Allen Edmonds? Florsheim?

[N.C.]

So I'd like some input from the guys out there who have lots of shoes to compare. I'm looking at different pairs of Allen Edmond's on Ebay and I'm curious how they compare to other shoes. I have a pair of Bostonians I picked up at the thrift store that have the same problem i see in a lot of shoes. The ankle is too large for the size of the foot. I suppose they may just be targeting overweight America but it doesn't work for me. Florsheim, in my limited experience, seems to be an exception to this issue. They have nice tight ankles combined with ample toe room. So where do Allen Edmonds fall? I know the best thing would be to try some on but the only ones I've ever done that with were a size too large so it didn't tell me much.

I'd honestly take fit over quality so I may just get some Florsheims but I'd love to get some AEs if they'd fit as well.

[Nick]

I can't speak for AE, but Florsheim is pretty good on the sizes. I own a wide pair, which are good with proper width. And then a standard pair (D), that are very slim through the ankle and arch area, but still comfortable in the toe area.

[Acousticfoodie]

Nathaniel, if you are interested in Allen Edmonds you should really try them out in store since there shoes come in a variety of lasts.

[WesMan]

I'll second Acoustic's comment--I've now bought three pairs of AE's off eBay, all of which I'm turning back around due to fit problems. One of the pairs was in worse condition than I'd expected, but the other two I definitely would have kept had they fit better, unfortunately, no luck.


Best you can do is find the closest store that carries AE's and figure out what lasts you need to try on, take note of the sizing, and then set eBay searches--if you're patient you'll find what you're looking for. Good luck!

[Tat]

Wesman u r correct with ur last statement !


Many people jump the gun because they try on a quality brand shoe In a terrible size or last for their specific foot and just point the blame on the company.


Do ur research, these quality companys offer so much more to so many people, ur not taking advantage of their research and quality labor to find ur correct shoe last. Don't hit it & quit it cuz the first pair of "cool" looking shoe u tried wasn't what u needed...


don't forget, they charge 325$ for a reason...If u don't put ur time in it, ur the one getting screwed and leaving with a bad taste in ur mouth.

[N.C.]

I did some research on the specific models I'd been looking at on ebay. It seems they are made on lasts that are more the opposite of what I wanted, tighter toes but looser ankle. I'll probably stick with Florsheim for now, since I know they fit me. At some point I'll definitely move up to A&Es but I want to do it. So someday I'll get around to getting a proper fit test.

[zerostyle]

Hey Nathanial,


I've purchased 3 various levels of shoes in the last year, and basically regret not going top of the line for all of them. Here are my comments.


#1 - Florsheim Canfield - $120 (normally $160) - bought these because they are from their imperial line (now made in India though). Goodyear welt. All the specifications indicated that it would be a good shoe. It's crap. The leather uppers wrinkled terribly on my left foot and look ridiculous. Threads are coming out of everywhere. Skip these. I've also had the Florsheim Veblens, which had similar quality control issues.


#2 - Johnston & Murphy Aldrich II - $100 on ebay (normally $265) - J&M's middle of the road line. Overall, much better build than the Florsheim. My gripe is that the leather still looks a bit plasticky. Nowhere near as bad as their low end line (the Melton), but you can just tell it's not that nice.


#3 - Allen Edmonds Strand - $220 (normally $325). Really happy with this shoe. Fits me nicely, leather looks great, and no weird thread problems or oddities in the perforations.

[nandoONE]

AE are true to size and have the best fit of shoes.

[runner-guy]

I agree with other posters regarding AE. With AE, you will get a significantly better quality shoe than Florsheim, but you do have to be aware of different lasts. The best thing to do is if you see a pair you are interested in, either try them on in a store or do some research and find out which last it is on. Then, you can get the info on the last on the AE website to help determine your size.

[grasking]

I would say your best bet for Florsheim is to find a pair of vintage Imperials or Royal Imperials.