Rose Anvil RESPONSE VIDEO: Is the Alden Indy Overpriced? 

All disagreements aside, I appreciate you taking the time to take a half decent screenshot of me unlike that jerk @stridewise

Rose kept it real and I appreciate it. His gripes were spot on. These boots just don't make sense.

I agree with Rose Anvil. The material don't justify the high cost.

Just wondering how much did the name association of Indiana Jones help Alden stay in business? And without it, how much would they charge for their boots? I understand everyday people pay extra for the names. But as far as quality, material, and craftsmanship is concern, are these Alden Indy worth their price? I am new to this "boot hobby", so it's my sincere curiosity asking the question.

Thank you for your video, really appreciate your time. I have to agree with Rose Anvil as someone who has dissected tonnes of boots and shoes. I am saving afew months to get a pair of Indy Boots, I decided to get the Red Wing Classic Chelsea instead.

Alden are very over priced & construction is now compromised,Rose Anvil did a great job in exposing the real truth about the buisness model.Enjoyed your video & your perspective you made some very good points.

The leather on your 405s looks great. It looks so different from the 405 Rose Anvil cut up. I wonder if they changed in the time since your purchase?

Do you think that Trickers use full grain leather on the heel stack ? Or do you think even Trickers cut corners and use leather board in their boots ? It’s a shame if they do.

great points. the whole made in america thing is fraught with pitfalls. America is amazing, yes. People all over the world also have great skills and craftmanship that we can all benefit from. Again, great video by you and Rose Anvil.

Try Gustin for jeans they are great Made in Ameica. All my clothes I’m wearing are made in America.

I bought a lot of Alden’s in the late 2000s, early 2010s, but haven’t bought any since. However, I did the math on the prices for Alden shoes from around when I was buying their shoes and now and they really haven’t increased the prices all that much over inflation. I guess based on that, they’ve always been pretty expensive for what they are. On the other hand, their business model has kept them alive and it doesn’t seem that they have any trouble selling their shoes (and supply seems to meet demand), so it’s hard to argue with what they’re doing.

This dustup just moved me to Indonesian hand-welted boots.

You guys don't know expensive. I just ordered a pair in black for travel as my 405's are the most comfortable boot I own. Try USD 55 for shipping and a horrible exchange rate in Australia. I'm getting them for around AUD 880 but this is still cheaper than buying them from the official Australian stockist (double monk) at AUD 995

That was really well said! 👍 I think your take on RA's review highlighted the nuance of boot/shoe collecting, which can't really be captured on a stat sheet. People who are up in arms are probably thinking with their hearts, while RA was only thinking with his head; you seemed to straddle both, heart and head, which I think provided a much more complete view of the Alden Indy. Thank you for your pragmatic and well balanced take on this firestorm! Btw, you are smart to remind us to "thumbs up!" as us viewers may have a hundred other things going on while we consume your content; personally, I was wrangling two toddlers while watching the video and until you said it, I'd not pressed the button... It's not tacky to remind us, especially when done as thoughtfully as you did it.

$500k annual income here. Those Alden boots give me pause. Not because I can’t afford them, but because they seem like a price gouge! 😂

Hi what type boot did Mr Rogers wear, do you know, thanks nice video

Amazingly, in the 49 minute video you failed to mention the advantages of Alden's venerable lasts in terms of fitment for many foot types and in a large variety of widths. But I realize it takes a full hour for you to really get a commentary video off the ground... 😆 Loved it! (And loved the not-so-inconspicuous dubs toward the end too, haha)

man, thank you very very much for your very informative. in-depth talk about the Aldin Indy i am a big time boot guy too, you have made me want a pair great job. kevin

What are those Chelsea looking boots on the left side of the screen??

Hi! How about comparing it to allen edmonds Higgin Mills. Nice perspective you on the indy. Thanks

1) Let’s be real….what product in this world isn’t overpriced? From eggs to gasoline to Apple products to a McDonald’s meal to everything else, they’re all overpriced. 2) Rose Anvil is one opinion out of many. If people love Alden’s they will keep buying them regardless of whether it’s worth it or not.

When broken in, are the 405s as comfortable as I've heard?

