Bought two pairs of AE’s with my first real job paycheck. Have much higher end shoes now by far. But will be married and buried in my black Park Ave’s.
Allen Edmonds are not only fabulous shoes, but also common enough that less well-off people can pick up good quality shoes off E-Bay for not much more than disposable shoes from Walmart. I've also tried Fry, but AE is my favorite.
Watching this video in my 5 y/o Higgins Mill boots. I absolutely love these boots and they are holding up extremely well given their age. In fact, I like them even more now than when they were new because they have only gotten more comfortable as they have molded to my foot over the years and they have taken on a great patina too. One suggestion that I’d offer to those looking to pick up a pair of AE boots is to just wait for a sale because they seem to happen pretty often, either through AE or a secondary retailer (I got mine through Nordstrom) and the discounts can be pretty significant.
Thanks for this video, Nick! I enjoy it because there are so many destinations like this which I would love to visit but can’t (or at least would have to wait a long time). What a treat. Keep it up 🙌🏽🍻 Just got some AE Strands, my first AE shoes. Looking forward to seeing what they can do.
Another fine video Nick. I have around 20 pair of Allen Edmonds. I’ve been wearing AE’s exclusively since Church’s Shoes pulled out of Chicago circa 1999.
Allen Edmonds is a GREAT ENTER LEVEL COMPANY for FINE FOOTWEAR, I think I own a these 30 pairs but I have other brands also, Carmina, TLB Mallorca, Alden, J.Fitzpatrick, Carlos Santos, Cobbler Union, Crockett and Jones, Meermin and even Beckett Simonon.
Gray Park Ave was my first pair of AE, probably have 5 pairs by now. Carlyle is probably. Good alternative to Park, as Park doesn’t go on sale often. Have had the re-craft done twice, one on a dress shoe and one on a suede boot. Great experience both times. Not everything is re-craftable though, be careful about that. Though should mention while they are made in US, they were independently owned up until around mid 2010s, they are now part of a conglomerate.
Was a fan of AE for a while but the QC issues and competition at the same price point killed it for me. They have some very comfortable lasts but that’s about it for me. Hope they get it turned around
Nick, do you wear boots even if you have to pop out to the supermarket for 15-20 minutes? Or do you have different kinds of footwear for things like quick errands? I'm a definite boot convert now, but I'm starting to feel that the effort to lace up a fairly heavy pair of Diesels or Captains just to dash out of the house for a bit is bordering on the pretentious.
Nick: I purchased a pair of Thursday Captains a few days ago based on your reviews. Although I'm still breaking them in, they feel comfortable. However, I want to know what you feel is the most comfortable boot out there. Walking on air type comfort. Let me know what you think. Also thanks for helping me chose a boot. Appreciate it the work you do.
Do you know what my current answer is: red wing weekenders. Chukka or Chelsea they have a really thin crepe sole and stitchdown construction, so you get badass leather with a chuck Taylor feeling bottom , sooo light/flexible
Williamsburg Chukka Boot was my first AE still have it till this day wish they still make them but you still find them sometimes on their factory second
i. have had a pair that i use for weekly for a decade and a newer pair. They last a long time and are very comfortable. I have no problem with quality.
Now we just need to get Weston to cut some open so we know what we are buying. I buy my Allen Edmonds factory second on sale only 1 out of 7 had a noticeable defect and my pant leg covers it
Bought a pair in store after being fitted, the order showed up a week later, the left shoe was about 1" shorter than the right, back to the store, back to waiting for the new single show to arrive, then it worked. Often in vids like this I hear phrases like 'best entry into...". Please. Tell us about the rest of the range of well made shoes and boots.
I was a size 9 1/2 until I hit 50 year old when I became a size 10. Now I’m 60 and wear 10 1/2. I had to give up my beautiful Santoni captoes. Now I wear dress sneakers.
