Alden boots …… Indy’s Favourite and a Step in Front of the Competition

[Harris_HTM]

Hello Gents, and many thanks to Burt who took the initiative for a joint review of our Indy boots! For my part, I will review the Alden Indy boot 4011HC in snuff suede.

Most of you have heard of Alden probably because of dr. Jones. Harrison Ford, in all the three Indy movies (I say three because the fourth one was not a real movie, just a satirical spin-off that should be vanished from collective memory) wore a pair of Alden’s. Ford worked as a carpenter before becoming a film star; his favourite workbook was the Alden 405, what later became the “Indy” boot, and decided to wear his favourite boots also on screen (this was also verified by the nice people at Alden Madison NYC I contacted last week).

The Alden Shoe Company was founded in 1884 by Charles Alden, in Middleborough, Massachusetts. Charles Alden retired in 1933 and by then the production had moved to Brockton, Massachusetts. In 1970 a new factory was built in Middleborough, Massachusetts, where production continues today.

Except for the Indy boot, Alden is quite famous for their Long Wing Blucher Brogue (975) and their Plain Toe Blucher Derby (990). They produce their shoes in a variety of lasts, from sleek dress lasts to wider comfortable ones.

Alden Lasts – Source: www.theshoemart.com

I bought this pair exactly a year ago and mainly because of the lock down and working from home I haven’t worn it that much. It is my fifth pair from Alden so I knew what to expect. The boots arrive in their typical green Alden box with two cotton dust cases. A big complaint against Alden is the size of the box: it is ridiculously small for boots, especially when you apply the shoe trees. I mean you cannot store boots in there without bending them.

Now regarding the suede. I own suede boots and shoes from various brands (Crockett & Jones, Barker, Tricker’s, Meermin, etc) but Alden’s snuff suede beats them by far. The nap is really thick and the colour is just amazing: varying from gold to yellow to khaki to brown depending on the light and the direction of the nap. Super soft and supple, yet thick. Fully lined in soft leather.

The boot is goodyear welted. It uses a 360 storm welt with an “antique” edge. 5 eyelets and 4 speed hooks in brown colour.
It is built on the “Trubalance” last which is the wider one, with rounded toe and most volume.
The sole is a commando sole branded with the Alden name. The heel seems two pieces of leather stacked together though I have read some complaints about the quality of the heel - I never had an issue though with any of my 5 pairs of Alden’s.

Quality wise now. It is really well buit. All the materials seem top notch, all the stitches seem straight and consistent, no loose threads. My biggest complaint against Alden is however their attention to finishing details: at this price point you would expect that the finishing of the welts would be near to perfect but this is not the case here (see photo below). Not a structural issue, but it doesn’t look neat and it is not expected at this price range.

Comfort wise: I think here lies the biggest advantage of Alden: they’re quite famous for their anatomical lasts and the Trubalance last is probably the most comfortable of them. Due to the suede being supple, no break-in is needed and the boots are comfortable from day 1. And a huge difference to my Shell Cordovan Alden’s which though really comfortable, they required some break-in.

Conclusion: the Alden Indy boot in snuff suede is an excellent boot. Amazing suede leather, totally comfortable and very good quality construction; plus you get the “real” Indy boot; however the attention to finishing details is a hit-and-miss with Alden’s. Are they worth the price? The answer is “yes” if you buy them in the US ($621 at the Alden Madison NYC shop) and “it depends” if you buy them at the EU: here the cheapest price I can find is 700 euros which is way too much. If you’re lucky enough and find them at a discount then go for it; I was lucky enough to find them at a shop in Athens, Greece, during some heavy discounts because of the Covid lockdown last year (I paid 450 euros).

Feel free to post anything related to these boots, Alden's, Wested or any other repro! And now let's hear from Burt!

