Alden 403B problem

[DarenHenryW]

Okay, so I'm pretty ticked!

I went to the QM Indygear Summit for the first time this year, and Friday night I decided to apply the first coat of brown shoe polish to my recently acquired 403B Aldens. I think the color of these is VERY Raiders, and I've been very pleased with them since I received them back around April, until NOW:

After polishing them up I slipped them on with some semi-formal wear. They were lookin' GOOD, by the way. I take a couple of steps around my stateroom and in my left foot, I feel what seems to be a hitch-hiker. I take off my boot, and shake it up-side down. Nothing seems to come out. Then I reach my hand inside the boot, and lo and behold I figure out the problem. One of the NAILS from the cobbled heel has poked through and has started to stab me in the heel! WTF???!!!!

Needless to say I didn't wear them that night nor the rest of the weekend. Stupidly I didn't bring my original pair of Aldens (which are great!) as a back up, but I was prescient enough to bring a back up pair of close enough Sketchers boots, which I was able to sport Saturday during the special mission with my full gear, and no one seemed to notice too much (except for me!).

So, I'm planning on calling the SF store from which I purchased them. I live near enough to SF to ship them or drive them over there, but still I'm angry.

Am I right to demand they fix them for me, free of charge? I mean, I've only worn them 20 times or so (I've sort of been saving them for special occasions, like the QM Summit!!!!) since I got them 6 months ago.

Angrily yours,

Daren Henry W

[Joeyeah_right]

Yeah, I would say you are right to demand they fix them. It's their shoe and if it is faulty they should fix it for you free of charge.

Joe

[djd]

Absolutely. That has to be a fault in the manufacturing

[tgalahad]

Ouch! Yes, they need to repair them and give them a good shine before returning them.

[ThatManFromRio]

A heel nail ending up in piercing the inner sole because it was too deeply hammered is basically a latent defect.
Any big online shoeshop would not repair but exchange the boots , free of charge .

TMFR

[Michaelson]

They'll fix it. Sounds to me like you're already expecting to be turned away.

Aldens will fix their defective products, and have as long as I've dealt with them.

Regards! Michaelson

[Indiana Croft]

Wow, talk about walking around on pins and needles, ya, they should take care of ya, great company.

Croft

[DarenHenryW]

Talked to the SF shop today. I have business in the city tomorrow, so I'm dropping 'em off and they're gonna cobble them for me and ship them back. I think I'm gonna ask for an extra pair of laces as compensation.

DHW

[DarenHenryW]

Latest update: dropped by the shop and the salesman got a look at the problem. He initially offered to replace them right then. And they did have a pair on stock. He also offered to have them fixed, but I said a new pair would be much better. I was all set to go when curiosity got the better of me and I tried on the 404's, with the lug sole. Sweet Jesu and Maria! They are SO much more comfortable!!!! I still have a well worn pair of 405's that are holding up nicely, so even though I think the 403B's are absolutely gorgeous and very SA for Raiders, I never felt they were too comfy. A 403B on one foot and a 404 on the other made it easy to choose. Sure the lug sole isn't SA, but believe me, this a real pair of boots, and a comfortable one at that, not merely a dress shoe with a high ankle.

DHW

[djd]

Love my 405s. Probably the most practical bit of gear I own. Not the best looking footware perhaps but great for walking in