They stated that they didn't use a shank due to the 360° welt, because it adds more stability. It's surprising for me, and I'm a bit sceptical of this claim. What do you guys think? I've never worn a Park Avenue so I don't have that personal experience that some of you guys might have. *Edited the last sentence
I have a pair of Park Avenues, Hopkinsons, Bloor Streets (Canadian version of Hopkinson) and close to 100 pairs of AE shoes. I also have many other pairs of shoes and boots with 270 degree welts with shanks along with Alden shoes. My Park Avenues feel like the most solid pair of AEs I own, closer to the AE shell offerings. Never felt they were loose shoes/boots or needed more rigidity. AE designs their shoes to feel more worn in when you wear them for the first time while other European and Chinese makers have a break in period associated with them. Hence they do feel a bit more rigid. I have had pairs of Trickers which had taken me 1-2 years to finally break in, while AE shoes you can use with comfort from the beginning. Granted, I do believe AE shoes will wear out a little quicker before my shoes from Trickers, but that won’t cause the customer to return the shoes/boots, which is what AE wants-reduce the return rates.
Buy a nice pair of Allen Edmonds, wear out the soles and send them in for recrafting. $125 and you get them back looking as good as new and already broken in. Repeat over and over. It's an economical way to own fine shoes.
@@Stridewise also, you can get gently used AE models with more premium materials such as cordovan or kudu leather for a fraction of the cost, and then have them resoled from AE. Allen Edmonds charges the same price for resoling their cordovan offerings as their other models. Moreover, if they mess up, they’ll give you the option of just picking another pair (cordovan for cordovan) they currently have on sale. So, if they mess up your ebay purchase sent in recrafting, you can have it replaced with first line shoes they have currently have for sale in one of their stores.
i think Allen Edmonds are underrated. many people cite quality having dropped. I dont see it. I have over a dozen pairs and they have been comfortable and sharp looking. if you have patience and poke around their site looking for sales you will often find boots going for around 279 bucks. perhaps the biggest question i have is about the XL soles. they are super comfortable, but where are they made and by who?
The fact that these shoes are all but fresh, does not bother anyone... The boots you are wearing are beyond ugly. Resoling a $500 shoe for other $200 is ridiculous; how poor do you have to be in order to not buy a new pair? You buy shoes in Italy! You get the fresh look each time trend changes; you pay at max $150/pair; you get three different pairs for the price and you will be well dressed and good looking for a year, or more if you decide to wear last year's models.
@@Stridewise yes sir yes sir 🫡 Hey Nick I saw a thing that said if an American says “rise up lights” quickly it sounds just like an Australian saying “razor blades”.
Wonder if you have any ideas about leather conditioners? I have a few pairs of Red Wing boots, and have been using "Mink Oil" to condition them, however, the brand of Mink Oil I am using actually says it is Whale Fat! is this good for leather? Thanks.
Bought two pairs of AE’s with my first real job paycheck. Have much higher end shoes now by far. But will be married and buried in my black Park Ave’s.
i love this!! this is exactly the kind of story i hear all the time about this brand, they're such an important institution
Allen Edmonds are not only fabulous shoes, but also common enough that less well-off people can pick up good quality shoes off E-Bay for not much more than disposable shoes from Walmart.
I've also tried Fry, but AE is my favorite.
AE does some fantastic sales as well as their factory seconds for cheaper options
The leather quality sure is favorably comparable with the likes of Carmina , Paul Evans, TLB Mallorca, etc., etc.
I love that you can buy these kinds of shoes second hand, I have lots of eBay finds. Alden's great for that too
Watching this video in my 5 y/o Higgins Mill boots. I absolutely love these boots and they are holding up extremely well given their age. In fact, I like them even more now than when they were new because they have only gotten more comfortable as they have molded to my foot over the years and they have taken on a great patina too. One suggestion that I’d offer to those looking to pick up a pair of AE boots is to just wait for a sale because they seem to happen pretty often, either through AE or a secondary retailer (I got mine through Nordstrom) and the discounts can be pretty significant.
I grew up about 5 miles from the original Allen Edmonds factory. My father's dress and work shoes were all Allen Edmonds.
I have 3 Allen Edmonds shoes and I love them. I definitely prefer the Danite soles over leather soles. Lasts much longer and can wear in wet weather.
i love leather soles these days but i get the durability concerns
My Brannock size is 15 A. Allen Edmonds are my go-to shoes for the last 30 years. This makes me want to try the boots.
Awesome! You never hear about brands this big offering so many widths
Thanks for this video, Nick! I enjoy it because there are so many destinations like this which I would love to visit but can’t (or at least would have to wait a long time). What a treat. Keep it up 🙌🏽🍻 Just got some AE Strands, my first AE shoes. Looking forward to seeing what they can do.
