As this is a complex subject, I would appreciate if you would watch the entire video before taking a stance because you might have missed something important I mentioned about this.
I purchased my first pair of Allen Edmunds this past week. I was a bit hesitant given some of the reviews I had seen but figured they had been around a long time and had a solid reputation so I took the plunge. When the shoes arrived they had mismatched shoe laces. Given all the things that can go wrong with production who would have thought something as simple as providing matching laces would be an issue. Maybe it was a "one off" but it surprised me nonetheless.
Honestly, I haven't looked too closely at my AE shoes. There may be cosmetic things wrong with some but I simply don't have the eye to find these flaws. And from a distance (which is almost always the case) no one can find such flaws. I've even purchased a few second quality and I'm pleased with them. I suppose if someone payed full retail or a shell cordovan pair of shoes then any flaws would be offensive considering that they cost several times that of machine made shoes. Once I made the transition to a full grain leather shoe with a Goodyear welt, I could absolutely see the difference in longevity compared to lower quality shoes.
The customer service is unparalleled by any company I have seen. I have a pair of 3 kings boots which developed a few loose eyelets after 3 or 4 months of wear. I took them back into the store and they were happy to send them back to the factory and have them fixed at no cost to me. I actually didn’t ask them to do this... they just immediately started filling out a service tag to get them fixed free of charge. As for the quality, I have found some defects that I am not happy with in their products. But this is also a customer service talking point... if you buy online you don’t have a choice of what shoes you get or if they have defects. I have found that in store I am able to inspect the shoes before buying and even ask the sales person what defects exist on a pair of factory seconds before I buy them. In my experience they have been honest because they don’t want people to return the shoes because of defects! If you can go into a shop and buy them in person I would highly recommend it. Their product is best stood behind when they are literally standing behind it...
The company customer service is great like you say, however the loose eyelets should not happen. You can say it is just one instance but it is not true, many customers are having the shoes starting to fall apart quickly. For the price, the shoes are not worth it. Allen Edmonds' perfect shoe is not as good as some manufacturers' factory seconds.
Unfortunately, they don't carry wider sizes in stock in the store, so all you can do is buy online. They do measure you in the store and will tell you which size you should get online which helps. I actually went down half a size from what I thought I should get.
Roger Huston that’s a good point. I’ve seen up to 3E in stores but they certainly don’t have them for every shoe. I don’t know if they’re supposed to do this or not... but I’ve had them order shoes into the store before (without me buying them first) so that I can see and try them on before buying. I’m wondering if your store could do that for you.
@@TheKret8 certainly not in every style, but they should keep at least a few in the popular lines. I'd like to verify fit, then order varient I want online. It's impossible to stock everything. Online it took me 4 tries to find what I wanted and that is only because I was able to visit a shop. I thought 12,but 11.5 was my actual size. That's almost $2k on a card as it takes time to return the 3 I didn't keep.
Maybe if they had a solid product to begin with they wouldnt need the gimmick of "great customer service". In fact most people would rather buy a product and never have to see or talk to anyone ever again. That is the true standard for "great service".
I was, literally, just mentioning this to my wife that I’ve come to believe that AE quality control standards have dropped and what would’ve been sold ten years ago as seconds are now sold for full price. I pick up my phone and there’s your video!
Yes unfortunately I agree. Some were so bad they shouldn't be sold as seconds as the shoes had defects where the shoes structure is compromised. Ie the tongue isn't properly stitched and missing stitches completely. Dry leather that doesn't match between shoes, colors don't match between shoes when multiple pairs purchased mainly the chilis. One shoe was physically smaller, not sure how that happened maybe someone misaligned the leather on the last. The good pairs I got were mainly in the older style boxes. Only had ridiculously bad QC around the time of a year before last buyout. Customer service has gone down too. Used to be a day or two to respond via email last time it was almost four days to respond. Refunds took several weeks after delivery noted by UPS.
As I already own ten pairs of AE shoes, I was most interested to listen to this video. I think you gave an excellent presentation, pointing out some of the pros and cons, while debunking some of the rumors, but doing so in a fair and even handed way. Well done!
5:10 This reminds me of a NASA analogy from the Apollo Program: The Saturn V rocket has 5 million parts. A 1% failure rate means 50,000 things can go wrong.
This is a really good and objective take on the Allen Edmonds experience. I hope people that are moving from glued shoes to handmade shoes watch this video and take a moment to understand manufacturing tolerances.
They’ve hired more American workers since 2016 and those workers have to adapt and train to the AE process. I’m not surprised if there’s more defects, it will fizzle out.
More American workers mean more profits paid out as real salaries. As the costs of materials goes up and good salaries are paid to workers, the profits will have to come from somewhere.
The leather quality is much lower now - it sucks, actually. I have many pairs from different time periods. Just buy a pair of Aldens...so much better it's not even comparable.
HeavyProfessor I disagree, I have multiple pairs from different periods and the leather is the same. The only thing that changed was more defect rate since 2015 because they hired hundreds of new workers. Aldens customer service is trash, great shoe but the Alden company is garbage.
I love my Allen Edmonds. I have 3 pairs and I haven’t had any issues with any of them yet. You will always have some issues with any brand you buy. No manufacturer is perfect. Thanks Preston
I inherited some AE leather sneakers this year and also found a pair of black semi brogue oxfords (Lexington) at goodwill which are made in USA... I find them extremely stylish and also they are both in great condition after previous wear
I literally just purchased a brand new first quality pair of park avenues in the new burnished copper color. The burnishing on the shoe came all messed up and uneven; it looked like a child painted it on. There was no transition in the burnishing at all. I called Allen Edmonds, and after sending in pictures they told me that there is no way they would let a shoe that bad leave the factory as first quality; they said the shoe must have been altered outside of the factory and refused to do anything for me. They wouldn't exchange it, take it back, or offer to refinish it. I had 3 CS reps tell me the same thing. I am in such disbelief, and now need to dye a brand new $400 pair of shoes. I will probably never give them business again.
@@donalddesantoii8132 Ohh they do. But after sending photos of the shoes to AE customer service they denied responsibility, basically implying that I must have done something to screw them up.
@@HighGrade_FireBlade Take them into a physical location. It should be obvious to the store rep that there's nothing you could have done to cause this. Last resort, file a claim with the credit card company, make a complaint to the BBB and to AG's office. I've dealt with really bad companies and have always gotten a favorable outcome using this approach.
A post on Reddit titled "Allen Edmonds recrafting ruined my boots" shows how bad things at AE have gotten in terms of quality and customer service. The man had his boots destroyed by the AE recrafting team and they even put different soles than the original ones without telling him. They told him the same thing they told Matthew M., that there was no way the recrafting department did that and that they couldn't do anything about it. He had to post Instagram pictures of his boots and tag Allen Edmonds for them to notice and have the issue resolved. Unbelievable.
Thanks for another great video Preston. You addressed perceived quality issues fairly. The differences (stitch density, and stitches following the welting grooves) doesn’t matter to me, and the price is so good, and made in the US, I just think they offer a great value for those that like the chunky Americana style. I just got a new pair of Hamiltons and I love them.
I am not a shoe expert, however I have been buying business apparel since 1989. I have been wearing Allen Edmond shoes for business my whole career. In all of that time ( 32 years ) I have only two experiences where I needed to return a pair of shoes to them. Once for stitch that unraveled or maybe I snagged it on something and AE took the shoes back without question and sent me a brand new pair. The second time I had a pair of Strands that I sent to be re-crafted, complete sole and cork replacement and I got them back, wore them for 3 months and had tiny bit of delamination on the welt of the right shoe and AE re-crafted them again No Charge and gave me a voucher for a re-craft of any other AE shoe I owned. I have been a loyal customer ever since, I own 10 styles of AE Oxford and Derby shoes and could not be more happy with how AE has treated me as a customer. My favorite pair is a Black Waxed McTavish, look great for dress or casual and one of the most comfortable shoes I own, I'll be buried in them is my guess. I have looked at other brands even going into their stores and I just never got the same reception or feel as I have with AE. I want Value for my hard earned money and that does not mean cheap. I will pay for quality, durability and service, AE has given me that for many years now. Great video and love your channel.
Right now the best pair of dress shoe with competitive customer service is offered by Beckett Simonon. Their products are amazing quality. Unboxing shoes feels like opening up a new iPhone and customer service is amazing. I have gotten 4 pair of boots from them and since day one I have loved every minute with all 4 pairs. I discovered them after I purchased two pairs of shoes from Allen Edmonds website for over 600 bucks. I got the dalton boots and a pair of Chelsea boots. The Chelsea came apart after about a month of use. (not daily) and I got a refund after back and forth. The Dalton have blemishes that AE refused to take responsibility for. I bought them almost 8 months ago and have not worn them once. I was so excited to buy my first pair of AE but the experience was pretty bad. So far Beckett Simonon has filled that void and will keep buying from them.
I've been purchasing Allen Edmonds for over 20 years and I too love all of my Allen Edmonds shoes, and I own 65 pairs, most of which are AE dress shoes. Some are in calf and some in Cordovan. Whenever I've had to contact AE's Customer Service, they have always been very helpful and professional. Thank you and in fact, I firmly think the AE quality has even improved. They are simply beautiful and elegant shoes. I'm a member of the AE Enthusiasts membership. All the best to Allen Edmonds professionals and fans.
