ALDEN
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shit, regardless of the horror stories regarding Alden QC that are floating around, I still am very attracted to the Indy boot. Its one of the best looking casual boots out there in my opinion. Doesnt help that I work about 2 blocks from Alden SF either.
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^great boots
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Cleaned up and ready to go back-
I took these in on the 3/23 and got them back on the 4/17. They quoted me 4 weeks and were pretty much dead on. Alden did a really nice job and they look (much) better than they did when new. They also re-did the eyelets because I told them they were destroying laces. Awesome! I feel like I got a pair of boots for free a year later.
Sorry about the color on these pics. I have awful lights in my room and I suck at my camera
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My Alden Indy X J Crew. I liked the color of the Horween CXL. Picked them up past Aug & definitely my go to boots.
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Just wear em it will work itself out
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Cognac Indy (Unionmade)
wish these were still availble in my size. real incredible boot, great pick-up
i know i'm late, but i get busy sometimes
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Only worn my replacement indy maybe a week and the leather has streched stupid amounts… Regretting not just taking my original to the cobbler and having them fixed. There is a tremendous difference in the leathers used from last year to this year.
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They are… But that's the same leather my originsl akdenscwere as well and not nearly that much stretch
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While I understand your perspective, I did not purchase a pair of boots from horween. I purchased a pair of boots from Alden. If their was a defect in Horween CXL Alden should have recognized it and immediately addressed the issue with Horween instead of pushing substandard good into the consumer market.
I can respectively see the argument from both sides but when a company sources product in they are the last one to determine if it gets used or if it does not. Horween does not make Alden put boots out with that leather. Alden quality control should recognize inferior product. It starts at the source and trickles its way down. However, Alden getting a bad batch of CXL does not justify them distributing it to their customers. At least, it shouldn't generally companies have to figure loss into their overhead and among those losses are inferior supplies purhcased. The bottom line is Alden is who made the boot, and who I recieved the boot from, NOT Horween. It was up to Alden to check the quality of the leather they used for my boot. Not Horween. But I do agree that it starts at the source generally. It is how the company handles that that shows their concern for their customers as opposed to strictly their bottom line. Twice now In less than 6 months I have recieved inferior products at a near $500 price point. When problems are this persistent I do not feel that the company is doing their best in terms of customer satisfaction but instead capitalizing on a trend market while they can by rushing through manufacturing and putting any and everything out that is assembled. As I have stated in many posts before though, this is just my opinion.
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I completely agree with you the shoe manufacturer is ultimately responsible for the quality of their final product. If there's a problem with the leather, you're not going to complain to the leather tannery. I guess what I'm getting hung up on is, was this defect something that the workers on the floor of the shoe factory would have noticed? I'm sure they're told to be as gentle with the leather as possible. You can imagine how much care goes into getting leather goods to the end user without even a scratch! I always think about that when I think of my saddleback briefcase, and how much leather there is that makes the whole thing up. When I took it out of the box and inspected it, it was pristine. When I pulled it out of the box, my fingernail grazed the surface of the bag and scratched it. Judging by how perfect my bag looked when brand new, it goes to show how gentle the floor workers are in these leather factories. They're not there to field test each hide or ultimately each shoe.
The bottom line for me is, since Alden sold you a bad pair of boots, you're right, they should take care of you and replace your inferior product, but I think Horween should be shamed a little
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I think Alden is 100% responsible and at fault. Any problems with materials is between Alden and the supplier and should be worked out way before a customer ever sets eye's on the product.
All of the leather craftsman I know notice every defect in a hide, its what they do. They usually use it where you won't see it.
By the way the heels are starting to come off my Indy Boots… bummer!
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I agree it is Alden fault, I also agree that in theory they ptobably owe me yet again a new pair of Indys… However, I'm to the point where I'm just fed up... This has been a nightmare and I think its time to just take the L and move on. Quite a disappointment and a huge difference in the quality I had grown accustomed to before they became part if the "scene". An unfortunate display of what their true priority is $$$$$$$$$
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Still not sure if I should sell these. Alden x Iron Heart boots. They're in my closet, boxed, on the top shelf. I guess I have summer to decide. :o
