Club Obi Wan

Now I am wondering. Are Todds Indy boots a good every day wear for maybe every OTHER day perhaps? I have heard from a member here that he thought there was a nail poking at the heel. How many of you others have experienced that? And for the accuracy are they worth it? And how comfortable and are they good work boots? And how do they react to walking in wet streets and can you hike in them? And can you wear them in all weather's? And just how heavy are they? Are they as heavy as Alden Indy boots? And what are the advantages and disadvantages?

Ah, first, the CS army personnel car was a Ford four door sedan, '49 or '50, I believe! Guess it doesn't matter if you're in the trunk, though!

Todd's last run of boots is awesome. I had an issue with a heel staple in an old run, and they separated from the sole, which I had fixed, but the last run is an altogether different boot. Great fit, good arch support, definite Alden Indy vibe. If he's got your size left, I'd recommend them. I wear an Alden 12, and I ordered his boots, marked 11.5. Fine to wear everyday, for me, but the heels wear quickly. I'm not too fond of the laces. Fine for working, but , again, the heels will need replaced after very long. Just the black rubber bottom part, I mean. Some guys complained of brittle speed lace hooks, but I never had a problem. I wouldn't hike in them, or Aldens, really, unless you're on strictly touristy trails that are well groomed. Add a little water and they're quite slippery. I like some tread. Alden 404's might work for that.

They're great repros.

Like I said, if he has your size, don't hesitate. And Todd has great customer service, too. Wish he had another 11.5. I waited too long!

I had a pair from the most recent runs. There are some pro's and con's for sure. They are great reproductions. If you put them next to a pair of real Aldens it would look almost identical. If you are just looking for them to be a costume boot they are a great choice (if you can find them any more he stopped making them) If you want these to be a every day walk around town/work boot I wouldnt suggest it. Theres two big problems I had with them. The first is I wore them to New York Comic Con this past october and they were the most uncomfortable boot I have ever worn. I could not wait to get them off my feet when I got home. Now could that be from the fact that I normally dont wear boots for a pro longed period of time ? Perhaps but I think it has to do with the overall design of the boot. Alden designed their boots to have heel/arch support with their tru balance last. These boots dont have that so to me it felt like I was walking on a solid slab of hard rubber. No cushion no support. I have a pair of real Alden 405's and I can wear them all day they are probably the most comfortable piece of foot wear I own and I think thats due to the fact that the Aldens have that heel and arch support where todd's really doesnt. The second problem I had with Todd's is that the color of the boots seemed to wear off very easily. Just by tying the laces tight there was marks on the leather wear the color rubbed off. It also seemed to scuff very easily. I fixed this by using some leather conditioner and It brought the color back and hid most of the scuffs. That being said I fear after pro longed use the boots would look very worn in a very short period of time. Now that might be ok for you. Some people like the weathered look.

Take that for what you will. If you want my opinion save for real Aldens. They are better boots and Todd's boots are very hard to come by now

Well, Chuck, is it possible your boots aren't from his very last run of boots, which were all new compared to the previous runs? I've had both, and what you're describing is how I'd describe the previous runs.

Even still, they do fit differently than Aldens, to be sure. I find there is good arch support, but I have low arches, too. The old boots were extremely flat. And the new boots have a steel shank.

Yes they scuff pretty easily. They're not Alden's, but mine have held up well. They have a welt and I'm fairly sure they can be resoled like a fine boot/shoe. And I use Powersteps or Superfeet 3/4 inserts in my Aldens, Redwings, and The Todd's. I recommend them for anyone wanting support and stability. Aldens have no cushion either. And I don't like cushioning anyway. It's only effective for a little while on my feet, feels really good at first, then it's not noticeable to me. If my feet are positioned properly in a shoe I don't need it. And I'm on my feet all day and have been on the job for 25 years. I know everybody's different.

Definitely go for the Aldens if you can afford it. Save up for them or whatever. There are some great ebay finds out there. I've bought many new pairs, and a few great ones off ebay. But with Alden's over $500 now, and for, what, $170 for the Todd's, I'll just say I don't feel I went wrong. The heels are gonna wear fast. I feel Alden 403's, the chromexel, scuffs just as easily. But he's out of my size, with no plans for more, last I heard.

Again, jmho. Your mileage may vary, etc., etc.

How does the sizing run? Is it pretty dead-nuts accurate? Every time I wait like a year to finally have the disposable income to get some of these, my size is not available anymore. Especially since they doubled in price. I know $150 is still VERY much a bargain, but that doesn't mean it's still not a lot of money to me. Especially for something that is not a life-or-death NEED. It happened with the last run and now this run. I see he has 11.5 available. If I am usually a size 11 am I going to be walking around like a clown with half a size up? Because from what I gather most people seem to get a half a size down from their regular shoe size. And I have shoes that fluctuate in 9.5 that fit me perfectly to size 12 that fit me perfectly. And I don't know if that has a lot to do with me living almost half and half between Quebec and the United States. But I would say the mean average is for size 11. I've been going nuts wanting some of these for years, so I'm almost willing to get them even if they're enormous on me. And yes, before I am lectured, I am well aware that this isn't exactly the best hobby for perpetual broke people.