A balanced, well-informed and thoughtful video. It's interesting for me as I'm based in the UK which means getting Allen Edmonds shoes is more challenging - mainly because of shipping costs. I probably would buy the brand otherwise. That said, there are a wealth of shoe makers in the UK that I could go to for similar quality to AE, namely Loake, Barker and Church's. I have recently bought 2 pairs of Meermin shoes off of Ebay and they are good, level entry Goodyear welted shoes - stiff competition for many established shoe makers.... Thanks Preston, Regards Tony
Informative video delivered in a measured way, thanks Preston! I don't expect "perfection" on things like AEs because God willing, these shoes are effectively leather tools that are designed for durability and not as art projects. In many cases, these "misses" show the level of handcraft necessary in the build, and I like that. Naturally, am not speaking to unreasonable errors or sloppiness, of which there is very little from these makers.
Excellent review. Very thorough for sure. I have been wearing AE for over 30 years. I own 6 pairs of AE and am a size 13E, which is challenging to find, so feel fortunate I can get them from AE. I have some l some pairs well over 15 years and with good care, they will last another 15. I have noticed a decline in overall quality, particularly since the 1990's and early 2000's, but as you point out, it is in line with other manufacturers. The key here is how long you have been wearing the product. If a long time, you probably have noticed the decline. If wearing a relatively short time, you only know what you know, and perhaps have not seen the decline. I want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New year. Keep up the great videos!
Thank you for bringing the subject up. I watched the video half way as I am writing this so not sure if it is mentioned later on or not. Please lets not forget that these are hand crafted shoes and anything that is made by hand is inevitably more prone to manufacturing defects such as misalignments and things like that. I am not saying that they should happen but they happen. On the other hand they have a customer service that is second to none. Customer satisfaction is their number one priority and that alone makes me a loyal customer of their products.
As a person with a wide foot, my choices are limited. Years ago, I walked into both Allen Edmunds and Alden as they're just a block or so away from each other in SF. I bought 2 shoes from Alden as they just fit better. Though they hold up well, the metal shank does make them less comfortable and you have to take them off in airports. I just got a pair of Higgins Mill Chromexcel with a red Danite sole and a blue Porter Suede sneakers for travel. Literally just got them before all the travel restrictions so they've pretty much just sat there. Will try them out after the snow melts. For me, it was Allen Edmonds or nothing since they are the only company to make even an E size in the sneakers. So while they may have issues and I may need to send something back, not every pair is bad and as they do have good customer service, in the end, I know I will be happy.
I think they are doing all right. Consumers these days wants to pay less money but want good quality. It’s a give and take. If everyone is spending $500 on a pair of shoes, which will create a market for high quality shoes. But if most people wants to spend less money, most company will try to lower their cost and put their factory in other countries hoping good management will keep the quality in high standard. AE tries hard to have the balance in quality, keeping the factory in US and the overall cost. I say They done a pretty good job.
I purchased 3 pairs here in Sweden last 3 months (P.A., Strand, Mcallister). Strand: Pure love. Mcallister: Mis-aligned logo on sole, otherwise pure love. Park Avenue: Really butcher’s work...plenty of marks and mistakes on sole and uppers. Hence I think AE at the moment is both high and low in terms of quality.
You are spot on on many of the pros and cons. I would like to mention that AE is using a type of leather on some shoes called Techno Horse, but they might be phasing it out. It is full grain calf, but of indeterminate quality since they shellac it with an acrylic lacquer colored coating. It develops creases faster like bookbinder but the absolute worst thing is that NOTHING absorbs into the leather. So you can't condition it, cream polish it, or dye it for patina. Another big complaint I have about it is that AE does not make this known. On models that use the leather, like Greene St and Bond St, you have to look at the color code to make sure it says [color] calfskin or else you get the terrible coated leather with no warning. That said, I still love AE because they make good shoes in EEE and they have wonderful customer service. I've ordered from Carmina and had to jump through hoops for a week to return a pair of shoes that were EEE size and didn't even come close to fitting me. Same for Thursday Boots, they processed the return quickly but it took forever to get the refund. I've never had an issue with AE taking a complaint or giving a prompt return/refund.
Preston, I agree with most of what you have said in your video, which by the way was excellent. I own more than 10 pairs of AE, from the early 90’s to the present and although I am no shoe expert the old quality was much better and the leather more subtle. Keep up your videos I have learned a lot from you. Best!
I am quite sure that high stitch density is not found on rubber soled shoes. I compared two pairs of Church’s Consul, one with leather and one with rubber. The leather sole had twice the stitch density as the rubber.
I own 3 pairs of Allen Edmonds, cap toe oxford, randolph loafers, dress boot. All of them were "first" purchased at an Allen Edmonds store, all had defects and quality inspection related issues, all of them. They are comfortable and will take a beating but for the same price or less you can get anything on SALE out of Herring or Shoepassion better finished with no defects. Grantstone makes some nice oxfords too at a good price.
I have purchased many pairs of AE shoes and one thing that clearly stands out is that the shoes I bought used which were constructed in the 1990's are without question of superior quality. It is a night and day difference. The leather is much better, the sizing consistent, and the stitching finer and more carefully done. The shoes I have personally seen the most trouble with are Long Branches and Wilberts.
Great video Preston! Surgically done and very well presented. I’m impressed, and I agree with you. The parts that came from your visit were especially interesting.
I just purchased a pair of black Siena Zip-up Boots that are on sale and am looking forward to receiving and wearing them. I'll let you know how they are.
It's tough to go through three private equity buyouts/acquisitions. AE was once such a proud brand that made some of the best build U.S. shoes next to Alden. I have probably purchased 20 pair in the last 3 years and have noticed significant quality variation from pair to pair. It seems like the people working the bench in Wisconsin vary in experience and talent. I have sent multiple pair back for exchange due to quality reasons. It's almost as if AE adopted the "we're going to ship it and we'll take it back if the customer complains...knowing that many would not". I still like AE as a brand but I think their shoes are overpriced at full retail. I only buy during sales.
Just an update...got my replacement shoes and they're awesome! Ordered a pair in another color! Still waiting on the refund of the first pair, but love the shoes and AE!
I'll echo your observations about AE's customer service. I've had to return two pairs in the last five years for quality control issues, and the ladies in Returns were helpful, efficient and POLITE about the issues of concern. In both instances, I had replacement pairs inside of two weeks. No complaints about AE here.
I just purchased my first pair of Allen Edmonds shoes (Park Avenues), and immediately returned them for having a badly marred welt - it almost looked as though someone had dropped a soldering iron on it. These were on sale, but they were not factory seconds. The return was easy, but it was a disappointing first experience.
If a person wants a shoe that is of a similar level of quality to a 1920s Allen Edmonds, such as that featured in a previous video, they are looking at paying at least a $1000.
I looked the EGs up. Certainly more or a UK/Euro aesthetic compared to the US Alden’s but I’m not sure I consider them finer. The Alden’s are a bit more blunt looking but my Cordovan Brogue and NST boots are perfection. Again, not as dressy but the craftsmanship and materials are superb. And compared to the AEs of today you can order them on line and know that you’re getting perfection. And my idea of $1000.00 is in Canadian so I may not be apples to apples with you!
Thanks for a very well thought out discussion on the AE brand. Like most topics in the world today there are "shades of grey" where people just prefer black and white answers. I'm a fan of American production, but that has more to do with economics than quality (or perceived lack there of) workmanship. So we can agree to disagree, and that's okay. Again, I really appreciated your points of view, and demonstration of shoe quality through the decades.
I love Allen Edmunds. cost is great ,customer service is excellent and their recrafting is phenomenal. Also the one thing you said was the more they manufacture the higher the percentage. That is not true. The higher the production at any percentage means the higher the NUMBER of pairs that are defective. so 3%of 100 is 3. 3% of a thousand is 30. Higher number but not higher percentage. BTW love your videos
The American way...MBA grads move in buy a company or substantial position in the company and have accountants run the company in the ground. It’s a very American issue. You will not find it in Italy, Germany, and Japan. It’s cultural and the chase of the almighty dollar is at the root.
Zan G I’m an engineer and I see it all the time myself. First generation German American and I grew up differently....more need to take pride in what they do and keep a high level of quality in everything that we do. Best to you and your family.
If anything it's a foreign problem, not an American problem. Americans build the brands and companies from overseas buy them out and destroy them for profit. Look at Anheuser-Busch, Remington, Cole Haan, Johnston Murphy, Craftsman Tools, Black and Decker, etc. All of these companies were founded and built on quality, American craftsmanship. Once they were bought out, most by foreign companies in Europe, Canada, or Asia, production moves overseas and quality takes a back seat. The reason you don't see a lot of these issues in Italy, Germany, or Japan is because they are stubborn. Their business is their identity, and they don't trust anyone else to do it. They would rather go out of business doing it right than sell it to someone who might do it wrong. Look at Ford and Ferrari
Solid insight and unbiased opinion. I would have to agree on all of your points. While numbers and percentage are sound, I think people in this day and age are looking for perfection just because they spend a bit more than say a Cole Hann. Bottom line we are all people and mistakes and some "short cuts" are made, but overall I still believe AE is a good brand. While details might be lacking, Preston points out that's across the industry, so take it for what it's worth. Super informative and as always a pleasure to watch!
Hey, Andrew. I appreciate your response. It’s definitely a complex issue and I have my own personal view on this as well but at the very least I can conclude that extremes on this topic are wrong.
@@TheElegantOxford very much agree! I've had my issues with AEs but the company has been extremely supportive and has assisted to great extent to ensure my satisfaction has been maintained. To everyone, fault them perhaps for quailty/details but their customer service is far above what a large scale business (like theirs) is!
