Club Obi Wan

Well, after 7 years my old pair of Aldens need a trip back to their birthplace. In seven years I have only had the heels replaced once, the soles have never been replaced. My 405's have been through some adventures and abuse. They have traveled with me through 3 countries and all over the US. After all of that they have held up so well because of the constant leather care I have given them. I have my restoration kit, everything is filled out and ready to go. I have one concern that could break my heart. There is a warning that some shoes may not be able to be repaired after they have been taken apart. I am wondering who among you has had experience with the alden restoration? The cost of the process is $135.00 which I feel is worth it to get a near new pair of shoes back that now cost $320.00. When I bought them back in January 2001, they cost $201.00 shipped lol, times have changed!

So after the long story, mainly I feel these can be repaired and I shouldn't worry. However to have them be destoryed due to this process would not make me happy to say the least. As always, they received a treatment of pecards.



Picture just for Michaelson

God speed little Aldens. May you return home safely.

(IndyFrench salutes)

Thanks indeed French. Even if they can't repair your shoes, they do give you your $135.00 back. Sadly that isn't enough for a new pair.

holy @#$%.
How often did you wear them?!
Mine are only 2 years old now, and I had the heels
replaced once. They also need new soles soon because of the way
that I walk, the welt on the front of the mid-sole is almost exposed.
Any more pictures?
Adam

I've worn them a lot and I mean a lot. There was a good year I must have worn them every single day. They have just held up really well. Right now they are really in need of this repair. All the leather and stitching are very sound. What they really need are new soles and heels. They have been with me through so many good times. I just pray they don't get trashed.

I'd love to see a closeup of those boots!

Bogie, your Aldens look great, like a open history book
You have my confidence that they will come back to you, new born :!:

GOOD man, Josh!! Appreciate the photo!

The only thing that makes Alden's deep six boots that return for restoration is if the leather is torn through. Since all yours needs an overhaul, the turn around should be very fast, as they have a division that does nothing BUT restorations.

Those have served you well, and I'm sure they have many MANY more miles ahead of them in the very near future.

HIGH regards! Michaelson

Sorry fellas, no more pics, I already sealed the bag and I don't want to rip it trying to reopen it. However, I can show off my newer pair of Aldens. These babies are just that, babies. I have only had them for a little over a year. They have yet to earn the same amount of sentimental value as my old pair. I can say this to you all, I will wear my old pair until there is no way they can be repaired by anyone. I love those things, true adventure shoes they are. Thanks for the kind words and advice as always Michaelson.

That new pair is looking good, better than my pair of three months actually! Though you *might* want to consider shoe trees!

Btw, does your pair of 'babies' ever 'chip' off at the bottom-most stitching on the wood/cork-ish material facing upwards? (As in the bottom-most stitching in your pic). My pair seems to keep doing that, and I'm wondering if it's because of the friction from the rag that I use to polish it, or if it's normal...

I can say that on my old pair 99% of the stitching is sound and has held up well. I think most of that has to with the regular treatment of pecards. I would recommend that and for polishing, get a shoe poloshing brush. You can get them just about anywhere, even the evil empire of walmart has them. As for my old Aldens, the have been soaked through snf through many times. Rain, mud, snow, rivers, mountains, rainforests, and they have never failed me. Just keep that leather happy with pecards or a nice leather lotion of some kind.

As you can see I have gone the leather lace route with my Aldens. I got tired of ordering new laces and trying to find laces that look something like the stock laces.

Oh and just an added note. You get free wood shoe trees and shoe bags with your Alden restoration.

I will have a full field report for you all in about 3-4 weeks.

wow!...Your old pair is great...That's what the "INDY" boot should look like...Get us some pics after you get them back...

Well, I shipped my Aldens out on the 5th. Today I recieved a postcard from Alden saying that they have my boots and I can expect them back within the next four weeks. The card was postmarked on the 10th, side note. I have seen little info here or on the main site. So I want to keep you all updated as much as possible about the process for future gearhead reference. Until the next update, I await the return of my original Aldens, with new improvements.

I'll be watching this closely, as I am considering sending my nine year old Aldens in for the same service. By the way, did your Aldens come that great brown color, or did you dye them? They look great!

I used brown shoe polish over the years which helped turn them a darker brown. That and a regular treatment of Pecards.

I will let you know that I just received my restored 405's and unfortunately they no longer fit properly. Mine were just over a year old but I had worn the soles down so far that irrepairable damage would have been done to the shoes had they not been replaced. I keep the heels safe by using taps.
Anyway, Aldens was great. They gave me a choice of refunding my mone and letting me keep the shoes that didn't fit, or sending me a new pair. I took the new pair and they can be seen under the general gear section. My other pair in the photos are just over one year old.

I forgot to say that except for the fact that they didn't fit properly, They looked beautiful. Picture a new pair but with the uppers already mature.

Not sure I understand....why didn't they fit anymore, since all they did was re-sole and re-heel the boots? How would that change the size?

Interesting!

