Allen Edmonds (really... are they good shoes?)

[Fifty150]

I have gotten my money's worth out of these factory seconds.

 

[Fifty150]

These are from the 2000's. Approximately 20+ years old, or so. The Cascade. Mine came in black, with a Vibram lug sole. Mine still has the original sole and has not been resoled, refurbished, rebuilt, etc. Clean with saddle soap, mink oil, then polish. The same process that I use on all of my boots. The only reference I can find is a page on Amazon, with a brown shoe which is no longer available. No information on what type of leather is used, or which last it was built on.


Shoes that will go for several decades. This is what I expect from Allen Edmonds. As a kid, that was what I heard from older family and friends. Spend a little more. Those shoes are an investment. They will outlast cheap shoes, and be more comfortable. I'm guessing that 20+ years ago, I could have bought cheap shoes from The Mall for around $50. Today, cheap shoes from The Mall could be around $100. As I rewind the time machine, I paid around $245 for these. They were on sale. And during that time,, it really put a hole in my pocket. I don't make that much washing dishes at Panda Express.

 

[Fifty150]

Some time back, I made the "executive decision" to stop wearing shoes. I like boots. Even low cut boots. I want ankle support. And I don't like getting my socks wet - which happens with shoes. The worst is when there are puddles, or there is heavy rain, and water gets in from the top of the shoe or the tongue.



The X says to me, "you can't wear boots everywhere you go". She says that I need to have shoes, even if those shoes are barely worn a few times a year. She might be right about wearing cowboy boots with black tie. I wear cowboy boots with black tie. She says I shouldn't do that.

Her solution. A pair of shoes in black patent leather, and a pair in brown. Allen Edmonds Park Avenue sneakers. Nobody will notice the sneaker sole in black. And the white soles on brown shoes, will be kind of "hip" looking. As is her way, she bought them using my credit card.

I'm open-minded. With a sneaker sole build, the shoes will be comfortable. Of course, I don't know when I'll actually wear shoes. Rubber soles will offer traction, in case I need to run from a mugger. Where I have my doubts is the resole. Can they really recraft a sneaker? Allen Edmonds says yes. Only problem is that a recraft from the factory will cost more than I paid for the shoes. But there are color options. Kind of cool if I want red or blue soles.

 

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The sneaker is styled like the more popular dress shoe. It looks like it. But it's not the actual shoe model upper, with a sneaker sole. The sole for the sneaker has a foam insert, and a foam foot bed. The sneaker outsole is glued and stitched. The tongue is stitched to the shoe on the inside to prevent it from moving around.

The Park Avenue shoes and boot are built on the 65 Last, which is long and narrow. The sneaker is built on something described as the 65C Last. It's even more narrow.

The sneaker is imported. Not Made in USA. The sneaker does not have any markings to indicate where it was constructed.

 

[Fifty150]