I just purchased my first pair of brand new AE Strandmock's online from AE. Purchased on sale and couldn't wait to get them! One shoe had 2 gouges (one about 3/4") on the upper and a black mark (dye?) on the blue sole at the front of the toe! The other shoe had a welt that was mismatched at the seam by about 1/8". These should have been sold as "seconds!" Once I recovered from the extreme disappointment, I waited on hold with the company for 54 minutes, listening to a shortened version of The Police's, "Sending Out an SOS". At least it wasn't Barry Manilow! Once I was rescued by CS, I was informed that, had I been placing an order, it would have likely been 5-10 minutes; but that the computer automatically determines where you go in the queue based upon your purpose for calling. I was ever-so-politely advised of how to return the product, but was told the timing of my refund was up in the air due to Covid 19. Because I love these shoes, and really want to love AE, I ordered a duplicate pair at my own expense, put the return in the mail, and will await the arrival of both; the second pair and my refund with fear and trembling. Not a great first experience!
60-70% Quality, 40-30% Price: It seems, for many people, included, Quality and design go first, without losing that sweet price range spot. AE understands it well....Hopefully...
I think the issue that is overlooked my most ppl who complain is the fact that it’s a person who is making theses shoes. They are under a lot of pressure to turn out high quality shoes....by hand plus the people who are making these shoes aren’t paid a lot. They are probably over stressed as well. Until the manufacturing process completely removes the human element in the shoemaking process you will come across shoes that will fall short of your expectations. As consumers when we spend money on anything we expect and demand perfection and to a degree I get it however you have to re-evaluate this attitude/mental. A lot of the products we consume comes from overseas where the labor and environmental laws are lacking or nonexistent thus third world workers aren’t afforded the same legal protections. They work extremely long shifts for very little pay just so that they can make enough to scrap by or feed their family. A lot of them are migrant workers who are even more vulnerable than the poor works that work in the third country they reside because usually they are hundreds of miles away from their country of origin so they are treated much more harshly by the country they work in. When I was in the USN I was stationed overseas where I met a lot of migrant workers from different countries working in the ship dry docks. I even met maids and housekeepers from other countries. Are any of you aware of the factories that are located between the boarders of the US and Mexico wherein said factories aren’t under the jurisdiction of either countries? Again if you or I are spending are hard earn money on something that is of quality we should expect a certain level of quality. Just remember that when it comes to products that are made in bulk overall quality will go down. I work in manufacturing in the medical device industry and no matter how vigilant and attention to detail you are as you go about the process something will be missed or overlooked, that’s why you have a quality team to overlook the final product before it gets shipped out to the customer. Even then you still have the human factor where things will be missed or overlooked at the QC level. On top of that there is usually a small margin of error wherein things are allowed to be pushed forward usually it’s cosmetic related but never functional related.
I agree with you on all the points made and if I may add, the number of equity buyouts mean that the company has to make more money while reducing costs significantly. This would impact sourcing of raw materials and wages of labour. The value of the dollar has been dropping over time.
I'm glad you pointed out the sheer volume of shoes AE puts out. No doubt you're going to see a larger amount of defects due to this. I'm also glad you pointed out AE customer service. I haven't heard any horror stories regarding customers not being taken care of. Even unreasonable customers expecting bespoke quality from a $300 shoe.
Excellent video, very informative and I'm super impressed by your knowledge of shoes. It's very refreshing to see someone do their due diligence before the form an opinion.
Could you please talk in greater detail about Johnston & Murphy? They are often the best that I am able to find when searching 2nd hand stores. I picked up one pair that was bookbinder leather, that I was able to sand down, and restore with wax with surprisingly good results.
Find a pair of AE off eBay for $ 60.00. And people are shocked * SHOCKED * to find some mismatched stitches on those AE shoes. Thank you Preston for illustrating the statistical difference ! Thousands of shoes cranked out by hand each day. It's gonna happen. This is an excellent video.
Great video, Preston on a stalwart American brand. Am somewhat embarrassed to admit I have 38 pairs of shoes, 12 pair are Allen Edmonds. No, they don’t have the finer features of finer shoes, but they aren’t priced the same as higher finish standard shoes, either. My Carminas are beautifully finished, but have some errors. My vintage Florsheims are elegant tanks, but even my two pairs of long wingtips from the same era are different. Carmina customer service is ok, but they often don’t have my size in stock which means a 6 week minimum wait. And we all know the new Florsheim mass market offerings compare better to other current mass market offerings and do not come close to the quality of their older US made shoes. For the price, Allen Edmonds offers a fine calf leather upper, full Goodyear-welted recraftable sole, cork footbed, all sizes and widths and an impressive lineup including shell cordovan and JR soled shoes...all with a rich heritage and made in Port Washington, WIsconsin. As for the minor defects, I haven’t had problems with mine, including those bought on line. As for minor differences, such shoes are made by hand and add to the character of one’s shoes. I will continue wearing with pride and buying further Allen Edmonds shoes...along with higher quality and higher priced shoes. And as AE stand behind their shoes, the customer service is exemplary.
For the price point, it is what it is. If you want Italian, Japanese or even English quality that will last your lifetime and your sons lifetime, you pay much more. The satisfaction of owning truly premium , elegant and unique footwear belongs to very few. But so worth it!
I don't have the sample size you do Elegant Oxford, but Allen Edmonds has been my go to shoe brand since around 2004, so around 17 years, and I have over 20 pairs now, maybe 25. Except for a few shoes I have given away or sold, they are all still in service. I have not noticed a huge difference in quality between the shoes I have bought the last couple of years and the shoes I bought 10 years ago. Soles have worn out and had to be replaced. But the leather itself has mostly been good, even on shoes bought in the last 2 years. It may be I am not as particular as some shoe mavens on this site or others, but I can say I see a huge difference still between AE leather uppers and cheaper brands such as Cole Haan, Florsheims, or Bostonians, the latter two brands formerly decent shoes but no longer. The virtue I see is that they make shoes in E through EEE widths which is important for me as I have a wide foot. A lot of brands are a no go for me as they are simply too narrow, or too long. It may be that there are brands like Alden that are better quality, but at what price? I can pick up AE on sale usually for around $200, sometimes under $150. When can you get Aldens for that price? Generally those go for $600 to $700, or more for shell cordovan, and they never go on sale. So, is Alden 3 times as good as Allen Edmonds? I don't know. If Allen Edmonds has a competitor, it is probably brands such as Thursday Boot.
Preston , I’ve actually watched this video three times and have found it to be very subjective . I am just coming up on one year of purchasing AE shoes and have amassed quite a collection . I have no basis to make an opinion about the subject however I am very very happy with what I’ve seen in the last year . With a larger foot my choices are few compared to many others . Me , I believe in the product and really think the styling is traditional and very up to date . Have I purchased shoes or boots that were not quite perfect , yes I have . Have I gone online and ranted about a perceived issue , NO , nor will I ! Moral of the story is that everyone is entitled to one’s own opinion and should be able to discuss openly . Keep up the outstanding work , I thoroughly enjoy all that you offer our community !
Great video! As someone who deals in data as work, I can safely attest that 4% of 5,000 versus 4% of 500 is WAY higher! I guess if Alden, Carmina or even Gaziano & Girling had to make as many shoes as Allen Edmonds per day their F2s will be just as many. Even for the shoes that were rejected first time round, there will still be too many shoes for QC to thoroughly check through per day. One QC staff can't spend 1 hour per shoe to check every inch of stitching to ensure that they're perfect. If the public is willing to spend another $100-150 per pair, I guess AE can afford to spend more time to check the finer details. As long as AE is willing to aid the customer for returns, I'm happy with them I guess the proper comparison would be that Allen Edmonds are kinda built like tanks. They may not be pretty to look at, but they can last long, and a great companion in the struggle of life. For the reasonable price of Allen Edmonds, sometimes compromises have to be made. Robert Powers had a pair of Neumok that had brogue holes that were not fully punched through and he felt that it's still acceptable. Its only 1% of the public that recognises these tiny mistakes. I guess if the errors are just cosmetic ones that are not too visible, they're fine by me. I'll only return a pair if the problem compromises the shoe's structure (welt/sole stitching, upper stitching coming undone, etc)
@@TheElegantOxford And I guess the main difference between crafts and office work is that office work with software can be edited easily, while crafts like shoe making cannot be undone or easily edited, just being rejected and sold as F2s
Been wearing since 1995 or so. They really need to bring back the old footbed and create it in such a way it won't get ugly and dirty. At this price point each buyer should be able to pick the sole of their choice.
Hi Preston, Could you please make a video on how to do a weekly routine shoe shine (if at all necessary for shoes)? For example, say, if I have done a mirror shine on my shoes, how do I maintain this the next week? How do I nourish the leather? Do I just buff off the wax with a brush for a bit, put conditioner (which still might be on top of the waxes?), and then wax onto again?.. or is conditioner and wax not necessary? Just wax? That would help alot. Thanks
I just bought my 3rd pair of AE. The wonderful thing about this company is the vast array of styles they have. There are pairs that look good with jeans all the way up to formal Oxfords. Anytime you're using leather vs man-made materials there is the possibility of flaws.
Hi @TheElegantOxford I wonder if your opinion on if the Allen Edmonds of today has declined relative to 5 years ago, or 10 years ago, has changed. Essentially trying to see if you have any update to this content 3 years hence. Thank you!
Hello, I just started watching a few weeks ago. The videos are so relaxing :-) I am trying to get into the shoe polishing myself, but I cannot get mirror shine even with all the tutorials on here... But I have an issue, I tried mirror shine today and it failed and now the tip lost all shine and I cannot restore it even with cleaner and conditioner + cream afterwards. Do you have any idea what could help please? (Maybe there is a buildup of wax?)
