Club Obi Wan

Well, in mid February I bought a pair of the gore-tex lined Eddie Bauer Indy style boots. I got size 11, which I had been wearing since I was 16, and they fit great. I wore them nearly everyday for the rest of the season until it got too hot to wear them because of the Gore-tex. Today we had a rare but welcomed cool day, so as I was dressing for church I decided to wear these boots. Much to my dismay they were too small and too narrow. Apparently, at 24, my normally high arches have dropped resulting in my feet becoming longer and narrower. So now I have a pair of practically new boots with very light if any wear at all that I can't wear anymore.

So I started looking for more boots online again today. Eddie Bauer no longer offers those same boots. LL Bean no longer has my new size, 11.5, in their Indy-like boots, but I had previously bought a pair before I got the Eddie Bauers and sent them back due to their extreme lack of comfort for my taste.

I found a pair a few minutes ago by J Crew. They call them "Rugged boots" item 61296.

These look the part, but are taller than the Aldens, LL Beans, and Eddie Bauers. The drawback for me is that they are a bit pricey for me at $138.00 US.

So my search continues.

If anyone else knows of any other new findings for Indy style boots, please post here.

P.S.- I may be putting the Eddie Bauers, size 11 up for sale if my brother doesn't want to buy them off me first.

Luke

You could try searching around shoe shops, possibly some older ones. I got my close enoughs at a military surplus shop, and they were pretty old. Well, I don't really know how old, but they weren't used, though a little distressed. Their Georgia boots.

Get some ALdens!! What size do you wear, Id check ebay for indy boots...(do it now) wink wink, hint hint.

IJ
PS Not my ebay listing by the way....

I wear 11.5 those on ebay would be way small. Aldens are also quite a bit out of my price range. I just can't see myself paying $200+ for shoes.
Luke

skywlkrinc wrote: I just can't see myself paying $200+ for shoes.
Luke

Aldens are well worth the money.

However, those are some of the best substitutes I have seen. Very nice find.

Any one here a size 9.5 theres a pair of these on ebay right now 35$
a good buy and there even distressed
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... gory=11497
Mola

I know this issue was up before the restart, but do Aldens run big, small or spot on?
I know this might vary depending on what shoes you are used to and so on but I was just curious for some advice from you guys when getting Aldens.
Any hints what to think of and what width size to look for? (can it be measured?)

Also, if you are a European, what is your experience with Alden sizes?


I found these charts/tables that seem to vary slightly. (I'm a size 46 in European measures.)

http://www.metrication.com/clothing/shoes.htm

http://www.aldenshop.com/fitting.asp

Thanks a bunch!


Regards,
/Swindiana

I think I'm going to give these J Crew boots a try. I'll try and give a review for them shortly after I get them.

Luke

Have you checked out Rockport yet?

Swindiana wrote:I know this issue was up before the restart, but do Aldens run big, small or spot on?
I know this might vary depending on what shoes you are used to and so on but I was just curious for some advice from you guys when getting Aldens.

Swindy,

Yes, Aldens run about a half size small. I thought buying a pair of 9 D Aldens was crazy (I wear a 9 1/2), but they fit the way they are supposed to. BUT, here is my real advice...get fitted professionally. If you're spending that much on a pair, making sure they fit correctly just makes sense.

As for the question about European sizing, I have no idea. Anyone?

Peace,
Cliffhanger

cliffhanger wrote:Yes, Aldens run about a half size small. I thought buying a pair of 9 D Aldens was crazy (I wear a 9 1/2), but they fit the way they are supposed to.

I have found the opposite to be true...they ran 1/2 a size too big on me. I normally wear a 8.5 on men's boots. I got a 9C in Aldens. I probably could have worn a 8.5D, but that might have been too wide. So I'd agree with cliffhanger...go try on a pair and get fitted (for Aldens that is).

Indiana Texas-girl wrote:I have found the opposite to be true...they ran 1/2 a size too big on me. I normally wear a 8.5 on men's boots. I got a 9C in Aldens. I probably could have worn a 8.5D, but that might have been too wide. So I'd agree with cliffhanger...go try on a pair and get fitted (for Aldens that is).

Huh! Just goes to prove GET FITTED FIRST. Your feet will like you!

