Hiking in Aldens

sam · Post by **sam** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 7:25 pm

So, the other day I took my Aldens (from Schmidty) out for a spin. I love my Aldens, but I must admit that my expectations of them on a hike were not really high. I grew up hiking in Kentucky, West Virginia, and Tennessee, and normally would always wear a hiking boot with cleats, like a Timerland, or something like that.
Well, I was pleasantly surprised! First of all, they are deathly quiet in the woods. Anybody that's ever worn Aldens on hardwood floor knows they're anything but quiet there, but, man, they are virtually silent in the woods. They just might be the quietest shoes I've ever worn in the woods.
Secondly, even though they don't have cleats, I didn't have a lot of traction problems. I climbed up a rock covered hill next to an railroad track bridge, no problem. I will say that you walk differently and climb differently in them than in a cleated sole, because you know they don't have the same type of traction. You sort of redistribute your weight. Also, you seem to feel the ground a bit more than in a cleated sole. The big test for them, though, was running up the side of a trench at an old civil war fort out in the woods in our area. This is pretty steep. I got to the top, no spills. I'm not saying they handle or grip as well as a pair of Timberlands or Vasques would, but I am saying that Aldens are a great boot! I think sometimes in the past we haven't given them enough credit. Remember, Harrison was using these climbing up on roofs and stuff as a carpenter before they were ever part of a "costume!"
I thought this might be helpful for anyone else thinking about taking the Alden plunge. Anybody else have thoughts, comments, similar experiences?

theinterchange · Post by **theinterchange** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 7:35 pm

I must admit, I've never had the problems people claim to have on wet surfaces with my Todd's. I used to wear western boots often so I know how to walk with no tread.

Randy

Imahomer · Post by **Imahomer** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:38 pm

Thanks Sam... I've never had any problem with my Aldens and where them semi often, but never on a hike.

Mike

PSBIndy · Post by **PSBIndy** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 12:17 am

I'm sure you can hike with Aldens....but is it the best footwear for the job?....hardly. For me, I'd go with something that's breathable and waterproof (i.e. Gortex), lightweight, has good traction, and can take a beating.

knibs7 · Post by **knibs7** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:11 am

Trust me as I know from personal experience, don't hike in them if it's raining. If you DO, just be incredibly cautious on downward slopes. I had a bad encounter with a cactus because I went too fast on a downward slope in the rain. Just ask NatiJones

Kyle

McFly · Post by **McFly** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:37 am

I took mine on a hike in South Africa and they were nice to have while I was out in the bush / savannah because of the ticks and things that were in the shrubs. The Aldens cover enough area that when my pant legs were brushed aside or what have you, the boots kept me from getting ticks on my ankles. Of course there's always hiking boots, but in this case the Aldens performed fine.

I also took them spelunking while on that same trip, and while I didn't slip very often, it did make me slow down a little and be more careful, because I DID slip once or twice, in some areas that I really didn't want to slip in - think smooth slippery mud on a slope, with an abyss next to you.

Luckily I managed to stay away from the really deep holes, but the lack of grip really set me back a little there.

Shane

sam · Post by **sam** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 6:54 pm

Thanks for all the great input guys! I think this will be helpful to folks out there who are thinking about getting a pair, and will be helpful to others who already have them but haven't gotten to field test them yet. Aldens are great- get a pair if you can! But, don't expect them to handle like a Gore-tex lined, cleated hiker. For example, I definitely plan on wearing mine hiking some more, but if I knew I was going to be getting my feet wet stomping through a creek or cave stream, I would probably wear a different hiking boot. Aldens are tough though. There's a reason Harrison wanted Indy to wear them!

DanielJones · Post by **DanielJones** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 4:08 pm

We did a lot of hiking around the Portland, Oregon area last week in the rain & shine & I have to say they performed very well. My feet never hurt at the end of the day. My brother-in-law didn't fare too well though in his Merrells. The only traction problems I experienced were in some of the muddier sections of trails, but that is to be expaected with the type of slick mud that it was. We did a hike up Beacon Rock with no troubles, & hoofing it around in the snow up at Mt. Hood was great.