Great video Nick. Love my AE Pattons. Thanks for showing AE some love .
NYC store series is excellent, really enjoying them
Higgins Mill and Pattons are excellent. AE is underrated, labeled as an “entry level” shoe. They stack up to most shoemakers
Correct
My only Allen Edmonds are Higgins Mill. Love them.
I love these videos. Definitely paying this place a visit next time I’m in NYC.
Great video Nick, super nice looking shoes!
65k resoles a year is pretty awesome. A gateway company for a reason!
Another fine video Nick. I have around 20 pair of Allen Edmonds. I’ve been wearing AE’s exclusively since Church’s Shoes pulled out of Chicago circa 1999.
Allen Edmonds is a GREAT ENTER LEVEL COMPANY for FINE FOOTWEAR, I think I own a these 30 pairs but I have other brands also, Carmina, TLB Mallorca, Alden, J.Fitzpatrick, Carlos Santos, Cobbler Union, Crockett and Jones, Meermin and even Beckett Simonon.
Gray Park Ave was my first pair of AE, probably have 5 pairs by now. Carlyle is probably. Good alternative to Park, as Park doesn’t go on sale often.
Have had the re-craft done twice, one on a dress shoe and one on a suede boot. Great experience both times. Not everything is re-craftable though, be careful about that. Though should mention while they are made in US, they were independently owned up until around mid 2010s, they are now part of a conglomerate.
Cool. Got my first pair, some Freeports, last week. Had to get fitted while on travel for work though, no stores within 400 miles of me.
AE is my favorite shoe brand. Great quality and service!
Great video. I love my AE shoes and really like that they are made in the us
Was a fan of AE for a while but the QC issues and competition at the same price point killed it for me. They have some very comfortable lasts but that’s about it for me. Hope they get it turned around
Nick, do you wear boots even if you have to pop out to the supermarket for 15-20 minutes? Or do you have different kinds of footwear for things like quick errands? I'm a definite boot convert now, but I'm starting to feel that the effort to lace up a fairly heavy pair of Diesels or Captains just to dash out of the house for a bit is bordering on the pretentious.
haha! i'll usually throw on chelseas. my favorite is red wing weekender chelsea for just casual pop outs, nice and informal but still schexy leather
Nick: I purchased a pair of Thursday Captains a few days ago based on your reviews. Although I'm still breaking them in, they feel comfortable. However, I want to know what you feel is the most comfortable boot out there. Walking on air type comfort. Let me know what you think. Also thanks for helping me chose a boot. Appreciate it the work you do.
Do you know what my current answer is: red wing weekenders. Chukka or Chelsea they have a really thin crepe sole and stitchdown construction, so you get badass leather with a chuck Taylor feeling bottom , sooo light/flexible
Awesome! I had my eye on that pair too. I can't thank you enough for helping out. Keep up the great work sir!
Great video. That flagship store looks neat
Williamsburg Chukka Boot was my first AE still have it till this day wish they still make them but you still find them sometimes on their factory second
i. have had a pair that i use for weekly for a decade and a newer pair. They last a long time and are very comfortable. I have no problem with quality.
Now we just need to get Weston to cut some open so we know what we are buying. I buy my Allen Edmonds factory second on sale only 1 out of 7 had a noticeable defect and my pant leg covers it
I'm still completely mystified on either the weather or the time you sit on these videos haha. It looks like summer time in this video!
Haha! This was November I think, on a weirdly warm day
Quality seems to have gone down over the years with private equity acquisition
Bought a pair in store after being fitted, the order showed up a week later, the left shoe was about 1" shorter than the right, back to the store, back to waiting for the new single show to arrive, then it worked. Often in vids like this I hear phrases like 'best entry into...". Please. Tell us about the rest of the range of well made shoes and boots.
I have five pairs of AE shoes. Not that many brands that carry EEE width shoes at their price point.
I was a size 9 1/2 until I hit 50 year old when I became a size 10. Now I’m 60 and wear 10 1/2. I had to give up my beautiful Santoni captoes. Now I wear dress sneakers.
