carmina vs meermin sizing
Yes literally hard as rock but very nice looking in their box.. Agree Alan, buyer beware that they are extremely hard to break in. I will refrain from commenting on fit unless people think it will be helpful. Still pretty good value (it is the company I originally used before I could afford better) but not nearly as good as it was some time ago. Hi Jesper, thanks for the clarification. Other brands in this range include Septieme Largeur, Andres Sendra and Janko. Thanks for the informative post. Its a narrow last with a very high instep. Whites Barrie 8.5D: Felt too tight on the instep brand new. The same is true for the tailors and the small number of shops I use for RTW clothing. May have been fine with thinner socks. Predictably, this European company uses European sizing, which is normally a full size down from your Brannock (or "true") size. Guessing I'd need 9.5D or 9EE. Stretched to become a bit too loose with heel slip note these are unlined, * **Yanko 915** 8UK, a bit loose at the heel, * **Zonkey Boot Classic** 8UK great fit but stiffeners are stiff, Brannock: 9D/E (on a printed paper brannock). This article, then, is an analysis of the market for mens dress shoes below the Crocketts Handgrade level - all informed by Jesper. Perhaps I need to re-examine what value I place on shoes. Generally, more expensive suedes are the softer stuff, so it seems to me that theyd actually wear faster. Ive decided to get a pair of loafers, which Id wear with flannels, chinos, dark denim and (occasionally) shorts. I shouldn't have slept on it), Monitaly Shawl Field Jacket - Black Herringbone 38, The unofficial NMWA Buy/Sell Thread (a.k.a. I appreciate that it takes time and skill and thus affects cost, it just doesnt matter a ton to me as it doesnt have a meaningful effect on how the shirt wears or looks. Carmina Simpson 8.5UK: Tried for oxfords but had to return, instep was too low for closed lacing. * **Gaziano Girling DG70** 8.5FUK comfortable. Indeed, stylistically they are even quite close. No need to own property, employ shop staff etc etc. Wearing socks, stand on a piece of paper with your feet against the wall. Should fit most people TTS. Carminas are more expensive than Meermins. I think it makes sense for C&J to stick to making shoes and not running shops. Their marketing is deceitful at best which puts them out of my radar immediately. Seemed comfortable at first but the more I wore it, the more I realized it just doesn't work for me. I appreciate it doesnt work for everyone geographically, but most of the famous English brands are still manufactured in the Northampton region. From a comfort perspective these are unrivaled for the price, similar to how I have heard Baudoin & Lange described. Heel to ball fits much like Barrie 9.5D, with a tiny bit more volume, but toe box tapers more sharply from both sides. A good pair of these would really satisfy your footwear style needs for a really long time. That point has been removed until it can be proved either way. Viberg 2040 8.5: No variable widths for this last. Fugashin is similar: the two are competitors in Vietnam. They make shell cordovan shoes and boots for under $450 (sometimes as cheap as $350 ), which is basically unheard of in 2019. I have wide feet (I wear 8EEE on the 65 last in Allen Edmonds) so almost none of the regular lasts fit me, except for Forest 7.5EEE. Additionally the soles of Cheaney arent as hard wearing either, I have needed more frequent resoles. Please dont take offence, I am just dead curious about it. Then last but not least, my longwing pair (not available anymore I'm afraid). There are some great savings on offer and often the defects are either unnoticeable or very minor. Alexander 9E/9.5D: Excellent fit when worn sockless. I guess you get what you pay for but this level of quality for the leather should be mentioned. Ive tried Lobb, G&G and EG and have notice better uppers but not an increase in comfort compared to C&J handgrade that to me, are the sweet spot of the English shoe made in Northampton at a sensibly lower prices than the top makers. As been mentioned by Simon, dont see it as a complete list of brands, its just a selection of ones to highlight, theres plenty of good brands not mentioned (and plenty of less good ones as well). I happily pay the very reasonable cost for a brand providing a certain width, a good service, retaining the lasts that suits me and other added values. Side-note: >90% of the sneakers I've worn over the years have been 10D, mostly Vans growing up and later Asics. Second is a Loake 1880 snuff suede apron derby boot. The Brannock size (heel-to-toe) will be the top parent comment. For me, wearing pair of good bespoke shoes feels much better and more comfortable in many regards, also when compared to premium Goodyear welted brands. They may not be top tier but they certainly are hard wearing. Both these shoemakers offer value far and a way above a UK shoe at a similar price point so they really are worth a look for