Still being new boots I was surprised that I didn't get any blisters or hot spots at all. They did the job very well.

Cheers!

Dan

sneakertinker · Post by **sneakertinker** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:28 pm

Been in a desert setting as well as a forrest setting on more than one occasion and my first pair of Alden's have been with me the whole time...Never any slipage and never any trouble...

digisane · Post by **digisane** » Sun May 17, 2009 1:36 am

sam wrote:Remember, Harrison was using these climbing up on roofs and stuff as a carpenter before they were ever part of a "costume!"

I 'd always figured that Harrison wore Aldens previously but probably not the exact model? Because I assumed that Harrison recommended the Aldens but they'd have chosen the 405 for the period 1930s outdoor boots look instead? Just a thought though.

sam · Post by **sam** » Fri May 22, 2009 9:51 pm

According to the boot page on the main Indygear site, Harrison was wearing 405's from the beginning. Pretty cool!

Indy_Werner · Post by **Indy_Werner** » Sat May 23, 2009 1:19 am

Anyone ever walk on the beach with Aldens? I wouldn't call it a pleasant stroll... lol

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Sat May 23, 2009 8:41 am

Aldens are great for hiking in the woods or desert, but they lack the necessary traction for mountain climbing, leaping from boulder to boulder, and across narrow chasms. Altogether a solid and well-built boot, traction problems notwithstanding.

Dutch_jones · Post by **Dutch_jones** » Sat May 23, 2009 10:19 am

Indy_Werner wrote:Anyone ever walk on the beach with Aldens? I wouldn't call it a pleasant stroll... lol

YES I did that !

It was horrible LOL!

davidd · Post by **davidd** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 12:20 am

I'm happy that a search turned up this page before I posted a new topic. I've been wondering what would make a good "Indy-style hiking boot." It sounds like the actual Alden 405 works fairly well.

Has anyone done any LONG hikes in the Alden boot? By long, I mean more than, say, five or six miles (8 to 10 km)? How is the arch support in the Alden 405? Can the boots be laced up snugly enough that they don't slip or chafe? Do they breathe at all, or do they get uncomfortably hot?

Last month I achieved a long-time goal of hiking rim-to-rim across the Grand Canyon in one day. Most of the people I encountered on the trail were wearing various fancy hiking boots. I crossed the canyon in my regular Adidas street running shoes without a problem, no sore feet, no blisters, no stumbles. The running shoes worked fine, but they don't really fit the "adventure gear" look. To me, the specialty hiking boots with the nylon and Gore-Tex and all that jazz don't really fit the "Indy" look any better than running shoes.

Other than the Alden boots, are there any other boots or shoes forum members recommend as practical hiking boots with a reasonably authentic Indy look to them?

Post by **Jens** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 6:45 am

davidd wrote:I've been wondering what would make a good "Indy-style hiking boot." It sounds like the actual Alden 405 works fairly well.

(...)

Other than the Alden boots, are there any other boots or shoes forum members recommend as practical hiking boots with a reasonably authentic Indy look to them?

I was wondering the same. The problem I see with the Aldens is most likely their sole. Too flat for harder terrain; I'd need something more rugged, a higher profiled one ... but then again I love the style of the Aldens - really superior to modern day hiking boots (let alone the fact, that the traditional craft of shoemaking with nailing and sewing is also an obvious advantage to the glued shoes nowadays).

To cut it short: I found a nice schoemaker who still works with these old techniques and he made me a pair of ankle boots based on some exemplar from the 40s (sewn and nailed). He just added - to my request - some rough profiled rubber sole (also nailed) and I'm pretty happy about the result ... just need to "fieldtest" them now.