Really good review, i liked watching the video. The Meermin LM are all made in Spain and not in China as mentioned in your argumentation. Greetings from Germany
Another excellent video, thanks! I just purchased some Alden 403s Indie boots from a stockist here in London, England. I can’t find where to purchase shoe trees for the boots like you have. Any tips? 🙏 BTW, my view is thank God we still have great local shoe Brands in USA, England, Italy and Majorca. We could be forces to wear cheap shoes from the Far East. So let’s celebrate this and support them.
Amen. There are some great brands out there and there appears to be more coming from Spain & Italy. I have Bontoni, Crockett & Jones and Carmina on my radar. Good- by $4000 but hello to some serious stylish shoes.
hey preston! been following your channel for weeks now. have you ever mirror shine work boots like Red Wing for example? work boots typically has quite the matte finish. Is it even possible to mirror shine work boots?
I love their shoes, but I just returned a pair where the shoe welt was ripped on the right shoe, right out side toward the toe. I would have kept them if it was on the inside, but my wife noticed it and you know how that is.
AE is a great brand. Quality is good (Goodyear welted, premium calfskin leather and leather lining) and it fulfills my needs. I understand that a brand like mermin can offer this at a lower price point but the truth is if you have the patience to search on eBay you won't find a better overall deal then AE's, as so many sellers offer this brand at a reduced price.
Regarding quality control, do you think it's possible that quality problems are not becoming more common, but rather more noticed? Thanks to renewed interest in classic quality menswear and shoes (in large parts thanks to people like you), a lot of people no longer beleive that some brands are quality just because for example their father has always trusted the brand or that it's more expensive than low-level makers, but rather are learning about quality and looking at craftsmanship more carefully to find real value for money. Also, thanks to the internet, word in the menswear community about any problems spreads much quicker thanks to TH-cam and forums like Reddit's malefashionadvice or Styleforum. It is of course just a thought, but what do others think of this?
Hey, Jaak. That’s definitely a possibility and has it’s real word counterpart in phenomena like Autism. Although it’s true autism is on the rise, it may be due to the fact that we are actually diagnosing children with it and recording individual cases more than we did in the past, giving the illusion of a rise in cases. A good extraneous variable I hadn’t considered.
I agree. It almost seems like some guys buy their shoes just to find faults with them and complain. Personally I don’t know enough about the finer details of shoe construction so when each of my two pairs of AE shoes arrived to my eye they were fine and more importantly they fit well. Just speaking for myself the quality has been good.
I still think AE is an exceptional value and of good quality. True though, there are some deficiencies, but these are not things I was aware of but am now. It seems they are over-priced, but I still like them.
I’m a die hard Allen Edmonds enthusiast for the last 10 years. I’m starting to see the big difference in quality as of late. I still love them, and will continue to. How would you compare or rank Allen Edmonds vs J. Fitzpatrick? I’m really loving his selection. Thanks!
Hey, Chris. Check out my J FitzPatrick review for a closer look but I’d say they are fantastic shoes. For $399 (the price of an MSRP pair of AE) TLB Mallorca is the definitely the best shoe to get for the money. I also have a review on it as well.
The Elegant Oxford already seen them! Love the content. Question: Are you a keep the shoes in the box kinda guy, or a toss the box and display kinda guy?
I wonder if the 4% defect rate includes the shoes where the purchaser notices something wrong but sighs and accepts the defect, rather than contacting AE. If so, the real defect rate could be way higher (even double?). In separate news, I tried on a brand new pair of AEs at the AE store in a posh mall in Northern Virginia and the dainite sole was cut so badly one of the big lugs was half OUTSIDE the welt stitching on the underside.
I am one of those who really love my triple E Edmonds but I always said my Aldens put them to shame! Still the Edmonds are great and even seconds with small issues are darn good for the cash! I have zero ocd tho...
I love their story, history and designs, but when I buy their shoes online when they have a sale, I've found that what they ship out are almost always seconds or thirds. For this reason I've gotten away from the brand, but might consider looking at them down the road. I'm going to stick to their stores vs. mail order though so I can inspect the shoes before buying.
Freco1967 totally agreed. I was gifted a pair of McAllisters this past Christmas that of course were purchased through a holiday sale. Took me three pairs of returns at my local store before I was happy with the quality. One of them was downright a dud that should have been trashed.
Minor question in the scheme of this topic, but how do you tell the difference between loose grain and normal creasing? I'm guessing the presence of some loose grain doesn't equal a low quality shoe, though, right? Those old shoes you have look amazing, btw! Hope I can find something like that at some point!
Hey Alejandro, if you like Blake Stitched Italian styles I think they are fine but since I prefer Goodyear welted classic designs, I prefer other companies but nothing wrong with Ace Marks.
I think the very second he admitted that there is a basis for all three complaints, then AE are NOT worth the money. Doesnt mean they are a bad shoe. Though he makes a good point on customer service. There are some fantastic shoes and boots out there that have similar issues, but at half the cost. If Im going to invest $400-700 on shoes, they better display good QC and quality. Some wont agree, but Thursday Boot Co shoes and boots are one of the best buys out right now.
I have owned around 12 pairs of AE over the last 2 decades.. the 1st being Park Avenue. I will say over the last 2 years, I have had to make 2 returns. First one, the heel wore out in my boots after 2 months. The salesperson said it was due to improper fit, but I called AE & they quickly replaced them @ no cost. The 2nd was my 1st pair of Wilburs - the stitching started to unravel within a month. However, due to the comfort of those shoes - I wore them daily while my other shoes, including golf shoes - might sit in my closet and only be worn a couple times a year. I currently have 5 pairs in my closet & will buy more, but have been looking to England to step up my shoe fetish...
@@mightuseful Hi. I think To Boot New York or even this brand they mention here Carmina are better made. There is also that guy in here Fitzpatrick and they seem like quality. Unfortunately, those will all be more expensive. I swore by AE and still have 2 pairs i bought 20 years ago. They may be the best shoes ever made. Sadly, there quality went way down. They are not a horrible value on sale for $200 bucks. Just not close to quality they were. But they all slip. To Boot are at Nordstom and they have diff models. Some amazing quality some so-so. I buy mostly ferragamo on sale and even they have some that are great quality and some that are eh. They all seem to have diff levels of quality within the brand. Just have to take ur time and develop your eye. Good luck!
Very balanced analysis Preston. And well tought. A vist of the DR factory would be interesting one day. to compare how things are made there and if there is really a difference in quality construction.
Hi, I have been following and watching many of your videos for about two weeks and I love them! I noticed you are using boot trees for your boots. They look really nice! Are they from Woodlore? I am a 7 to 7.5 US size D, what boot tree size would you recommend? Thanks!
As this is a complex subject, I would appreciate if you would watch the entire video before taking a stance because you might have missed something important I mentioned about this.
All this video did was make me want a pair of Chili Shell Fifth Streets even more...
Of course I watched your whole video.
Now I'm going to go to sleep wanting a pair of those blue shoes. Thanks a lot, hahaha.
@Tommy X , unless they're Ferrogamo; one never knows what crazy things they will put into their shoes and call it "quality". Lol
I purchased my first pair of Allen Edmunds this past week. I was a bit hesitant given some of the reviews I had seen but figured they had been around a long time and had a solid reputation so I took the plunge. When the shoes arrived they had mismatched shoe laces. Given all the things that can go wrong with production who would have thought something as simple as providing matching laces would be an issue. Maybe it was a "one off" but it surprised me nonetheless.
Honestly, I haven't looked too closely at my AE shoes. There may be cosmetic things wrong with some but I simply don't have the eye to find these flaws. And from a distance (which is almost always the case) no one can find such flaws. I've even purchased a few second quality and I'm pleased with them. I suppose if someone payed full retail or a shell cordovan pair of shoes then any flaws would be offensive considering that they cost several times that of machine made shoes.
Once I made the transition to a full grain leather shoe with a Goodyear welt, I could absolutely see the difference in longevity compared to lower quality shoes.
The customer service is unparalleled by any company I have seen. I have a pair of 3 kings boots which developed a few loose eyelets after 3 or 4 months of wear. I took them back into the store and they were happy to send them back to the factory and have them fixed at no cost to me. I actually didn’t ask them to do this... they just immediately started filling out a service tag to get them fixed free of charge. As for the quality, I have found some defects that I am not happy with in their products. But this is also a customer service talking point... if you buy online you don’t have a choice of what shoes you get or if they have defects. I have found that in store I am able to inspect the shoes before buying and even ask the sales person what defects exist on a pair of factory seconds before I buy them. In my experience they have been honest because they don’t want people to return the shoes because of defects! If you can go into a shop and buy them in person I would highly recommend it. Their product is best stood behind when they are literally standing behind it...
The company customer service is great like you say, however the loose eyelets should not happen. You can say it is just one instance but it is not true, many customers are having the shoes starting to fall apart quickly. For the price, the shoes are not worth it. Allen Edmonds' perfect shoe is not as good as some manufacturers' factory seconds.
Unfortunately, they don't carry wider sizes in stock in the store, so all you can do is buy online. They do measure you in the store and will tell you which size you should get online which helps. I actually went down half a size from what I thought I should get.
Roger Huston that’s a good point. I’ve seen up to 3E in stores but they certainly don’t have them for every shoe. I don’t know if they’re supposed to do this or not... but I’ve had them order shoes into the store before (without me buying them first) so that I can see and try them on before buying. I’m wondering if your store could do that for you.
