Club Obi Wan

How about it Indiana Jack-how durable are they? Tom

Carolina Tom wrote:Mud gets stuck in them, it dries and then it releases as you walk across the champagne carpet in the living room.

Have you ever tried cleaning off your boots before going inside? ;-)

Raider S wrote:Smooth soles are a nightmare for me. I don't need a truck tire on the bottom, but something with a bit of grip.

Exactly...a nice low profile tread. Sort of like an all weather tire. Not the best for digging through the muck or snow...not the best for racing on a track but they are the best "all around" tire. That's what would seal the deal for me on these boots...or boots like them.

Now cowboy boots are different. You need the smooth soles to slide out of the stirrups. Also, it’s easier to scrape off horse poo from smooth bottom boots as opposed to something with tread.

The mud gets stuck in the low areas of the vibram type tread. Unless you take a stick and pick it out piece by piece, you can't easily clean it out before you go inside if the mud is still wet. I used to let it dry and then the next time I put them on, I would go outside and walk around in them or beat them against something to get it out. As I said before, to each his own-I don't have a need for lugged soles-With a slick sole, you just scrape before going inside and you're done-Regards-Tom

Could we have some other pics?
Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase!

Nico

Todd, got the boots today! You hit a home run! Thanks.

Texan Scott wrote:Todd, got the boots today! You hit a home run! Thanks.

So....I won't ask for pics.....
Please!!!!! post some photos!!!!
Thanks ;-)

Got them yesterday and after a day wearing them, here is my opinion and analysis!
What a great boot! They are so much better than I anticipated! Comfortable, stylish and very substantial all in one!
My shoe size on a measuring device falls between 10.5 and 11. My width is B (narrow). I ordered a size 11 and it is perfect! Even with the two sets of socks that I wear. I personally like the smooth soles. What a welcome change from the 7 year old sketchers "close enough" boots I've been using! They have tank tread for soles!
So I hope this helps anyone of similar size contemplating a purchase! I am very satissfied. Plus, at that price, you can't afford not to buy them!

PS: Sorry guys, no pics!

Here are two pics. Sorry only have a couple on my feet as I put them on as soon as I got home and haven't taken them off.





Having never owned Aldens I cannot give a comparison but these things definitely look the part. My size 11's fit fantastic but are heavier than any other shoes that I own and that will take some getting used to. The leather is very soft and supple through the midsection and ankle area making them very comfortable.

Carolina Tom wrote:How about it Indiana Jack-how durable are they? Tom

from the looks and the feel they seem OK durability wise. but thats what i thought of Todd's Jacket when i got it a year ago and now i love it. i am gonna where the boots out tonight so i will try and report tomorrow with pics too

Color looks closer to current Aldens in those pics...

Carolina Tom wrote:The mud gets stuck in the low areas of the vibram type tread. Unless you take a stick and pick it out piece by piece, you can't easily clean it out before you go inside if the mud is still wet. I used to let it dry and then the next time I put them on, I would go outside and walk around in them or beat them against something to get it out. As I said before, to each his own-I don't have a need for lugged soles-With a slick sole, you just scrape before going inside and you're done-Regards-Tom

Simple fix:

http://www.amazon.com/THE-SPORTSMANS-GU ... B0002N206W

They work great.

wow those actually look..... REALLy good!

WOW!

Those looks awesome !
Veryyyyyyyyyyyyyyy veryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy close to the SA for.... about 70$ !

My next shoes are going to be those!


Regards,

Nico

got mine yesterday. . . ordered size 10, paperwork says size 10, but there's an 11 in the shoe on each one (anyone else have this happen?) they fit perfectly, though i'm just not sure what size they are i am very happy with them!

Here's a question for those of you who already have theirs...How are the insoles? Are they removable? I have the tendency to go "Gellin'" as much as I can...Regardless, I'm pretty much sold on these already, regardless!

PyramidBlaster wrote:Here's a question for those of you who already have theirs...How are the insoles? Are they removable? I have the tendency to go "Gellin'" as much as I can...Regardless, I'm pretty much sold on these already, regardless!

Just checked my insoles are glued down. You could probably rip them out as they do not seem to be stitched.

