Allen Edmonds Dalton Wingtip Boot in Chili – $299 ($395)
Dammit Allen Edmonds. It’s almost May. This is no time to be tempting a monster splurge on a pair of wingtip boots.
Just added to their 91st anniversary sale, the Allen Edmonds Dalton is about as good as it gets for a wingtip boot. And if memory serves, the Dalton hasn’t been available in their reddish leaning Chili leather (at least not online) up until now. Leathers available were either the very light walnut, or the deep and dark chocolate calf shades. Full in person review on those over here.
Not Bourbon, but the more red-leaning “chili” burnished calf.
Their new “bourbon” leather is probably the perfect, not too light/not too dark brown shade, but this chili option has some real character. Here’s a few pics of the chili leather on the now discontinued Fairfax wholecut: In the shadows it leans brown, but when the sun’s on them the red really jumps out.
Even on sale, $300 is a load. Especially when we’re nearing the time of year when boots are shelved in favor of going sockless with canvas sneakers. Thinking it’s time to read this thing again.
Loading ...And speaking of the Stafford Camlin:
The Stafford Camlin. Sixty bucks, and still going strong after 8 months and two coats of black shoe creme.
Aside from the rubber sole fading some, I still love my Stafford boots. Versatile, cheap, and look good enough to impress everyone not a shoe snob. The AE’s are tempting at $199, but I’d rather invest in another Stafford pair and shoe creme ’em to make them stand out.
these brogue boots all look so much better in profile. from the top, bird’s eye view, they look so stumpy and unattractive.
These have a good profile, but I’m not a fan of how the rubber sole looks. Also, red is a hard color to pull the trigger on.
Makes it easier to pass since I picked up the smoke gray McTavish (which I’m loving) last month.
Just to be clear, the Daltons have a leather sole (it’s the Camlins with the rubber sole at the bottom, I know, a little confusing being that I threw that photo in there)
I’m wearing my walnut Daltons today. I love, love, love these boots. To be clear, they are my favorite boots over my AE Bayfields, Long Branch, Eagle County, and Fifth Streets. The Eagle County fits me ever so slightly better but of course is much less versatile. I would love to have the Dalton in Bourbon and the Chili looks great too – but to justify it, they’d have to be $199. There’s my vote.
It should be pointed out that Allen Edmonds is being a bit dishonest by showing these boots with the straight lacing. You can only pull this off with an even number of eyelets. These boots have an odd number, so you wouldn’t be able to lace them the way they’re shown. Not sure how much that matters in the grand scheme of things, but I think it’s worth pointing out.
You can use straight lacing. It’s easier if you cross over once, but you don’t have to. I refer you to Ian’s Shoelace site: http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/knots.htm
“Stafford Camlin wingtip boots are doing just fine.”
Stop making regret not getting those when they were still in stock. Still hurts, bro.
Leather boots with a leather sole will get me every time. Rubber soles just minutely create a less attractive aesthetic for me.
It is indeed a beautiful boot (especially after black shoe cream), but then again, I never buy retail so the price needs to be at most 200 bucks. Even then I’ll try to cop one on eBay for less. They look better than the Stafford in my opinion as well.
I have too many shoes as it is (I want to keep it under 9 pairs) and I already own Neumoks in brown (so the leather wingtip category is covered even if the Dalton is a boot rather than a shoe) so I will likely pass.
It’s awful, isn’t it? I kind of hate my Long Branches when I look down at them, but I’ve gotten so many compliments on them.
Not a fan of Hi-Tops. I’d buy the equivalent in an oxford.
I love the look of the Chili Daltons. However, I have also the Daltons in walnut and I don’t wear those enough as it is (lacing up after going through security every morning at work is a pain). But if the Chili drops to $200, I’m pulling the trigger.
The bottome pic is one of the staffords after black shoe cream. Not the daltons.
I voted the $0, but I have the Dalton in the dark brown mentioned above instead of the Camlins
Already have two pair of Daltons, but I could be tempted if a pair hits the outlets.
WANT
Thanks for clarifying, Joe.
they’re tough to wear all the time though, especially if you have 4 seasons. i have these in walnut and i wish i got more use out of them.
They do not have them online, but they are still at the store. At least they have been for the last month or so in South Bend, IN, and most of NW IN and NE IL
And did JCP stop carrying 1/2 sizes greater than 11? Rough for us 11-1/2 sizes.
I stand corrected. In this case, I really don’t see a reason to buy the Daltons other than brand loyalty/prospect of recrafting.
I think that’s quite the endorsement for the Camlins that you confused with them with a shoe that costs $250 more!
…. What??? *gets in car and drives straight to JCP*
Joe, your Camlins look much better than mine. How do you fight creases in the leather?
They certainly have some creases, but they’re not awful. I’ve used Meltonian shoe creme to darken them up, and it seems to be good stuff. Creases don’t really bug me on less expensive shoes. I mean, I have creases on my Allen Edmonds.
You know John, I am either an 11, or a 12 depending upon the shoe. The weird thing is that SHOULD mean I’m an 11 1/2, but I don’t own a single pair of 11 1/2 shoes.
My size 10.5 pictured above are for sale…
For $299…
(my condolences)
Can’t say that I’d even accept and Allen Edmonds shoe for free. The construction is solid, but there’s absolutely no padding or support for your soles. It’s like walking on the concrete itself. I don’t see them being comfortable.
Move over here to California and you can wear them year round. Though on the other hand, I wish I got to wear my trench-coat more often.
Quality?
just not a fan of highly brogued boots in general. something about the stern masculinity of a boot mixed with the playfulness of wingtips just seems off to me. on the other hand, have been salivating over these for a while:
http://oakstreetbootmakers.com/footwear/natural-trench-boot
hella pricey but amazing nonetheless.
granted leather soles are a bit stiff and hard to begin with, but when they break in to your feet, they become some of the most comfortable shoes you can own.
for something like that where the leather isn’t top quality, ideally you’d hit it with some shoe cream prior to wear and then again a few weeks in, focusing on the parts where the leather flexes. this keeps the leather in that area soft and allows it to develop small, subtle wrinkles/creases rather than big creases and (if the leather dries out) cracks.
Maybe we can arrange some type of time share? You’re welcome to take over my place in Boston anytime. Plenty of inclement weather to go around.
I have the dark chocolate version of these and I’ve really enjoyed them over the last few months. Found that they’re quite comfortable compared to other boots and shoes I’ve bought over the years. I normally wear 11 1/2 D in most AE shoes, but for the boots I had to go up a size to 12 D to make sure I had enough room in the front.
Really looking forward to the pair I ordered this past Friday.
“I have too many shoes as it is (I want to keep it under 9 pairs)”
lol… I think I may have 9 pairs of just boots. 🙂
I have a pair of AE ankle boots (not Daltons) in chili, and the color really is one of my favorites. it provides a bit of visual interest above and beyond the typical browns, and it’s a shade lighter than burgundy so it stands out a bit more.