Nine year old Aldens

Bags, Boots, Shirts and all other gear should be discussed here.

Moderators: Mike, Cajunkraut, Tennessee Smith

Post Reply
spankuh
Dig Worker
Dig Worker
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 4:14 am

Nine year old Aldens

Post by spankuh »

I bought these at the Alden store in San Francisco nine years ago. The salesman asked me if I wanted them boxed up and I said "No, I'll start breaking them in now". I hiked around the city for three or four hours and was amazed that my feet didn't hurt. I've only used a little Pecards now and then and I just got new laces from Aldens after my old ones finally broke.

HH

Image
Image
User avatar
jasonalun
Archaeologist
Archaeologist
Posts: 261
Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 12:44 am
Location: USA

Re: Nine year old Aldens

Post by jasonalun »

Wow, very nice! They look just like Indy's in the Last Crusade where he was in the cave of the temple going through the various traps.
User avatar
djd
Museum Curator
Museum Curator
Posts: 1272
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:52 am
Location: Tranquility Base

Nine year old Aldens

Post by djd »

Nice :)
User avatar
tekors
Dig Leader
Dig Leader
Posts: 500
Joined: Mon May 03, 2010 6:16 pm
Location: from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil but living in Beirut, Lebanon

Re: Nine year old Aldens

Post by tekors »

Nine years old? wowww... I knew Aldens last a lot but never imagined that much. I only use Timberland boots and they last 3 to 4 years and I think is amazing. But 9 years? :shock:
Have to re-evaluate my concepts... :P

Great boots djd...
congrats
:tup:
spankuh
Dig Worker
Dig Worker
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 4:14 am

Re: Nine year old Aldens

Post by spankuh »

Aldens are built to last - hence the high price.

HH
donovan
Laboratory Technician
Laboratory Technician
Posts: 190
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 4:11 pm

Re: Nine year old Aldens

Post by donovan »

great looking boots. have they been re-soled at all ? i only wear my aldens occasionaly but the heels seem to wearing down quite quickly,as i live in the uk i'm not sure how easily i could get them re-heeled.
User avatar
tekors
Dig Leader
Dig Leader
Posts: 500
Joined: Mon May 03, 2010 6:16 pm
Location: from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil but living in Beirut, Lebanon

Re: Nine year old Aldens

Post by tekors »

spankuh wrote:Aldens are built to last - hence the high price.

HH
Yeah, but they deserve the investment it seems...
:TOH:
spankuh
Dig Worker
Dig Worker
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 4:14 am

Re: Nine year old Aldens

Post by spankuh »

donovan wrote:great looking boots. have they been re-soled at all ? i only wear my aldens occasionaly but the heels seem to wearing down quite quickly,as i live in the uk i'm not sure how easily i could get them re-heeled.
No, they still have the original soles on them. You should be able to get them re-heeled by a good cobbler.

HH
User avatar
Noah
Professor of Archaeology
Professor of Archaeology
Posts: 787
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2010 10:31 pm
Location: Temple of the Forbidden Eye

Re: Nine year old Aldens

Post by Noah »

That's a great looking pair of Aldens! They lasted a long time. Very nice! :TOH:
User avatar
PsychicsAndSwords
Laboratory Technician
Laboratory Technician
Posts: 193
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:57 am

Re: Nine year old Aldens

Post by PsychicsAndSwords »

tekors wrote:Nine years old? wowww... I knew Aldens last a lot but never imagined that much. I only use Timberland boots and they last 3 to 4 years and I think is amazing. But 9 years? :shock:
I got mine in December '99, so I've been beating them for almost 11 years, and (with the exception of one resoling) they're still going strong. They were one of my first pieces of gear and actually the only thing I have left from my first "round" of gear collecting, all those years ago... they're just amazing boots. :tup:
BendingOak
Legendary Adventurer
Legendary Adventurer
Posts: 7011
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 8:21 pm

Re: Nine year old Aldens

Post by BendingOak »

This is the single most reason to spend the extra money.
User avatar
djd
Museum Curator
Museum Curator
Posts: 1272
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:52 am
Location: Tranquility Base

Nine year old Aldens

Post by djd »

Love mine. The most comfortable footwear I've ever owned and I hike in them- I've even chased criminals in them. They're fantastic. The single most practical item of gear in my book
theinterchange
Museum Curator
Museum Curator
Posts: 1705
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 11:47 am

Re: Nine year old Aldens

Post by theinterchange »

deleted
Last edited by theinterchange on Sun Oct 13, 2013 11:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
spankuh
Dig Worker
Dig Worker
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 4:14 am

Re: Nine year old Aldens

Post by spankuh »

I'm dressing up for a Halloween party at work tomorrow, so I dirtied them up . . .

Image
User avatar
Weston
Museum Curator
Museum Curator
Posts: 1250
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:14 pm
Location: The jungles of Oh-ree-gahn, USA

Re: Nine year old Aldens

Post by Weston »

Very nice! I'd love to get a pair of those one day.

Weston
User avatar
Michaelson
Knower of Things
Posts: 44456
Joined: Tue Jun 25, 2002 12:55 pm
Location: Out here knowing stuff and things and wishing I were with the family at Universal Studios Orlando

Re: Nine year old Aldens

Post by Michaelson »

Just goes to prove yet again that with proper care, our gear can last for years and years. :TOH:

Regards! Michaelson
User avatar
Indiana Jeff
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 10149
Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2008 1:59 am
Location: TX Panhandle

Re: Nine year old Aldens

Post by Indiana Jeff »

Just like Indy, all those years and only one pair of boots. :CR:

Regards,

Indiana Jeff
User avatar
PsychicsAndSwords
Laboratory Technician
Laboratory Technician
Posts: 193
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:57 am

Re: Nine year old Aldens

Post by PsychicsAndSwords »

Here's a quick pic I snapped of my Aldens a few mornings ago. As I mentioned above, they were one of my first pieces of gear, got 'em in December '99. As you can see, they've darkened considerably with age. They've been resoled once, re-heeled a couple of times, and twice a year I clean 'em up with saddle soap and put on some Pecards. Other than that, I don't do anything to baby them or treat them nicely.
Image
theinterchange
Museum Curator
Museum Curator
Posts: 1705
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 11:47 am

Re: Nine year old Aldens

Post by theinterchange »

deleted
Last edited by theinterchange on Sun Oct 13, 2013 11:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
starks_6
Archaeologist
Archaeologist
Posts: 244
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2002 7:32 am
Location: Queensland, Australia

Re: Nine year old Aldens

Post by starks_6 »

Mate, great looking boots. Ive had mine for only a couple of years now and they've had quite a bashing but still remain looking not too worn. Even yours i dare say you could give a good 'ol boot polish and they would look quite smart!
I think it can safely be said they are the one piece of gear that would have lasted Indy a long, long time. :TOH:
User avatar
PsychicsAndSwords
Laboratory Technician
Laboratory Technician
Posts: 193
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:57 am

Re: Nine year old Aldens

Post by PsychicsAndSwords »

...on that note, I actually just found these pictures while trolling around my hard drive for something else. I took these two years ago, it's a "before and after" for the cleanup/Pecards treatment. Granted the colors are a little wonky (and they don't look THAT shiny in real life), but you get the idea.
Image
Post Reply