Alden 405 are they the correct color? And a new alternative

[drftfan]

Just was looking at my 405s as they sit on the floor of my office. Currently one of my led lights is out so it is only one bulb. Right now they look as brown as it gets. In light it is course not so much. So it got me thinking. Why is the general consensus that the current 405s aren't the correct color, or at least close to it? Both hats in Raiders change colors depending on the scene. Watching the truck chase scene in my theater room shows the boots to be closer to a rusty brown as well when sunlight hits them. Has anyone seen a screen used pair up close? I did years ago but unfortunately don't have a picture. Nor did I pay that much attention.
Lastly it looks like Aldens are going up in price before January is over.
Also I just saw these on Jcrew. Clearly they used the 405 as inspiration according to the description. They look pretty good to me other than missing one set of speedhooks and the loop on the back.
https://www.jcrew.com/p/mens_category/s ... ?rrec=true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[IJJTM]

Why does it look like they are going up in price?

[Kokopelli]

The 405’s have not been ‘correct color’ for many years now.
Those J Crews have been around a while. I plan on trying those when my current Aldens wear out.
I wear them everyday but I have seen their quality decline to the point I can’t justify their cost.

[IndianaJustin]

The Kenton Pacers had a reputation of scratching easily, don't know if it still holds.
I, too, am wondering if Alden's are worth their cost. There are so many other high quality boots, perhaps not exactly the same but work boot styles, at cheaper prices. I have a pair of 405s which I enjoy. But I have cheaper and more durable boots I wear everyday because they feel more durable and still look great. My two cents.

[drftfan]

I love my 405s. I have never gotten so many compliments on a pair of shoes/boots before. I am planning to pick up a set of 403s pretty soon.

[MaverickFerg]

Aldens increase in price every year (end of January) - presumably to keep up with the cost of labor and materials (and inflation, of course). This year the increase ranges from $5-$22 a pair depending on the model.

Also, for what it’s worth - they are taking preorders for an Indy Boot in the “original Indy color” (as if anyone can actually agree what that is): https://aldenmadison.com/collection/405c/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For the non-purists out there who want a unique Indy option, they have a few Indy Boots left in the Utica leather (which they claim they will never make again): https://aldenmadison.com/collection/utica_indy/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Kokopelli]

Did anyone else catch the description of the J Crew boot as a ‘carpenter style’? Subtle...

[IJJTM]

Aren’t the soles on their “accurate Indy boot” not accurate?

[TheExit148]

Aren’t the soles on their “accurate Indy boot” not accurate?

The cork soles are found on the original 405 boots and to the boots in the movie. Anything else isn't screen accurate. The "Raiders" brown too is impossible to find from the 70s and when I spoke to an Alden rep, they aren't able to bring it back. They blamed the tannery they get their leather from for the 405.

These are the right colour boots from Raiders.

[IndianaJustin]

Those look great. Too bad you can't get that color. It looks perfect.

[drftfan]

I am sorry, I just don't buy that the color chocolate is 100% correct. Bare with me...
In the truck chase the boots clearly have a red tone. In KOTCS they look the way they always have looked on film. They clearly were not making that chocolate color any longer. I genuinely thought maybe they were Harrisons personal boots until I saw a behind the scenes pic or video showing multiple pairs.
On the Indygear boots page if you look at the pic where he is on the plane, the pants are not that dark nor is the whip. But in that picture they are. http://indygear.com/igboots.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I just took a picture of my own in my semi darkened room and they look as dark as the 403s do. Without having pictures or seeing the screen worn boots there is really no way of knowing what the real color was in my opinion.
In this picture they also have a semi redish tone to my eyes https://twitter.com/Barnett_College/sta ... 08/photo/1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
One last picture. Says these date from the late 60's to the early 70's. They do state they are more brown in person. But if you google vintage Aldens the same picture shows up but much darker brown on "fortune and glory"
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ ... -170333924" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Kokopelli]

The boots were grey all along...

[IndianaJustin]

They looked all right to me!

[Michaelson]

The boots were grey all along...

RUN AWAY!!!!!!

[Cajunkraut]

The most comprehensive thread I can find on the Raiders boot color:

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=61207&hilit=raiders+aldens" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The temple and flying wing fight screencaps are pretty indicative of the color of HF's Aldens IMO. It's been verified that the boots he wore were his personally-owned carpentry boots approved by DN due to their period correctness. If you notice, the brick-colored boots are seen during the Well of the Souls and truck chase scenes, likely because they were the pairs worn by the stuntmen.

[Chose Poorly]

Just ordered a pair of new 403s from one of the few remaining stores in Los Angeles that carries Indy boots. They had a 10D in stock but they were too small. Fingers crossed these work out!

[Michaelson]

The boots were grey all along...

[Michaelson]

It's been verified that the boots he wore were his personally-owned carpentry boots approved by DN due to their period correctness.

This particular highlighted point has always amused me, as in interview after interview (and yes, we have copies on hand) she INSISTS he wore Redwings, and that she never even HEARD of ALden boots before.

Here's a direct quote taken straight from an unsolicited email we received from her back on 9/20/2004:

He wore Red Wing work boots, by the way, which I bought on Ventura Blvd. in the San Fernando Valley.
- All the best,
Dr. Deborah Nadoolman Landis
President, The Costume Designers Guild, Local 892


Regards! Michaelson

[Dr._J]

I'm sorry but $630 for Indy boots? They're insane. I liked them better when they were $250 and just called "405"s. Seems someone at Alden was paying attention and realized us Indy-nerds would pay anything for the real thing.

[Dr._J]

Aren’t the soles on their “accurate Indy boot” not accurate?

The cork soles are found on the original 405 boots and to the boots in the movie. Anything else isn't screen accurate. The "Raiders" brown too is impossible to find from the 70s and when I spoke to an Alden rep, they aren't able to bring it back. They blamed the tannery they get their leather from for the 405.

These are the right colour boots from Raiders.

I remember our own Rundquist had boots that looked like this that he bought from Fritz (who sold Alden's to Harrison Ford). They were old, store stock and perfect.

[Chose Poorly]

Another 405 color question…

The color has obviously changed multiple times over the years, the most recent two colors being the previous pumpkin orange color, and the current brick reddish color. Because some stockists still have older stock, the pumpkin orange 405 is still ocassionaly available.

I’m curious what folks in the Indy community prefer between those two more recent colors. Neither is screen accurate, but if you had to choose only between the two, would you go pumpkin orange, brick reddish, or skip the 405 and get brown CXL 403s instead?

[TheExit148]

Brick reddish is the one to get. Actually matches closer to Last Crusade and CS; CS had distressing/wardrobe work done though to them more so than LC boots did.

[Chose Poorly]

Brick reddish is the one to get. Actually matches closer to Last Crusade and CS; CS had distressing/wardrobe work done though to them more so than LC boots did.

Thoughts on these…
https://imgur.com/a/5q1T76M" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Seller insists they’re the new color, but they look a bit more orange than what I’ve seen in stores more recently. Kind of an in between color..

[tubasthebest]

Those look to be the same color of 405s that I got this year, so it is the current color.