Alden 405: return of the pumpkin (how to fix?)

[McQ7]

I recently got in a pair of barely worn Alden 405 Indy original work boots made in late 2017. They fit my foot much better than the chromexcel 403 version, which is best with thick People Socks. I have a lower volume foot overall but especially at the ankle and heel. The 405's more structured, less stretchy leather allows me to wear non-cushioned Darn Tough dress socks with a snug fit and the facings not touching. I could wear slightly thicker socks, as well, for cooler weather. If I wear those non-cushioned socks with the 403 cxl version my feet are floating, there's too much play in the heel, and the facings touch from the ankle up. The fit of the 405 is ideal, since I would like to be able to wear Indy boots in all but 90 degree + weather.

However, these 405 boots from late 2017 are not my favorite shade of brown. They aren't really tan and they aren't really orange, but I recall Indy fans years back complaining about the "pumpkin" color and that's all that comes to mind when I look at these.

Does anyone have experience using shoe cream or other product to get the 405 model to lean towards a better-looking color? Darker, browner?

Some of my searches resulted in Pecards brown weatherproof dressing doing a good job, but it was so long ago the image links have expired. If anyone has any pics to reupload that would be extremely helpful.

Pecards sounds more or less like Obenaufs but with brown tint. Since I’ve read about Obenaufs kind flattening the depth of leather, I am thinking of starting with Alden's brown boot cream and/or meltonian brown cream to see what happens.

For the record, the Alden DC store rep says they aren't giving out the brown boot cream with the 405 any longer, but rather the neutral cream. He advised against the brown boot cream as it might end up uneven and splotchy, and recommended Saphir cream since they have more pigment and offer such a multitude of colors that I could find one in the exact color but a shade or two darker that would do the trick to darken the 405. However, the orange tint would remain, I suppose.

I've also read of using blue to cancel orange when working with dye, particularly when it comes to hair color. Not sure whether that applies here or not, but I'd considered cordovan shoe cream since it contains blue, being a purple shade.

Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions from those old pumpkin Indy days, I'd love to hear it!

[Glenville86]

For all my Alden boots using the same last as the Indy ones, I use a 1/2 insert and have to wear thicker socks...…..

I use mink oil on my boots which does seem to darken then. I have a couple pair like you do and they darkened. Use the Red Wing brand.

Dodging Michaelson before he starts talking about attracting bugs...….

[Michaelson]

Grrrrrrrrrrr



Regards! Michaelson

[McQ7]

Thanks for the advice on the mink oil. I've also seen Montana Pitch Blend recommended as an Obenauf's type treatment, and that contains mink oil.

Here's a pic, pretty true to life. I don't think they're garish, and I'm not sure I have any decent pics of the previous 2000s era pumpkin color 405s, but these do lean more toward the orange spectrum than I prefer:

[McQ7]

Decided to go for it tonight and did one application of Meltonian brown shoe cream followed by one application of neutral Venetian Shoe Cream. The VSC did as I had hoped and helped to reduce the splotchiness of the brown cream--the solvents spread things out a bit more evenly. These really remind me of the Need Supply Church Hill Indy and the JCrew burnished tan versions now. The stitching did take on the brown cream but came off a bit with the VSC. I'm digging it.

Complete pics are at:
https://imgur.com/a/1HELpbA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Under the bright lights:

More true to life medium light:

[Cajunkraut]

I had similar impressions of the 403 - love the color, but not the leather.

Alden relaunched pumpkin as early as 2016 (see below link to my earlier thread). I received a pair and promptly returned them.

http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?f ... 01#p879601" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You can use a darker brown or even black cream, depending on how dark you want to go. I'm currently using Alden's dark brown on "brick red" 405s. Good luck!

[Michaelson]

You have to wonder if Alden's does this on purpose, as they've told us in the past they had 'no control' over what color any particular run of hide will be when it arrives.

I've always found that statement odd, as it's the VENDOR who determines if an ordered product meets spec, so it had to be ordered in that color to pass muster.

I think they know we hate that color so much, it helps control inventory as not as many pairs get ordered when they're carrying that color.

Just me playing 'conspiracy theorist' this morning.

Regards! Michaelson

[McQ7]

Yeah, I can't help wonder if Alden tried to move the 405 color away from the 403 brown chromexcel version in an attempt to expand options, and overshot. There are some examples a few years ago of Alden's whiskey shell cordovan coming off as more orangey than the current whiskey color, but I can't help wonder if Alden is aiming for that shade for the color of their tan calf 405 (and all "burnished tan" colors in calf).

Check out this older version of Alden's orange-tinted whiskey shell color:

Here's another pic of mine from this morning in indirect sunlight:

Credit to styleforum member zippyh for these following pics:

Here is an example of a more recent whiskey shell Indy with patina and when it was younger:

Here's the older brick color 405:

And here's the brown chromexcel color:

[Cajunkraut]

Yeah, I can't help wonder if Alden tried to move the 405 color away from the 403 brown chromexcel version in an attempt to expand options, and overshot.

I've thought the same thing as well. It makes marketing sense that Alden brought back dark brown only in a different leather, but it frustrates those of us who want the original 405 rebooted (pun intended).

As a side note, I owned a pair of well-used vintage Raiders 405s for the last year or so. As brown as they were, I found it interesting that the finish showed reddish undertones where the color was worn.

[Trenin]

I dyed my pumpkin pair and it worked out great.