Just another Alden Indy Boot 403 Chromexcel Review

[tnjyoung]

Hello loungers,

I am very excited right now. I just received a new (to me) pair of Alden 403, Brown, Chromexcel Indy Boots.

This is the second pair of Aldens I have owned. The first pair was the 405. Although I paid almost full price for them they must have been seconds as the heel pad was off-centered. I sold them right away.

A couple of weeks ago my mind started 'wondering' again and I found a used pair of 403s on eBay. They had just been re-soled by Alden, so the leather was used, but the soles were brand new.

I normally wear an 11 or 11.5, and these were a 10D, so I was a bit concerned they ay be too small. I was comforted by the many "order a 1/2 size small" posts and reviews I have read on the web.

I held my breath, crossed my fingers, hoped, and said my prayers.

They came today and I must say they are "at least" as good fitting as any shoes I have ever tried on. Maybe the very best (but who can actually remember every shoe, right?).

I am thoroughly impressed with the looks, comfort, and build. The 10D fits me like a glove. I am not sure if this is because they are Chromexcel, because they are broken in, because they run big, or all of the above...but I love them.

If you are, like me, an Indiana Jones fan, love leather, hand-made craftsmanship, shoes, boots, etc., I would simply say GO FOR THEM!

 

[Peacoat]

Nice boots. Just the height I like for a casual boot.

 

[tnjyoung]

One thing I failed to mention... the price of these things have skyrocketed from around $350, when I first became aware of these boots, to an astonishing $550 now. I jumped on the opportunity to own these for the $300 I paid.

 

[handymike]

Nice score!
I'm interested in the belt
Where's that one from?

 

[tnjyoung]

Nice score!
I'm interested in the belt
Where's that one from?

That one is a spectacular belt from Thedi Leathers in Greece. It has a hand-forged sand-casted brass buckle and it just keeps getting better with age. I did a review on it a couple of years ago. (Here)
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/new-thedi-belts-review.81939/#post-1939978

 

[handymike]

I thought it might be

 

[Fifty150]

the price of these things have skyrocketed from around $350, when I first became aware of these boots, to an astonishing $550 now

Fast forward a few years. The current list price is 680. That's over $700 with sales tax.



Alden construction is unique in a few ways. There is a piece of canvas which Bridges the welt. This holds the shoe together in the odd event that the glue on the gemming delaminates. On some shoes, when this happens, the shoe loses it's structure. The shank is between the cork filler and the sole, as opposed to between the insole and the cork, Perhaps more comfortable. Minor details. But it appears to make a difference.


Over a decade later, here are my observations.

I am a fan of the neo-cork sole. It's fine in the urban environment of city sidewalks. I haven't slipped yet.

I am not a fan of the laces. Although mine haven't broken yet.

On my pair, the hardware has held up. On any shoe, hooks and eyelets can fail.

This is supposed to be an orthopedic shoe, meant to be able to accommodate an orthotic insert. People are advised to go down a half size. But if your feet are a little wider, or they expand during the course of the day, you should be okay. I wear my usual Brannock device size. We all have different feet. The best way to buy the shoe is to try it on.

I am not a leather expert. The leather appears to be okay. Horween is a reputable tannery. I am not kicking rocks all day, every day. These boots don't even see my motorcycle shifter peg.

The cheap part is the leather fibreboard. Just like Allen Edmonds and a lot of other shoemakers, processed leather scrap is used for heel stacks, heel rands, and other areas where it helps to keep the shoe lighter. Mine have not failed. From what I can see, it works. You don't hear about failures. What you do hear is online influencers and cobblers complaining that for the price, Alden should use real leather. Cobblers want real leather because they can reuse the real leather, which saves on the cost of the rebuild. For the person wearing the shoe, real leather will be heavier. The fibreboard does not fail mechanically. You never hear of someone's heel or sole melting off or disintegrating in the rain. It works until some cobbler rips it up, then complains that he has to install a new unit. It's not a concern for factory recrafting, because the factory simply throws away the old and installs new.

​

 

[Xysterz]

Wow, yours have aged and held up really well! It seems like the CXL these days is a slightly darker shade by default.

 

[Zoro]

Is that still the original sole? Looks quite new for what I would expect on a 10+yo pair.