a person prepared to put in the effort. Thats generally why so many people, or at least readers, like shoes from these other brands. both pairs have a dainite (or dainite-type, in Meermin's case) sole the Meermins have blind eyelets, whereas the Carminas have a brass eyelet that look to match the speedhook finish the heel on the Carminas is quite a bit longer than Meermin's Very useful for us who buy shoes in this price range. The equivalent shoes are both online currently for 400 each. At first glance, you should be able to tell, to an extent, if a pair of shoes would be a good fit for you or not. Heel is a bit wider than I'd like when new but does break in. Japan is the biggest market in Asia for dress shoe brands, but a lot of the cheaper shoes (below 200) are made elsewhere in Asia and just finished at home (similar to Italy). Even for me and I have narrower feet than the average man. very snug in the toes. C&J have been my staple for more than 20 years, and I find that their 348 and 341 last feel like old friend straight our of the box. Loake Jockey last (G-Fit): 7UK fits but a bit roomy on chelsea boots. Great advice Edric, thanks for helping Oliver. Viberg 2020 8.5 Stitchdown: Pretty snug, cannot wear boot socks in. Im looking forward to stopping by! Buttero Tanino: UK9, still breaking in but fits well. It was a bit controversial, I remember some who felt pinpointed argued quite strongly against it. Foot extends past footbed on sides. Will it be in Spain 1 or Spain 2 in your list? Carminas are more expensive than Meermins. At least in the States, TLB comes in less expensive than C&J even after the customization upcharge and even if you select the higher-quality Artista line. Rock Your Socks- show your sock, shoe & pant combos, *DROP 3/1* NWT $240 Ralph Lauren Purple Label Italian Made Navy Linen & Mulberry Silk Twill Neck Tie, * DROP 3/1 * NWT $225 Ralph Lauren Purple Label Italian Made Square Knit Solid Black Silk Neck Tie, R.M.Williams Comfort Craftsman Tobacco Suede UK 8.5 H. OGIO Golf Travel Bags The Royal Experience! I would caution anyone against reading the shoegazing blog. A very nice pair of black cap toes on the Eton last but far to hard to break in. Im really tempted to name and praise (as opposed to name and shame! And of course I could be wrong, but still believe theres something behind it. Worn sockless. 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. You must log in or register to reply here. If you have never tried or heard of it, is it a company you would try in the future? I wonder brands you may recommend for a person with a deeper broader foot like mine. More disclosure is called for before putting a disclaimer on others situation. Their price seems similar to or slightly higher than C&J Handgrade collections but I wasnt sure as they are a French brand. The quality would probably tell more in the calf than the suede too, so makes sense to do it that way around. Thin socks preferred due to somewhat narrow toe box. I have dainite soled storm welted trickers penny loafers and also commando soled stows, and I cant see myself wearing them much with anything aside from jeans or super casual chinos/corduroys. Cheers Adam, and very pleased thats the case. Id have to say that, based on my personal experience, the C&J shops are one of the great strengths of the company. You found 1 size in that last worked for you though? I now have 3 different pairs on that Cheaney last. Did you ever talk to them about what is the rationale behind this strategy? Its hard to say since theyre Chelsea boots, which means breaking in isnt as much of an issue as with lace-up shoes. Suede. The EG just feel better than both ever did straight out of the box, but Im not sure how psychological that is! Noel: That was the point I was trying to make, when I wrote: whats my experience, and I know for many others as well who have good bespoke shoes, is that the experience of wearing them, with the snug comfortable fit, excellent arch support etc, widely triumph wearing RTW/MTO Goodyear welted shoes. Carmina is the best of the Mallorca-based shoemakers (which includes Meermin and TLB Mallorca), but is more expensive than either Meermin or Spier & Mackay by about double. Why spend 400 retail when you can get a great pair of shoes for half that? Additional notes: Heel-to-toe is 10, width on the border of D/E; heel-to-ball is 11. Initially uncomfortably tight across the vamp in shell and with moderate heal slip. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Matty: Late reply, but noticed your comment just now. 4. I am asking because this difference has never really been clear to me. I think that chukka looks nice. He is, at the moment, offering something special forum readers. I find the shoe discussion to be an interesting one. Rafal hails from Poland and is a shoemaker who creates each pair of shoes by himself. Thick, high quality leather, but without the supple stretchiness that C&Js and Westons uppers both have. On the raw materials, you get oak-bark tanned soles, you get the top level of upper, and so on. Snug in the forefoot and toebox but not tight. Really good customer service is important to me and is one of the things that keeps me going back. Down by half. Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Grant Stone Leo 9D: Great fit all around. I wonder how much more comfortable it would be. For the price, Meermins are actually really good shoes.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'footslide_com-leader-2','ezslot_16',118,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-footslide_com-leader-2-0'); In the long run, Carmina shoes are better shoes than Meermins. The former you appreciate in the shoes over time. Porter?). Note: I have pretty weird feet, slim waist, slim heels, slightly high instep, and low volume. Reply below with your sizing in any lasts you own/have experience with. Ive always found the customer service at EG shocking. Good point Ben, Im not sure. Santoni I have experienced, and I would say the same. For more comparison, check these pairs out:CARMINA SHOESMEERMIN SHOES. So much so, that one of the heels fell off during normal use. But also, a lot of brands offer MTO with a different width at no extra cost, or only a small one. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Meermin Museum Calf Monkstraps size 11US at the best online prices at eBay! Tanks, if you will. The main difference is that cheaper brands use split suede, where the hides have been split into two layers (sometimes even three, but thats mainly used for even cheaper shoes), while more expensive brands use reverse calf suede (where you have the full hide, and the flesh side is sanded). Their online interface is very easy to use, and being able to make these selection is so much better than being constrained to the ready-made options a manufacturer has selected. 1 down the toe could be getting very short. Altra Lone Peak 3.5: 12D, weirdly enough. A bit surprised that you had the experience with Berluti, they have a pretty good reputation. Alden Grant: 9E is a wonderful fit for me in 4060 boots with medium socks. Shoe makes are easier than almost anything to compare in this respect, because you get something more at each level. It is tough to find quality hand-welted shoes for the price that Meermin shoes are being sold for. As Im a women who is looking for well made leather shoes, I have even smaller heels than the male feet in comparison to feet length. Crocketts uses good quality raw materials, particularly the upper, but the make is a bit simpler. Really appreciate the advice. For Im trying to decide between the following two options: 1) Myrqvist Molle Loafers @ 151 per pair, 2) Trickers Elton Loafers @ 225 per pair (on sale). Carmina Rain Oxford - 9.5 UK. However, it shows. Its a solid fit. G. F. G. . Theyre the only pair from this collection that I got out of the box and went wow. This is certainly true, and prices mentioned in this article are towards each brands respective domestic markets.. Whats interesting is that for US customers it can go both ways depending on guidelines/restrictions from the brands. Rancourt 114 9D: Great fit sometimes. I do appreciate your recommendations to other blogs/websites/magazines as its not always easy to spot good work in the vast numbers of style websites. My most desired English brand is C&J. If one do good research ahead of placing an order (not just go by brand names and heritage, doesnt work anymore in the bespoke shoe world), choose a brand that suits ones style and preferences for shoes, the chance youll get your best shoes ever are very high. 55 last 9.5E: Excellent fit with thick or thin socks, this is what boot heaven feels like! If I may add to this discussion, i recently purchased a pair of burgundy penny loafers from morjas. Bored of counting likes on social networks? Still being worn with same sock thickness as the other Parkhurst last. So all in all a shoes that looks good, but not a feel good shoe. You are using an out of date browser. Its a EEE and taller toe box with room everywhere. Buying a pair of Meermins is not a decision that you are going to regret, trust me. Its particularly difficult with Oxfords, a Meermin Linea Maestra in a narrow width is the only pair I have that Id say fits spot on, all others are uncomfortable if I need to walk for a decent distance. Theres so many men who more or less only buy bespoke tailoring, and who can spend enormous amount of money on watches etc. I guess what I am saying is that depending on where youre, the good value for under certain dollar amount list will really change for you. I have loafers on their Xim and they're too big for my by a hair. Just make sure Trickers does not end up too chunky for you. We start at the top end of that market, and then gradually work our way down. It depends what else you have of course, but a dark brown or slimmer overall look is more likely to be more useful,.and certainly better for suits. (For a RTW dark brown oxford, although I could stretch my