AE 2nds - To keep or not?

[mwolcott]

Sorry to get a little off topic, but you guys think that the quality of Shoepassion/Meermin is about the same as Allen-Edmonds? This is the first I've heard of them...

[shad0w4life]

They should be on par, good year welted etc. just made overseas so lower price is what I'm lead to believe.

I'd put them above well above the shoes from DSW Joe recommends

I'm more of the thought process of if you take care of it, it will last.

[Vicious49]

Shadow - I asked them to check my shoes for blemishes as well and they said there weren't any.

[frost]

Shadow - I asked them to check my shoes for blemishes as well and they said there weren't any.

I've asked folks at the Portland, ME store to do the same. I was told the shoes I ordered had very minor blemishes, but as it turned out, they had some severe wrinkles on the toe region of the shoe. Blemishes are of course subjective to some extent. What might pass for some, might be unacceptable to others. Again, my advice is to keep sending them back until you get a pair that you find acceptable. You're not going to get an absolutely perfect shoe, there is going to be SOME kind of noticeable flaw if you look hard enough.

[AJG Esq]

My Strands came in last night (still trying to figure out how to add pics directly, until then, imgur): http://imgur.com/agDSM

There's very slight wrinkling on one heel and a mark on a sole, both of which don't bother me at all. However, on the cap of the left shoe, the fringe is raised up instead of flat. Any recommendations on how to flatten it out? The pic is after me holding it down with my hand for about 5 minutes...I may try to tie a string around it over night or see if my cobbler can glue it down. Otherwise, I can live with it.

[shad0w4life]

@AJG a bit of warm steam and a weight might do the trick. Those look great though.

@Frost yeah I can accept a minor imperfection or slight scuffs to the heel etc. What they sent to Vicious is just someone with a piss poor attitude about how high and mighty AE shoes are (IMO, they could have had bad sight too), there's no reason that should have been sent.

[greg_s]

I've said it before, I'll say it again. Try to work directly with Edward at the Portland, Maine store. He is fantastic, prompt, and very courteous.

[frost]

Edward has a pretty good track record, but he did send me a pair of seriously busted seconds after "inspecting" them and telling me they were in great condition.

[Vicious49]

I decided to keep those brown strands. That deep scratch/nick is a bit annoying but at $150 they were a great deal.

[shad0w4life]

Just to point this out @ $150 with that mark I wouldn't consider them a great deal. You could get Meermin and Shoe Passion shoes for a little bit more and I'd bet the quality is that or above AE. Haven't found a review saying they are bad shoes at all, even AS had minor issues @ $800.

They are nice shoes of course but there are other options

[Vicious49]

The strands in a 9C are the most comfortable shoes I've owned. The park aves even though they are built on the same last are not nearly as comfortable. That's the reason I didn't want to return them and get a different brand. The strands fit me like a 2nd skin. If it was a different AE shoe even, I most likely would have sent them back already.

I own them in walnut and knew I eventually wanted to get another pair or two of them. $150 compared to the normal $335 price tag on them is a big Difference. Can I live with that mark if it means I'm saving $185 is what I had to ask myself. I decided that for $185, I can live with it.

[shad0w4life]

Ah, my argument is you're not saving $185, you're just paying roughly what the shoes SHOULD be selling for

I do hope mine show up in great shape though, then my AE collection is done and I can sell a few other models I detest.

[clogs]

My Strands came in last night (still trying to figure out how to add pics directly, until then, imgur): http://imgur.com/agDSM

There's very slight wrinkling on one heel and a mark on a sole, both of which don't bother me at all. However, on the cap of the left shoe, the fringe is raised up instead of flat. Any recommendations on how to flatten it out? The pic is after me holding it down with my hand for about 5 minutes...I may try to tie a string around it over night or see if my cobbler can glue it down. Otherwise, I can live with it.

I am also having this problem, but much worse on both shoes than it looks in your picture. There must be a way to fix it but googling "sticking up fringe stuff on strands" obviously didnt help too much... any ideas?

[clogs]

its actually not just on the cap toe part - there are other sections where the fringe just mysteriously sticks straight outwards. I guess I'll try to take it to a cobbler or something to see if it can be glued down... frustrating. Im trying the string thing, that doesnt seem to be working for me too well and some of these areas aren't going to work.

One of them has about 75% of the captoe fringe flat like it should be and it's noticeably so much better looking...

[AJG Esq]

@clogs, I feel your pain since it's such a noticeable part of the shoe and has the potential to look awesome. Honestly, I just stuck shoe trees in mine and sat there pushing down on it with my hands with mild pressure hoping a combo of the heat and pressure would improve it. I think it looks better now, not perfect, but very good. You may have different results as it seems like your problem was worse. I decided not to ask my cobbler as there's so little extra leather on the fringe, I'm not sure it can be glued without risking seeing the glue. If you have a good cobbler though, get his opinion. Mine is awesome, but a tough Russian dude who refuses to do tiny cosmestic repairs that he thinks I won't care about in 2 weeks, and is probably right.