 

[B-Man2]

Thanks Harris for that great lead in for this Alden/Indy Boot post . Before I begin, I wanted to say that this is the fifth or sixth joint combo post, wherein members from different countries worked together in an international collaborative effort, to develop constructive and informative posts like this . Personally, I think this adds a new dimension to this forum and really helps to bring this community together in the sprit of cooperation and the sharing of information about this hobby . So let’s check out some Alden/ Indy boots . So Harris has given you a fairly good background of the Alden Shoe Company and how Alden boots became the “Indy Boot” The actual boot that Harrison Ford wore during his days as a carpenter, long before his Indy days, was no longer being made and as a result the closest approximation of the boot he wanted to use in the film was the Alden model 405 , made from calf uppers and with a type of Neo cork sole. The boot is made on a True Balance Last, which makes the toe box of the boot a little wider with a little more room . So the boot is a bit oversized. Alden advises the buyer to purchase 1/2 size down when ordering the 405 boot. The original movie boot had a canvas interior lining and a orthopedic style recurved heel. Interestingly enough when the wardrobe department first came up with boots for the Indy outfit , the custom designer Deborah Nadoolman choose Red Wing 1905 style work boots. Ford soon nixed that idea in favor of his old favorite Alden’s . Now since the first Raiders movie appeared many companies have tried to cash in on the Indy / Alden boot craze. In fact Alden developed additional models in various leathers and colors of the original calf skin Indy boot . In my case my boots were actually made with a different stitch line, and leather by Alden for the J. Crew Clothing as the 405 Indy Boot

The only issue is that the leather is actually Chromexcel leather and not the original calf skin leather as seen and used in the movie boot below .

You’ll also notice the different stitch pattern in the heel of my boot compared to the lateral stitching on the heel of the calf skin Indy boot. Now for some people that’s not a big deal, but for the Indy purists, when it comes to having an accurate pair of Indy boots, that’s a deal breaker.
The soles of both boots are exactly the same , Neo Cork with a recurved orthopedic heel . However, recently some are choosing what is known as a commando sole and heel . Not accurate to the movie version of the boot but much more practical for rough use.

A while back a company called the Hawaiian Sole Leather Company with the concurrence of the Alden Company marketed a Alden 405 boot that was known as the “ Vintage Indy Boot” and was made from an oiled leather and a Commando sole . The boot was aged and looked good . I don’t know if that boot is still being sold . See below

Today there are a number of companies making their interpretation of the Indy boot . One of those companies is Wested, the maker of the original Indy Raiders jacket . They sell their adventure boots which look very similar to the Alden 405 boot . See below

The real saving grace of the Wested boot is the price, which is in the $150-175.00 range .

CONCLUSION :
The Alden 405 boots in Calf are the closest thing currently sold to the actual Indy boots worn by Ford in the Indiana Jones movie series. They are a great boot and will last a lifetime if maintained properly . However , a lifetime boot doesn’t come cheap. The average cost of a pair of Alden 405 Indy boots will set you back the cost of a Platon Dubow A2 jacket or about $571.00 US . They are wearable and comfortable right out of the box and don’t require a lot of break in time . So that’s about it from me on the Alden 405 Indy boots . If any of you have additional information or other Indy boots you’d like to tell us about please feel free to do so.
And finally a big thanks to Harris who lives in the Netherlands. He did a great job on his first International Collaborative post .
Looking forward to reading your comments .
Cheers Guys

 

[Chandler]

Burt, not seeing the pics.
@B-Man2

 

[B-Man2]

Sorry guys I’ll redo the post and the photos

 

[B-Man2]

How about now ? Are the photos up ?

 

[D97x7]

Great review gents, I bought a Shell Cordovan pair once but I cancelled the order before they were posted as I decided the leather sole wouldn't suit my lifestyle, still kind of regretting that.

 

[MikeyB-17]

Well done and thanks once again Boys. Fancied a pair of Indy boots for many years, despite not being much of a fan of the films, but the price has always deterred me. The Wested jobs, though, look worthy of investigation.

 

[B-Man2]

Well done and thanks once again Boys. Fancied a pair of Indy boots for many years, despite not being much of a fan of the films, but the price has always deterred me. The Wested jobs, though, look worthy of investigation.

Mikey
Talk to Cabbie . He has two pair of the Wested boots and he likes them . I’m hoping he posts an “add on” to this post telling us about them .

