Pinky toe pinches a touch, * **Meermin Bob** 8UK a hint loose at the heel, but snug at the forefoot, * **Meermin Elton** 8UK very snug to start, much more comfy now, * **Meermin Olfe** 8.5UK could've probably gone down to 8UK but is still pretty comfortable, surprisingly not too slippy. Some of the shoes on sale are factory seconds and its not something they outrightly advertise. Shoe makes are easier than almost anything to compare in this respect, because you get something more at each level. No one wants their sole to wear down quickly, but points like the shaped waist are more aesthetic, and its up to you whether you care about them. **. With Carmina you can get a more refined shoe - closed-channel stitching, a more bevelled waist and so on. Both of my pinky toes stick slightly out, sometimes I say I have splayed toes, but it's really just the pinky toe on each foot likes a bit of room. 8.5D may have worked with thinner socks. Rancourt 115 9D: Great fit. Thanks for this, Simon. With its classic and timeless design, this last seems to resist the course of time. Every now and then I got excited by a nice design at a lower price point only to be disappointed by quality issues. Particularly for certain watches perhaps, although less likely for certain muted bespoke suits which might fit better but wont look more expensive than a good of-the-peg one. Its actually something well touch on in our upcoming piece looking at budgets and capsule wardrobes. I run in minimal shoes, lift in minimal shoes or barefoot, and hike a lot in zero-drop trail runners. I even got a pair of Lobb Chapels for 245 in 2009. Ive thoroughly enjoyed this article and PS in general. It is not surprising for people to give high praises to the Carmina shoes due to their high durability and quality build-up. If you will be ordering from the Trickers website, I suggest going over the fine print. Theres a lot of marketing in this entry-level market: everyone says their shoes are handcrafted, using the best materials.. Normal arch/instep. When it comes to fashion quality, Carmina shoes come off as more stylish than the Meermin shoes.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'footslide_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_8',115,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-footslide_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0');FASHIONABLE CARMINASFASHIONABLE CARMINAS. Some RTW still offer width varieties but I believe the manufacturers found that those with narrow feet didnt suffer if the shoes were too wide. 11D would've been better out of the box but CXL is very forgiving. Carminas just dont break down easily. Yes literally hard as rock but very nice looking in their box.. Agree Alan, buyer beware that they are extremely hard to break in. Thats is some very useful information Jesper, thank you! I have experienced Cheaney a fair bit, my first two pairs of English shoes were from Cheaney main line (I still have one of them), plus I have worn Cheaneys imperial range as well as C&J mainline shoes. You get slightly better quality with Carmina at a cheaper price. F. E. F. Extra-wide. My experience with them has been very similar to yours, Felix. Great advice Edric, thanks for helping Oliver. Moreover, theres no industry standard in how to name these things so anyone can call anything what they like. Unfortunately they offer less Goodyear welted shoes these days. Premium Leather Uppers stitched down well with Goodyear Welting strategies make the Carmina shoes to be one of the most well-finished shoes that we have had the privilege of wearing. If you have never tried or heard of it, is it a company you would try in the future? !!! However to their credit, Loakes customer service was excellent. Interesting to hear you sized up for Simpson when based on your description above you Could probably have stayed on an 8. The heel is the most notably roomier and the length actually seems to be the same. Really appreciate the advice. Meermin Burgundy Oxford Shoe || Men's US 8 UK 7 E. $50.00 + $32.48 shipping. Meermin Ron 8E UK: Snug in every direction and noticeably narrow, but wearable with no socks. I found a pair on sale for about $100 more than those, however, so I figured I'd give them a try. Alden Barrie: I can be comfortable in Bluchers in 8.5E. Second is a Loake 1880 snuff suede apron derby boot. The quality of the leather isnt as good as Crockett and Jones, but is far superior to my Barker and Loake shoes. Altra Lone Peak 3.5: 12D, weirdly enough. I can fully close the balmoral lacing most of the way up for an ideal look. The leather feels like a glove and is truly unlined (to the extent that the uppers almost collapse under their own weight), unlike Carminas unlined shoes which dont feel all that different from normal lined shoes. Ive a pair of Barker Grant that I must have worn 50/60/70 times and its only last week I had a topy (SVIG rubber) put on, the cobbler reckoned the rubber on the heel hadnt worn enough to warrant replacement. Thanks for the response. I agree they provide an excellent service and are great ambassadors for the brand, which is why I think it is clever of them as a company not to be involved in the complexity of rents, leases, employees etc. Some can only be purchased at high upcharge compared to what they cost in Europe, while some can be bought from European retailers with free shipping, VAT deducted and no customs charge (as long as below $800) so they come out 15-20% cheaper than they cost in Europe. He is, at the moment, offering something special forum readers. All Enzos were tried as oxfords and have comfortable insteps with no gap, * **Fugashin Saigon unknown wholecut last** 8UK comfortable, good instep for oxford, * **Gaziano Girling DG70** 8.5EUK comfortable. In my view, any proper maker would redo a pair coming out like that. The Alden cordovan color of the shoe is achieved by a plastic pellicule which shaves rather quickly to reveal a light brown leather underneath. 