They stated that they didn't use a shank due to the 360° welt, because it adds more stability. It's surprising for me, and I'm a bit sceptical of this claim. What do you guys think? I've never worn a Park Avenue so I don't have that personal experience that some of you guys might have. *Edited the last sentence
At least a fiberglass shank would be nice if there’s a heel. We already ask a lot of a GY welt and having it become even more load bearing seems risky
Yeah i hadn't heard of this approach to shankless stability, I'll need to learn more!
I have a pair of Park Avenues, Hopkinsons, Bloor Streets (Canadian version of Hopkinson) and close to 100 pairs of AE shoes. I also have many other pairs of shoes and boots with 270 degree welts with shanks along with Alden shoes.
My Park Avenues feel like the most solid pair of AEs I own, closer to the AE shell offerings. Never felt they were loose shoes/boots or needed more rigidity.
AE designs their shoes to feel more worn in when you wear them for the first time while other European and Chinese makers have a break in period associated with them. Hence they do feel a bit more rigid. I have had pairs of Trickers which had taken me 1-2 years to finally break in, while AE shoes you can use with comfort from the beginning. Granted, I do believe AE shoes will wear out a little quicker before my shoes from Trickers, but that won’t cause the customer to return the shoes/boots, which is what AE wants-reduce the return rates.
I caught that too. They may use a leather shank.
@@franky3fingers337 AE uses wooden shanks-not in the stiff leather shank category.
So are there other brands competing w/ Allen Edmonds within a similar price point?
haven’t been to the office in three years I just wear sneakers now
I have a wide foot. AE just works well for me.
Great footwear and wears true to size, none of that weird British sizing nor the outrageous prices of English bespoke!
Buy a nice pair of Allen Edmonds, wear out the soles and send them in for recrafting. $125 and you get them back looking as good as new and already broken in. Repeat over and over. It's an economical way to own fine shoes.
The recrafting prices have gone up by $25- standard packages are now $150
This is why I love this area of shoes/apparel
@@Stridewise also, you can get gently used AE models with more premium materials such as cordovan or kudu leather for a fraction of the cost, and then have them resoled from AE. Allen Edmonds charges the same price for resoling their cordovan offerings as their other models. Moreover, if they mess up, they’ll give you the option of just picking another pair (cordovan for cordovan) they currently have on sale. So, if they mess up your ebay purchase sent in recrafting, you can have it replaced with first line shoes they have currently have for sale in one of their stores.
Great content : )
Awesome! 😺
i think Allen Edmonds are underrated. many people cite quality having dropped. I dont see it. I have over a dozen pairs and they have been comfortable and sharp looking. if you have patience and poke around their site looking for sales you will often find boots going for around 279 bucks. perhaps the biggest question i have is about the XL soles. they are super comfortable, but where are they made and by who?
You did not visit Thursday Boot Company
They’re coming up!
@@Stridewise oh good!
The most uncomfortable boot I have ever attempted to wear.
What color of brown is he holding brown or coffee? 4:20
I don't buy $450 Allen Edmonds shoes...but when I do...I buy them used on ebay for $120 with 90% of their life left. I'm rich...but I'm not stupid.
How could you not mention the Dalton Wingtip Dress Boot? Shame!
The fact that these shoes are all but fresh, does not bother anyone... The boots you are wearing are beyond ugly. Resoling a $500 shoe for other $200 is ridiculous; how poor do you have to be in order to not buy a new pair? You buy shoes in Italy! You get the fresh look each time trend changes; you pay at max $150/pair; you get three different pairs for the price and you will be well dressed and good looking for a year, or more if you decide to wear last year's models.
First
damn it, second!!!!
@@JohnnyVichi you guys are the real heroes
@@Stridewise we boostin da ALGORITHMY or however you spell it
@@Stridewise yes sir yes sir 🫡
Hey Nick I saw a thing that said if an American says “rise up lights” quickly it sounds just like an Australian saying “razor blades”.
@@aradoran i've heard that a lot
Not worth the money...
Wonder if you have any ideas about leather conditioners? I have a few pairs of Red Wing boots, and have been using "Mink Oil" to condition them, however, the brand of Mink Oil I am using actually says it is Whale Fat! is this good for leather? Thanks.
Just screenshot my Thumbs 👍
I want to be recognized by being the 500th person to like the video.
no