Totally agree if you enjoy them then they are worth it I have natural shell cordovan viberg boots most would never because people believe it's overpriced and I love my mavado watch which a lot of people hate in the watch community But to me they are worth the price Edit really enjoyed this video and with what you said I agree

Very good video. I feel blessed with every pair of Alden boots and it's my "go to boot" to wear. I also appreciate my Whites Steven's boot and know this boot is a superior build.

Do you know of any of the overseas bootmakers that are or would do a reverse shell boot! That is the boot I’m really interested in! Thanks and love the channel

Yeh I tend to agree with Rose Anvil as well. Here's the thing, the Alden Indy boot may be a nicer boot than any Red Wing. But Red Wing boots (the Heritage Line) is a much better boot. Comfort, leather luxury, yeh Alden for sure. But that's not the point of Red Wing boots. They aren't and never claim to be a luxury boot. They are a rugged knock around boot and aside from Whites or Nick's you'd be hard pressed to find a more durable boot. I can tell you from experience that all my Red Wings will out last any Alden boot. Especially when working in them all day (I work in construction too. So my boots take a whooping). So in that respect? Red Wings are hands down a MUCH better boot and a MUCH MUCH better value. You also have to take into account, what is a boot supposed to be? Aldens are a luxury boot yes but a Red Wing is what a boot is supposed to be. A tool. And they look great as well. So Alden vs Red Wing? Red Wings all the way. Grant Stones are nice too btw but you are a total fanboy of them. And there's nothing wrong with that. But Red Wings will stand up to that brand as far as durability goes as well. Js

IMHO, no where near the quality of construction or materials for the price. My Indies lasted just over 6 months while my Iron Rangers are 2 years old and still truckin'. On the bright side it did force me to purchase some Nick's MTOs.

The boot in rose anvil video does look like there is a heavy pigment on the surface though and your boot does look more natural oddly.

For 600 dollars, the materials used don't justify the cost. For less money I can get a Nicks Americana custom made to my foot with better quality materials.

Sun bathe #8 shell for a couple of weeks and Bingo, Cigar Shell Cordovan!

No interest in Alden's boots. My next pair will be purchased from Truman. PS. I have no problem buying Grant Stone's boots. China!!!

I think you missed the point with Rose Anvil's comparison, a point that you restated. When you buy a $300 pair of Redwings, you get $300 boot. Not the case with Alden and their markup for cheaper materials. So being an American company that still produces (Although they do manufacture outside the US as well) boots in the US, they are better for giving the American people what they paid for. I'd argue that Alden stayed in business all these year for their ties to, "Indy."

eventually they will price themselves out of the market which they are about at that point now imo.

edward green doesnt have any leather board it them.

The Alden Indy is a "Lovemark", and there is no rational that can affect the emotional link it has with their users (army). Could they cost less? Sure. Does this matter to the hearts of the people who just love the brand, nope. We have to take closer look at most of the products we use or consume, and we'll get dissapointed, and even scared, really quickly. I love my Indy, I love my Viberg, also my Grant Stone, and my Thursday... But for different reasons.

AMERICA IS FROM CANADA TO PATAGONIA. usa is 10% of America continent. Usa

There's better then alden now value wise

Overpriced? Yea, but like $100. I don't think it should be more than like $550. It is worth it for me though because I love the last and the aesthetic of the boot. They work for me and my oldest pair is still going strong and I didn't exercise proper wearing habits by wearing them nearly daily for 4 years. They Indy is really the only boot from Alden that I love. Anything else that isn't the Truebalance last, I'll be happy to get from someone else. They're comfortable boots. I wore them in retail where I'm all my feet for a good portion of the day and I didn't have problems. I spend half my work time on my feet now with a different job and I'm glad I have my Indys. Not only that, but I don't know many boots that I can wear in retail and then go to date night or church with the same boot and it still fits in with the formality of the situation. The more situations I can wear the boot, the more wears I get and the less the cost per wear will be means I easily get my money's worth. My four year old pair has definitely lasted much longer than my two Thursdays that had problems from not being worn as hard as my Indys.

Marketing is selling the idea of the brand, not what it’s actual value is. The further I watch your video the more you use buzzwords for the quality of the leather/shoe. R&A uses objective comparisons to compare the leather/shoe quality.

Alden is just overpriced. A nice shoe. But there are a lot of nice shoes. And these are too expensive.

