Customer Reviews

Allen Edmonds Men's Leeds Genuine Shell Cordovan Plain Toe Oxford,Black,16 D US

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Leeds model is the first Allen Edmonds shoe I have purchased/owned. These are without a doubt the single most comfortable shoe I have ever walked in. They are more comfortable than any sneaker I have ever owned.

Some background: I finally said enough after walking 20+ miles all over New York on a business trip. A customer of mine wanted to see the cities landmarks during a conference. My Johnson and Murphy's (1 1/2 years old and worn minimally) were shot, not to mention my freaking feet. I could barely walk for a couple of days and my heel hurt for two weeks afterwards. My J & M's are in a landfill somewhere as I type this.

The above prompted me to research higher quality shoes. I simply chose AE over Alden this particular time because I liked the look of the Leeds. Allen Edmonds quality is certainly commensurate with the price, if not more so. I got the black calf leather.

I am sure I will stay with Allen Edmonds on future purchases. The only other shoes I can see myself getting, is an Edward Green, a significant step up in quality even over AE's.

Some advice- The shoes are accurate to shoe size and width. I wouldn't over think anything buying them on line.

Also spending this much on shoes obviously it is smart to get shoe trees. Buy your shoe trees from Allen Edmonds direct, you will save 40-45% depending on state tax or even more as they are on sale occasionally. For instance they were 14.95 on sale but AE's website charges WI state sales tax, Amazon obviously does not. They are 29.95 + shipping on Amazon, AE does not charge for shipping.

One other thing: The solid block shoe trees run bigger than the split toed trees, so be careful if your shoe size is in between tree sizes. The solid ones wouldn't fit my shoes while the split toe easily did................

Any shoe fan knows that this is a plain toe blucher oxford, and prior to purchasing this stellar shoe from Allen Edmonds, you should consider the similar shell cordovan plain toe blucher oxford offering from the Alden shoe company. I had difficulty finding an store that stocked extra-wide Aldens (I wear EEE width shoes), and so I was left to purchase the Allen Edmonds Leeds. It is a phenomenal shoe, and for the 8 years I've worn them, they have aged very well. They still look brand new except for the very minor scuffs which give it character.

However, I prefer my Alden plain toe blucher in shell cordovan simply because the shoe is made with a more generously fitting last (Alden's Barrie last). I wear 7 EEE in the Alden and 7.5 EEE in the Allen Edmonds and the Aldens just fit more comfortably and don't squeeze the top of my forefoot. I expect that both pairs of shoes will outlast me. Shell cordovan never cracks, never needs polishing (you should apply a little paste wax or cordovan-specific cream anyway occasionally) and is pretty much indestructible.

By the way, when I bought the AE Leeds, they were around 350 a pair. The price will never come down. I bet in the next 10 to 15 years, we will be seeing 1000 dollar pairs of shell cordovan shoes from Allen Edmonds. Don't let the price dissuade you if you want a fine pair of shoes that you will enjoy your whole life. Just make sure they fit properly.

5 stars for quality of shoe. I wish I'd discovered a EEE Alden prior to my AE purchases though. The Madison Avenue store in Manhattan is awesome for EEE sized Aldens and has a better selection than the Alden shops in SF or DC.

to tell you quite frankly, i am just a regular guy who happens to like the very best. just look at the "i love target!", and you pretty much know what i mean by a "regular guy". i am between wall street, and well, street. just like the majority, i believe that there are a lot of great and best things that you don't need to spend a significant amount of money in order to enjoy. however, this is NOT one of those things. these may be pricey, but they are the most inexpensive shell cordovans around. IMHO, they are not as flamboyant as a pair of wing tips (which i am a true fan) or any other shoe styles for that matter. the elegance and timelessness of these is the simplicity. the satisfaction that you will get is what your feet will tell you and the feeling that you get when you look at yourself in the mirror and not other people looking at you with these pair of shoes. heck, most people in this world don't even know what shell cordovan is or even care for what it's all about. if you know and understand what shell cordovan is, that is all that matters.