Specifically the Wallace Saddle oxford. Are Frye shoes worth the money? Ive heard they run large as well? Anyone experinced with Frye shoes, not boots.
Considering Frye shoes.worth the $248?
- Thread starter Maximum Closeness
- Start date
While others may have dissenting opinions - I do not feel Frye shoes (or boots for that matter) are a good value. While they are decent shoes at a decent price, the leather quality and the construction/material of the sole leaves much to be desired. They're reasonably comfortable - but nothing exceptional. You can get better shoes, for less $. If you're looking for a plain, but quality Oxford, i'd give some consideration to the "For Life" series by Doc Martens. Having owned a pair of the for life series for about 3 years or so - here's my thoughts:
Assessment of the For Life Series of Doc Martens-
Pro's:
1.) The full grain, non-corrected leather, much to my surprise is superb. The hot stuffed drum method of tanning the leather is not too dissimilar to Horween's Chromexcel and creates a supple pull up leather impregnated with oils and waxes that needs little to no care and after three years, still feels oily, buttery soft and supple.
2.) The air cushioned sole is supportive and comfortable and the material has the grip akin to a body builder's handshake - regardless of the surface below your feet. They're great for all day standing sessions, or long walks alike - rain or shine. Being that these soles are thicker/taller than the standard Doc Martens, they're more comfortable than the standard Doc's, and while not needed for me (i'm 6'2) for shorter fellas, they'll give you a noticeable little boost in height.
3.) They look much better in person than in pictures. The quality of the leather is hard to see in photos, but in person, even from several yards away - the quality is noticeable.
4.) They're goodyear welted.
5.) They come with an extra set of waxed, metal tipped laces, along with a small tub of quality shoe leather conditioner which is beeswax and oil based, providing solid waterproofing as well. I've only needed to apply this once in three years - if that's any indication of just how well their hot stuffing tanning process works.
6.) Doc Marten's will replace the soles and laces for the rest of your life. All you have to do is pay a nominal shipping fee. If the uppers start to get thrashed with normal wear/tear - they'll repair/replace those as well. Pretty hard to beat that...
7.) They're made in Thailand - NOT China like the standard Doc Marten line. I try to avoid Chinese made products whenever possible for a litany of reasons. Owning a pair of the chinese made Doc Martens boots - I can confirm the quality of these Thai made shoes is superior by a vast margin.
8.) They're only a measly $155 MSRP
Con's:
1.) Due to the thicker, beefier sole - they're heavy shoes. The first week you wear them, you WILL notice the weight and it'll take a week or two for your muscles to get used to the extra weight you're kicking around. You'll never feel "light on your feet" or graceful wearing these shoes - they're built to last forever, and as a result they feel like it.
2.) The soles have exceptional grip. While this is also a pro, if you do a lot of walking on smooth hard surfaces with no dust/dirt on them, you need to be extra careful. If you rotate your body, the shoes will be locked on the ground unless you pick them up off the ground. You can seriously injure yourself (dislocate a knee, etc) if you don't take this into account, and say swing your leg over a motorcycle and rotate your body on one leg - expecting some give/rotation between your shoe and the ground. What'll actually happen is the shoe will stick like glue and you'll swing the entire weight of your body against your knee, over-rotate it (since there will be no give) and dislocate it immediately. Don't ask me how I found this out
3.) The light grey/yellow soles look a little doofy. On some models it's not that bad (IE: the 1461 black/black) - but on others like the 1461 Brown, which I have - it really stands out and looks out of place.
4.) Some models have the yellowish stitching around the sole - which screams "Doc Marten's" which for this type of shoe and this quality a shoe, isn't a good thing in my opinion. Sure, this can be remedied with a little shoe polish, edge dressing or a sharpie - but it's a negative nonetheless.
5.) You'll get annoyed at how long it'll take you to wear out the sole such that it's worth sending in to get replaced. It's clear - they built this shoe to make money and they can't/won't make much if they have to replace soles frequently. I wouldn't be surprised if it took 3-5 years of hard daily usage to get close. I was hoping every few years I'd have a nice/new/rebuilt looking pair of shoes. While they still look great... based on the number of shoes I own and the frequency with which I wear these - if I had to have them resoled, it'd likely only be once in my lifetime.