@@TheKret8 certainly not in every style, but they should keep at least a few in the popular lines. I'd like to verify fit, then order varient I want online. It's impossible to stock everything.
Online it took me 4 tries to find what I wanted and that is only because I was able to visit a shop. I thought 12,but 11.5 was my actual size. That's almost $2k on a card as it takes time to return the 3 I didn't keep.
Maybe if they had a solid product to begin with they wouldnt need the gimmick of "great customer service".
In fact most people would rather buy a product and never have to see or talk to anyone ever again.
That is the true standard for "great service".
I was, literally, just mentioning this to my wife that I’ve come to believe that AE quality control standards have dropped and what would’ve been sold ten years ago as seconds are now sold for full price. I pick up my phone and there’s your video!
Yes unfortunately I agree. Some were so bad they shouldn't be sold as seconds as the shoes had defects where the shoes structure is compromised. Ie the tongue isn't properly stitched and missing stitches completely. Dry leather that doesn't match between shoes, colors don't match between shoes when multiple pairs purchased mainly the chilis. One shoe was physically smaller, not sure how that happened maybe someone misaligned the leather on the last. The good pairs I got were mainly in the older style boxes. Only had ridiculously bad QC around the time of a year before last buyout. Customer service has gone down too. Used to be a day or two to respond via email last time it was almost four days to respond. Refunds took several weeks after delivery noted by UPS.
It’s magic!
turn off Alexa
As I already own ten pairs of AE shoes, I was most interested to listen to this video. I think you gave an excellent presentation, pointing out some of the pros and cons, while debunking some of the rumors, but doing so in a fair and even handed way. Well done!
5:10 This reminds me of a NASA analogy from the Apollo Program: The Saturn V rocket has 5 million parts. A 1% failure rate means 50,000 things can go wrong.
Too true! Great analogy
This is a really good and objective take on the Allen Edmonds experience. I hope people that are moving from glued shoes to handmade shoes watch this video and take a moment to understand manufacturing tolerances.
They’ve hired more American workers since 2016 and those workers have to adapt and train to the AE process. I’m not surprised if there’s more defects, it will fizzle out.
Good insight, Captain Picard. I didn’t know that but it makes sense.
More American workers mean more profits paid out as real salaries. As the costs of materials goes up and good salaries are paid to workers, the profits will have to come from somewhere.
Although the stitch density thing is something that must have been mandated.
The leather quality is much lower now - it sucks, actually. I have many pairs from different time periods. Just buy a pair of Aldens...so much better it's not even comparable.
HeavyProfessor I disagree, I have multiple pairs from different periods and the leather is the same. The only thing that changed was more defect rate since 2015 because they hired hundreds of new workers. Aldens customer service is trash, great shoe but the Alden company is garbage.
I love my Allen Edmonds. I have 3 pairs and I haven’t had any issues with any of them yet. You will always have some issues with any brand you buy. No manufacturer is perfect. Thanks Preston
Shoe Enthusiast = Enshoesiast. You're welcome.
Haha this is good
I inherited some AE leather sneakers this year and also found a pair of black semi brogue oxfords (Lexington) at goodwill which are made in USA... I find them extremely stylish and also they are both in great condition after previous wear
Being from the UK i have never owned or worked on an Allen Edmonds, my go to makes are Churches, Barkers and Loakes.
Try Cheaney at some point they make excellent shoes
I literally just purchased a brand new first quality pair of park avenues in the new burnished copper color. The burnishing on the shoe came all messed up and uneven; it looked like a child painted it on. There was no transition in the burnishing at all. I called Allen Edmonds, and after sending in pictures they told me that there is no way they would let a shoe that bad leave the factory as first quality; they said the shoe must have been altered outside of the factory and refused to do anything for me. They wouldn't exchange it, take it back, or offer to refinish it. I had 3 CS reps tell me the same thing. I am in such disbelief, and now need to dye a brand new $400 pair of shoes. I will probably never give them business again.
Don't they offer free returns?
Matthew Morgan Send them to this guy! He’ll fix them up great!
@@donalddesantoii8132 Ohh they do. But after sending photos of the shoes to AE customer service they denied responsibility, basically implying that I must have done something to screw them up.
@@HighGrade_FireBlade Take them into a physical location. It should be obvious to the store rep that there's nothing you could have done to cause this.
Last resort, file a claim with the credit card company, make a complaint to the BBB and to AG's office.
I've dealt with really bad companies and have always gotten a favorable outcome using this approach.
A post on Reddit titled "Allen Edmonds recrafting ruined my boots" shows how bad things at AE have gotten in terms of quality and customer service. The man had his boots destroyed by the AE recrafting team and they even put different soles than the original ones without telling him. They told him the same thing they told Matthew M., that there was no way the recrafting department did that and that they couldn't do anything about it. He had to post Instagram pictures of his boots and tag Allen Edmonds for them to notice and have the issue resolved. Unbelievable.
Thanks for another great video Preston. You addressed perceived quality issues fairly. The differences (stitch density, and stitches following the welting grooves) doesn’t matter to me, and the price is so good, and made in the US, I just think they offer a great value for those that like the chunky Americana style. I just got a new pair of Hamiltons and I love them.
Hey Dr Zaius. I agree with you for sure!
I am not a shoe expert, however I have been buying business apparel since 1989. I have been wearing Allen Edmond shoes for business my whole career. In all of that time ( 32 years ) I have only two experiences where I needed to return a pair of shoes to them. Once for stitch that unraveled or maybe I snagged it on something and AE took the shoes back without question and sent me a brand new pair. The second time I had a pair of Strands that I sent to be re-crafted, complete sole and cork replacement and I got them back, wore them for 3 months and had tiny bit of delamination on the welt of the right shoe and AE re-crafted them again No Charge and gave me a voucher for a re-craft of any other AE shoe I owned. I have been a loyal customer ever since, I own 10 styles of AE Oxford and Derby shoes and could not be more happy with how AE has treated me as a customer. My favorite pair is a Black Waxed McTavish, look great for dress or casual and one of the most comfortable shoes I own, I'll be buried in them is my guess. I have looked at other brands even going into their stores and I just never got the same reception or feel as I have with AE. I want Value for my hard earned money and that does not mean cheap. I will pay for quality, durability and service, AE has given me that for many years now. Great video and love your channel.
Right now the best pair of dress shoe with competitive customer service is offered by Beckett Simonon. Their products are amazing quality. Unboxing shoes feels like opening up a new iPhone and customer service is amazing. I have gotten 4 pair of boots from them and since day one I have loved every minute with all 4 pairs. I discovered them after I purchased two pairs of shoes from Allen Edmonds website for over 600 bucks. I got the dalton boots and a pair of Chelsea boots. The Chelsea came apart after about a month of use. (not daily) and I got a refund after back and forth. The Dalton have blemishes that AE refused to take responsibility for. I bought them almost 8 months ago and have not worn them once. I was so excited to buy my first pair of AE but the experience was pretty bad. So far Beckett Simonon has filled that void and will keep buying from them.
I love all of my Allen Edmonds.
My cordovan Leeds are my favorite.... I'm 45 minutes from Port Washington.
Hey J. Leeds are great and shell cordovan is even better! Lucky you!
I've been purchasing Allen Edmonds for over 20 years and I too love all of my Allen Edmonds shoes, and I own 65 pairs, most of which are AE dress shoes. Some are in calf and some in Cordovan. Whenever I've had to contact AE's Customer Service, they have always been very helpful and professional. Thank you and in fact, I firmly think the AE quality has even improved. They are simply beautiful and elegant shoes. I'm a member of the AE Enthusiasts membership. All the best to Allen Edmonds professionals and
fans.
A balanced, well-informed and thoughtful video. It's interesting for me as I'm based in the UK which means getting Allen Edmonds shoes is more challenging - mainly because of shipping costs. I probably would buy the brand otherwise. That said, there are a wealth of shoe makers in the UK that I could go to for similar quality to AE, namely Loake, Barker and Church's. I have recently bought 2 pairs of Meermin shoes off of Ebay and they are good, level entry Goodyear welted shoes - stiff competition for many established shoe makers....
Thanks Preston,
Regards
Tony
Informative video delivered in a measured way, thanks Preston! I don't expect "perfection" on things like AEs because God willing, these shoes are effectively leather tools that are designed for durability and not as art projects. In many cases, these "misses" show the level of handcraft necessary in the build, and I like that. Naturally, am not speaking to unreasonable errors or sloppiness, of which there is very little from these makers.
Excellent review. Very thorough for sure. I have been wearing AE for over 30 years. I own 6 pairs of AE and am a size 13E, which is challenging to find, so feel fortunate I can get them from AE. I have some l some pairs well over 15 years and with good care, they will last another 15. I have noticed a decline in overall quality, particularly since the 1990's and early 2000's, but as you point out, it is in line with other manufacturers. The key here is how long you have been wearing the product. If a long time, you probably have noticed the decline. If wearing a relatively short time, you only know what you know, and perhaps have not seen the decline.
I want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New year. Keep up the great videos!
The EEE witdth has me hostage to Allen Edmonds
Same here, Jason. Most brands are just not option for me at all.
65/201/108 EEE checking in
My B width is just as hard to find elsewhere, too.
I'm either a size 6 to 6.5 US, so I'm also in that boat, as well. Most reputable English makers don't offer sizes 5 UK or 5.5 UK.
Imagine someone looking for a size 16 EEE dress shoe.
Thank you for bringing the subject up. I watched the video half way as I am writing this so not sure if it is mentioned later on or not. Please lets not forget that these are hand crafted shoes and anything that is made by hand is inevitably more prone to manufacturing defects such as misalignments and things like that. I am not saying that they should happen but they happen. On the other hand they have a customer service that is second to none. Customer satisfaction is their number one priority and that alone makes me a loyal customer of their products.
