.

IndianaChris

Mossyrock · Post by **Mossyrock** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:38 pm

Dude.... The boots are fine! It's your foot. But don't worry, it only takes about a year to recover from the surgery....

Picker · Post by **Picker** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 8:52 pm

Every ankle length boot I have ever worn has done that. I think my legs are crooked. I think I'll look for a good shoe repair person and give one of schmidty's remedies a try.

Picker

Tron7960 · Post by **Tron7960** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 9:45 pm

My right one does this, but until seeing this thread, I didn't realize it. I guess it doesn't bother me. I'm a lifer from the moment I opened the box.

Zach R. · Post by **Zach R.** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:20 am

Hmm, I don't seem to have this problem at all, could everyone's size be slightly off instead of mine?

MACHONE · Post by **MACHONE** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:28 am

Mine do the same thing. They have been that way a few years. I have thought about having them tacked but have never taken the time. I have worn many other ankle boots and never had that happen. No big deal, but I did not realize it was a trait of the boots. Maybe I'll have them stitched. Thanks for bringing it up, I never gave it too much thought

.
Ben

McFly · Post by **McFly** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 1:13 am

Mine used to be that way - I emailed Alden and asked if they could do it... what did they say? "Send us your shoes, and we'll fix 'em up and send 'em right back!" They did it all for free. They did stitches right on the side of the boot - like Schmidty said - so you couldn't tell, and even used a little glue. After a while, the stitches popped out and the tongue hasn't moved since.

It should be noted however that I also had a few stitches pop out on my Aldens PRIOR to sending them in, and had mentioned that in my email as well. I'm not sure if they did it for free because of the broken stitch, or the stitch I wanted put in.

Anyway - I've always been SUPER impressed with Alden's customer service. They're fantastic over there!!!

Shane

Dunross76 · Post by **Dunross76** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 5:30 am

had the same problem with my aldens. Needed to send it to Alden a couple of times before the problem was fixed. I was told it's very common with this particular boot.
Dunross

PLATON · Post by **PLATON** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 8:33 am

have you seen any shoes that don't do that?

Dunross76 · Post by **Dunross76** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:45 pm

have you seen any shoes that don't do that?

Platon, it's only my Alden boots that do that. Never had a similar problem with any other of my shoes. Still it's not a big deal and can be easily addressed by having the tongue attached to the side of the boot. Dunross

Post by **Michaelson** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:49 pm

I've had two pairs that did, and two pairs that didn't, so I'm 50/50 on that problem....so it's not your foot. It's something about how your particular boots were made. My current pair sit dead center.

Regard! Michaelson

Indiana_Tom · Post by **Indiana_Tom** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:50 pm

JAN also sewed the tongue on his boots, take a look on his website: http://www.indianajones.dk/Webside/Bill ... /Boots.htm

Castor Dioscuri · Post by **Castor Dioscuri** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 2:43 pm

I think it has more specifically to do with whether the seams at the part where tongue merges into the inner-shoe is ripped or not... When I tried on a new pair, I noticed it started to shift almost right away, and upon closer examination, discovered a tear at the bottom of the tongue. I'm guessing deeper tears mean bigger shifts

sneakertinker · Post by **sneakertinker** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 10:37 pm

My pair does that too but just a little. Doesen't bother me though...

There have been a few pairs posted on here that almost the whole tongue is crooked...now that would bug me.

IndyFlyer · Post by **IndyFlyer** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 1:56 pm

I have a single pair and the tounges stay dead center regardless of how I am using them.

Indy_Mic · Post by **Indy_Mic** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 3:25 pm

My first pair,11.5Es did that. Then, several years later, I went and had my foot re-measured and ordered a 12B and haven't had a problem since. I chaulked it up to the fact that 11.5E had to be laced to the point where the sides and eyelets met and therefore the laces never contact the tongue. On the 12B, I have an even gap of 1 inch or so between the sides and plenty of contact between the tongue and the laces, which help keep it in place. Maybe coincidence...Maybe not!

knibs7 · Post by **knibs7** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 1:59 am

mine do it ALL the time but only on my right foot

NIBS

Indiana Williams · Post by **Indiana Williams** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 2:05 am

Mine do that too but only the right boot. It use to bug me but now Im use to it.

Flash Gordon · Post by **Flash Gordon** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 5:21 pm

ALL the time. I'm constantly pulling them back to center. Why can't they design them so they stay put, like other shoes?

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 5:26 pm

I'm now 3 and 2.....3 pairs that didn't, and 2 that did, so I'm pulling ahead to the positive side. $\:D/$

Regards! Michaelson

Ronski · Post by **Ronski** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 5:45 pm

Mine do that too. Again its only the right boot. Weird how it's always the right boot.

McFly · Post by **McFly** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 6:37 pm

Michaelson wrote:I'm now 3 and 2.....3 pairs that didn't, and 2 that did, so I'm pulling ahead to the positive side. $\:D/$

Regards! Michaelson

Stay away from the Dark Side, Michaelson!!!

Shane

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 6:46 pm

What dark side. I don't distress my gear!

You need to remember, I've been involved in this a LONG time and have already been through 3 pairs in the past couple decades. I only have 2 pairs to my name now. One pair on my feet as we 'speak', and a back up pair at home... and at least those two pairs are on the 'plus' side of this question. ;-)

One pair was given to a hat maker who wanders in our midst many years ago....one pair resides on a costumed manikin somewhere on the East Coast, and another pair was traded to a member who I haven't seen around for a LONG time.

So, 5 pairs in 27 years isn't too bad.

Regard! Michaelson

Nebraska Brad · Post by **Nebraska Brad** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 9:55 pm

Yep, got the same problem with mine. It drives me crazy but I have been too lazy to see a cobbler about it....yet

-Nebraska

conceited_ape · Post by **conceited_ape** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 12:11 am

Check. Another defective right shoe tongue victim.

God, that was a weird sentence.

Satipo · Post by **Satipo** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 8:04 am

Happens all the time with mine. It's part of their charm.

scot2525 · Post by **scot2525** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 8:39 am

My Todd adventure boots do this as well only it is my left boot that the tongue slides.