Pic of the black/black 1461 for life's below:
Hope this helps,
Assessment of the For Life Series of Doc Martens-
Pro's:
1.) The full grain, non-corrected leather, much to my surprise is superb. The hot stuffed drum method of tanning the leather is not too dissimilar to Horween's Chromexcel and creates a supple pull up leather impregnated with oils and waxes that needs little to no care and after three years, still feels oily, buttery soft and supple.
2.) The air cushioned sole is supportive and comfortable and the material has the grip akin to a body builder's handshake - regardless of the surface below your feet. They're great for all day standing sessions, or long walks alike - rain or shine. Being that these soles are thicker/taller than the standard Doc Martens, they're more comfortable than the standard Doc's, and while not needed for me (i'm 6'2) for shorter fellas, they'll give you a noticeable little boost in height.
3.) They look much better in person than in pictures. The quality of the leather is hard to see in photos, but in person, even from several yards away - the quality is noticeable.
4.) They're goodyear welted.
5.) They come with an extra set of waxed, metal tipped laces, along with a small tub of quality shoe leather conditioner which is beeswax and oil based, providing solid waterproofing as well. I've only needed to apply this once in three years - if that's any indication of just how well their hot stuffing tanning process works.
6.) Doc Marten's will replace the soles and laces for the rest of your life. All you have to do is pay a nominal shipping fee. If the uppers start to get thrashed with normal wear/tear - they'll repair/replace those as well. Pretty hard to beat that...
7.) They're made in Thailand - NOT China like the standard Doc Marten line. I try to avoid Chinese made products whenever possible for a litany of reasons. Owning a pair of the chinese made Doc Martens boots - I can confirm the quality of these Thai made shoes is superior by a vast margin.
8.) They're only a measly $155 MSRP
Con's:
1.) Due to the thicker, beefier sole - they're heavy shoes. The first week you wear them, you WILL notice the weight and it'll take a week or two for your muscles to get used to the extra weight you're kicking around. You'll never feel "light on your feet" or graceful wearing these shoes - they're built to last forever, and as a result they feel like it.
2.) The soles have exceptional grip. While this is also a pro, if you do a lot of walking on smooth hard surfaces with no dust/dirt on them, you need to be extra careful. If you rotate your body, the shoes will be locked on the ground unless you pick them up off the ground. You can seriously injure yourself (dislocate a knee, etc) if you don't take this into account, and say swing your leg over a motorcycle and rotate your body on one leg - expecting some give/rotation between your shoe and the ground. What'll actually happen is the shoe will stick like glue and you'll swing the entire weight of your body against your knee, over-rotate it (since there will be no give) and dislocate it immediately. Don't ask me how I found this out
3.) The light grey/yellow soles look a little doofy. On some models it's not that bad (IE: the 1461 black/black) - but on others like the 1461 Brown, which I have - it really stands out and looks out of place.
4.) Some models have the yellowish stitching around the sole - which screams "Doc Marten's" which for this type of shoe and this quality a shoe, isn't a good thing in my opinion. Sure, this can be remedied with a little shoe polish, edge dressing or a sharpie - but it's a negative nonetheless.
5.) You'll get annoyed at how long it'll take you to wear out the sole such that it's worth sending in to get replaced. It's clear - they built this shoe to make money and they can't/won't make much if they have to replace soles frequently. I wouldn't be surprised if it took 3-5 years of hard daily usage to get close. I was hoping every few years I'd have a nice/new/rebuilt looking pair of shoes. While they still look great... based on the number of shoes I own and the frequency with which I wear these - if I had to have them resoled, it'd likely only be once in my lifetime.
Pic of the black/black 1461 for life's below:
Hope this helps,
- Thread starter
- #3
Wow thanks! Are these really tight in the toes like the 14hole boot i had to give away?
Not at all for me, they're actually quite wide. Your mileage may vary.
- Thread starter
- #5
Thanks! I have a pair on order now.
Love Docs but wanted something better than the chinese made version. Had never heard of this collection but im sold.
Cant wait to break them in! Needed something that would look great with jeans and a button up plaid shirt/camping shirt. Yes!
Love Docs but wanted something better than the chinese made version. Had never heard of this collection but im sold.
Cant wait to break them in! Needed something that would look great with jeans and a button up plaid shirt/camping shirt. Yes!
For your intended use, these should meet or exceed your expectations. Take pics and let us know how you like them once they arrive!
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