Club Obi Wan

Does anyone live or work on a farm, specifically a horse farm, and wear their Aldens for day-to-day duties? If so, have you found your Aldens up to the task, or otherwise? Thanks!

- W

I can't speak for wearing them on a farm but I can tell you that they are rock solid footwear. I have a pair of 405s and 403s and I wear both of them a LOT! To work, doing yard work, cutting down trees, hiking, etc. If you are considering buying a pair but are concerned with durability then I wouldn't worry about that. Mine have held up under pressure for sure. If I had it to do over again, though, I would have gotten 403s first and only 403s. The color and leather is just so much better than on the 405s IMHO.

The only issue you might have is the lack of traction with them. They have no tread what-so-ever.
In wet, slippery conditions, you'll be spending more time laying in the mud then walking thru it.

I wouldn't recommend it. If you're doing farmwork, get a good pair of Timberlands, Red Wings, etc...

Aldens are not work boots.

Although I don't own any Aldens, I did grow up on a farm/ranch and rode horses for working cattle. It was probably muddier than what you might have to deal with, but that's one reason I'm not sure I'd want to wear them for that unless you keep them just for work boots in the mud (especially after getting manure on them). I wear some old Redwings with little traction, and if I'm just riding for pleasure and won't be going into the corral or anything, I'll wear them. For that, they work fine--the lack of traction in that case actually helps them to not get stuck in the stirrup.

I guess it really depends on what you'll be doing. If I'm helping sort or drive cattle, or am going to be getting on and off my horse a lot in a muddy corral, I'd rather wear some rubber work boots, or maybe some old hiking boots. But one other thing that's important--be sure that you don't wear boots with such thick soles or anything that would get you stuck in the stirrup. You definitely want something that will slip out of that stirrup quickly if you have any problems!

Hope this helps!

Best wishes,
Nebraska Schulte

Nightgoat wrote:I can't speak for wearing them on a farm but I can tell you that they are rock solid footwear. I have a pair of 405s and 403s and I wear both of them a LOT! To work, doing yard work, cutting down trees, hiking, etc. If you are considering buying a pair but are concerned with durability then I wouldn't worry about that. Mine have held up under pressure for sure. If I had it to do over again, though, I would have gotten 403s first and only 403s. The color and leather is just so much better than on the 405s IMHO.

Thanks for input. I have 405s, but I agree with you regarding the 403 color. Which is why I have a pair on order from Baker Shoes. I solved that problem!

Dalexs wrote:The only issue you might have is the lack of traction with them. They have no tread what-so-ever.
In wet, slippery conditions, you'll be spending more time laying in the mud then walking thru it.

I wouldn't recommend it. If you're doing farmwork, get a good pair of Timberlands, Red Wings, etc...

Aldens are not work boots.

Roger, thank you. I wonder if the thin vibram sole will help prevent slipping?

A lot of folks have had them resoled with vibrams and report very good results.
Being in the northeast, when the time comes, I won't even think twice about using Vibram to resole mine.

Nebraska Schulte wrote:Although I don't own any Aldens, I did grow up on a farm/ranch and rode horses for working cattle. It was probably muddier than what you might have to deal with, but that's one reason I'm not sure I'd want to wear them for that unless you keep them just for work boots in the mud (especially after getting manure on them). I wear some old Redwings with little traction, and if I'm just riding for pleasure and won't be going into the corral or anything, I'll wear them. For that, they work fine--the lack of traction in that case actually helps them to not get stuck in the stirrup.

I guess it really depends on what you'll be doing. If I'm helping sort or drive cattle, or am going to be getting on and off my horse a lot in a muddy corral, I'd rather wear some rubber work boots, or maybe some old hiking boots. But one other thing that's important--be sure that you don't wear boots with such thick soles or anything that would get you stuck in the stirrup. You definitely want something that will slip out of that stirrup quickly if you have any problems!

Hope this helps!

Best wishes,
Nebraska Schulte

It does indeed help, Nebraska Schulte! Thank you. I often wondered how well Aldens actually work in stirrups. Thanks again.

So, I guess the consensus, is no to working with Aldens!