Just checked my insoles are glued down. You could probably rip them out as they do not seem to be stitched.

No, I'll probably just leave them be...Haven't had a good track record with regards to ripping glued insoles out. It's not a deal-breaker.

A little of topic but I just posted my Rockport Farnum"close enough" boots in the Cairo Bazzar for sale at a very good price.

Now back on topic, I really love these boots so far. I wore them out today and they are very comfortable and they feel like they will break in very quickly. If I was going to change anything it would be too tone down the prominent white stitching.

Indiana Jake wrote:I wear a size 11 and the eleven fits. However I have been going back and fourth with D and E widths. I perfer an E width if it is available. I cannot say they are too narrow. However, I think my foot is a little wider than it used to be. My guess is that they are similar fitting to the Alden's but I'm no shoe salesman!

Jake

Not for me, too small. I got a size 11 and these are too snug so I have to sell. So I just bought a size 12. These are smaller than Rockport Farnums or any shoe/boot size 11 I have.

Found the same thing w/my 9's; feels like an 8.


Peace.

Man, why is it that it seems like all of Todd's gear runs a little small? The jacket and shirts ran small, which is why I couldn't get either one of those. Then the boots aren't initially offered in a 13, my usual size, but it seems like I'd probably need a 14 so they'd actually fit?

Well, here's hoping Todd eventually offers a 14...

Has anyone else experienced their boots fitting a bit narrow in the toe area? Mine are pretty tight, but I think the leather will stretch with some regular wear. Seem durable enough to me, though, I've only gotten 1 chance to wear em. They're pretty comfortable, the leather insole is great!

Randy

Hey, without trying to offend the believers, what is the leather quality like? I had Todd's first run of his $150 jacket and was not impressed with the durability of the jacket or the leather quality, shoes are a different beast altogether. Do they seem durable or is the leather,... um pleather'ish and can they stand up to daily wear? I'm not trying to offend here or start a flame war; I would just like an honest answer in hope of buying a pair.

Tennessee Smith wrote:Hey, without trying to offend the believers, what is the leather quality like? I had Todd's first run of his $150 jacket and was not impressed with the durability of the jacket or the leather quality, shoes are a different beast altogether. Do they seem durable or is the leather,... um pleather'ish and can they stand up to daily wear? I'm not trying to offend here or start a flame war; I would just like an honest answer in hope of buying a pair.

They're surprisingly soft as I was expecting stiff leather. That said, I'm not 100% sure they're "adventure" tough, but daily wear should be ok.

BUT I could be wrong and they could in reality be "tough as a pine knot" [to borrow a phrase from the mustachioed Knower of Things around these parts. ]

I think mine will hold up well, as I'm pretty good on shoes, unless they're bought for hiking, jogging, or yard work and such.

Randy

Thanks Randy

Keep us posted as they wear-in.

Maybe Santa will bring me a pair along with a new pocket knife. ;-)

theinterchange wrote:Has anyone else experienced their boots fitting a bit narrow in the toe area? Mine are pretty tight, but I think the leather will stretch with some regular wear. Seem durable enough to me, though, I've only gotten 1 chance to wear em. They're pretty comfortable, the leather insole is great!

Randy

I had a really tough time getting them on, and they're snug all the way around. No way wearing them will stretch them enough to work for me. So now I had to buy a size 12 when I'm a size 11.

JC1972 wrote:

theinterchange wrote:Has anyone else experienced their boots fitting a bit narrow in the toe area? Mine are pretty tight, but I think the leather will stretch with some regular wear. Seem durable enough to me, though, I've only gotten 1 chance to wear em. They're pretty comfortable, the leather insole is great!

Randy

I had a really tough time getting them on, and they're snug all the way around. No way wearing them will stretch them enough to work for me. So now I had to buy a size 12 when I'm a size 11.

Was it the length or the width that is making you go up a size?

Tennessee Smith wrote:

JC1972 wrote:

theinterchange wrote:Has anyone else experienced their boots fitting a bit narrow in the toe area? Mine are pretty tight, but I think the leather will stretch with some regular wear. Seem durable enough to me, though, I've only gotten 1 chance to wear em. They're pretty comfortable, the leather insole is great!