Regards! Michaelson

Apparently, when they stitched the soles back on, the left shoe was done improperly leaving less room for three toes on the upper left portion of the shoe. I contacted Aldens when I found that they no longer fit well and they had me send them back. They realized that they could do nothing to resize them. Hence, the new shoes.

Ah, I understand!

Thanks!

Regard! Michaelson

So they replaced your old pair for free with a new pair?

That's not unheard of if they are the ones at fault.

Regards! Michaelson

They weren't actually free, $135 plus another $15 for sending them back. No complaints, they were great and I'm sure my case was the oddity. I will use their service again.

RichardSK wrote:Apparently, when they stitched the soles back on, the left shoe was done improperly leaving less room for three toes on the upper left portion of the shoe. I contacted Aldens when I found that they no longer fit well and they had me send them back. They realized that they could do nothing to resize them. Hence, the new shoes.

My Aldens were shipped from the restoration dept. on April 4th, I should have them back this week, woohoo!

Can't wait to see the boots bogie...

Well, here they are, back at last with all the new goodies. The fine folks at Alden replaced all of the most important parts of my boots. They even added leather facings on the inside to reinforce the heel/ankle area. Which this also added some more comfort to the boots. That, new laces, a free set of cedar shoe trees, which smell wonderful, a new box, and catalogue. I could not be more happy. This will surely add life to my favorite shoes. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask or if you would like more detailed pics let me know.

Bogie...

Very nice first off...

One question though. Did the sizing change at all? I know there have been a couple different people who have had this service done and stated that the shoes felt a great deal smaller when they got them back...

I would have to say no. I have noticed no size difference in the boots. When I first put them on, it reminded me of the day I first got them seven years ago. They had that new feel all over again. I wish I had taken detailed pics of them before the restoration. Let me tell you, the heels and soles were nearly gone. Alden did a great job with these. The toe area of the boots had become smashed in over the years, flat and less rounded. However Alden brought the toes back to the rounded shape like new. The reinforcing they did was a nice touch as well. Making the heel/ankle area have some added comfort. The shoe trees are a nice added touch. I have never used shoe trees but from what I have read about using fine cedar trees it really is an added bonus. Overall I am very pleased with the work. The only thing I wish they had done was redo the moc toe stitching. Perhaps they couldn't or felt it would cause more harm then good. I have to trust their judgement.

P.S. Thanks for the photo compliments!

Had the same situation with mine. A local shoe repair shop said the stitching couldn't be done without the bottoms removed. This seemed to be the perfect time then and yet it wasn't done. Oh well, so much for details.

It's not a huge deal for me, I wish they had, but oh well. It's not an essential repair, the most important parts were addressed and that's all that really matters.

RichardSK,

When you replace the soles the cobbler does not remove all of the bottom. Aldens are made with welt construction. This means that there is a dual layer bottom. The top half is the welt and that is what the upper leather is attached to. The sole that you walk on is then sewn onto the welt. This allows shoes to be economically rebuilt without being completely re-assembled.

That is why they couldn't re-sew your tops.

Matt

Great to know, thanks. Why the pete head? I'm class of '82.

Bogie, thanks for the update, and the photos. It makes me feel better getting ready to send mine. I figure they deserve the full treatment after nine years of faithful service through many adventures!

Regarding Shoe trees. I was taught many years ago, that you only use shoe tress when your feet are not in your shoes (or boots). When I buy a new pair of shoes, or my Aldens, I always get cedar shoe trees to keep in them. Also, as has been said elsewhere in these forum, it is best practice to not wear the same pair of shoes two days in a row. The leather needs time to dry out from your foot sweat, so pop those cedar trees in over the rest period and you will extend the life of your leather shoes and boots many times over.

Happy feet to all,
Indiana MarkVII

What brand of brown shoe polish did you use, Bogie1943?

Indiana MarkVII wrote:Regarding Shoe trees. I was taught many years ago, that you only use shoe tress when your feet are not in your shoes (or boots). When I buy a new pair of shoes, or my Aldens, I always get cedar shoe trees to keep in them. Also, as has been said elsewhere in these forum, it is best practice to not wear the same pair of shoes two days in a row. The leather needs time to dry out from your foot sweat, so pop those cedar trees in over the rest period and you will extend the life of your leather shoes and boots many times over.

Happy feet to all,
Indiana MarkVII

I will agree it is best to remove the shoe trees before wearing your boots. As I must admit my boots are a too tight if I leave the trees in when I wear the boots!

Steve

Wow! Thats some great work! How long did it take to get them shipped back?

Steve27752 wrote:

Indiana MarkVII wrote:Regarding Shoe trees. I was taught many years ago, that you only use shoe tress when your feet are not in your shoes (or boots). When I buy a new pair of shoes, or my Aldens, I always get cedar shoe trees to keep in them. Also, as has been said elsewhere in these forum, it is best practice to not wear the same pair of shoes two days in a row. The leather needs time to dry out from your foot sweat, so pop those cedar trees in over the rest period and you will extend the life of your leather shoes and boots many times over.