As far as your question of when you’ve last worn an all-american made outfit - I can genuinely say pretty recently. Except underwear. But even socks I have quite a few USA. I know where every garment and shoe of mine was made. And the majority is either USA or UK. But I am passionate about it, and it has taken many years. Am more anal than most but I guess it’s pride and trying to be conscious of fair wage countries and their practices.

Industrial society and its consequences

Please add chapters to the video to see the overall points being made. Thanks

My first boot was indy but after getting grant stone and red wing, am never going back to alden. It is a good shoe company but price just can't justify their quality.

I think the important distinction is that Rose Anvil isn’t coming at it from a luxury perspective, it’s more of an issue of is the product you receive made as well as it could be for the price point. I don’t think that anyone could argue that the Indy boot is a less handsome boot than the Iron Ranger, but from the perspective of is this the best product it could be on a construction level, he’s clearly not wrong

Rose Anvil told the truth and it's obvious that Alden boots are poor quality for the price. You can't BS your way around that fact. 😂

The other thing I've noticed with "Made in America" goods is that they are actually overpriced. There literally is no reason for any shirt to cost $300. That's just fleecing the well intentioned Americans who want to support American companies.

The one thing Alden should be careful about is resting on their laurels and not changing enough with the times. Nobody thought Sears was going to go out of business until they actually were going downhill, and they never adjusted fast enough to avoid their end. There's a reason traditionally work boot and work shoe companies like Nick's and White's have started making dressier and more fashion-forward boots and shoes. Younger and people new to this type of footwear are going to see Weston's video, and how many will pivot from thinking about picking up a pair of Alden to something from White's instead? I agree a lot of the personal valuation is subjective; if someone likes the history, the designs, the lasts, and other things associated with Alden, it's understandable they're worth it rather than getting a less expensive imitation or homage from a different company. But Alden has to be wary about trying to expand their customer base with younger generations rather than only depending on their current customers who may eventually age out of consistently purchasing more Aldens.

Agree that there is an honest use case for leatherboard, and this is a design decision. However, it SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper material than any true leather, and that cost of material should be reflected in pricing.

I wonder if people around the world see “made in USA” and think less of it. We’ve certainly made some great stuff ie old school Stanley & craftsman tools. We’ve made some real trash and used the “made in USA” label to justify lots of junk too though. I too want to support craftsmen and good companies as much as I can afford to do so. I can’t ignore good quality or great customer service though just to get some feel good tokens that won’t pay my bills or matter to anyone else in anyway that matters. I’m so glad that you and Rose Anvil are giving real reviews with some decunstructions to expose corner cutting. I’m here watching from his post suggesting people come see your viewpoint. We need more of this. Thanks. Rant over😅

My main wearing boots are Alden’s, Whites, and Viberg, now I have no doubt that the Whites and Viberg’s are objectively a better boot, the Alden’s are beautiful, functional and comfortable but my beef with them is the lace way, they all have too much material in the upper and they lace totally together. I won’t pay more than $600 or more for Alden

Thanks for keeping it real, can't wait for your review on the garnet boots.

I'm so jealous of your collection behind you

I felt personally attacked wearing my cheap Chinese wrangler button up and stretch fit wrangler khakis while looking down at my $300.00 Redwing 1907's but to be fair they are the only shoes I've had to buy for myself in 5 years and still haven't popped a stitch yet. I keep them oiled and I think I've got another year before my first resolve.

Aldens... I don't get it...moc-toes in general... I don't get it.

I saw online a alternative to the classic Alden Indy boot. They are Made by Wested (They made the Indy jackets in the movies) their adventurer boot costs around 200$. Obviously they cant have the same quality as a real Alden but it would be cool comparison beacuse if you Just take 1 look at it they are very similar

It’s interesting that you mention that Alden increase their prices every year. I noticed that here in the UK Trickers and Crockett & Jones increase their prices year on year for some of their best sellers . Maybe in the future Alden will move to China too..

For Christ’s sake his name is Weston Kay not Rose Anvil. His company is called Rose Anvil

If your telling me $610 boot is actually valued at $400 I’m taking the red wings every time

I mean… mine don’t even look like the ones he chopped in half- I tried the flame test too. 100% CXL 😂

Screw Alden and their rare shell game. Grant stone #1

So quick point here. That Alden 405 leather is different from what they are using now. It had like a orange-y shade to it and now it's more more brownish.