Randy

I had a really tough time getting them on, and they're snug all the way around. No way wearing them will stretch them enough to work for me. So now I had to buy a size 12 when I'm a size 11.

Was it the length or the width that is making you go up a size?

Both

I agree w/JC1972. Both.

I think they compare favorably w/the 405's (I bought a pair from Schmidty recently). The leather may be a little thinner but not much. The lining looks to be very similiar. If I had gotten the Todd's first, I may not have gotten Aldens.


Peace, love and barbque.

theinterchange wrote:Has anyone else experienced their boots fitting a bit narrow in the toe area?
Randy

Yes.
I normally wear a 9.5 shoe; ordered 10; to small.
I just bought 11s out of Cairo Bazzar.
Size 10s available in Cairo Bazzar.

I guess Iwas lucky with these. My 11's fit great, yes they are snug slipping my foot in but once my foot is in place and they lace up they fit great.


To give others an idea I have a narrow flat foot and wear anywhere from a 10 to an 11.5 in other shoes.

I have noticed that the black soles do mark up the boots some and my kitchen floor.

here's a quick question.....why do all the owner pics look like alden's current brick-reddish colour and todd's site has a the more accurate raiders brown?

if these are the same colour as the current alden offering, i may be using the CB soon

scot2525 wrote:I guess Iwas lucky with these. My 11's fit great, yes they are snug slipping my foot in but once my foot is in place and they lace up they fit great.

Me too. My size 11's seemed a little tight right out of the box but fit okay once I got them on and laced up. I'm not too sure about going up a whole size in my case. Depending on the brand, I either wear a 10 1/2 or 11D. With these boots, my toe sits about an inch from the tip so I think a 12 would be too long. Anyway, I've been wearing them around most of the weekend, and they seem to be breaking in really well.

Scott

dewijones wrote:

Texan Scott wrote:Todd, got the boots today! You hit a home run! Thanks.

So....I won't ask for pics.....
Please!!!!! post some photos!!!!
Thanks ;-)

Had just received the boots minutes before a weekend trip. Looks like some have followed up with great photos!

Indiana G wrote:here's a quick question.....why do all the owner pics look like alden's current brick-reddish colour and todd's site has a the more accurate raiders brown?

if these are the same colour as the current alden offering, i may be using the CB soon

Indiana G I believe it is all due to lighting. Do my boots look as brown as what is seen on Todd's website? NO

Do my boots look brick red like the current Aldens? NO

Is there a hint of red in the boot? YES, every Coyle leather product, other than the jacket, seems to have a hint of red to it.

Every manufacturer or distributor is going to present the product being sold in the best possible manner.

whipitgood wrote:

knibs7 wrote:I'm gonna guess $185

NIBS

$185 is too close to Shoemart's irregular price. I bought a pair there for $200 and they were perfect except for one of the speed laces was bent a little. I bent it back and it was good as new. I would say $100. No more than $125.

just an fyi....shoemarts current price on alden "irregulars" is now $230.00 shipped to usa (as of October 24, 2008).

thanks for reading,
joa

many thanks to Todd for giving us yet more options...thank you! As usual I got great customer service from mr coyle! I bought the boots Monday October 20 and I recv'd them Friday morning the 24th. Though I didnt actually open them until tonight. my thoughts......

the Look-well they look great and feel much more STURDY (to the touch) than I thought!

the leather- the leather feels very soft & supple and reminds me of lambskin.

the color- well IMO i think they appear to be closer to the current aldens color than brown or chocolate brown.

the fit-well i normally wear a 12 so i ordered a 12. they seem to run a bit small especially in the width. they feel more like an 11 or 11.5 at best. so i will wear them indoors on the carpet for a few days to see if that helps break them in. otherwise i guess they will go to CAIRO. then i will need to wait to see if Todd will get them in a size 13. but to my mind they are definitely worth the price!!! and only time will tell how well they will hold up!

Thanks for reading,
JOA

PS-just curious if anyone else noticed any very very minor scuffs / blemishes on the leather when they 1st took them out of the box?

The construction, type of materials used, especially the inside liner is very similiar to Aldens.

joeyofarimathea wrote:PS-just curious if anyone else noticed any very very minor scuffs / blemishes on the leather when they 1st took them out of the box?

not on mine.

