So I was visited today by my new sales rep and the VP of Alden today. They brought me in samples of the 403, the 404, and the new 405. The 403 appears to be the same as the 405 just made out of ChromeXL leather (exactly like the exclusive I had in the works once upon a time). The 404 is a dark, heavily oiled leather with a lug sole, and the 405 appears to be a bit darker than the one I had on at the time (which was from the batch that had the bad finish). I also saw it mentioned elsewhere that these are all leather lined. That is correct. They look beautiful, and I went ahead and ordered myself a pair of the 403's. I should also mention that these are not going to be available until sometime in the spring. The new 405 may be available now. I didn't think to ask. I took pictures for you folks. Forgive them, they were taken with my phone.
It is my luck that they come to visit after I announce my "retirement" which, BTW is from vending here on COW, NOT from the shoe business. IF however I am badgered enough (an I mean that in the best possible way) I may come out of retirement. We shall see. In the meantime, here are pics.
Oh my oh my those boots are gorgeous! I love the lug sole on the one pair! Okay come out of retirement please! What and IF you sold the lug Aldens How much? Also how soon until they are available? Thanks for sharing, I vote though for you to sell these please!
I'm fairly certain it's 403, 405, 403, 404. And Michaelson, I will try and make the pics smaller when I get home. I'm fairly useless when it comes to computers, but I'll do my best!
Schmidty this is awesome, thanks for sharing with us what the new offerings from Alden are looking like. Is the lining really leather?? That is what I heard from their release. For me I need a pair of the 404's for winter time. If you ever come back to vendor status here a pair of 404's in a 9D. Or maybe I could just come up to visit you in Chicago, only about a three hour drive including traffic. Thanks for sharing.
The 403's and 404's are indeen scheduled for a spring release but will probably start shipping the first part of the year...
As for the 405's they have begun shipping at random...I know of at least 3 people who have ordered the 405 from various places in the last month and have gotten the new leather lined version...That being said I know of at least 2 more who have gotten the old standard cloth version...
Apparently finish and quality control is very good on the new batch as well...
sneakertinker wrote:Apparently finish and quality control is very good on the new batch as well...
This is ESPECIALLY good news, as they sure fell off the wagon for a period of time there...enough so to make schmidty pull his vendor status here out of frustration, and that's saying something.
I, too, hope this is more 'badgering' for him to reconsider.
I know how/where I'm getting mine: I called the Alden shop in SF (I live 30 minutes outside the city) and they said that yes they are expecting them around February/March.
I WILL be buying that 404 as my first Aldens the moment they are released. I do a lot of outdoors stuff here in the NW and those lugs are a necessity. I prefer the color of the 403s but I guess we can't have it all.
On this site, the new Aldens are called 40514H. I called my local Alden shop in San Francisco and the salesman there told me that he's pretty much positive that these are really the 403's. My local SF shop doesn't have them in yet, but the salesman (his name is Robert) told me that he's going to call me as soon as they come in, supposedly around March. They are going to retail for $378.00.
The so-called 40514H's are apparently available now for $450.00 from this company, the ShoeMart.
I'm going to wait until I can see them and try them on. I bought my first and only pair of Alden's from Robert in SF and I'm very satisfied with them (except for the color, of course). So I see no reason why I should pull the trigger for an extra $75 right now knowing that I can get my hands on them before I pay for them in March.
I will be buying them, and I will definitely post pics and give a review when I do.
I love the lug sole on the one pair! Okay come out of retirement please! What and IF you sold the lug Aldens How much? Also how soon until they are available? Thanks for sharing, I vote though for you to sell these please! 
)
but they're all nice in their own right.