Alden is overpriced, I wouldn't waste my money on them. There other American made clothing companies that's reasonably priced.

The one thing about rose anvil is he only promotes or says good things about companies that support his channel. I purchased a pair of Crown Northampton Sneaker that he recommended, and they were garbage. I ended up selling them for a huge loss because Crown would not fix the many issues that these shoes had. I own Alden, Whits boots, Nicks boots, and other boots and shoes, and I can say that based on my experience, I like the Alden the best. I stopped watching roses videos based on his biased opinion on other shoes and boots, in my opinion, are not as good as Alden. The guy is a liar as well! In one video that he did on a pair of Alden shell cordovan, he said he just lightly wore the boots around the shop and in the video, you can see him kicking rocks and trying to wear them out prematurely. The guy is only out for his benefit, not true boot lovers.

I have a 2001 Cherokee...about as all-American as it gets...and it has a Toyota transmission, and that’s the OEM stock transmission. So, yes, Dale is correct. 100% American is rare, even in the most American of products.

Is Alden ‘fashion heritage’ ?? I think filson is the same too there are a bunch of brands getting a kicker for their brand recognition I would say at least you get somewhat a level or quality from a fashion heritage brand. In straight fashion you pretty much get nothing for your money other than creative ways to add plastic

You are out of your mind . Alden’s are cheap trash with leather board and foams and poor QC, and awful construction and materials . Red wings are made with better soles, better insoles , better durability ,better everything . Having slightly better leather uppers does nothing to save the Alden’s . People are doing reviews where they are literally tattered and falling apart after SIX MONTHS I mean , the Indy is super confused . It’s not even a real stitch and it’s supposed to be a moc toe lol. It’s a faux moc toe . Literally . And as for the “luxury” , that’s just silly . It’s a SERVICE BOOT first and foremost and heritage. The build quality wouldn’t even allow you to use it in service , military wise or vocationally . And as for heritage , it’s built with modern cheap corporate level quality , with extremely poor and distasteful materials. Quick, it’s the end of the world or some catastrophic economic circumstances or you’re going to war or have to survive for a few years in the wild . You can take the Alden Indy with you to wear, or a pair of iron rangers. You’re not choosing the Indy and no one else is . And I personally don’t care where a boot is made if it’s good quality . It’s an insult to even say “oh this is a $600 boot that’s as good as a 400 dollar boot.” You can literally for 400 dollars get the premium whites moc toes which are just as refined and much higher quality , and parkhurst Allen’s are also around 400 dollars and better. Look, you spent $2-3k on those Alden’s and now you feel silly so you have to defend them, and I get that. But I’d just probably have sold them to some other sucker and bought real quality. These Alden’s are the Kia of boots . Looks real nice and shiny out of the box and has none of the requisite robustness you’d come to expect . I can’t even believe that rose anvil eviscerated these boots and your only come back is “muh supple luxury uppers.” Ykes.

I know that Rose Anvil makes a few decent points but there’s something about him that just really bugs me, like he cuts boots in half for a living and now he’s the end all be all when it comes to boot analysis. No one is doing hard labor in Alden Indy’s, you’re buying a style and a solid construction. If I never can tell the difference that there’s some leather board in there, why should I care? Am I really supposed to wear some goofy looking nicks boots out on the town because they have a high quality veg tan insole? Get out of here with that bs rose.

They need to improve their materials in construction outside of the uppers, and improve their consistency and quality control. I love Alden. I just can’t buy them anymore. They have a rare variety of lasts and builds and they are great overall, but they can’t charge what they charge and offer the product quality they have been offering anymore. Their reputation has been hurt. Same with J.Crew. I am a long time j.crew guy. They just don’t make things like they used to and they have been charging prices that just don’t fit the product for a while now. The customer base can help Alden course correct. Demand better product for the price with our wallets and not opening them up.

From a pure value for money prospective..Red Wing's Iron Rangers are far and away better than 405's imo.