As a person with a wide foot, my choices are limited. Years ago, I walked into both Allen Edmunds and Alden as they're just a block or so away from each other in SF. I bought 2 shoes from Alden as they just fit better. Though they hold up well, the metal shank does make them less comfortable and you have to take them off in airports. I just got a pair of Higgins Mill Chromexcel with a red Danite sole and a blue Porter Suede sneakers for travel. Literally just got them before all the travel restrictions so they've pretty much just sat there. Will try them out after the snow melts. For me, it was Allen Edmonds or nothing since they are the only company to make even an E size in the sneakers. So while they may have issues and I may need to send something back, not every pair is bad and as they do have good customer service, in the end, I know I will be happy.
Good review and you seemed to be fair, both towards the company and the consumer. That is appreciated.
Thanks for watching!
I think they are doing all right. Consumers these days wants to pay less money but want good quality. It’s a give and take. If everyone is spending $500 on a pair of shoes, which will create a market for high quality shoes. But if most people wants to spend less money, most company will try to lower their cost and put their factory in other countries hoping good management will keep the quality in high standard. AE tries hard to have the balance in quality, keeping the factory in US and the overall cost. I say They done a pretty good job.
I purchased 3 pairs here in Sweden last 3 months (P.A., Strand, Mcallister).
Strand: Pure love.
Mcallister: Mis-aligned logo on sole, otherwise pure love.
Park Avenue: Really butcher’s work...plenty of marks and mistakes on sole and uppers.
Hence I think AE at the moment is both high and low in terms of quality.
Agreed 110 percent. Thanks for validating my perspective as well.
Extremely well done and all valid points.
You are spot on on many of the pros and cons. I would like to mention that AE is using a type of leather on some shoes called Techno Horse, but they might be phasing it out. It is full grain calf, but of indeterminate quality since they shellac it with an acrylic lacquer colored coating. It develops creases faster like bookbinder but the absolute worst thing is that NOTHING absorbs into the leather. So you can't condition it, cream polish it, or dye it for patina. Another big complaint I have about it is that AE does not make this known. On models that use the leather, like Greene St and Bond St, you have to look at the color code to make sure it says [color] calfskin or else you get the terrible coated leather with no warning.
That said, I still love AE because they make good shoes in EEE and they have wonderful customer service. I've ordered from Carmina and had to jump through hoops for a week to return a pair of shoes that were EEE size and didn't even come close to fitting me. Same for Thursday Boots, they processed the return quickly but it took forever to get the refund. I've never had an issue with AE taking a complaint or giving a prompt return/refund.
Wow! I have heard from various individuals that Carmina’s customer service needs work as well. Thanks for watching
I’m watching this video minutes after finding out that the pair of Strandmoks I ordered yesterday will arrive tomorrow 🙂. I can’t wait 😊
Good choice!
The Elegant Oxford Thanks! I’ll get a pair of oxblood McAllisters in the fall hehehe
Preston, I agree with most of what you have said in your video, which by the way was excellent. I own more than 10 pairs of AE, from the early 90’s to the present and although I am no shoe expert the old quality was much better and the leather more subtle. Keep up your videos I have learned a lot from you. Best!
I am quite sure that high stitch density is not found on rubber soled shoes. I compared two pairs of Church’s Consul, one with leather and one with rubber. The leather sole had twice the stitch density as the rubber.
I own 3 pairs of Allen Edmonds, cap toe oxford, randolph loafers, dress boot. All of them were "first" purchased at an Allen Edmonds store, all had defects and quality inspection related issues, all of them. They are comfortable and will take a beating but for the same price or less you can get anything on SALE out of Herring or Shoepassion better finished with no defects. Grantstone makes some nice oxfords too at a good price.
I have purchased many pairs of AE shoes and one thing that clearly stands out is that the shoes I bought used which were constructed in the 1990's are without question of superior quality. It is a night and day difference. The leather is much better, the sizing consistent, and the stitching finer and more carefully done. The shoes I have personally seen the most trouble with are Long Branches and Wilberts.
Great video Preston! Surgically done and very well presented. I’m impressed, and I agree with you. The parts that came from your visit were especially interesting.
Hey, Robert!
Thank you for watching. Next time we do a tour you should come!
I just purchased a pair of black Siena Zip-up Boots that are on sale and am looking forward to receiving and wearing them. I'll let you know how they are.
It's tough to go through three private equity buyouts/acquisitions. AE was once such a proud brand that made some of the best build U.S. shoes next to Alden. I have probably purchased 20 pair in the last 3 years and have noticed significant quality variation from pair to pair. It seems like the people working the bench in Wisconsin vary in experience and talent. I have sent multiple pair back for exchange due to quality reasons. It's almost as if AE adopted the "we're going to ship it and we'll take it back if the customer complains...knowing that many would not". I still like AE as a brand but I think their shoes are overpriced at full retail. I only buy during sales.
Just an update...got my replacement shoes and they're awesome! Ordered a pair in another color! Still waiting on the refund of the first pair, but love the shoes and AE!
I have had no problems with any of my AE shoes. I think they look sharp and I get a lot of compliments on them.
Great video. Thanks for all the care and effort put into it!
I'll echo your observations about AE's customer service. I've had to return two pairs in the last five years for quality control issues, and the ladies in Returns were helpful, efficient and POLITE about the issues of concern. In both instances, I had replacement pairs inside of two weeks. No complaints about AE here.
That’s awesome to hear!
I just purchased my first pair of Allen Edmonds shoes (Park Avenues), and immediately returned them for having a badly marred welt - it almost looked as though someone had dropped a soldering iron on it. These were on sale, but they were not factory seconds. The return was easy, but it was a disappointing first experience.
If a person wants a shoe that is of a similar level of quality to a 1920s Allen Edmonds, such as that featured in a previous video, they are looking at paying at least a $1000.
And they’re called “Alden”! I totally agree.
@@chrisfournier6144 If you look at the Allen Edmonds I refer to, they have much finer detailing than standard Alden. Perhaps closer to Edward Green.
@@RevJamesCostello I’ll look them up James!
I looked the EGs up. Certainly more or a UK/Euro aesthetic compared to the US Alden’s but I’m not sure I consider them finer. The Alden’s are a bit more blunt looking but my Cordovan Brogue and NST boots are perfection. Again, not as dressy but the craftsmanship and materials are superb.
And compared to the AEs of today you can order them on line and know that you’re getting perfection.
And my idea of $1000.00 is in Canadian so I may not be apples to apples with you!
@@chrisfournier6144 Hello Chris. I am talking about the finer detailing rather than aesthetic. I’m glad you enjoy quality. It’s a passion of mine.
I just purchased 3 pairs this week. 2 have arrived pretty close to perfect. I'm still waiting on the third pair to arrive.
Did you get the third pair?
Thank you for this video, I felt it was very balanced and well informed. That doesn’t just happen by accident. Please keep up the hard work.
Thanks for a very well thought out discussion on the AE brand. Like most topics in the world today there are "shades of grey" where people just prefer black and white answers. I'm a fan of American production, but that has more to do with economics than quality (or perceived lack there of) workmanship. So we can agree to disagree, and that's okay. Again, I really appreciated your points of view, and demonstration of shoe quality through the decades.
Hey, Robert. Excellent point! This is definitely a shaded of grey topic. Thank you for watching
I love Allen Edmunds. cost is great ,customer service is excellent and their recrafting is phenomenal. Also the one thing you said was the more they manufacture the higher the percentage. That is not true. The higher the production at any percentage means the higher the NUMBER of pairs that are defective. so 3%of 100 is 3. 3% of a thousand is 30. Higher number but not higher percentage. BTW love your videos
There is rarely absolute truth in extremes. Thank you for a well-informed video!
The American way...MBA grads move in buy a company or substantial position in the company and have accountants run the company in the ground. It’s a very American issue. You will not find it in Italy, Germany, and Japan. It’s cultural and the chase of the almighty dollar is at the root.
I'm an accountant with a heavy cost accounting background, and I approve this message.
Zan G I’m an engineer and I see it all the time myself. First generation German American and I grew up differently....more need to take pride in what they do and keep a high level of quality in everything that we do. Best to you and your family.
If anything it's a foreign problem, not an American problem. Americans build the brands and companies from overseas buy them out and destroy them for profit. Look at Anheuser-Busch, Remington, Cole Haan, Johnston Murphy, Craftsman Tools, Black and Decker, etc. All of these companies were founded and built on quality, American craftsmanship. Once they were bought out, most by foreign companies in Europe, Canada, or Asia, production moves overseas and quality takes a back seat.
The reason you don't see a lot of these issues in Italy, Germany, or Japan is because they are stubborn. Their business is their identity, and they don't trust anyone else to do it. They would rather go out of business doing it right than sell it to someone who might do it wrong. Look at Ford and Ferrari
Lol yeah… you won’t find it in Volkswagen, Honda, Toyota or Pizza.
Solid insight and unbiased opinion. I would have to agree on all of your points. While numbers and percentage are sound, I think people in this day and age are looking for perfection just because they spend a bit more than say a Cole Hann. Bottom line we are all people and mistakes and some "short cuts" are made, but overall I still believe AE is a good brand. While details might be lacking, Preston points out that's across the industry, so take it for what it's worth. Super informative and as always a pleasure to watch!
Hey, Andrew. I appreciate your response. It’s definitely a complex issue and I have my own personal view on this as well but at the very least I can conclude that extremes on this topic are wrong.