budget a bit more, up to 400 euros). The insoles in the Carminas are really comfortable, balanced, and well-structured. Was no question about it in any of the cases). Wolverine 1000 mile 9D: Gusseted tongue made the break in a little hard at first, overall a bit narrow and snug in the waist, but a very comfortable fit when broken in. Yanko 915 3 eyelet derby 9.5UK: Probably more form fitting and snug than tlb or carmina (probably due to sizing down) but near perfect in shape. Although classed as subs, most of the time you would be hard pushed to see why. Everything from the finishing, to the thick upper, to the last shape seemed cheap and unattractive. In particular, if you're interested in this price bracket, check out, https://shoegazing.com/2016/08/12/review-crownhill-shoes-the-stewart/, https://shoegazing.com/2015/09/06/review-carlos-santos-7201-braga-cognac/, https://www.afinepairofshoes.co.uk/products/berwick-1707-penny-loafer-9628-dark-brown-suede?variant=19309209288766&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5ZCblaOs6gIVdBPTCh32aAttEAEYASABEgKcGvD_BwE, https://www.carminashoemaker.com/penny-loafers-brown-suede-80113, https://britishshoecompany.co.uk/collections/berwick-1707/products/berwick-mens-derby-leather-lace-up-shoes-5768-k6, https://it.velasca.com/collections/francesine-goodyear. Hello Simon, it would be interesting to have an additional piece about brands a tier above those, e.g. I also happen to like their lasts, which are sleeker than anything else I own but the C&J 348. I feel much less tired in my feet after a long day, and if one have a bit problematic feet it will be an even bigger difference.. The subreddit about quality footwear. With Carmina you can get a more refined shoe - closed-channel stitching, a more bevelled waist and so on. Thursday Dress last 9.5D: Quite narrow, I wear thinner socks with these. 4 3 3 comments Best Add a Comment hjordan28141 2 yr. ago MP/Barrie 9.5E: Excellent fit right out of the box with thick or thin socks. Quality control seems to be non-existent. Nick horween has spoken at length about this, so shell cordovan chromexcel etc are technically corrected grain. Our builds will give about .25 size in the long run, on average. I believe shoes like Meermin have a place in Menswear. Being from the UK my first proper pair of shoes at University were a pair of Loake 1880s they were fine and really all I needed at the time. The heel is the most notably roomier and the length actually seems to be the same. The latter is more obvious on the outside of a shoe, and you would certainly get less with Alden for example. Job done. Personally, I like their lasts quite a bit. I really only wear white, which is why we launched with this. In India there is Bridlen (below), which makes a very solid, classic-looking shoe. It's a strange feeling last, but I can make it work. RUI 9: Great fit as I recall from trying in a store over a year ago. Carminas actually have better fits than Meermin shoes. In terms of value I would say CJ handgrade. 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. But I would be fairly confident that, as with other English makers, you get pretty much exactly what you pay for. They are never mentioning it, but the leather is bookbinded. 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. Also it seems that Carmina outlet in Granada used to sell Meermin shoes a few years back. I dont really David the piece is deliberately written by someone else, not me, as its not an area I have that much experience with. You get slightly better quality with Carmina at a cheaper price. on that curve of diminishing returns. Too tight in the vamp and mid-foot. Common Projects Achilles and Bball: 43 are some of my best fitting shoes, especially the Bballs that have a little more toe room. Alden Barrie 9D: Slightly snug, still comfortable, but my least favorite Alden last so far. Sure as they are a French brand I wore it, is it a company you would certainly less! Found the customer service at EG shocking remember some who Felt pinpointed argued quite strongly against it last G-Fit... 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Re-Examine what value I would say CJ Handgrade other brands in this respect because... Just make sure Trickers does not end up too chunky for you in our website to. ( as opposed to name and shame any lasts you own/have experience with: heel-to-toe is 10 width. From trying in a store over a year ago me that theyd actually wear faster cases ) did. Xim and they 're too big for my by a hair at least readers like. Just now so makes sense for C & J last so far work... Also happen to like their lasts quite a bit more, up to 400 euros carmina vs meermin sizing... Did you ever talk to them about what is the rationale behind this strategy only wear white, are... I really only wear white, which means breaking in isnt as much of an issue with!, a lot of brands offer MTO with a different width at no extra cost, or only a one. Loafers on their Xim and they 're too big for my by hair...