I liked Rose Anvil’s comments but he has modified he feelings as he love heavy work boots and Alden’s are city dress boots. And for all there lower quality parts, they seam to last long enough. I bought Alden’s after his review and I love them along with my heavy Wesco and Viberg boots. The one area that I can not condone is Grant Stone. I will not support China at any cost.

The hypocrisy of broadcasting your content to the world and claiming add revenue and the advocating for buying only made in the USA. Guess people outside the US should stop buying Redwings then? The move away from manufacturing to services in the west is the reason regular people can afford the stuff we take for granted. You would not want to live in the old world were things were manufactured in the US for ridiculous price and poor quality where only very rich people could afford the stuff we all take for granted.

idk how you can defend alden or even continue buying them at this point

I think you are being a little disingenuous here. If you could buy a large variety of boots from American makers at competitive prices I think you (and I ) would still buy foreign boots simply because we are a boot collectors and love trying out different manufacturers' boots and styles and leathers. Perhaps not as many as you do now but if we really wanted to buy local we'd buy a few pairs of our "home country" boots and leave it at that. Which would be much more sustainable anyway. Regarding pricing, part of supporting the local economy is also ensuring that the workers are competitively paid and are attracted to learn these heritage skills and American labour rates have (rightly) increased over the last few years. With the best will in the world, USA and European brands who continue to make stuff in the traditional, hand built, labour intensive ways are never going to be able to compete with countries with lower standards of living.

Also to be fair about price hikes, I’ve noticed Grant Stone’s prices slowly creeping up. In a few years I expect they’ll be over $400

They aren't even in the ballpark when compared to the grant stones. I have no idea why I watch boot reviews as the only thing I wear is military issue. Cause I can buy them for $60 on ebay. There are a couple of boot brands made in America that are on par with Grant Stones that aren't significantly more money. Aldens aren't one of them.

America is a capitalist nation, capitalism means competition , there is no way they can compete with other makers charging $600 for a boot worth maybe $375. I would order a custom pair from Indonesia at that price point.

when you can get a crockett and jones or trickers for the price of alden boots, and allen edmonds for less, it is clear they are overpriced.

This fellow talks about affordability for his tastes, but he has a boot for every day of the month. He might have two boots for every day of the month??? Do you have any other assets besides shoes?? I have like one pair of boots. I have about half dozen shoes total. Like most people

I love my Indys but don't understand the defense of fiberboard in a $600 shoe. I know it probably performs fine comfort-wise, but seems like every time they resole an Alden, it flakes apart into papery layers. I got cheap Allen Edmonds "voyager" shoes for $100, and when it wore out I took it apart and noticed they used real leather in the midsole that was in great shape despite three years of heavy wear. I've found American companies refuse to do "continuous improvement" in their products as long as sale are brisk. Why improve quality when buyers snag their products off the shelf? Short sighted business philosophy.

Also, he’s so condescending about the trubalance last. I guess having a band saw makes him am expert on orthopedics now

Business Rule: raise prices annually 3%minimum for inflation. Last 2 years inflation is in the 7-8% range

I think is not about where is made is about quality and price tag, and thats it . Well taking in count this Alden boots are overpriced !!!!!!!!! Red Wing has different uppers with different purpose, as you say the Alden is more a dress boot, but what Rose is pointing is the construction which are similar (goodyear welt)

that thumbs up thing work I legit was kind of just running in the background listening and wasn't even thinking about that until you mentioned it.

Buy my jeans from Gustin as well as their Ts. Why do I never hear of Rancourts?

I think you're over-personalizing this. It's not about you. It's about the company and their products. Alden has a history. They have a reputation. They keep the history but the reputation is irrevocably tarnished. I have a couple pairs of indys (a pair of replacement color 8 shells on the way - the first pair was defective) and of the 2 pair I have, one was defective and needed repair (sold to me at 60% off, to be fair). So, of three pairs, 2 were defective. I'm not even talking about price. I'm just talking about making a boot that has a sole attached or speedhooks and eyelets that stay in place. These are basic elements of making a boot. The bar is low, and Alden can't leap the bar 66% of the time. You're welcome to your opinion, and I don't fault you for it, but I'm never buying another pair of Aldens for the rest of my life and I want them to go out of business. They deserve to disappear just like a bank robber deserves to go to jail. There must be an end to the crime of charging Dom Perignon price for Asti Spumante. At some point, the history doesn't make up for a company that lacks capability and integrity.

every year increased the priced is too much.