@@TheElegantOxford very much agree! I've had my issues with AEs but the company has been extremely supportive and has assisted to great extent to ensure my satisfaction has been maintained. To everyone, fault them perhaps for quailty/details but their customer service is far above what a large scale business (like theirs) is!
Absolutely. Amazing customer service.
Very well said!
I just purchased my first pair of brand new AE Strandmock's online from AE. Purchased on sale and couldn't wait to get them! One shoe had 2 gouges (one about 3/4") on the upper and a black mark (dye?) on the blue sole at the front of the toe! The other shoe had a welt that was mismatched at the seam by about 1/8". These should have been sold as "seconds!" Once I recovered from the extreme disappointment, I waited on hold with the company for 54 minutes, listening to a shortened version of The Police's, "Sending Out an SOS". At least it wasn't Barry Manilow! Once I was rescued by CS, I was informed that, had I been placing an order, it would have likely been 5-10 minutes; but that the computer automatically determines where you go in the queue based upon your purpose for calling. I was ever-so-politely advised of how to return the product, but was told the timing of my refund was up in the air due to Covid 19. Because I love these shoes, and really want to love AE, I ordered a duplicate pair at my own expense, put the return in the mail, and will await the arrival of both; the second pair and my refund with fear and trembling. Not a great first experience!
Good review. Price versus quality is a delicate balance: One way or the other, may compromise customer base.
Absolutely! Great comment
60-70% Quality, 40-30% Price: It seems, for many people, included, Quality and design go first, without losing that sweet price range spot. AE understands it well....Hopefully...
I think the issue that is overlooked my most ppl who complain is the fact that it’s a person who is making theses shoes. They are under a lot of pressure to turn out high quality shoes....by hand plus the people who are making these shoes aren’t paid a lot. They are probably over stressed as well. Until the manufacturing process completely removes the human element in the shoemaking process you will come across shoes that will fall short of your expectations. As consumers when we spend money on anything we expect and demand perfection and to a degree I get it however you have to re-evaluate this attitude/mental. A lot of the products we consume comes from overseas where the labor and environmental laws are lacking or nonexistent thus third world workers aren’t afforded the same legal protections. They work extremely long shifts for very little pay just so that they can make enough to scrap by or feed their family. A lot of them are migrant workers who are even more vulnerable than the poor works that work in the third country they reside because usually they are hundreds of miles away from their country of origin so they are treated much more harshly by the country they work in. When I was in the USN I was stationed overseas where I met a lot of migrant workers from different countries working in the ship dry docks. I even met maids and housekeepers from other countries.
Are any of you aware of the factories that are located between the boarders of the US and Mexico wherein said factories aren’t under the jurisdiction of either countries?
Again if you or I are spending are hard earn money on something that is of quality we should expect a certain level of quality. Just remember that when it comes to products that are made in bulk overall quality will go down. I work in manufacturing in the medical device industry and no matter how vigilant and attention to detail you are as you go about the process something will be missed or overlooked, that’s why you have a quality team to overlook the final product before it gets shipped out to the customer. Even then you still have the human factor where things will be missed or overlooked at the QC level. On top of that there is usually a small margin of error wherein things are allowed to be pushed forward usually it’s cosmetic related but never functional related.
This is a great comment. Thank you for the insight. It’s really cool you shared that.
I agree with you on all the points made and if I may add, the number of equity buyouts mean that the company has to make more money while reducing costs significantly. This would impact sourcing of raw materials and wages of labour. The value of the dollar has been dropping over time.
I'm glad you pointed out the sheer volume of shoes AE puts out. No doubt you're going to see a larger amount of defects due to this. I'm also glad you pointed out AE customer service. I haven't heard any horror stories regarding customers not being taken care of. Even unreasonable customers expecting bespoke quality from a $300 shoe.
Excellent video, very informative and I'm super impressed by your knowledge of shoes. It's very refreshing to see someone do their due diligence before the form an opinion.
Could you please talk in greater detail about Johnston & Murphy? They are often the best that I am able to find when searching 2nd hand stores. I picked up one pair that was bookbinder leather, that I was able to sand down, and restore with wax with surprisingly good results.
Find a pair of AE off eBay for $ 60.00. And people are shocked * SHOCKED * to find some mismatched stitches on those AE shoes. Thank you Preston for illustrating the statistical difference ! Thousands of shoes cranked out by hand each day. It's gonna happen. This is an excellent video.
Great video, Preston on a stalwart American brand. Am somewhat embarrassed to admit I have 38 pairs of shoes, 12 pair are Allen Edmonds. No, they don’t have the finer features of finer shoes, but they aren’t priced the same as higher finish standard shoes, either. My Carminas are beautifully finished, but have some errors. My vintage Florsheims are elegant tanks, but even my two pairs of long wingtips from the same era are different. Carmina customer service is ok, but they often don’t have my size in stock which means a 6 week minimum wait. And we all know the new Florsheim mass market offerings compare better to other current mass market offerings and do not come close to the quality of their older US made shoes. For the price, Allen Edmonds offers a fine calf leather upper, full Goodyear-welted recraftable sole, cork footbed, all sizes and widths and an impressive lineup including shell cordovan and JR soled shoes...all with a rich heritage and made in Port Washington, WIsconsin. As for the minor defects, I haven’t had problems with mine, including those bought on line. As for minor differences, such shoes are made by hand and add to the character of one’s shoes. I will continue wearing with pride and buying further Allen Edmonds shoes...along with higher quality and higher priced shoes. And as AE stand behind their shoes, the customer service is exemplary.
For the price point, it is what it is. If you want Italian, Japanese or even English quality that will last your lifetime and your sons lifetime, you pay much more. The satisfaction of owning truly premium , elegant and unique footwear belongs to very few. But so worth it!
My pair of Park Avenues that I bought for $250 at Nordstrom in January came out flawless. Everyone's take regarding quality is subjective.
Hey, Toro
That’s exactly where I bought my Park Avenues and mine were perfect as well.
retired cat man How much do you get paid for writing douchey comments?
@retired cat man I wish I could show you my receipt from Nordstrom. I bought them with my hard-earned money.
I don't have the sample size you do Elegant Oxford, but Allen Edmonds has been my go to shoe brand since around 2004, so around 17 years, and I have over 20 pairs now, maybe 25. Except for a few shoes I have given away or sold, they are all still in service. I have not noticed a huge difference in quality between the shoes I have bought the last couple of years and the shoes I bought 10 years ago. Soles have worn out and had to be replaced. But the leather itself has mostly been good, even on shoes bought in the last 2 years. It may be I am not as particular as some shoe mavens on this site or others, but I can say I see a huge difference still between AE leather uppers and cheaper brands such as Cole Haan, Florsheims, or Bostonians, the latter two brands formerly decent shoes but no longer.
The virtue I see is that they make shoes in E through EEE widths which is important for me as I have a wide foot. A lot of brands are a no go for me as they are simply too narrow, or too long.
It may be that there are brands like Alden that are better quality, but at what price? I can pick up AE on sale usually for around $200, sometimes under $150. When can you get Aldens for that price? Generally those go for $600 to $700, or more for shell cordovan, and they never go on sale. So, is Alden 3 times as good as Allen Edmonds? I don't know.
If Allen Edmonds has a competitor, it is probably brands such as Thursday Boot.
Preston , I’ve actually watched this video three times and have found it to be very subjective . I am just coming up on one year of purchasing AE shoes and have amassed quite a collection . I have no basis to make an opinion about the subject however I am very very happy with what I’ve seen in the last year . With a larger foot my choices are few compared to many others . Me , I believe in the product and really think the styling is traditional and very up to date . Have I purchased shoes or boots that were not quite perfect , yes I have . Have I gone online and ranted about a perceived issue , NO , nor will I ! Moral of the story is that everyone is entitled to one’s own opinion and should be able to discuss openly . Keep up the outstanding work , I thoroughly enjoy all that you offer our community !
Great video! As someone who deals in data as work, I can safely attest that 4% of 5,000 versus 4% of 500 is WAY higher! I guess if Alden, Carmina or even Gaziano & Girling had to make as many shoes as Allen Edmonds per day their F2s will be just as many. Even for the shoes that were rejected first time round, there will still be too many shoes for QC to thoroughly check through per day. One QC staff can't spend 1 hour per shoe to check every inch of stitching to ensure that they're perfect. If the public is willing to spend another $100-150 per pair, I guess AE can afford to spend more time to check the finer details. As long as AE is willing to aid the customer for returns, I'm happy with them
I guess the proper comparison would be that Allen Edmonds are kinda built like tanks. They may not be pretty to look at, but they can last long, and a great companion in the struggle of life.
For the reasonable price of Allen Edmonds, sometimes compromises have to be made. Robert Powers had a pair of Neumok that had brogue holes that were not fully punched through and he felt that it's still acceptable. Its only 1% of the public that recognises these tiny mistakes. I guess if the errors are just cosmetic ones that are not too visible, they're fine by me. I'll only return a pair if the problem compromises the shoe's structure (welt/sole stitching, upper stitching coming undone, etc)
Hey Yazza! Great comment. I agree
@@TheElegantOxford And I guess the main difference between crafts and office work is that office work with software can be edited easily, while crafts like shoe making cannot be undone or easily edited, just being rejected and sold as F2s
Been wearing since 1995 or so. They really need to bring back the old footbed and create it in such a way it won't get ugly and dirty. At this price point each buyer should be able to pick the sole of their choice.
A balanced and well composed piece
Hi Preston,
Could you please make a video on how to do a weekly routine shoe shine (if at all necessary for shoes)?