 

[MikeyB-17]

I watched a YouTube comparison video, the chap’s only real complaint with the Wested ones was that the speedlacers were a bit weedy. Otherwise they came out quite well. They’re a cheap-er alternative, but they’re not that cheap, so you’d expect something half reasonable. Hmm, birthday coming up…

 

[Harris_HTM]

Great review gents, I bought a Shell Cordovan pair once but I cancelled the order before they were posted as I decided the leather sole wouldn't suit my lifestyle, still kind of regretting that.

It is never too late! In order to avoid excessive wear at the toe of the sole I always have steel toe plates (lulu plates) installed at any leather sole pair. You have to find a good cobbler though, it gets a talent to install it correctly.

 

[B-Man2]

Mikey
Yep … saw the same video. From everything I saw and read about the Wested Adventure Boots . They are a good quality boot for the money . Where are you cabbie? Jump in here

 

[MikeyB-17]

He’s probably got a fare-‘I ‘ad that ‘arrison Ford in the back once’.

 

[D97x7]

It is never too late! In order to avoid excessive wear at the toe of the sole I always have steel toe plates (lulu plates) installed at any leather sole pair. You have to find a good cobbler though, it gets a talent to install it correctly.
View attachment 73565

Actually it's more of an environment thing rather than wear, it's very wet and muddy around here plus I don't think leather and gravel mix.

 

[Harris_HTM]

Actually it's more of an environment thing rather than wear, it's very wet and muddy around here plus I don't think leather and gravel mix.

I see, then maybe also shell cordovan wouldn't be a wise option as well, it is a hard leather and can resist a lot but probably it'd be a pity.

 

[D97x7]

Yeah, I think I made the right decision really.

 

[Chandler]

Can any of the Alden wearers comment on arch comfort over long wearing times?

I've heard good things about the orthotic construction of the 403/405 and always wondered if they'd be good for my flat feet -- without added orthotics.

I'm on the waiting list for seconds in my size from the big Alden seller, Shoe Mart. I've always liked the style but, have been deterred by the price -- even some 20 years ago when they were half as much as they are today. Another "if only" moment.

A BTW to the Chromexcel leather from Horween -- all of the "Boot Blogs" I read continue to rave about that hide, and many boot makers are using it these days. These blogs have really made me want a pair of boots constructed in that leather -- Alden Indies being at the top of the list.

 

[B-Man2]

Chandler
The arch supports seem to work for me, but I’ve never had much of a problem with my arches . No telling how effective the boots might be for wearers with arch problems .

 

[33-1729]

Great review gents, I bought a Shell Cordovan pair once but I cancelled the order before they were posted as I decided the leather sole wouldn't suit my lifestyle, still kind of regretting that.

I purchased a Color 8 shell cordovan Indy with the neo-cork sole a few years ago and enjoy them very much as one of the most comfortable shoes I own. I would certainly replace it if necessary, but I wouldn’t do it in cordovan again as it’s susceptible to wet weather spotting if not dried immediately after exposure. Not a big deal, but not convenient either. (To be fair all the cordovan items I have look new, really new, after years of use with only an occasional cleaning with water followed by buffing with a soft cloth – no creams or lotions of any kind.)

I use a pair of Alden’s for inclement weather (reverse suede), but I’ve found the Commando sole on it has the occasional squeak when wet. The neo-cork on the Indy has been sure footed and quiet.

EDIT for Chandler: I have flat feet and all the Alden shoes I have use the Barrie or Trubalance Last and are very comfortable for long term wear.

 

[B-Man2]

Good info … thanks 33-1729.

 

[mulceber]

Dug these ones out of the closet to share. I bought these Alden 405s back in 2007, so they're about 15 years old now, and, as you can see, have been very well worn. Heck, they look like they just got done with an Indy movie. After a long time trying to make them work, I've concluded Aldens just aren't for me. They're very well-constructed shoes, and @Chandler, they might work for your arches, but I really need shoes with plenty of cushioning in the toes and the Indy boot just doesn't have that (although, to be fair, very few old-school shoes do). I've heard plenty of people rave about how comfortable they are over the years, so I know they're good. Every foot's different though, so the way one boot fits isn't going to work for everyone.