I agree with Rose anvil. The materials don't justify the cost. The mystique and brand is what they are selling. You held up an Ottawa from grant stone with the same aesthetic with all leather. I know it's Chinese made. But point is that boot would probably still be cheaper than Alden if it was made in the US but would be all leather.

Aldens are overpriced in general.

Allen edmonds gives you the store experience still. About AE , there normal price for Higgins mill 475.00 , is a bit high thanks to Grant stone diesel boot 380.00 is the better boot

He literally whooped that Indy Boot with an Indy whip. Lol

This video has a lot of great points and examinations of the Indy, def earned a subscribe. That said, the end points: my opinion doesn’t matter, Alden doesn’t care what I say or what the internet says, is kinda unacceptable. I understand that companies shouldn’t just pivot their entire operation based upon 1 or even 1000 Reddit posts. The way you make it sound - and what appears to be the truth about Alden as a company - is that they don’t care about their customers opinions. To not care what reviewers and interested parties think makes them a bad company from my perspective. Combine those over the top prices with the former leaderships embezzling and I feel there’s a pretty fair picture painted of a company thats making money at the expense of its fans. I think what’s truly keeping Alden alive is the mysticism of their movie ties, and the lore of them surviving the depression, not the quality of their goods or the experience those goods offer….i am more curious than ever to get a pair of these, JUST to see how disappointing they really are 😅

Lets face the truth guys, most of the things we buy just because of how they looks, and footwear is not an exception here. Yes we can buy a pair of boots with higher build quality, superior materials, bla bla,... but what if that thing looks kind of awkward and somehow even ugly ? Do you guys really want to buy something like that, I don't think so. The point is, you pay for what that stuff brings to you, and the appearance is included. The Alden Indy definitely not a work boots, more like dress boots, casual looking and even able to come with a suit if you get it shine enough. I like Rose Anvil channel and learn lots of stuff from that, but maybe he focus too much in the technical way and not care about the fashion way, you know that you can't wear clown boots and call that fashion, you know what I mean ? Anyway I think the Alden Indy is a little bit overprice, but not too much until they keep the style of it.

Agree with everything said. As an owner of about half a dozen Alden boots and shoes, I was disappointed to see these teardown reviews. I did expect better. I will say however, that their last designs and lining make them my most comfortable of all my boots. The construction hasnt let me down yet, but yes I expected more under the hood for the price. I would guess that their distribution model is also what drives the price up. Squeezing in an upmarket middleman probably has its impact versus the bulk of the direct to consumer makers. For now, I am going to continue to enjoy the comfort and good looks of my Aldens, but will think twice about anymore. Have some Parkhurst Niagaras on order and will be curious to see the compare to the Indy. Also looking to give a try to some Rancourts and Oak Streets.

I'm happy to pay higher prices for goods that are made in places where workers are making higher wages. However, when people (and by people, I really mean (big) businesses) start cutting corners for profit margins, that's just unacceptable to me. There's a huge different between the Grease Point Workwears and Aldens of the world. GPW is using the best materials, all made in a tiny shop, while Alden has a proper factory (so should be making relatively cheaper goods due to volume of production) and yet is cutting corners with materials. I simply do not buy the fanboy argument that Alden is using leatherboard for some legitimate purpose, such as it being lighter or somehow better than veg tanned leather. The fanboys also say that no one will ever know the difference and that Alden critics are tunnel-vision focussed on components that will never really fail anyway - but seeing the leatherboard and paper crumbling during resoles shows the value of quality components. If Alden were making their boots to Grant Stone's standards and still selling them at Alden prices, I think that would be justifiable and worth the money.

Factory Seconds from Alden is the way to go.

You should get some Timberlands 🤣

It is genuinely a bummer that the insole is leatherboard instead of veg tanned leather - will this mean that it won’t conform to your foot as much?

In today's boots marketplace (all the brands, different countries of origin, custom options, M2M, etc.) the materials just don't justify the cost and you're just paying for the name. And to your question almost all my clothing minus my underwear is made in the USA. But there are plenty of countries who make great products. Grant Stone is a perfect example

Origin Maine. American made, American supply chain.