For example, say, if I have done a mirror shine on my shoes, how do I maintain this the next week? How do I nourish the leather? Do I just buff off the wax with a brush for a bit, put conditioner (which still might be on top of the waxes?), and then wax onto again?.. or is conditioner and wax not necessary? Just wax? That would help alot.
Thanks
I just bought my 3rd pair of AE. The wonderful thing about this company is the vast array of styles they have. There are pairs that look good with jeans all the way up to formal Oxfords. Anytime you're using leather vs man-made materials there is the possibility of flaws.
Hi @TheElegantOxford I wonder if your opinion on if the Allen Edmonds of today has declined relative to 5 years ago, or 10 years ago, has changed. Essentially trying to see if you have any update to this content 3 years hence. Thank you!
Very thorough analysis and I think you did a great job! Allen Edmonds is still a great brand.
Hello, I just started watching a few weeks ago. The videos are so relaxing :-) I am trying to get into the shoe polishing myself, but I cannot get mirror shine even with all the tutorials on here... But I have an issue, I tried mirror shine today and it failed and now the tip lost all shine and I cannot restore it even with cleaner and conditioner + cream afterwards. Do you have any idea what could help please? (Maybe there is a buildup of wax?)
Really good review, i liked watching the video. The Meermin LM are all made in Spain and not in China as mentioned in your argumentation.
Greetings from Germany
So do you guys recommend I buy a used pair of Park Avenues or not?
Have been purchasing AEs for several years to just one week ago,.....never an issue....
I just bought some Lombard Chelsea boots from Allen Edmonds and they r the most comfortable boots I have ever worn.
Another excellent video, thanks! I just purchased some Alden 403s Indie boots from a stockist here in London, England. I can’t find where to purchase shoe trees for the boots like you have. Any tips? 🙏 BTW, my view is thank God we still have great local shoe Brands in USA, England, Italy and Majorca. We could be forces to wear cheap shoes from the Far East. So let’s celebrate this and support them.
Amen. There are some great brands out there and there appears to be more coming from Spain & Italy. I have Bontoni, Crockett & Jones and Carmina on my radar. Good- by $4000 but hello to some serious stylish shoes.
hey preston! been following your channel for weeks now. have you ever mirror shine work boots like Red Wing for example? work boots typically has quite the matte finish. Is it even possible to mirror shine work boots?
I love their shoes, but I just returned a pair where the shoe welt was ripped on the right shoe, right out side toward the toe. I would have kept them if it was on the inside, but my wife noticed it and you know how that is.
AE is a great brand. Quality is good (Goodyear welted, premium calfskin leather and leather lining) and it fulfills my needs. I understand that a brand like mermin can offer this at a lower price point but the truth is if you have the patience to search on eBay you won't find a better overall deal then AE's, as so many sellers offer this brand at a reduced price.
Absolutely
Regarding quality control, do you think it's possible that quality problems are not becoming more common, but rather more noticed?
Thanks to renewed interest in classic quality menswear and shoes (in large parts thanks to people like you), a lot of people no longer beleive that some brands are quality just because for example their father has always trusted the brand or that it's more expensive than low-level makers, but rather are learning about quality and looking at craftsmanship more carefully to find real value for money.
Also, thanks to the internet, word in the menswear community about any problems spreads much quicker thanks to TH-cam and forums like Reddit's malefashionadvice or Styleforum.
It is of course just a thought, but what do others think of this?
Hey, Jaak. That’s definitely a possibility and has it’s real word counterpart in phenomena like Autism. Although it’s true autism is on the rise, it may be due to the fact that we are actually diagnosing children with it and recording individual cases more than we did in the past, giving the illusion of a rise in cases. A good extraneous variable I hadn’t considered.
I agree. It almost seems like some guys buy their shoes just to find faults with them and complain. Personally I don’t know enough about the finer details of shoe construction so when each of my two pairs of AE shoes arrived to my eye they were fine and more importantly they fit well. Just speaking for myself the quality has been good.
I still think AE is an exceptional value and of good quality. True though, there are some deficiencies, but these are not things I was aware of but am now. It seems they are over-priced, but I still like them.
Hi,I have an old black Park Av. in 8.5 E and a new black Park Av. in 8.5 E. The new one is a little bit smaller when measured. I wonder why.
I’m a die hard Allen Edmonds enthusiast for the last 10 years. I’m starting to see the big difference in quality as of late. I still love them, and will continue to. How would you compare or rank Allen Edmonds vs J. Fitzpatrick? I’m really loving his selection.
Thanks!
Hey, Chris. Check out my J FitzPatrick review for a closer look but I’d say they are fantastic shoes.
For $399 (the price of an MSRP pair of AE) TLB Mallorca is the definitely the best shoe to get for the money. I also have a review on it as well.
The Elegant Oxford already seen them! Love the content. Question: Are you a keep the shoes in the box kinda guy, or a toss the box and display kinda guy?
The Elegant Oxford thanks again for the great content!
I keep my shoes in boxes. It just helps in case I ever end up selling them
I'm japanese
I like your making shoes
I wonder if the 4% defect rate includes the shoes where the purchaser notices something wrong but sighs and accepts the defect, rather than contacting AE. If so, the real defect rate could be way higher (even double?).
In separate news, I tried on a brand new pair of AEs at the AE store in a posh mall in Northern Virginia and the dainite sole was cut so badly one of the big lugs was half OUTSIDE the welt stitching on the underside.
I am one of those who really love my triple E Edmonds but I always said my Aldens put them to shame! Still the Edmonds are great and even seconds with small issues are darn good for the cash! I have zero ocd tho...
scarabeo500gt does Alden has a EEE?
What Aldens fit us wide feet bois? I'm not at all familiar with Alden
Alden is great for wide feet!
@@reevesization Yes but there hard to find but shoemart and alden of madison is good for finding a wide EEE
@@corpsiecorpsie_the_original Find one's made from the Barrie last, Modified last and Tru balance avoid most the others like plaza..
I love their story, history and designs, but when I buy their shoes online when they have a sale, I've found that what they ship out are almost always seconds or thirds. For this reason I've gotten away from the brand, but might consider looking at them down the road. I'm going to stick to their stores vs. mail order though so I can inspect the shoes before buying.
I always inspect them in store first. It always helps me
Freco1967 totally agreed. I was gifted a pair of McAllisters this past Christmas that of course were purchased through a holiday sale. Took me three pairs of returns at my local store before I was happy with the quality. One of them was downright a dud that should have been trashed.
Minor question in the scheme of this topic, but how do you tell the difference between loose grain and normal creasing? I'm guessing the presence of some loose grain doesn't equal a low quality shoe, though, right? Those old shoes you have look amazing, btw! Hope I can find something like that at some point!
I just purchase some Allen Edmonds Randolph loafers and will be sending them to you mr Soto for a shine. Cheers
Extremely well made video. Well done.
What your thoughts about the brand “Ace Marks” and their quality?
Hey Alejandro, if you like Blake Stitched Italian styles I think they are fine but since I prefer Goodyear welted classic designs, I prefer other companies but nothing wrong with Ace Marks.
Great video, as always outstanding job!!
I think the very second he admitted that there is a basis for all three complaints, then AE are NOT worth the money. Doesnt mean they are a bad shoe. Though he makes a good point on customer service. There are some fantastic shoes and boots out there that have similar issues, but at half the cost. If Im going to invest $400-700 on shoes, they better display good QC and quality. Some wont agree, but Thursday Boot Co shoes and boots are one of the best buys out right now.
Great content as usual! I noticed your watch battery is running low!
I have owned around 12 pairs of AE over the last 2 decades.. the 1st being Park Avenue. I will say over the last 2 years, I have had to make 2 returns.
First one, the heel wore out in my boots after 2 months. The salesperson said it was due to improper fit, but I called AE & they quickly replaced them @ no cost.
The 2nd was my 1st pair of Wilburs - the stitching started to unravel within a month. However, due to the comfort of those shoes - I wore them daily while my other shoes, including golf shoes - might sit in my closet and only be worn a couple times a year. I currently have 5 pairs in my closet & will buy more, but have been looking to England to step up my shoe fetish...
I recently purchased and returned a pair from AE due to some obvious issues. But I have seen the same things with Florsheim. I think it's
I can answer this in one word: Yes!
Can you refer a brand with better quality than this brand A.E. Thank you for evaluation.
@@mightuseful Hi. I think To Boot New York or even this brand they mention here Carmina are better made. There is also that guy in here Fitzpatrick and they seem like quality. Unfortunately, those will all be more expensive. I swore by AE and still have 2 pairs i bought 20 years ago. They may be the best shoes ever made. Sadly, there quality went way down. They are not a horrible value on sale for $200 bucks. Just not close to quality they were. But they all slip. To Boot are at Nordstom and they have diff models. Some amazing quality some so-so. I buy mostly ferragamo on sale and even they have some that are great quality and some that are eh. They all seem to have diff levels of quality within the brand. Just have to take ur time and develop your eye. Good luck!
@@gregorythomas2674 Thank you
Very balanced analysis Preston. And well tought. A vist of the DR factory would be interesting one day. to compare how things are made there and if there is really a difference in quality construction.
Hi, I have been following and watching many of your videos for about two weeks and I love them! I noticed you are using boot trees for your boots. They look really nice! Are they from Woodlore? I am a 7 to 7.5 US size D, what boot tree size would you recommend? Thanks!
Hey, Tianning. I would recommend a small S for your size. They are from woodlore!
@@TheElegantOxford Thanks a lot!