So, generally said ... I think, the Aldens would make good hiking boots - if you can do anything with that sole.

agent5 · Post by **agent5** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 8:18 am

I don't know why anyone would really want to take a long hike in Aldens since they're so bloody heavy! There are so many great pairs of lightweight hiking boots out there which will give you the same kind of protection without having to worry about traction or slipping on anything. They are great boots but by far, not my first choice to go hiking in for long periods of time.

djd · Post by **djd** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 8:35 am

I find my Aldens great for hiking in- it's what I use them for most of the time Very comfortable (they're a great fit) and water proof enough for most situations. Grip wise, I can honestly say I've slipped just as frequently in walking boots- most of these obviously have considerable tread but that doesn't do much good on wet rock I find. I really think the Alden is a great all round boot

agent5 · Post by **agent5** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 8:48 am

...but is probably twice as heavy as a normal hiking boot.

djd · Post by **djd** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:25 am

Perfectly true, but it's not something that's ever bothered me when walking thankfully

agent5 · Post by **agent5** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:33 am

I would think that as time goes on they would become heavier and heavier as you get more tired and a lighter boot should help put that off a bit. My shotgun doesn't seem to weigh much until I've been carrying it for 3 hours walking in the marsh. Don't get me wrong. I love my Aldens, I just think we put them through far more than they were intended for. Good thing they keep on ticking.

PSBIndy · Post by **PSBIndy** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 2:32 pm

To me, the Alden's are much more of a "fashion" boot than anything else. Yes, you can use them for hiking but that's not the intended purpose.....not to mention, it'll probably fall apart much quicker if used as such. I bet if Indy was around today, he would definately use a more modern boot like a Danner, Bates, or Timberland. (He also probably wouldn't wear a heavy leather jacket either.....more likely a parka or a windbreaker).

maboot38 · Post by **maboot38** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 2:39 pm

I've gotta agree, the 405, while a great boot, is actually not much of a functional boot for real life adventures. I've spent a lot of time scrambling up and down mountains and across streams all over the world, and I wouldn't have made it if I had to rely solely on the 405. I recommend you keep your 405s for casual use, and for realy heavy duty trekking, grab yourself a pair of these:

http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores ... SR&feat=sr

Probably the best hikers of all time, I think they are closer to what Indy would use nowadays.

rick5150 · Post by **rick5150** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:29 pm

maboot38 wrote:I've gotta agree, the 405, while a great boot, is actually not much of a functional boot for real life adventures. I've spent a lot of time scrambling up and down mountains and across streams all over the world, and I wouldn't have made it if I had to rely solely on the 405. I recommend you keep your 405s for casual use, and for realy heavy duty trekking, grab yourself a pair of these:

http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores ... SR&feat=sr

Probably the best hikers of all time, I think they are closer to what Indy would use nowadays.

That is the exact hiking boot that I have. You can see them here:

I drove a few hours to the L.L. Bean store in Freeport, ME to get them. They are comfortable right out of the box, which is something I never experienced before. They have stiffer soles than I expected, but they grip well on virtually every surface. I went up and down the Tripyramids with these. Personally, I find them hideous to look at, but I cannot argue with function. I have had mine for almost 5 years now, I think, and they are not giving any sign of giving up the ghost.

I took the Aldens out on a few hikes, and they were poor on wet rocks, black or green moss, light sandcovered rocks, any slope with pine needles, wet roots or puddles. Once they get wet inside they are even worse. Ten to fourteen miles in Aldens? No way. I have hiked in my steel-toed Chippewas and they were more comfortable than the Aldens. The Chippewas and the L.L. Bean Cresta hikers cut through the light sand and pine needles and find purchase on a solid surface. The Aldens skim right over the top for some reason. Outright dangerous in my opinion.