Peace,
Cliffhanger

And mine are right on the money.

Get fitted.

Renderking Fisk wrote:Have you checked out Rockport yet?

Yeah, I checked out their site. I didn't see any boots that I liked.

Luke

Yup,
I run 1 whole sizer smaller than normal! Try Michaelson, he was selling some Aldens that were pretty new in a size 10 or 11....Dont think they ever sold....HEY MICHAELSON!! Can you hear me, this guy needs some boots!! (Sometimes my voice carries from one thread to the next....)

I J

I ordered the J Crew "Rugged Boots" last night. Aldens aren't really my style. I prefer the big waffle tread over the smooth bottomed soles that Aldens have.

Luke

Thanks for the info guys!
I guess I'll probably have to go via an orthopedist or the likes since I don't know of a single place in Sweden that carries Aldens. It is either that or a good excuse to go on a vacation to get them...

I'll PM Michaelson aswell!

Has anyone ordered Aldens without getting fitted?

Regards,
/Swedish Indiana

Yeah, I ordered a pair of Aldens without getting fitted.
the whole sizing issue bothered me and if i got it wrong thats a fair amount of money spent.
I waited about a year before ordering a pair a few weeks back.
Using the aldens sizing conversion a uk 9 was a 9 1/2 us. They themselves
recommend going down half a size so 9 it was. As for the width most european shoes are made in D width. So if your feet are a fairly normal width go with that.
I am still breaking mine in at the moment (about a week on) and they do look set to be very comfortable.

If anyone wishes to correct me please do.

I also got a pair without being professionally fitted as well. My advice is to still get fitted correctly, as I felt it was a gamble. Basically if these didn't fit me, they would go back in the Classifieds. Several COW members said to make sure there was a 1/2 inch (don't know the metric sorry ) between where my big toe stopped and the tip of the boot. When I got them and tried this, I thought the boots were way too big, but it turns out they fit great! So my gamble paid off.

Still, I say go to those Swedish stores that sell them. They are very comfortable boots. The only gripe I have is the traction isssue, but it is said they can be resoled.

Peace,
Cliffhanger

That is the problem, no one seem to carry them in Sweden.
Like mentioned an orthopedist might be able to help me somehow, I'll let you know how it goes when the time comes.

Oh, great site for converting just about anything into the metric system:
http://www.metrication.com/
Funny enough, the Royale with cheese will not turn up...

Regards,
/Swedish Indiana

My mistake, I thought you said I KNOW of Swedish stores that carry Aldens. Oh well, the search continues my friend!

Thanks for the website!

Peace,
Cliff

Sorry. My available pair found a good home already. I appreciate you thinking of me, though. High regards. Michaelson

I returned home from a three day backpacking trip in the desolation wilderness country near Lake Tahoe to find the box containing my new J Crew "Rugged Boots" sitting on my bed. Needless to say I busted the box open right away to find that these are really beautiful boots. If I didn't know that Aldens were the "real" Indy boots, I would think I'd found the very same boots that were on Harrison's feet.

They are already very soft and once I put them on my feet I thought they were already broken in, though the new sole and pristine leather told me otherwise.


CONCLUSION: Good boots. Very screen accurate for non-Aldens (except for the traction on the sole, but I like the traction better anyway) Decent price at $138.00 US. I'm happy.

P.S - I'll take pictures as soon as I get my digital camera back, however the picture I posted from the J Crew website looks exact to what I received, even the color.

Luke

Awesome news. I am getting ready to retire my hiking boots and these look like a great replacement.

Thanks,
Pyro

Indiana-sith's boot:


Looks great!!
Any hints on what size to get if ordering? (Did yours fit your exact size or did you order over or below i mean?)

Regards,
Swindiana

they look a bit cheaper here
http://www.americanpuzzles.com/Merchant ... ELTOEBOOTS
mola

And the one without the steel toe:
http://www.americanpuzzles.com/Merchant ... e=CARCWGEN

Yeah, the American puzzles are cheaper but they will not ship abroad... yet.
I think I'll go with your alternative anyways though, I find them very affordable. Actually, I think these would be THE Alden alternative when it comes to looks. What do you more experienced gear heads think?

Regards,
/Swdish Indiana