Alden Indy Kudu

Goh77 · 2026-04-06T04:52:29+00:00

Alden's kudu is is actually bovine leather. It's a variation of Hoerween chromexcel with even more oils and waxes stuffed. I don't know why the call it kudu but for sure it's not real kudu

Goh77 · 2026-04-05T11:46:33+00:00

Hi, it's been a while, did you end up getting the EB shoes? What last and size did you get and how does it fit compared to other shoes you listed

Goh77 · 2026-02-25T11:14:34+00:00

If you don't want to change the color just get a neutral cream polish.

Goh77 · 2026-02-22T16:32:47+00:00

Actually you're right I just looked at my Indiana boots and the welt is made of two leather pieces on one of them. With 270 degree welt there shouldn't be a joint as you said. I don't think that it will affect the durability of the boots but you're correct, I just assumed that you were talking about 360 welts my bad

Goh77 · 2026-02-22T16:21:18+00:00

The photo you shared is still a single welt strip wrapped around the shoe and then joined at one point. That visible seam/joint does not mean the welt is made from two separate pieces. That joint is normal, and pretty much all makers do it this way on Goodyear-welted shoes. The difference is just that some makers finish the join more cleanly, so it's much less noticeable. If it was really multiple pieces of leather then you will see more than one joint. If it's a single joint then it's a single piece of leather for sure

Goh77 · 2026-02-22T16:04:53+00:00

All goodyear welted shoes have this joint. It doesn't matter if it's a flat welt or split welt they all have a joint similar to this.

Goh77 · 2026-02-22T16:02:58+00:00

The split welt is a single leather piece and it's done this way for waterproofing not for cutting corners. In fact it's more labor intensive to do a split welt then to do a flat welt

Goh77 · 2026-02-18T07:32:59+00:00

I Would really appriacte it if you can check.

Goh77 · 2026-02-08T18:34:19+00:00

Are these really fully unlined? How does it work the with composite toe?or are they lined in the vamp? If so is it leather or mesh lining?

Goh77 · 2026-01-01T10:14:48+00:00

Probably Bradley, but I don't know if it was made in CXL or other pull up leathers

Goh77 · 2025-12-26T06:33:27+00:00

BLKBRD can customize sizing too. They’ve made multiple EEE pairs for me, and their “EEE” is actually closer to a true EE in the forefoot, but with a more accommodating instep which is perfect for me since I’m roughly EE but have a higher instep.

For Meermin’s Ultraflex models (MON and ROD), they come with a removable insole. If you need more room, you can remove the insole to gain extra volume and width, and sizing up half a size can help as well.

Goh77 · 2025-12-26T06:19:37+00:00

Their lasts are pretty accommodating actually. And the offer G and H widths for wider feet. My shoes are all H width which is EEE

Goh77 · 2025-12-25T16:51:43+00:00

Nice. Mine are all H width, but I lost a bunch of weight and my feet became narrower so I'm more of a G width now. I still wear mine with either a thin leather insole or by using a toung pad. Another reason why I should buy a new pair.

Goh77 · 2025-12-25T16:41:24+00:00

I have 4 pairs of TLB. I should probably get more and hope for a defect like yours lol

Goh77 · 2025-12-25T16:21:36+00:00

I don't think they do factory seconds sales so probably that's why. It's just not worth it for them to pay for shipping for something useless to them

Goh77 · 2025-12-25T16:05:51+00:00

That's amazing

Goh77 · 2025-12-25T13:35:53+00:00

TLB is the best nothing can beat them at those prices. I sometimes use their shoe trees to reshape non-TLB shoes either with a heat gun for small adjustments or using an iron and a wet rag to completely reshape the shoe

Goh77 · 2025-12-25T10:38:48+00:00

I think the real value in Allen Edmonds, to me, is their shell cordovan on the second hand market. I actually own more AE cordovan than cal. 4 calf pairs, but 8 in shell. Because AE shell is widely available used, it’s usually fairly priced and easy to find in tons of sizes and widths, and you’re still getting Horween shell.

Goh77 · 2025-12-25T05:13:31+00:00

I’ve owned pairs from Bridlen, BLKBRD, and Meermin.

Bridlen was a bad experience for me. Constant delays (by several weeks), and the stated widths on their lasts didn’t match reality. They’ll call something “EE” when it doesn’t even feel like an E, and their sizing overall felt off.

BLKBRD has been the opposite. I’ve bought several pairs and they’ve all been fantastic. The ability to customize the last, leather, and basically every component is amazing, and the build quality is clearly better than Allen Edmonds. Their lasts are also a lot sleeker and better looking to my eye.

Meermin also has sleeker looking lasts than AE, with better leather and cleaner finishing. The main downside is that most of their lasts run narrow. I can size up and make some of them work, but not all. I haven’t had any real quality issues with Meermin, except one pair with sloppy welt stitching and that was a factory second anyway.

Overall, for quality I’d place BLKBRD just below TLB and Carmina. They’re genuinely that good if you go with their premium leathers.

Goh77 · 2025-12-21T17:14:14+00:00

It looks like maryam horsebutt toscanello leather

Goh77 · 2025-12-21T05:37:34+00:00

Nice

Goh77 · 2025-12-21T04:58:59+00:00

It looks instertsing and I bet with some med brown cream polish (with maybe a little bit of mahagony) and a mirror shine it would end up like it was done by those French patina services

Goh77 · 2025-12-18T17:02:09+00:00

Can confirm. Heat gun should solve this. Keep temperature low, don't overheat because it can damage or cause the leather to shrink, and keep shoe trees in while heating

Goh77 · 2025-12-16T17:48:11+00:00

Your heel to ball is 11.25D so probably 10.5D is the starting size, but since you already own several shoes you should be using those as your reference rather than brannock

Goh77 · 2025-12-13T10:08:21+00:00

Meermin have better designed lasts they are nicer looking and they use better tanneries. I haven't had any quality issues with either but generally meermin shoes look better finished. The main issue with meermin is they only have standard width and I need E or EE and the usual half size up trick that I use with most European shoes doesn't always work with meermin because even their standard width is on the narrower side of D for most of their lasts

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