Why Are Alden Shoes So Expensive

In the footwear world, Alden is a trusted name that has been providing high-quality shoes for over a hundred years. Among the many footwear brands on the market, Alden is famous for using top-notch materials in manufacturing its shoes. This makes their products more expensive than most boot companies out there.  

Why Are Alden Shoes So Expensive

A pair of sleek-looking Alden is a must-have item for every footwear lover. Despite the striking high price tags, the company has been expanding its business worldwide and gaining more customers day by day. That lands us with the question, why their shoes are so expensive. Let’s take a look at the reasons.

Construction

The steady and unwavering commitment to deliver flawless and perfectly constructed quality shoes is what makes Alden boots so superior. Since the very beginning of their journey in the footwear industry, they have been committed to genuine welt construction that has been the turning point for their boots.

Most shoe companies tend to avoid this construction technique as it increases the cost of production to large extent. But despite the high production cost, Alden has been sticking to this process over the years. 

Their most worth mentioning technique is stitching the welting and the upper leather together. Then the sole is attached to the welting by stitching. All these techniques increase the quality as well as the prices. As the methods continued to improve further, the quality along with the price is skyrocketing as well.

Materials

Along with the impeccable welt construction techniques, Alden is also known for its top-grade materials. The upper leather for the shoes is imported from the finest tanneries in the world. The materials include rich, aniline calfskins, luxurious calf, and kid suedes, and genuine shell cordovan. 

Their pure vegetable tannage lining and natural leather insole create a breathable and comfortable space for your feet. Besides, the insole and the lining adapt to the shape of your feet over time and mold themselves to offer the ultimate custom quality fit. 

For the outsoles, they use oak tanned leather bends for outstanding durability and wear resistance. On top of it, carnauba waxes are used to burnish the soles to give them a fine gloss. 

Comfort

The other name of Alden boots is comfort. Their incredible welt construction technique and refined materials deliver some of the most comfortable boots in the market. The ultimate custom fit insole molds the shoes according to the foot shape and provides support and wearability.

Also, Each Alden boot contains a tempered steel shank. The shank is made out of triple ribbed steel and designed to flex with your footsteps to provide more support while walking. Also, the natural lining and vegetable tannage creates a comfortable and breathable space for your feet that most boots fail to provide.

Most importantly, the lasts used for Alden shoes were originally designed for people who have foot, leg, and back problems. So, the shoes are made in such ways that even people who have these physical problems can wear them comfortably. 

Design And Appearance 

Even though the company was founded in 1884, they have tried to retain their integrity and have barely ever shifted from their original design except for the few collaborations with their limited retailers’ partners. But even for such old models, all of their shoes look extremely modern and suitable to go with any latest trends. 

Their best seller Alden Indy was featured in the Indiana Jones movies and gained huge popularity at that time. Even after so many years, they kept their appeal to this day. The timeless sleek and classy appearance is one of the reasons Alden boots are so on demand.

Durability

One of the many reasons for the striking price of Alden shoes is their long-lasting performance. The top-grade materials from all around the world crafted with the utmost care and sincerity make shoes that are designed to last for a long time.  

Most shoe companies abandon the welt construction process and quality leathers and instead use imitator leathers to minimize the production cost. However, Alden is one of the very few companies that stuck to higher quality grades of leather which make their footwear extremely durable.

Besides, the steel shank inside each shoe grants the longevity of their shoes to survive years of use. So, even though their shoes are more expensive than most footwear on the market, it’s a lifetime investment on your side. 

Restoration Service

Most of the shoe companies on the market don’t have a restoration service for their shoes. So, after the shoes are damaged or ruined, you need to throw them out and buy a new one. However, Alden offers its customers a restoration service for all of its shoes.

Despite being extremely durable, it’s only natural that the shoes will start to wear down at some point. In this case, you can send them back to the company for repair. All the shoes are handled and repaired by expert craftsmen returned to the owner. In this case, Alden shoes are a lifetime investment indeed.   

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do Alden shoes go on sale?

Ans: The company is well-known for their opposition to discounts so they rarely go on sales. But if you are in luck you may end up landing an astonishingly great deal.

Q: How do I size Alden shoes?

Ans: Alden shoes generally fit a little differently than other brands. So, it’s best to go to their website. They have complete instructions about how to size Alden shoes there.

Conclusion

It’s normal for popular shoe brands to be expensive because of their high demand and quality. But Alden shoes are extremely expensive starting from 500$ for just a basic boot which is twice more costly than other famous brands like AE, Grant stone, etc. But considering their quality, you can say that the price is justified.