1 down the toe could be getting very short. They both have a very knowledgeable blog dedicated to shoes. So on the making you get all closed channels, you get all leatherboard or even leather heel stiffeners, you get a rounded side on the heel on both inside and outside, a slightly bevelled waist etc. The sort of thing that Septieme Largeur really excel in . Customers get a lot of value from buying Carmina shoes because these fashionable shoes are really sturdy, durable, and long-lasting in the long run. (Vibergs cxl is different to Thursday boots cxl.). I can fully close the lacing most of the way up for an ideal look. https://eu.jmweston.com/en/collections/bottines-homme/products/edouard-chukka-boot-homme-cuir-veau-velours-marron-fonce, Thats certainly a risk with some French brands, but not usually with Weston. TLB is from Mallorca, like Carmina, but is only a few years old and is trying to gain a similar reputation. Hi Simon, you mentioned at the top that Carmina doesnt use plastic heel stiffener. They also have choices of colours for those who want to make their outfit pop, with bright and lively colours including red, green, and bright blue. They are never mentioning it, but the leather is bookbinded. Carmina Inca Chukka - 10 UK. @ Matty, if your initial post was relatively friendly and good natured Im sure you would have gotten a similar reply. Carminas guidance is down by half for shell or for unlined , in all lasts. US size 8 at the best online prices at eBay! While I like the imperial range, I disagree that Cheaney are at a similar level to C&J; even to my untrained eye the upper leather doesnt seem comparable (scuffs more easily) and is thinner. But now I can confidently say this was the right choice and it is worth breaking that arch in to get fit and support of this level. Also Berwick, Yanko and others. Just got re-measured last week after losing some weight (again), Im standing in between 10.5 C/D. Bought before I understood my size. Carminas Quality Control is definitely another trait that makes these shoes better than Meermin shoes. I'll try to be fairly comprehensive Interesting times and personal style journey. Will they last much longer? I'm also guessing that either 9 or 9.5 in their new wide sizes would work well. A very nice pair of black cap toes on the Eton last but far to hard to break in. Toe box is comfortable but not a lot of play, heel is well locked in. I cant comment as to what anything is like higher up the scale but they are both the best looking and most comfortable shoes I own (more than my hiking boots or running shoes). A pair of EG Chelseas bought today are just as good as a pair bought ten years ago as will be a pair bought in ten years time. Seeing an article like this is refreshing, its nice to see PS being more inclusive by discussing products which are more budget friendly. I own several of the shoes mentioned in this article (Meermin, Allen Edmonds, Loake 1880, Carmina) and if theres one thing I learned, it is that: you cant buy Gold for the price of Copper. Regarding AE, theres certainly been a change since their most recent acquisition in 2017. Also I heard that they are actually trying to improve or change things constantly. Do you not think theres some advantage to dealing directly with the maker, and perhaps an understandable desire from the maker to control some more of the customer experience? Overall - and this all has to be generalisation - with English shoes you get a solid make and good quality control. Crocketts uses good quality raw materials, particularly the upper, but the make is a bit simpler. They didn't gave Detroit EEE in stock so I couldn't try it. Viberg 2030E 8.5: Good to great fit, but depends on the year and the run. Ive also, more recently, experienced the customer service at GC and G&G excellent in both cases, as was the consistently good service at the Little Cheaney shop in Leeds, when I lived in the North of England. My personal experience I can unreservedly recommend Allen Edmonds (the Strand in particular). He was also involved in the development of the TLB Artista range, so there is a financial relationship with all of those brands. They've seen a lot of rain, snow, slush and worst of all, salt. This I find quite interesting, since you certainly arent the only one. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Footslide.com is a full-time participant of the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, 2023 Footslide.com | All Rights Reserved. Crockett & Jones (bench grade): I own the Alex (wholecut on 348 last). Good article. The C&J hangrade, however, is another story. I bought AS through him when they were the best value for money in higher end shoes then moved to C&J on his advice. Vanity may well be part of the explanation, its hard to say. Still a well-made shoe, but too much spent on marketing and retail. Im a student in Sweden and I have worn a couple of the brands mentioned in the article (and in the comment section) during the last couple of years. My understanding is that AE is below the likes of Crocketts in terms of make, but thats based on the input of people like Jesper who know more about them than I do. Why spend 400 retail when you can get a great pair of shoes for half that? Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Carmina Men's Wing Tip Oxford. Feel free to include any additional information about your feet, such as: Specific circumferential measurements (as requested by Bakers, Russell Moccasin, etc). Indeed, stylistically they are even quite close. Ive purchased two pairs over the past 10 months from brands in this article. More disclosure is called for before putting a disclaimer on others situation. What Id like to know is how much higher quality will the Trickers be over the Myrqvists? Hike a lot of play, heel is the most notably roomier and the length actually seems to the. Be over the past 10 months from brands in this entry-level market: everyone says shoes! 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