Shoes

Greg at Colonial Shoe Repair seems to be a good cobbler.

I have Finn Comfort

• Baltrum sandals: 41
• Milano: 8 UK
• Budapest: 8 UK

Let’s try some better Oxford/Blucher/Gibbons lace-ups that are compatible with orthotics, i.e. have removable footbeds.

Shell cordovan looks interesting, but there are downsides that probably make it not for me (too stiff and does not breathe).

Material:

• calfskin
• Regina calf? not:
• waxhide
• shell
• full grain

Styles:

• plain toe
• straight cap
• medallion cap not:
• long wing tip
• Balmoral saddle

• Algonquin Split Toe

• Allen Edmonds - USA
• Grant Stone
• Johnson & Murphy - quality deteriorated

Alden

• Site
• Moulded Shoe NY: (carries modified last) 10 East 39th Street
• Main NY: 340 Madison Ave @ 44th
• official online
• Newton MA

Questions:

• which lasts have removable footbeds (Ortho)?
• split pairs?
• what is the sole material - leather or rubber?
• are the shoes hand-stitched?
• what reprocessing is available?
• boots with removable footbed?

Last:

• Modified last @ mouldedshoe
  • 53387 $695 Plain Toe
  • 53396 $695 Plain Toe (Regina Calf, walking shoe)
  • 54093 [-1] $695 Medallion Cap Toe
  • 5581 [-1] $695 Straight Cap Toe
  • …
• Contour Depth Inlay (CDI) @ mouldedshoe:
  • D1531 $695 Straight Cap Toe
  • D3405 looks strange on the photos
• TruBalance?

Allen Edmonds

They split the pair: different sizes for different feet if needed!

For orthotics, I need removable footbeds - which they do not do any more it seems:

• Ashton, Benton - no longer made
• Dress Orthotics Collection - no longer made
• Wanderer - no longer made

Stores in Manhattan:

• NY: 551 Madison Avenue
• 61 West 49th
• 24 East 44th

“Damien” is their fisherman sandal:

• it is on the way out
• it has a buckle instead of velcro
• it is not width-adjustable In short, Finn Comfort Baltrum is better…