Happy feet to all,
Indiana MarkVII

I will agree it is best to remove the shoe trees before wearing your boots. As I must admit my boots are a too tight if I leave the trees in when I wear the boots!

Steve

I usually leave my shoe trees in... it makes me like 3 inches taller!

Well I have had some Alden experience myself and to be honest its put me off using the 405 as a true Adventure boot, as good as they are for general purpose.

My first pair, I cant really complain - they were, if I recall correctly, 15 years old when I bought them from Lee Keppler so already had considerable natural wear. However I got a few years wear off them until the soles came off during filming - had to glue them back on to hold together till the end of the scene. Sent them back to Alden to have them reconditioned and got an email asking if I wanted them destroyed to save return shipping costs - I got them shipped back to me, then went in search of a local cobbler to help. 2 turned me down but the third managed to joey a solution that held them together for another year.

So I then bought a brand spanking new pair of Aldens. 3 years later they are in the same condition as the 15 yr old ones (yes I know I put my shoes through some abuse). I decide this time to just go to the local cobbler - same guy though this time he says there is nothign even he can do. Apparantly something called the welt and once thats gone your pretty screwed.

So basically I am little shy now to shell out for a pair of shoes that will only last me 3 years or so. I think I need something a bit tougher.

Ken

Tough Boots?...

Try Wesco (West Coast Shoe Company). Boots made to order, and if you think the 405's uppers are made from "heavy" leather, you won't believe how thick, tough and meaty the Wescos are. I own two pairs and after three years of heavy abuse my first pair of Jobmasters is finally starting to break in.

But buyer beware... Wesco's may be too tough for their owners.

LJ

myamoebafriend wrote:What brand of brown shoe polish did you use, Bogie1943?

I had these dyed quite a few years ago to the Raiders brown. I have used some standard leather lotion on these over the years. Nowadays I am pretty much sticking to Pecards.

Indybantha Jones wrote:Wow! Thats some great work! How long did it take to get them shipped back?

The whole process took about four weeks. It was well worth it.

Rather than starting a new thread I thought I might continue this one as part my ongoing Alden history. After owning a pair of 405's for a decade now I finally made the move to buy a new pair of Indy Boots. After seeing others posting reviews I decided to go with the 403's and I am thus far very happy with that choice. My new Aldens arrived on Thursday of this week having ordered them on Sunday. I am a loyal cat so of course I purchased the from the Alden Shop in San Fran. The same establishment I ordered my original pair from 10 years ago. Let me just say I have worn my original pair of 405's heavily over the years. Regular care has kept them very strong and I expect them to last another 10 years. They do need a trip to the cobbler pretty soon for some repairs. New heels and a couple spots need to be re sewn. Which I might add is the first time in a decade I've needed anything other than new heels or soles put on. Long story short, I am loving my new 403's. The color is as beautiful as I expected.

Here are some photos featuring my original 405's with my new 403's. Enjoy!

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Good on ya mate!...Your original pair is how a pair of Indy boots should look...and perfectly SA IMHO...

Thank you!! It's amazing how rugged and long lasting these boots really are. I can't tell you how many times these boots have been soaked through and through from hiking through streams and caves.

I hate to say it, but I was very dissatisfied with the way Alden rebuilt my 405's. From what I can tell, all they did was add a new sole & heel. Inside the boot there was dried glue that I had to pick off before I could wear them. To top it off, the shoe trees they sent me were for the same side! If I ever need a pair of Aldens rebuilt in the future, I will just clean the uppers real good with saddle soap & have the local cobbler put a fresh sole & heel on them.

So, did you send a complaint to the Alden's company regarding the shoddy workmanship you received from them in the rebuild?

If not, you should, if to do nothing else than to keep someone else from getting the same lousy work done to their boots.

Regards! Michaelson

Man I need a new pair of Indy boots. Its been years. I do miss Aldens... nothing I have owned since has looked as good or been as comfortable.

Bogie1943 wrote:I would have to say no. I have noticed no size difference in the boots. When I first put them on, it reminded me of the day I first got them seven years ago. They had that new feel all over again. I wish I had taken detailed pics of them before the restoration. Let me tell you, the heels and soles were nearly gone. Alden did a great job with these. The toe area of the boots had become smashed in over the years, flat and less rounded. However Alden brought the toes back to the rounded shape like new. The reinforcing they did was a nice touch as well. Making the heel/ankle area have some added comfort. The shoe trees are a nice added touch. I have never used shoe trees but from what I have read about using fine cedar trees it really is an added bonus. Overall I am very pleased with the work. The only thing I wish they had done was redo the moc toe stitching. Perhaps they couldn't or felt it would cause more harm then good. I have to trust their judgement.

P.S. Thanks for the photo compliments!

Bogie1943,
Alden did a great job on your boots. You mentioned you would have wanted them to address the moc toe stitching as well, but no joy. The moc stitching on an old pair of 405s of mine is coming loose. I'd like to have these restored and have the stitching repaired as well. Is the bottom-line on the moc toe stitching that Alden will in no way repair it?
Thanks,
- two