Hold on a second. Everyone is reporting these are running about a size too small - this amazes me. Mine should be in tomorrow but now doubt if they'll fit or not. How can this be?
Rarely if ever do I go to buy shoes and need to get a whole size larger than my normal size. I don't really even go for wide sizes as most D's work for me. How and why is it possible so many of Todd's items are a size or two smaller than what people normally wear? If I wear a 12 and they don't fit, I'm you-know-what out of luck as that's his largest size?

It's great the boots are priced right, but if so many people have trouble getting a proper fit I don't see a great value there.

Raider S wrote:Hold on a second. Everyone is reporting these are running about a size too small - this amazes me. Mine should be in tomorrow but now doubt if they'll fit or not. How can this be?
Rarely if ever do I go to buy shoes and need to get a whole size larger than my normal size. I don't really even go for wide sizes as most D's work for me. How and why is it possible so many of Todd's items are a size or two smaller than what people normally wear? If I wear a 12 and they don't fit, I'm you-know-what out of luck as that's his largest size?

It's great the boots are priced right, but if so many people have trouble getting a proper fit I don't see a great value there.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. I normally wear anything from a 10-11 depending on the maker. With these boots, this is one instance I'm glad these were made in whole sizes. If they do run smaller, maybe a half size at the most. They are slightly narrower than a D in my opinion, maybe a size medium width.

PS-just curious if anyone else noticed any very very minor scuffs / blemishes on the leather when they 1st took them out of the box?

Mine had a couple, there was a white residue on the tongue that came off when I scraped it with a a finger nail. There is also a couple of white spots on the leather upper that I may apply some polish to to cover or hopefully remove.

Double post sorry.

As I understand it, new Aldens are the color of the boot on the left. The Alden I have on the right is aged and naturally darkened. As you can see, my boot is NOT the same color as the Alden. Photo was taken with a white-balanced Nikon D50 and no color correction was used. The photo on the website was not color corrected, either, but somehow the color shifted when converting to srgb color space, so I did them with no color shift other than that which occurs when converting a camera RAW photo to a JPEG.

As far as the size issue, I will take this up with the manufacturer. These were custom made lasts based on standard foot-bed dimensions, which I suspect modern shoe manufacturers don't adhere to anymore. The same with my other garments.

As to durability, these are a casual boot or light work boot, not a hiking boot. One look at the design should tell you these are not serious outdoor boots (that goes for the Alden, too.) Sure any shoe will stand up to light outdoor use, like walking, but for serious outdoor activities, go with a Merrell, Browning, Hi-Tec, etc. Just common sense.

if that's the colour as compared to aldens.......those will be a winner. guess i'll find out before day's end. thanks for the photo todd.....and setting my mind at ease.

cheers,


g

Puppetboy wrote:

As I understand it, new Aldens are the color of the boot on the left. The Alden I have on the right is aged and naturally darkened. As you can see, my boot is NOT the same color as the Alden. Photo was taken with a white-balanced Nikon D50 and no color correction was used. The photo on the website was not color corrected, either, but somehow the color shifted when converting to srgb color space, so I did them with no color shift other than that which occurs when converting a camera RAW photo to a JPEG.

My circa end of 2007 Aldens are the color on the right - the color of your boots is fab!

Mine arrived Friday and I love 'em.
I normally wear a 9.5 wide so I ordered size 10. They still might be a little too tight, but I fear 11s might be too far in the other direction. I'm going to wear these all week and for Halloween to see how they fare, and if they kill my feet I'll Bazaar them and order 11s.

ok, so everyone one else's shoes have the correct size inside that match what they ordered (unlike mine)? if thats the case, i would have to concur that you should order a size up, as i wear a 10, ordered a 10, and received an 11 and they fit perfectly. . . . wore them all day at work, and i'm a network manager at a middle school so i'm always walking! excellent work Todd. . . i love 'em![/list]

This is my first post as Ive finnaly joined the site after many a day just reading and putting together my collection.
Just wanted to thank Todd for everything that I have purchased from him so far. If the boots are as good as everything else I got from him then im on to a winner. Im sure I will find out in the next few days