Club Obi Wan

As some of you already know I purchased a pair of Todd's Indy boots a few months ago. Well, long story short......My pair of boots fell victim to the soles coming undone in the same manner as some other members here have reported with their boots. The odd part with mine is that they did it without ever being worn more than once.

Anyway, I posted my problem over in the main boot thread and Todd took note of it as he has with everyone else who've had problems their boots.

So, I took my boots to a local cobbler and instead of having them just re-glue the soles I had him totally replace the soles and heels. I didn't want to risk the same thing happening again and I thought the best thing to do is just have them totally redone.

I also decided while they were at the shop I'd have them replace the speed laces with regular eyelets. I had read some complaints about the speed laces bending and breaking off to easily so I figured if it didn't cost to much (it was around $12 to have them replaced) I'd avoid that problem all together. I know it's not SA but it doesn't matter at this point. I just don't want to deal with anything else happening.

I just got the boots back tonight and here are some shots. The soles are Vibram and I'm told they'll last a while.







All together it cost me $60 out of my own pocket to have this done. The cobbler actually saved me about $10 because he re-used the original heels.

When I picked the boots up today he also told me that when he was removing the original soles he noticed that it looked like they used scraps of leather instead of what I took would be something of higher quality. He basically insinuated that they were junk without actually coming out and saying it. After hearing him talk I'm glad I went with having them totally replaced instead of just re-glued.

So, maybe there's more going on with the soles than them just coming un-glued? Maybe that's something else Todd could check with the factory about....

The way I understand it after talking to Cissy threw the e-mails is that Todd is only covering the cost of having the boots soles re-glued which runs between $12 and $15. Since I went and had the boots soles totally replaced I was given the maxium of amount of $15 as a discount which I can use when I purchase something else from his store.

Between the original purchase price and the money I spent for replacement soles the total is around $160. I know that's still cheaper than real Aldens but at the same time for about $160 more you could own the real deal.

I could have sent the boots back all together and the reason I didn't is because I do like them a lot. I've just got a lot of mixed emotions about what happened.

At least some other owners who were wondering what the boots would look like with the soles and speed laces replaced can now get an idea by looking at my boots.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to finally get to wear the boots with my gear.

I ended up replacing the soles on my Outdoorsman Boots as well. I went for a non-SA/practical solution too.

I've been wearing them almost 2 weeks now, and I'm very happy with the result.



I think you'll love the Vibram soles.

Good luck.
--Bill B.

They look good. I'll be taking mine in shortly for a heel replacement. Nice to see some of the options out there, plus those soles look like they could hold up nicely on snow and ice now.

I dropped mine off yesterday and told my cobbler to completely remove the sole and heal and replace them altogether. They will be ready this Saturday.
This is the 5th trip my boots have made to my cobbler since I received them in February, just over two months. This should be their last trip!
I have been wearing the boots daily since I got them, the sole, and more spacificly the heal, have just worn away. Remarkable when compared to my other boots and shoes. Prior to receiving the Coyle's boots I wore replicas of WWII ankle combat boots. I've owned those boots for YEARS, wearing them daily, and only replaced the heal about every two years, the sole but once.

Mine are due for a heel replacement also, no problems with the soles as of yet but I don't wear them daily and I have had them since February this year.
I was also suprised that the heels wore down very quickly compared to my repro US Roughout boots which I have had for well over a year and with more wear are still showing no signs of any replacement needed as of yet but I do love my Outdoorsmans though.

I honestly think EVERYONE who purchases these boots *should* have the soles replaced the moment they get them. I know there's only like 5% having problems with the soles coming unglued but as far as heels and soles wearing down faster than what they should be the precentage seems to be MUCH higher. After getting the cobblers opinion on the soles quality I'd say why take the chance? Just be prepaired to spend the extra cash and have it done IF you purchase these.

Now, my cobbler put the original heel back on my boots so I'll have to wait and see how fast mine wear down. I originally asked for both the sole and heel to be replaced but he must have thought the original heels were made well enough that there was no point in just scrapping them. It shaved $10 off the total cost so I'm not going to complain.

By the way, I tried the boots on again last night and they're great. I'm SO HAPPY that I ditched the speed laces too. SA or not the eyelets are better as far as I'm concerned.

TheExit148 wrote:They look good. I'll be taking mine in shortly for a heel replacement. Nice to see some of the options out there, plus those soles look like they could hold up nicely on snow and ice now.

Thanks.

Yeah, in some ways I'm happy this happened. I doubt I would have gone to the hassle of spending the money and taking them in to have the soles replaced with rubber ones. Around where I live we get all sorts of wet and nasty weather so the added traction is a plus even though that wasn't what I was looking for when I originally bought the boots.

I just added sole protectors on mine for $23.

Harry, glad to hear things are better.

what do you mean pieces of leather? you are talking about the soles, right? I thought the soles were neoprene?

thanx!!!
Charlie

I am also a heel coming apart guy....they are only a month old and worn 5 times.

I am not out to get todds....but is a little dissapointing.

bruce wayne wrote:what do you mean pieces of leather? you are talking about the soles, right? I thought the soles were neoprene?

thanx!!!
Charlie

Yeah, it was the soles the cobbler was talking about. He said it looked like they used scrap pieces of ....... and I thought he said leather. I may have misheard him. It may have been neoprene. I'm not totally sure. I didn't really have time to sit around and chat with him about it.

I dunno....I've never been to a cobbler before nor have I ever had to have my shoes repaired. This was all new to me. I don't know much about what goes into making them....I just put them on my feet and wear them until I need new ones.

Like I said, it seemed to me he was insinuating whatever the soles were made of weren't of the highest quality. Take from that what you will.....


I hope people aren't getting the impression I'm blaming Todd for any problems?......IF the boots were made by him directly at his place then that would be another story, but they aren't. It's the factory that's the culprit.........Todd hired this place to make the boots for him so he's a customer just like us, to some degree. They could be charging him for materials he thinks they're using and turning around and cutting corners on him...

I just wanted to share what was going on with my boots....both before and after.

The bottom line right now is that my boots are fixed and I'm happy and looking forward to wearing them with my gear.

Pitfall Harry wrote:

bruce wayne wrote:what do you mean pieces of leather? you are talking about the soles, right? I thought the soles were neoprene?

thanx!!!
Charlie

Yeah, it was the soles the cobbler was talking about. He said it looked like they used scrap pieces of ....... and I thought he said leather. I may have misheard him. It may have been neoprene. I'm not totally sure. I didn't really have time to sit around and chat with him about it.

I dunno....I've never been to a cobbler before nor have I ever had to have my shoes repaired. This was all new to me. I don't know much about what goes into making them....I just put them on my feet and wear them until I need new ones.

Like I said, it seemed to me he was insinuating whatever the soles were made of weren't of the highest quality. Take from that what you will.....


I hope people aren't getting the impression I'm blaming Todd for any problems?......IF the boots were made by him directly at his place then that would be another story, but they aren't. It's the factory that's the culprit.........Todd hired this place to make the boots for him so he's a customer just like us, to some degree. They could be charging him for materials he thinks they're using and turning around and cutting corners on him...

I just wanted to share what was going on with my boots....both before and after.

The bottom line right now is that my boots are fixed and I'm happy and looking forward to wearing them with my gear.

well put