Insoles for your ALDENS

[Indakin]

Hey guys, haven't been on in a while, but I recently bought a pair of 403's out here in LA a few days ago. Im a 10.5-11 sneaker. But dress shoes and boots are a different story. I have 10 boots, and I bought some dress shoes the other day in 9.5. So trying to figure out the right size to get was tricky. Luckily I was able to try the 403s on and they fit great. A friend had told me he didn't need an insole for his boot, and It didnt feel like I needed one either. But today the hard leather welt of the boot was feeling kind of uncomfortable. So I opted to get a thin sole. But unfortunately with the 9.5 sizing.... anything else added makes my boots pretty tight, even the thinnest of soles squeezes my feet more. Starting to think I might actually need a larger size.... or an E width. Not fun realizing these things after wearing them a few days. Such an expensive boot, and I want it too feel as great as it was. Do any of you have insoles in your Aldens? Does the harder welt seem to get more comfortable?

[Bogie1943]

I have also tried insoles with my 403's in the past. I generally wear a size 8.5. This was my second pair of Alden's and before I ordered a carefully measured my feet as to double check my size. According to measurements 8.5 is right on. Now, once I recieved the 403's and tried them on I thought boy these feel a tiny bit loose. So I picked up some Dr. Scholl's insoles. Which indeed made them fit better....for a while. These were farly thin insoles mind you. After wearing the boots with the insoles for a few days they began to feel too tight and started hurting my feet. Ever since then I have gone without any form of added insole and the boots have become more and more comfortable. The key is breaking them in. The leather insoles may feel uncomfortable now but with a little wear I think they will break in just right. So in my opinion adding insoles to Alden's is not worth the added expenditure.

[TheExit148]

Don't worry about insoles. Just keep wearing them and breaking them in. Remember to give them a day between wears and try to use shoe trees to maximize the life of the boot. I've had my 405's for 6 years now, and had them resoled in the summer (by Alden Restoration) and they are going strong. They are the most comfortable boot I own.

[Indakin]

thanks guys. I was wondering since these are referred too as orthopedic boots.... the sole isnt so soft lol. With how fast the boot starts to break in I was a little hesitant to keep wearing them if I was going to exchange them. They felt great the first two days, but then feeling the tightness, I was getting concerned. I def own sneakers that feel way more comfy then these. Im really wondering if its more an issue of the width.... Im not sure how much of a change the size E would be from the standard D. My todds coyles I can tell are a bit wider in the foot and feel better. Thanks for the tips though! I do have wooden alden shoe inserts too.

[Duck9000]

Give them some time to breaking in and you'll see.

[Ridgerunner58]

I think Aldens run pretty true to size. My feet measure a 9 1/2 D on the Brannock Device and that's the size I wear, even in their Indy Boot (despite hearing from various sources that those run a half size large.)

I've never needed insoles and I've worn mine for 14 - 16 hours straight. But like all hard soled shoes your feet get tired after awhile.

As for break in - they seem to take a week or two of semi regular wear to get comfortable and then they improve over 2-3 months of wearing them 2-3 days a week to the point that they are as comfortable as anything else you would wear.

I'm confused by the statement about the "welt" making your feet uncomfortable since if the midsole was put in correctly you should not be able to feel the inner portion of the welt through the insole. If you can feel the welt through the insole there may be a construction problem that might warrant have a decent shoe repair place take a look.

[Indakin]

sorry i was mistaken in calling the sole the welt, since the tooling leather sole says Goodyear Welt on it. I have decent socks on with these, but i was feeling a little slippage from the tooling leather sole, and putting the insole into to compensate for that and make them feel a little softer. But thats when i realized its way too tight for anything else added in. ITs really mainly my right foot that i notice it at all, my left fits better, always has. Anyways i will trust you all on this and just let them wear in. Thanks for the help!

[Illinois James]

The 405's aren't really an orthopedic shoe. They do have an orthopedic heel. They're just solid work boots, mainly.

I find the Dr. Scholl's stuff is junk. They feel soft and squishy but provide no support. Marshmallows would feel good at first, too, probably.

The older 405's, in my opinion, fit true to size. The newer, leather lined shoes somehow do feel more roomy, volume-wise. But I like the room in the toe box. I use a thin, hard insert by Superfeet, called Easy Fit. It is only 3/4 length, so I still keep all the room in the toe. The added space of the insert is mitigated by the adjustability of the laces, then. For a little more padding, the Powerstep 3/4 length Slim Tech is something I also use. LOTS of support. And I like that they're made in USA, or at least they were a year ago. And they LAST!!

I'm a firm believer that if your feet are working right, you don't need cushion. Maybe with the exception of running on very hard surfaces, or if you've had an injury.

They also aren't expensive. I'd say don't waste your time on that ridiculous Dr. Scholl's carnival game thing at the drug store! Those things cost double the Superfeet and they fall apart.

I use mine in work boots as well, Redwings. I'm constantly on concrete and do lifting and climbing in them.

Again, JMO. Your mileage will vary, everybody's different, etc., etc.