I was coming back from a hike at Mt. Moosilauke and was beat. There was a shallow stream crossing and a father trying to explain to his son how to cross stream. I was near the end, so I just walked right past them through a foot of water without even trying to stay on the rocks. I heard him say "Well, that's another way..." But even wet inside, the L.L. Beans are one of the best boots I have worn. Did I mention that they are hideous?

maboot38 · Post by **maboot38** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:39 pm

I think they look pretty dern cool. They are particularly more well suited to the varied terrain in the White Mountains than the Aldens, and they almost work BETTER when wet inside. My Crestas have even been submerged in the ocean for a couple of hours, and were still in great shape, but now with a wonderful patina on the brass. Try any of that with the Aldens, and you are in for a miserable trip from start to finish.

davidd · Post by **davidd** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:55 pm

Thanks for the excellent, informative, first-hand experience responses! Y'know, those LLBean Crestas look kinda rugged -- not like the space-age high-tech shoes I see many hikers sporting. They'd fit in well enough with Indy gear, I think. Thanks to you guys, there may be a pair of Crestas in my future! Before I spring for Aldens, even!

I wonder if the 403 will have a better hiking sole?

And do you think anyone actually uses the 405 as a "work boot" out there in the real world anymore?

Long John Tinfoil · Post by **Long John Tinfoil** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 11:24 pm

Yup. I do.

Except on sites where I'm required to wear a steel toe (and I've often gone unchallenged on those sites in the Aldens - and yes, I know that's probably not the smartest thing to do.), I've worn mine at least 4 days a week on industrial sites, housing developments, landscaping projects and in workshops since I got them this Spring. Other than going through a set of laces just about every month, and having to straighten the tongues when I break for lunch, they've been great.

I sell and install automotive security products, and a lot of the systems go into heavy equipment. My busiest days are the "rain days" when the iron is parked, so I'm often up to my ankles in mud. They haven't soaked through yet, and the leather seems to resist oil and grease staining pretty well. I'll be putting them aside for an insulated boot once the snow flies, but more than any boot I've ever worn I find that I'm completely unaware of fit or weight once they're on. I've never had a more comfortable boot.

LJ

Post by **Dalexs** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 9:07 pm

rick5150 wrote:...I was coming back from a hike at Mt. Moosilauke and was beat. There was a shallow stream crossing and a father trying to explain to his son how to cross stream. I was near the end, so I just walked right past them through a foot of water without even trying to stay on the rocks. I heard him say "Well, that's another way..." But even wet inside, the L.L. Beans are one of the best boots I have worn. Did I mention that they are hideous?

GAWD! I hope the #### that wasn't me!

I've aways found my Merrell Gortex hikers to be one one the best shoes I've ever owned.
(At least until the sole fell completely off after 14 years of use!)

Hiking in Aldens would be the last thing I'd ever try. I'd probably choose a decent pair of sneakers before I picked them.

Don't get me wrong, the Aldens have their place. I love wearing them when I'm mowing or doing yard work, light contruction projects and such, but hiking, never. They're just not designed for it.

maboot38 · Post by **maboot38** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:20 pm

Dalexs, if you love the Whites as much as I do, you gotta try the Crestas.

The Aldens are great for kicking around any of the camping areas on the Kankamagus, but definitely not for hiking on New Hampshire granite.

Jens_Hoppe · Post by **Jens_Hoppe** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 2:40 am

For hiking, I stick to my old pair of Hanwag boots:

Surprisingly, they were comfortable right out of the box, so didn't need much in the way of wearing in. Big, heavy, and extremely supportive: I always feel like I can't put a foot wrong when wearing these...

rick5150 · Post by **rick5150** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 6:17 am

Dalexs wrote: GAWD! I hope the #### that wasn't me!

September 04, 2006.... But I assume that even if you did not recognize me, you would have recognized the "Indy" hat.

lantzn · Post by **lantzn** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 4:22 pm

These guys sells a number of Alden Indy boots with lug soles!
http://www.leathersoulhawaii.com/index.php?s=indy

These are my favorite "Vintage Indy".
http://www.leathersoulhawaii.com/2008/1 ... tage-indy/

Also the 404s with lugs are coming.
http://blog.leffot.com/2009/09/29/three ... -indy-ans/

whipcracker · Post by **whipcracker** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 5:53 pm

Magnoli already makes a "rugged" adventure boot with lugged soles and oil tanned leather.

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