[Michaelson]

The 405's aren't really an orthopedic shoe. They do have an orthopedic heel. They're just solid work boots, mainly.

I find it interesting Alden's has pretty much removed all information regarding the 405's originally being their main platform FOR orthopedic shoes, as the Trubalance system was touted on their main site as being THE 'go-to' boot for inserts. My own doctor prescribed my first pair of 405's with insert back in 1999, which tickled me to death, as he had NO idea of my connection to this hobby, so there was no convincing of the family I REALLY needed a pair of 405's. They were actually prescribed FOR me BY a podiatrist.

Looking at their literature and website now, there's no mention of it at all, just 'work boots', as you say above.....which I find....interesting. Still, it makes sense, as they're making a WHOLE lot more money in sales as 'work boots' rather than a 'medical device', which is all they saw them to be before the Indy connection came in.

I worked quite closely with them back in the 90's when we discovered they were the boot Ford wore in Raiders and were starting to build the first 'gear' data base. A lot of the first info was provided to us through their main Alden customer service department and the Allen White in the San Francisco Alden shop. Allen had to pull all 405 info for us out of their 'medical' catalog that were usually kept for physicians orders, so things have really changed in the past 25 years. I still have those Xerox copies buried somewhere in my 'stuff' in the garage.

Regards! Michaelson

[Indakin]

Thanks for the info! Cool to know. I think my issue with boots like these, or similar dress shoes, is that my right foot feels like its pointing more outward, while the tip of the boot wants to curve inward more to the left. This cause my pinky toe area to want to press up against the boot more. The boot length isnt the issue really, as much as maybe the width is. This was some of my debate about returning them. Some shoes i have do this while others dont. The aldens seem to have this same issue for me. My left isnt so bad though. Maybe a wider size would still be my best deal. Im just going to wear them a bit longer and see how they respond.

[IndyRiv]

Well, if your Aldens feel anything like my old version pair of Todd's boots, they'll kill your feet. I am leery to buy a pair of Aldens simply because Todd copied the design of his to the Aldens and those are the most uncomfortable pair of boots I've ever worn. I have finicky feet and the soles on these just kill my feet after a couple of hours. I've even thrown them in the corner in frustration as I'd like to wear them but they're just too hard. So they sit in my closet. I've tried putting insoles in mine but have the same problem - the boots become too tight.

So if the Aldens are like the Todds, you're going to need insoles.

[Indakin]

the rest of the boot is more comfy. Im just getting a pinching in my right pinky a bit. Starting to bug me... might need a wider boot. Going to put them in the Bizzar to see if anyone is interested at all.

[Illinois James]

Indyriv, the 405's are nothing like the old Todd's boots. The new Todd's boots are a world ahead of the old ones. I don't use an insert with the new Todd's, as they have a good arch support built in. They are well constructed, the only exceptions being the heels wear quickly, and some guys have had some brittle speed lace hooks. Mine have been fine, and I can definitely recommend you give them a try when they're available again. There maybe some sizes left, I dunno.

I'm a firm believer that the comfort comes from proper support. The old Todd's boots, as well as many shoes today, don't have it. The main support comes from the backbone of the shoe, the shank. Most shoes with flat soles (no distinct heel) don't have a shank, or it's plastic or fiber material. Without a steel shank, no insole or orthotic is going to help you for long. Todd did confirm the new boots he came up with do have a steel shank.

Once the support in a shoe between the heel and ball of your foot begins to flex, you're done. You are on your way to foot pain, then back pain. Throw the shoes away, because it's cost prohibitive to properly fix them by basically re-lasting the shoe. No inserts can save them. I work with guys who refuse to buy new boots because the old ones still "look good" or aren't worn out or "they still have all their tread". Then they complain about foot pain because the support in the sole interior is blown out.

Michaelson, I remember seeing those references to orthopedics in Alden information too, but, it's been awhile.

I could see a podiatrist prescribing the 405. It's a perfect foundation for most feet, really, or, more so, the last that it's on is perfect. But I could never fit a true full orthotic insert in mine without sizing up. They'd just be too tight. And I buy my actual size. I'm not in the 'go a half size down' camp. But if you need an orthopedic shoe, and you can get by with the Indy boot, that's a real plus. Why wear the ugly old blocky orthopedic shoes when you can fix your feet and still enjoy your hobby!!

I'm still trying to find the old vintage Alden advertisement showing the 405 work boot with the 40 work oxford. I can't find it anywhere. I still want a pair of those Model 40's. The latest incarnations were the 'Indy shoes' recently produced, but wherever they appear, they sell out quickly. Leather Soul Hawaii had their 'Hawaiian Stomper', but they're only rarely produced in small numbers.

JMO, etc, etc.

[Indakin]

update: Kept the boots, couldnt really return them after wearing a bit. Discussed with a friend locally who has a pair and he reassured me more about their fit and wearing in. Love them now! Its hard to do the every other day wearing rule. I think as long as i take care of them, use the inserts, and condition them enough, it will be fine. I bought them so i could basically wear them all the time, so im going to. Indy does